Overview: In Hokuriku Proxy War, loose-cannon gangster Kawada rebels when his two-timing boss forms an alliance with a major crime syndicate. The syndicate’s main rivals see Kawada as their perfect proxy, but his furious temper quickly rubs them the wrong way, leaving Kawada to face overwhelming forces.

The final yakuza film from Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale) features some of the strongest women’s roles in his career, plus a raucous central performance from Hiroki Matsukata (Cops vs Thugs) and support from the legendary Sonny Chiba (Street Fighter).

Blu-ray Verdict: Having formed his own style and known for his pioneering contribution to the Jitsuroku eiga genre, Legendary Kinji Fukasaku has made many films with endless story of violence. Here in his final Yakuza film, it is enough in abundance but minus Bunta Sugawara.

Based on true story of Kawauchi Hiroshi, this time around, the Yakuza conflicts is set in the cold region of Hokuriku (the Land of Snow). Hiroki Matsukata plays the role Noboru Kawada, a deadly lone wolf Yakuza exuding violence, he gives it all to stop enemies penetrating into his region.

Many want him dead, as he at loggerheads with the most powerful. He explodes into unpredictable actions with his own unorthodox ways for teaching a lesson. It is evident right from the opening when we see Kawada burying his nemesis neck deep in snow and there’s more torture, and more till the end of the film which ends in the same freezing cold place, the jeep, a brilliant finale. I don’t want to reveal the cards; but I will emphasize that the film is based on real events.

Yumiko Nogawa plays Kawada’s wife, portraying a masterly performance with confidence. I loved Yoko Takahashi who gets to play his second wife, but I bet it will turn out to be one of the best roles in the film and I want to give brownie points for late Sonny Chiba’s role - not the best of all that his done but it’s a good one here.

This is a fast, blood-soaked Yakuza drama with creatively staged fights, shaky camera angles, stark cinematography. It serves everything in full platter and knows what the fans of genre expects from such films. I must also say that the film is also facilitated with great background score by composer Toshiaki Tsushima which is worth mentioning. [S.X.]

Bonus Features:
High-Definition digital transfer
Uncompressed mono PCM audio
New interview with actress Yoko Takahashi (2024, 15 mins)
New interview with screenwriter Koji Takada (2024, 19 mins)
Yakuza film historian Akihiko Ito on the real-life Hokuriku Proxy War murder case (2024, 15 mins)
Trailer
Newly improved English subtitle translation

Hokuriku Proxy War (1977) [ORIGINAL TRAILER]

Official Purchase Link

www.radiancefilms.co.uk