Overview: Deeply scarred by what he witnessed on battlefields across Asia, a young war photographer (Yusaku Matsuda, Yokohama BJ Blues) returns to the bustling streets of Tokyo, plotting a series of brutal murders and robberies that are mere warmups for an unprecedented bank heist. Searching for an accomplice, he finds the short-fused and equally disenfranchised Tetsuo (Takeshi Kaga, Death Note).

Directed by Toru Murakawa (The Game Trilogy) from a venomous script by Shoichi Maruyama (Yokohama BJ Blues), this unsettling dark thriller was Yusaku Matsuda’s farewell to his 1970’s action hero persona.

Blu-ray Verdict: In my humble opinion, The Beast To Die is a very cold and nihilistic flick brought to life by Murakawa’s stylistic direction and a very engaging performance from the always-great Matsuda. It goes off the rails in a very satisfying way, if I may say.

I would argue that Tōru Murakawa is one of the most overlooked directors of his time and that fans of Japanese new wave should search out because his style is definitely influenced by the best of that era. Still, he puts a tremendous dark spin on it.

Casually killing three Yakuza members, our lead befriends another angry and aggressive being, a waiter. Together, they let loose, as they even rob a bank. There is no real end game to their play here as these are traumatized beings, doing what they feel is right. The journalist especially functions normally for a long time in the story but his activities say otherwise. Neither of them ask for sympathy nor do their activities warrant one.

What we have here is a mildly interesting and weird film. It is led by a strangely mixed performance by Yusaka Matsuda, the actor who inspired the character, Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop. His own performance ranges from stunningly impactful to the typically over the top moments which was a common place back then.

In conclusion, The Beast To Die is well worth the watch, although the narrative here ultimately falls short of justifying its length but still makes for - as aforementioned - a relatively nihilistic experience.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
4K Restoration by Kadokawa
Original uncompressed PCM mono audio
Interview with Toru Murakawa (2025)
Interview with Shoichi Maruyama (2025)
Critical appreciation from novelist and screenwriter Jordan Harper (2025)
Newly improved English subtitle translation
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Tatsuya Masuto
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Official Purchase Link

www.radiancefilms.co.uk