Mikogami Jokichi Trilogy
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro
Cast: Yoshio Harada, Kayo Matsuo, Maki Mizuhara
The Mikogami Trilogy follows a lone outcast named Jokichi, whose quest for revenge takes up three action-packed films. The limbs will fly and the blood will spurt as Jokichi wanders the countryside tracking down the rats that murdered his family! After wandering Japan as a Yakuza swordsman, Jokichi decided to settle down and live the straight life. But when fellow mobsters brutally murder his entire family, his thirst for revenge launches him on a killing spree so extensive it couldn't fit into just one film. The series ended all to prematurely culminating into three films but these three films will keep you glued to your seat.
Here is a synopsis of the series:
#1 Trail of Blood introduces Jokichi of Mikogami (Yoshio Harada- Ronin-Gai, Hunter in the Dark, Lady Snowblood 2).. As a former gangster trying to turn over a new leaf, Jokichi now has the reputation as a strong-arm killer but none of the gang credential to protect him from all the enemies he has made.
Jokichi is aided by a teahouse owner, Okinu, who takes him in from the rain and treats his wound. Unfortunately, her after hours kindness raises the eyebrows of seedy gangster Kyubei, who takes her Samaritan-ism for something more scandalous, thus an opportunity to take advantage of her. Jokichi defends her, scarring Kyubei, and Jokichi and Okinu run off together in the night.
Cut to three years later and Jokichi and Okinu have settled down together in a small village and had a son. Fearing someone will recognize him, Jokichi rarely socializes but has still managed to make a decent living as an ornament carver. When business takes him away from home, Jokichi runs into Kyubei's men. Jokichi is captured, and Kyubei extracts some revenge by having two of Jokichi's fingers bashed and then chopped off. On his way home, encounters yet another gang with a beef against him.. They knock him around, push him in the mud, and piss on him.
Jokichi makes it home and finds his wife and son dead, Kyubei clearly having notified the gang world of his whereabouts and calling on anyone in the area to strike out.
Needless to say, this drives Jokichi over the edge and in typical revenge film fashion, he dusts off his sword, makes some sharpened nail-talons for his dismembered hand and sets out to kill the three key gangsters behind the slaughter of his family, yakuza bosses's Kyubei, Chuji, and Chogoro.
#2 Fearless Avenger, Jokichi tracks Chogoro down and confronts him during a gathering of several gang bosses. His head is saved by "Thunder" Juzaburo, the most powerful boss at the meeting, who, despite Jokichi's rudeness, respects the ostracized outlaw's courage.
Jokichi's waves later lead to Boss Umezo asking Jokichi a favor, he wants him to escort Juzaboro's runaway daughter back to her father. Jokichi initially refuses, he is after all an outlaw, banned from both civilized and crime society and, in addition a hunted man, but the prospect of money as well as the good favor is too much for him to refuse. Naturally, as is the case with Jokicki's life, things turn out quite badly.
#3 Slaughter in the Snow being the last film in the Jokichi Mikogami series, it is pretty clear it wasn't meant to be the last film in the series. The third and final installment in the Mikogami Trilogy, sees Jokichi on the last leg of his journey.
Kyubei and Chogoro are dead, leaving only Chuji to take care of. This film provides an excellent conclusion to the Mikogami Trilogy. Although different in tone and thrust from its predecessors, it maintains a completely Mikogami feel. It may not be as adrenaline charged as the previous films, but its emotional human drama and striking visual style make this quite possibly the best of the Mikogami trilogy.
Remastere PrintRemastere Print
Color Widescreen Remastere Print
Japanese with English subtitles
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