Sonny Chiba Mega Review Thread

[BW Haggar]

Amazing stuff!

I've only just finished off the first Shout set to be honest, but as you say Takuma, this one looks great - a couple of absolute bangers, a couple I currently only own as sketchy-looking DVD-rips, and a couple I've never seen but would like to ASAP.

[Takuma]

This is an absolutely fantastic set!

The Defensive Power of Aikido (1975) is one of the very best and most neglected Japanese martial arts movies. The screenplay by Koji Takada is basically a martial arts version of a ninkyo yakuza film, pitting two fundamentally honourable men (Jiro Chiba as young and reckless Morihei Ushiba, and Sonny Chiba as a gun for hire bodyguard working for villains) against each other. Great scrip dealing with honour and duty conflicts, and fantastic action especially between the two Chiba’s. Etsuko Shihomi appears as well.

13 Steps of Maki (1975) is another absolute gem! If The Defensive Power of Aikido was a martial arts version of a ninkyo film, then this movie is a martial arts version of a Pinky Violence film with Etsuko Shihomi starring as a girl gang leader, and basically the only female in the entire film who doesn’t lose her robe. Lots of entertaining action and it even turns into a women in prison film for a while. I’ve been praying for a home video release for decades, and travelled to Tokyo twice to see this in 35mm. Chiba only does a cameo, though.

Some readers here may be aware of this, but in Japan Karate Warriors (1976) is often considered a loosely related 4th film in the Street Fighter series despite Chiba playing a different character. The film’s Japanese title Kozure satsujin ken is literally a crossover between Love Wolf and Cub (Kozure ookami) and Street Fighter (Satsujin ken), though there’s also a heavy dose of Yojimbo thrown in. It’s karate meets katana, and you get to see Chiba fight with both swords and empty hands. And sometimes both at the same time! And let’s not forget about the incredible slow motion trick that was later used in Shogun’s Ninja and Soul of Chiba, where you see a slow motion move that reverts back to normal speed for a second just at the moment of impact and then back to slow motion. It’s ridiculously cool and fun to watch!

The Great Okinawa Yakuza War (1976) is a legendary, insanely violent true account yakuza film set in Okinawa briefly after the island was returned to Japan from USA, which opened the floodgates to mainland yakuza invading the island. It even got banned in Okinawa in fear that it would initiate another gangster war. Someone once summarized the film as being what would happen if Sonny Chiba’s character from The Street Fighter had decided to join the yakuza. Hiroki Matsukata stars, but Sonny Chiba steals the show as a homicidal, karate obsessed yakuza psycho. Also listen carefully and you can hear the music tune that would later be used in Tomoyasu Hotei’s Battle Without Honor or Humanity which plays in Kill Bill.

Karate for Life (1977) is the last film in the Oyama trilogy and also Chiba’s last karate movie as a leading man. It was the end of an era. It’s not one of Chiba’s best efforts, but it has some of his very best fight scenes such as the Chiba vs. 100 karate student opening and a fantastic final duel against Masashi Ishibashi, not to mention the Enter the Dragon rip-off mirror hall fight.

Golgo 13 (1977) is another film that doesn't need big introductions. Chiba plays the world’s most badass assassin, and even John Woo seems to have copied one scene from this to The Killer. It’s frankly not the greatest movie ever made with some clunky stuff in it, including a non-charismatic Chinese co-lead, but it’s a very entertaining trashy action picture full of sex, violence, martial arts and some delightfully nonsensical bits, filmed on location in Hong Kong. Etsuko Shihomi is in it too. A saw this a few years ago in 35mm on a huge screen and kind of had a blast with it. Just approach it without expecting great art.

The Okinawa War of 10 Years (1978) is another true account yakuza film based on the Okinawa conflicts. This was made in the late 70s when yakuza films were starting to tone down sex and violence in favour of plot and characterization, and isn’t as outrageous as Okinawa Yakuza War. It however features one of Chiba’s most charismatic turns as a yakuza boss trying protect his family in the middle of a gang war. And Chiba’s bearded look alone is enough to make straight man question their sexual orientation! Great machine gun climax as well. A small if flawed gem that is long overdue on home video!

[Ian Jane]

Coming 11/14/23.

[Takuma]

More Chiba coming to DVD via Best Field (who do most of the Toei catalogue releases these days as Toei seem too lazy to bother with physical media). They will be releasing the two Narcotics Prostitution G-Men films (1972) and the short lived but good detective TV show Emergency Line (1976) in September. Here’s hoping someone will pick them for a BD release in the UK or US, particularly the first Narcotics Prostitution G-Men aka A Narcotic’s Agent’s Ballad which I think is one of Chiba’s best movies.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0C6K5QL92
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0C6K7J3HM

[Takuma]

Hard Core Chocolate released three new Chiba t-shirts on Saturday.
https://core-choco.shop-pro.jp/











Deadly Battle in Hiroshima actually sold out online in 10 hours (ALL sizes), but I managed to grab one a few minutes before they were gone, albeit in L-size (M suits me better). They announced they'll be getting more stock next month so I might order the M alongside Karate Inferno later, or I might just settle for the L which might be more future proof, haha.

[Jason C]

Wow! That is sweet!

[Ian Jane]

That is super rad.

[Takuma]

New addition to my wall: Yakuza Deka: Poison Gas Affair (やくざ刑事　恐怖の毒ガス) (1971) B0 poster (approx. 100 x 141cm)

[Ian Jane]

The more I see the art for The Executioner Collection, the more I dislike it.

[Takuma]

First time I hear someone not loving the first film. It's full of ultra violence and general crudeness, a great teaming of Chiba, Eiji Go and Makoto Sato, and even features young Hiroyuki Sanada. It also works like medicine for depression (I once asked a cute Japanese girl to go out with me, and she turned me down. I was feeling so down. Then I watched The Executioner, and I wasn't feeling down anymore!).

I like the sequel even more. It's more comedic, but it's even cruder than the original if possible. This film is actually the more popular of the two in Japan, and always a riot with an audience (I've seen it theatrically twice). It's also got tons of fun film reference gags, some of which will likely be lost by many Western viewers.

Oh and the poster is awesome! Got the original B2 on my wall.

[BW Haggar]

On some level, I feel like I should buy this just on general principle, but at the same time these are far from my favourite Chiba movies.... I remember the first one being a bit under-powered, and the second one being a total, time-wasting mess.

Seemingly others disagree though? Should I give 'em another go?

[Ian Jane]

Coming from Arrow in January.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original uncompressed Japanese mono audio for both films
- Original uncompressed English mono audio track for The Executioner
- Optional English subtitles
- Brand new audio commentary by Chris Poggiali and Marc Walkow
- Sonny Chiba, Karate King, a 30-minute featurette on the legendary Sonny Chiba, featuring Grady Hendrix, Tom Mes, Chris Poggiali, Marco Joachim and Seiji Anno, from the band Guitar Wolf
- Original trailers
- Image galleries for The Executioner and The Executioner II: Karate Inferno
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Lucas Peverill

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the films by by Mark Schilling

[Takuma]

Someone on the Blu-ray.com forum found a BBFC listing for Karate Inferno from Arrow. I assume Arrow will also release The Executioner.

I think the BBFC listing is actually for the first film. Although the title says "Karate Inferno", the examination details say "The Executioner", the plot description seems to be for the first film, and the running time (86m 38s) matches my Toei Channel recording of the first film (86m 39s) rather than Karate Inferno (85m 41s). Also, shouldn't Karate Inferno pass as "15" nowadays? I could be wrong though. In any case, they're probably releasing both.

https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/karat...pwwc0xmda4nde3

Anyway, great to see these coming. Both are pretty awesome films, and Toei has fresh scans available. Just need a disc with a proper bitrate.

[Derrick King]

Someone on the Blu-ray.com forum found a BBFC listing for Karate Inferno from Arrow. I assume Arrow will also release The Executioner.

[Takuma]

Super stoked that Toei has finally scanned Dash to the Sun (太陽に突っ走れ) (1966) in HD and will be airing it on TV next month!
- https://www.toeich.jp/program/1T0000015983/202211













Also video ad in YouTube:
https://youtu.be/bJnKv76HI4A