Synopsis
13号待避線より その護送車を狙え
A sharpshooter kills two prisoners in a police van at night. The guard on the van is suspended for six months; he's Tamon, an upright, modest man. He begins his own investigation into the murders. Who were the victims, who are their relatives and girlfriends, who else was on the van that night? As he doggedly investigates, others die, coincidences occur, and several leads take him to the Hamaju Agency, which may be supplying call girls. Its owner is in jail, his daughter, the enigmatic Yuko, keeps turning up where Tamon goes. Tamon believes he can awaken good in people, but has he met his match? Will he solve the murders or be the next victim? And who is Akiba?
Other Titles From Nikkatsu Corporation
Action + Crime in Japan
188 Japan titles in our catalog blend the Action and Crime genres. Below: the top-rated of them (excluding Take Aim at the Police Van itself).
The 1959–1961 Japan Window
In the crowded 1959-1961 Japan release window, Take Aim at the Police Van sits at #32 of 36. The leaderboard below contextualises its neighbours.
#1Hero of the Red Light District
★ 8.6 · 1960
#2The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
★ 8.4 · 1961
#3The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
★ 8.2 · 1959
#4Yojimbo
★ 8.1 · 1961
#5The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
★ 8.0 · 1959
#6When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
★ 8.0 · 1960
#7Hiroshima Mon Amour
★ 7.8 · 1959
#8Good Morning
★ 7.7 · 1959
The 1960s Japan Landscape
Catalog density by release year across the 1960s in Japan, 202 titles in total. Highlighted year (yellow) is when Take Aim at the Police Van premiered alongside 15 others.
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 15 other Japan films in 1960.
The 127th Japan title from Japan we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1899).
Our Japan catalog contains 4,579 titles in total (2,908 films).
Audience Engagement
22 audience reviews — more than 39% of Japan films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 16th percentile among Japan films.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #3,839 of 4,579 Japan films indexed here (16th percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is -0.9 points below the Japan average of 6.9/10.
Among Japan Action productions specifically: #1,485 of 1,714 (top 87%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Japanese |
| Production Companies | Nikkatsu Corporation |
| Runtime | 1h 19m |
| Release Date | January 27, 1960 |
| IMDb | tt0054325 |
| Official Site | www.nikkatsu.com |











