Japan Synopsis
縄張はもらった
Two years before they collaborated on the immortal Stray Cat Rock series, director Yasuharu Hasebe and soon-to-be-superstar Meiko Kaji teamed up for this potent gangster flick that also stars the great Joe Shishido (Branded to Kill) and Akira Kobayashi, who would shortly thereafter star in Kinji Fukasaku's epic yakuza series Battles Without Honor and Humanity. Emerging from a stint in prison, yakuza lieutenant Sumukawa (Kobayashi) discovers that his gang has disintegrated while he was in the pen. An ambitious type, he quickly hooks up with another gang (led by Shishido) who promise him a prominent position if he helps them deal with a rival family. But bonds are made to be broken, and pledges of loyalty soon give way to competition, betrayal and — naturally — retaliation. Tough, cynical and violent, Retaliation cheerfully overturns romanticized notions of underworld honour, paving the way for Fukusaku's revisionist yakuza pictures of the 1970s.
Other Titles From Nikkatsu Corporation
The 1967–1969 Japan Window
In the crowded 1967-1969 Japan release window, Retaliation sits at #50 of 68. The leaderboard below contextualises its neighbours.
The 1960s Japan Landscape
Catalog density by release year across the 1960s in Japan, 202 titles in total. Highlighted year (yellow) is when Retaliation premiered alongside 20 others.
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 20 other Japan films in 1968.
The 296th Japan title from Japan we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1899).
Our Japan catalog contains 4,579 titles in total (2,908 films).
Audience Engagement
11 audience reviews — more than 11% of Japan films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 7th percentile among Japan films.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #3,881 of 4,579 Japan films indexed here (15th percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is -0.9 points below the Japan average of 6.9/10.
Among Japan Action productions specifically: #1,497 of 1,714 (top 87%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Japanese |
| Production Companies | Nikkatsu Corporation |
| Runtime | 1h 34m |
| Release Date | October 5, 1968 |
| IMDb | tt0294909 |
| Official Site | www.nikkatsu.com |