In Japan, the Mafia goes by a different name: Yakuza. The Japanese crime syndicate has business cards, corporate offices, runs both legal and illegal businesses, and controls huge stakes in the country's socio-economic and political structures, stock markets, real estates, and entertainment industry. They even have several tabloid magazines solely dedicated to documenting their "work." And there's also an entire film genre dedicated to their world. First gaining popularity during Japan’s post-war economic period of the 1960s, yakuza movies tell stories of criminals (sometimes with samuria influences) seeking honor and enforcing violent heroism.
What started initially as stories of chivalrous, kimono-clad, and sword-swinging gangsters hav evolved into tales of street thugs, organized crime bosses, corrupt cops, and ex-cons. Today, genre auteur Takeshi Kitano’s latest film, Outrage, opens in limited release. Outrage details the life of the modern-day yakuza, complete with plot twists and excessive homicide. To commemorate the film's release, we're counting down The 25 Best Yakuza Movies.
ygg December 2nd, 2011 at 01:03 PM
Where is BROTHER? Am i missing something?
sally ingram December 4th, 2011 at 11:27 AM
my friend's aunt made $243746 so far just working on the computer for a few hours. Here's the site to read more...thinfi.com/7py
Seamus February 20th, 2012 at 03:23 PM
Thank you for posting. I just searched for all of these movies on demand, and none of them are available.
Ken May 8th, 2012 at 08:56 AM
Brother was not near Kitano's best Yakuza flick. He's got several on the list already and some that aren't that could be. My personal favorite that is missing is Pale Flower or Kawaita hana by Masahiro Shinoda. It is a great list but seems to favor the ultra violent; given the genre one can hardly blame the orchestrator.