Junya Sato’s Blood of Revenge (1965) stars legendary actor Ken Takakura in a tale of honor, loyalty, and vengeance set within Japan’s post-war underworld. Torn between duty and conscience, a stoic gangster faces betrayal and moral decay in Toei’s classic yakuza-chivalry tradition — a defining example of the genre’s blend of violence, melancholy, and moral code.

Osaka, 1907. The upstart Hoshino gang tries to assassinate the boss of the Kiyatatsu syndicate, who are in charge of the construction business. The attempt fails but sets in motion a spiral of violence, as the Hoshino sabotage building sites and kill a junior Kiyatatsu member. When the old boss dies of his wounds, senior lieutenant Kikuchi (Koji Tsuruta, Big Time Gambling Boss) decides to take on the Hoshino gang alone. Director Tai Kato’s first yakuza film is a feast for the eyes, with bold set design, vivid colours and daring shot compositions bringing to life a timeless tale of honour and vengeance. Co-written by Red Peony Gambler creator Norifumi Suzuki and featuring a stunning central performance from Tsuruta, this is one of the finest of Toei’s classic “chivalrous” yakuza films.

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A tale set in the late Meiji era - circa 1880s-1890 as opposed to the early Meiji which began in the 1860s.