Jiro Takagi

Jinsei Gekijo Yokubo hen: sanshu kirako

1954 Theater of Life adaptation.

Temple of Revenge

Revenge breeds revenge. Ikuta Denpachiro, the martial arts instructor of the Honda family in Koriyama, lost a fight to the young samurai Enjo Sozaemon in a martial arts tournament and as a result lost his position and was expelled from home. Wanting to avenge the mockery of himself, he treacherously kills Sozaemon and goes on the run. After long wanderings, Denpachiro, it would seem, finds a peaceful life and love in the face of a devoted and courageous Okatsu, but the brothers of the murdered man are already on his trail, wanting to avenge the death of Sozaemon. The film is based on a story by Itaro Yamagami.

Lone Wolf and Cub

Ogami Itto, framed for treason and surviving a deadly attack, becomes a lone assassin with his son. They face ruthless ruffians, setting the stage for a showdown in his quest for justice.

The Eleventh Hour

Based on a 1956 television feature on Japan’s national network, NHK, this is one of Uchida’s rarest films. A socially conscious drama with a contemporary backdrop, Dotanba focuses on the attempts to rescue a group of trapped miners. The title is a figure of speech — (essentially “last minute” or “eleventh hour”) — that refers to a situation of peril. The film boasts a script co-written by Uchida and Akira Kurosawa’s frequent screenwriter, Shinobu Hashimoto, and stars Kurosawa’s frequent star Takashi Shimura.

The Story of Pure Love

Junai Monogatari AKA Story of Pure Love is about two poor youths, Mitsuko and Kando, rebelling against society in various ways, who are desperately trying to be together despite tortuous circumstances. The film depicts their lives as thieves, menial laborers who can get little pay, society outcasts, and of course, lovers. Junai Monogatari depicts, mostly, their struggles within the Japanese reformatory system and Mitsuko's worsening sickness.

Samurai of the Great Earth

A film adaptation of Rikuo Honjo's novel "Ishikari River".

The Man Without a Nationality

Thriller drama by Kon Ichikawa

The Naked Sun

A young, struggling couple are making every sacrifice so they will one day in the not-too-distant-future, have enough money to get married. As they have agreed on this procedure, it comes as a shock to the young woman to find out from her husband-to-be that he just loaned all the money they had saved to a friend. She is understandably miffed, and a big disagreement results. But after some time goes by, she discovers why the friend needed the money so badly, and the couple are back on solid footing again.

Jinsei Gekijo Yokubo hen: sanshu kirako

1954 Theater of Life adaptation.

Temple of Revenge

Revenge breeds revenge. Ikuta Denpachiro, the martial arts instructor of the Honda family in Koriyama, lost a fight to the young samurai Enjo Sozaemon in a martial arts tournament and as a result lost his position and was expelled from home. Wanting to avenge the mockery of himself, he treacherously kills Sozaemon and goes on the run. After long wanderings, Denpachiro, it would seem, finds a peaceful life and love in the face of a devoted and courageous Okatsu, but the brothers of the murdered man are already on his trail, wanting to avenge the death of Sozaemon. The film is based on a story by Itaro Yamagami.

Lone Wolf and Cub

Ogami Itto, framed for treason and surviving a deadly attack, becomes a lone assassin with his son. They face ruthless ruffians, setting the stage for a showdown in his quest for justice.

The Eleventh Hour

Based on a 1956 television feature on Japan’s national network, NHK, this is one of Uchida’s rarest films. A socially conscious drama with a contemporary backdrop, Dotanba focuses on the attempts to rescue a group of trapped miners. The title is a figure of speech — (essentially “last minute” or “eleventh hour”) — that refers to a situation of peril. The film boasts a script co-written by Uchida and Akira Kurosawa’s frequent screenwriter, Shinobu Hashimoto, and stars Kurosawa’s frequent star Takashi Shimura.

The Story of Pure Love

Junai Monogatari AKA Story of Pure Love is about two poor youths, Mitsuko and Kando, rebelling against society in various ways, who are desperately trying to be together despite tortuous circumstances. The film depicts their lives as thieves, menial laborers who can get little pay, society outcasts, and of course, lovers. Junai Monogatari depicts, mostly, their struggles within the Japanese reformatory system and Mitsuko's worsening sickness.

Samurai of the Great Earth

A film adaptation of Rikuo Honjo's novel "Ishikari River".

The Man Without a Nationality

Thriller drama by Kon Ichikawa

The Naked Sun

A young, struggling couple are making every sacrifice so they will one day in the not-too-distant-future, have enough money to get married. As they have agreed on this procedure, it comes as a shock to the young woman to find out from her husband-to-be that he just loaned all the money they had saved to a friend. She is understandably miffed, and a big disagreement results. But after some time goes by, she discovers why the friend needed the money so badly, and the couple are back on solid footing again.

Shadow Hunters 2: Echo of Destiny

The great Daimyo enlists the aid of the three Shadow Hunters in ensuring the delivery of an illegal cannon in this sequel to Toshio Masuda's bloody adaptation of the manga by Takao Saito. Despite the Shadow Hunters's remarkable skill, this mission is no walk in the park, and in order to survive they must face a relentless army of ninjas and female warriors willing to sacrifice their lives to disrupt the delivery and claim the cannon for themselves.

Seven Masks of Revenge

The eighth film in the "master detective with seven faces" series. Bannachi patrols the town in his taxi when he sees a man heading into Shiodome Town. Next day the man is found brutally murdered and the mystery starts to unravel.

Dawn of Judo

The story of Sanshiro Sugata, a young man who wants to learn the new art of judo. A wise teacher reveals to Sanshiro that judo is not merely a means of combat nor a demonstration of physical skill, but an art which reveals the artist to himself. This is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's films "Sanshiro Sugata" and "Sanshiro Sugata Part II"

Police Precinct Part 7

The body of a woman was found in a manhole. Is it an affair? The victim is a clerk at a mannequin manufacturing company. At the age of 26, she was a widow with a child, and she went missing after he went to collect her salary from the bank. A colleague at work said the victim was wearing an opal ring, but the bank clerk says she wore a jade ring when he came to withdraw money.

Kono sora no aru kagiri

The Boy Detectives Club – The No-Headed Man

Eighth film in the Boy Detectives Club series.

The Deep Blue Sea

To fulfill a friend’s dying wish, a young sailor Kenji takes on the task of delivering an heirloom to his friend’s daughter, Harumi, who has been adopted by another family. When he arrives, Kenji soon discovers that Harumi and her adopted family are the targets of an evil gang boss. In an attempt to help them, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

Man of Thirteen Eyes

Japanese mystery film.

A Chorus of One Million People

A civic music group, created by Tsukasa Nitta, a high school teacher in Koriyama City, and Akiko Watanabe, the daughter of a record shop and teacher of a music class, invites Takuro Yoshida to Koriyama City to hold a concert. He then starts being harassed by the Hashimoto group, a local gangster group which manages the city's entertainment.

G-men of Japan 4: Special Armed Unit Mobilization

The fourth installment of G-men of Japan

A Hunter's Diary

Adaptation of "The Lady Killer" by Masako Togawa.

Rampaging Dog

Abare inu is a 1965 action-comedy film directed by Kazuo Mori. It is the fourth film in the series.

Edogawa Rampo no bijo shirīzu