{"id":33111,"date":"2026-02-28T02:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=33111"},"modified":"2026-02-28T02:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T10:37:51","slug":"blasts-from-the-past-blu-ray-review-the-japanese-godfather-trilogy-1977-1978","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=33111","title":{"rendered":"Blasts from the Past! Blu-ray Review: THE JAPANESE GODFATHER TRILOGY (1977-1978)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This \u201cLimited Edition” Blu-ray set from Radiance\nFilms is currently available for purchase.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 1970s were something of a heyday for movies about the\ncriminal underworld. There were literally hundreds arriving from all over the\nworld. You had multiple titles from Italy like Borsalino<\/em> (1970), The\nValachi Papers<\/em> (1972), as well as the American Oscar-winners The\nGodfather <\/em>(1972) and The Godfather Part II <\/em>(1974). Even Martin\nScorsese was beginning to dabble in the genre with Mean Streets<\/em> (1973).\nJapan certainly was making its fair share of pictures dealing with the yakuza,\nwith one of the standouts being the Battles Without Honor and Humanity<\/em>\nseries, four films that were produced between 1973 and 1979.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another major highlight is the Japanese Godfather Trilogy<\/em>,\nwhich comprises three all-star yakuza pictures that were produced in quick\nsuccession (although not back-to-back as one might expect) and released between\n1978 and 1979. Radiance Films is putting out a \u201cLimited Edition\u201d box set of the\nseries with a few notable extras that will give some additional background\ninformation to help new viewers understand the movies even more than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first picture in the set is Japanese Godfather<\/em>\n(1977) aka Yakuza Senso: Nihon no Don<\/em> and it does rank among the\ncountry\u2019s best movies of this era about the criminal underworld. Admittedly,\nthere are a couple of moments that may have been inspired by other genre\ntitles, but the story offers unique and interesting details into this organization\nand how it works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This opening movie involves a great many characters and moves like a bullet. Japanese audiences at the time would have been familiar with all the famous actors and their past roles (which would help them immediately have a sense of what type of individual each person was). Coming in fresh, you\u2019ll need to give yourself ten or fifteen minutes to get a handle on all of them, but once you do, the story is compelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The makers claim that it is all based on a true story. It is\nset in post-war Japan of the late 1950s and 1960s. Kazumasa Sakura (Shin\nSaburi) is the head of the Nakajima Group, a yakuza gang attempting to make\nmajor inroads into business and politics and become the biggest gang in Japan.\nBut, he\u2019s also an old man and is suffering from health issues (including high\nblood pressure) and suffering over the impulsiveness of a rebellious daughter.\nHis Chief and next-in-line is Shuhei Tatsumi (Koji Tsuruta), a strong,\nold-fashioned enforcer who treats his peers respectfully (at least, as much as\nthese kinds of characters can), who is now also struggling with a weak heart.\nOn hand to help is Shiro Matsugae (Hiroki Matsukata) and a team of other\nmembers, some of whom are more used to doling out violence than subtle\nmanipulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the course of the story, there is conflict between the\nNakajima Group and other criminal units within the yakuza, who resent their\nattempts to gain more power and influence. Naturally, some of the businesses\nwho make deals with the leads are asked to change allegiances, leading to more\nconflict. And there is a subtle sense of competition within the group itself,\nwith many beneath the primary members wanting to rise in the ranks and take\nmore important roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The movie is primarily focused on dealmaking, with the\nNakajima members attempting to find their way into legitimate businesses and\nexert some control over them. They are understandably looked upon with derision\nand initially note difficulties making inroads in various areas. Of course, you\nalso see the police and media get involved, as certain individuals have secrets\nthat they\u2019d rather keep hidden from the press. As expected, the film is also\ninterested in backstabbing and how all the characters attempt to maneuver and\nadapt to the changing nature of their business. It also spends some time with a\nfew lower-ranking gang members and their subplots doesn\u2019t amount to a whole\nlot, but it is fascinating to see everyone try to survive in a brutal and\nunforgiving environment. Tatsumi serves as the most relatable, compelling and\nsomewhat tragic character, who understands the threat and danger and, knowing\nthat his time may be limited. He avoids posturing like others in his group and\nseems more introspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another interesting character not mentioned previously is\nthe son-in-law of Sakura, Yasuo Ichinomiya (Etsushi Takahashi). He is a doctor\nwho finds himself ousted from the medical community because of who his fianc\u00e9e\nis. His journey goes in a fascinating direction, as he finds himself becoming\nmore embedded within the gang by association, eventually being given money to\nopen his own hospital (which ends up treating many gang members). Ichinomiya\nends up in the middle of a difficult decision about the fate of one of the\ncharacters during the climax and has an interesting arc from a well-meaning MD\nto a person serving the criminal interests of his wife\u2019s family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The action is nasty and bloody, with a couple of\ndisturbingly memorable moments as well. This is a very strong gangster picture\nthat really grows on the viewer as it progresses and makes a lasting\nimpression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The picture quality on this release is very good. This is\nthe first time it has ever appeared on Blu-ray, and the high-definition digital\ntransfer, while not spectacular, is solid. Viewers won\u2019t have any issue with\nthe way the movie looks. The extras include a 2020 archival interview with the\nlate director Sadao Nakajima, who focused on his relationship with Koji\nTsuruta, which had its share of ups and downs over the years. He talks about\nhow they parted ways, but were forced to overcome their differences and work\ntogether for this picture. The director seemed pleased that, despite their\nearlier problems, Tsuruta would stand up for him when anyone would question his\ndecisions. You\u2019ll also get trailers for the pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Since the first title was a hit, the sequel, Japanese\nGodfather: Ambition<\/em> (1977) followed later in the year. It isn\u2019t quite as\ndynamic as the original, but it is an excellent sequel that keeps the story\nmoving and shows what happened after the events of the first picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a health scare, Kazumasa Sakura (Shin Saburi) still\nleads his yakuza outfit, the Nakajima Group, and continues his attempts to earn\nmore power and influence. Without a second in command, a couple of characters\nare subtly vying for the position, including Shiro Matsugae (Hiroki Matsukata).\nThis time out, the gang set their sights on various construction businesses, as\nwell as opening a club with lovely, high-class ladies not only to make money,\nbut to lure important clients with the hopes of making deals and even getting\nthem involved with some of the employees (and using it to their advantage).\nThis leads to another major subplot involving the president of a foreign\ncountry. The gang wants this dictator and country to exclusively deal with them\nand end up trying to lure him with a potential wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Of course, there are also conflicts with competing gangs and\nthe police, resulting in plenty of action and shootouts. There is a\nparticularly thrilling chase involving Sakura\u2019s rebellious daughter, who\ncontinues to cause problems wherever she goes. Matsugae ends up heavily\ninvolved in the club, developing a close relationship with the wealthy heiress\n(and friend of Sakura\u2019s doctor, Ichinomiya) who helps set up the operation. But\nafter a while, even Matsugae becomes depressed by the stress and toll the job has,\nespecially its effect on others, in particular the young woman chosen to be the\nvisiting president\u2019s bride.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While again, yakuza leader Shkura is the throughline for all\nthe pictures, this sequel ends up being Matsugae\u2019s story, with the character\ngoing through a similar sort of existential crisis as his predecessor. It all\nleads to a disturbing climax that results in some of the leads meeting an\nunfortunate, but perhaps expectedly brutal end. It may not be quite as fresh\nand powerful as the original and its slightly longer and flabbier than its\npredecessor, but it\u2019s still an excellent picture that is much better than most\ngangster epics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Again, the picture quality is strong and on a par with the\nprevious release. Extras on this disc include an interview with filmmaker\nKazuyoshi Kumakiri (Hole in the Sky, Sketches of Kaitan City<\/em>). During\nhis film studies program, his professor was Japanese Godfather series director\nSadao Nakajima. He shares stories about his interactions with the director.\nAmusingly, he recalls that Nakajima would walk around in sunglasses and be\naccompanied by an entourage (not unlike some of the gangster characters in his\nfilms). It did take some time for Nakajima to warm up to him, but the young man\nstates that he learned a lot from him and appreciated all of his comments and\nadvice. Trailers are also included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final Blu-ray in the set contains Japanese Godfather\nIII: Conclusion<\/em> (1978). As the title suggests, it\u2019s the last movie in the\nseries. It follows the yakuza as they develop presences in territories like\nGuam and Saipan, which could lead to casinos, prostitution and drug trade\nempires. Kazumasa Sakura (Shin Saburi) and his Nakajima Group are making\ninroads, but find themselves being pitted against another by a major figure\nleading an association of all Yakuza groups. Run by Kosuki Oishi (Toshiro\nMifune, who was featured in subplots of earlier films), the two are told to try\nto make peace as they expand their businesses. They ultimately agree to run the\nmajor gambling house together, but of course both are simply waiting for war to\nultimately break out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When Oishi\u2019s daughter Ikuko (Yukari Yamamoto) falls for the\nson of a notable figure with past ties to the Nakajima Group (in previous\nfilms), the romance complicates matters. A hidden note involving a large sum of\nmoney also becomes a major plot point. Sakura\u2019s son-in-law, the doctor Yasuo\nIchinomiya (Etsushi Takahashi), who desperately wants funding to further\nadvance his cancer research, is given a task to complete that results in his\ndisillusionment with the entire yakuza. It all ends in tragedy for all but one\nof the characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the weakest effort of the bunch. It\u2019s a bit slower\nmoving than the two previous installments. And because of the deadly nature of\nthese stories, there are fewer surviving characters from the previous\ninstallments to follow. Viewers will also have to get over seeing Ichinomiya\nshocked by the devious acts and techniques used by yakuza (particularly after\nhe helped them eliminate a character two films ago).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at least the tropical locations are nice to look at,\nthere is some good action, and the final act is generally engrossing. This is a\ndecent movie, it\u2019s just that the previous chapters were so strong it can\u2019t\nquite live up to them. But it does provide proper closure to the series, which\nthose watching will appreciate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blu-ray picture on display here may be the best of the\nthree, just because the island locations are naturally beautiful. As for the\nmain bonus on this disc, it\u2019s an interview with one of the co-screenwriters of\nthe series. He explains how the movies were made. And yes, it turns out that\nthe producer of the movie called him up after seeing The Godfather<\/em> and\nasked him to create a Japanese equivalent of that movie. He goes over adapting\nthe family theme behind the gangs for Japanese audiences, as well as his\nexperiences interviewing actual yakuza and incorporating a few real stories\ninto the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you appreciate mobster movies, then the previously\nhard-to-find Japanese Godfather Trilogy<\/em> is well worth checking out. The\nfirst picture is phenomenal, the second very good, and the third passable (and\nat least presenting a finale to the story. Radiance Films has done another fine\njob in presenting a fascinating international production to North American\nviewers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This \u201cLimited Edition” Blu-ray set from Radiance Films is currently available for purchase. The 1970s were something of a heyday for movies about the criminal underworld. There were literally hundreds arriving from all over the world. You had multiple titles from Italy like Borsalino (1970), The Valachi Papers (1972), as well as the American Oscar-winners […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":33113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[108,109,2938,2941,3068,3073,7094,9190,10385,10388,10389,10390,10391,10392,11871,12428,14123,16584,18267,23135,24579],"class_list":["post-33111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvdblu-ray-reviews","tag-108","tag-109","tag-blasts-from-the-past-blasts-from-the-past-blu-ray-review","tag-blasts-from-the-past-blu-ray-review-japanese-godfather-trilogy","tag-blu-ray-box-set","tag-blu-ray-review","tag-etsushi-takahashi","tag-hiroki-matsukata","tag-japan","tag-japanese-godfather","tag-japanese-godfather-trilogy","tag-japanese-godfather-trilogy-blu-ray-review","tag-japanese-godfather-ambition","tag-japanese-godfather-conclusion","tag-koji-tsuruta-2","tag-limited-editon","tag-mobster","tag-radiance-films","tag-shin-saburi","tag-toshiro-mifune","tag-yakuza"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33111\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}