Yakuza and Action Directors

Below are some of the best Japanese directors ever. Click on their pictures to discover more about them.

A Brief History of Yakuza Films

The action and yakuza film genre of the late 1960s to the 1980s in Japan marked a significant period in cinema history, characterised by a distinctive blend of stylistic boldness, narrative complexity, and gritty realism. This era saw the emergence of films that not only depicted the shadowy world of the yakuza, but also pushed the boundaries of action cinema.

Directors like Kinji Fukasaku and Seijun Suzuki became prominent figures, with Fukasaku’s “Battles Without Honor and Humanity” and Suzuki’s “Branded to Kill” standing as iconic examples. These films broke away from the more traditional ninkyo (chivalrous) style of yakuza movies, leaning towards a jitsuroku (actual record) approach that portrayed the yakuza life without romanticisation, focusing on the brutality and chaos inherent in the criminal underworld. The action sequences in these films were revolutionary for their time, introducing a level of intensity and violence that was previously unseen in Japanese cinema.

The choreography of fight scenes combined traditional martial arts with unrestrained, sometimes almost anarchic, street fighting techniques, mirroring the chaotic nature of the yakuza lifestyle. This era also witnessed the rise of iconic actors like Ken Takakura and Bunta Sugawara, who became synonymous with the yakuza film archetype. Their performances, often marked by stoicism and brooding intensity, added depth to the portrayal of yakuza characters, making them more than just mindless villains or anti-heroes.

These actors helped to elevate the genre, making it wildly popular not just in Japan but also internationally. These films have inspired numerous filmmakers across the globe, like Quentin Tarantino, and contributed to the wider modern action spectacle. The aesthetic and thematic elements of these films, such as their gritty realism, morally ambiguous characters, and stylised violence, can be seen in various contemporary movies and even in other forms of media like video games.