Akainu – Bunta Sugawara
Name: Bunta Sugawara
Notable Work: “Battles Without Honor and Humanity“
This 1973 yakuza film is set in post-war Hiroshima and features modern-day yakuza causing chaos. The popularity of the film stems from its intense and graphic scenes, such as cutting off enemies’ arms with Japanese swords and indiscriminate gunshots at funerals.
The final scene of the 2012 film “Outrage Beyond,” starring Beat Takeshi, is considered an homage to “Battles Without Honor and Humanity.”
The series not only stars Bunta Sugawara, also known as “Akainu,” but also features Kunie Tanaka, known as “Kizaru.”
Aokiji – Yusaku Matsuda
Name: Yusaku Matsuda
Notable Work: “The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf“
This 1979 film is based on a hard-boiled novel and stars Yusaku Matsuda as the protagonist, Tetsuya Asakura.
Asakura is a salaryman who is highly trusted by his superiors, but behind his respectable facade, he is an ambitious man plotting to take over the company.
The film showcases Yusaku Matsuda’s villainous acting as he seduces an executive’s mistress, drugs her with narcotics to extract confidential information, and blackmails her using that information. Yusaku Matsuda is also famous for his comical performance in “The Detective Story.”
Aokiji also enjoyed drinking “TIO PEPE,” the same brand that Yusaku Matsuda’s character in the drama series “Tantei Monogatari” (Detective Story) was seen drinking.
Kizaru – Kunie Tanaka
Name: Kunie Tanaka
Notable Work: “Trucker Yaro: Blazing Western Stars“
This 1975 mass entertainment film features Yusaku Matsuda as the protagonist, a decotruck driver, and Kunie Tanaka as his rival, Borsalino 2.
The film combines action, adult humor, sensuality, comedy, and drama, creating a different atmosphere from “Battles Without Honor and Humanity.” The interactions between the two characters are the highlights of the film.
Fujitora – Shintaro Katsu
Name: Shintaro Katsu
Notable Work: “Zatoichi and the Yojimbo“
This 1970 chambara film is the 20th installment of the Zatoichi series. However, what made it particularly remarkable at the time was the collaboration between Shintaro Katsu as Zatoichi and Toshiro Mifune as the Yojimbo.
The meeting of these two iconic Japanese stars was a dream come true. The film “Navy Yokoosuka Prison” features the collaboration between “Fujitora” and “Ryokugyu.”
Ryokugyu – Yoshio Harada
Name: Yoshio Harada
Notable Work: “The Assassination of Ryoma“
This 1974 period film, “The Assassination of Ryoma,” features the collaboration between “Ryokugyu” (Harada Yoshio) and “Aokiji” (Yusaku Matsuda).
It is said that Yusaku Matsuda referred to Yoshio Harada as his “older brother” and even built his house next to Harada’s residence due to their close friendship.
It is possible that the film depicts scenes where “Ryokugyu” (Harada Yoshio) intimidates “Aokiji” (Yusaku Matsuda) who cannot stand up to him. Another collaboration between “Ryokugyu,” “Kizaru,” and “Fujitora” can be seen in the film “Roningai.”
Interestingly, the term “Akainu” (Red Dog) was actually born from this film.