A new wave of gangster films emerged from Japan in the 90's. In the 60's and 70's, Kinji Fukusaku most notably lead the charge by crafting violent crime dramas that reflected the yakuza as outlaws struggling to survive by any means necessary in post-war Japan. Though just as nihilistic as its forebearers, in the 90's, a more somber and internal yakuza film genre began to blossom thanks to the likes the likes of Takeshi "Beat" Kitano (Sonatine, Fireworks), Takashi Ishii (Gonin), Takashi Miike (Ley Lines), and Rokuro Mochizuki (Another Lonely Hitman and A Yakuza in Love).

Onibi: The Fire Within (1996) bears many of the same storytelling elements found in Another Lonely Hitman, which is the only other film by Mochizuki I have seen. Both have the fresh out of jail, aged yakuza protagonist. Both characters enter into odd relationships with a newfound love. Both struggle with their inner demons and penchant for violence. Both pick up cameras, in Hitman it is a video camera, in Onibi a still, which become metaphorical devices for their mind set. But, Mochizuki clearly isn't lacking in imagination and the similar devices are just variations on a theme, a creator utilizing some plotting tools that he favors. Call it the Rokuro Mochizuki gangster milieu.

Recently released from prison, former yakuza hitman Kunihiro (Yoshiro Harada) is making a play to go straight. He's got a job doing construction work and is sharing a flat with an old cellmate. When a former colleague (Sho Aikawa) offers to help get him back on his feet, he cannot pass up the offer. He becomes a glorified chauffeur for a gang. His old muscle comes into play when he rescues two men he was escorting to collect a debt from another gang. When the deal goes sour, Kunihiro comes to their rescue and this gives him added clout within the gang, who sees his potential for violence. But this is not what he wants.

Feeling no pride in his past, Kunihiro is reluctant to fall back into the criminal life. He falls for a lounge singer, Asako (Reiko Kataoka), and with her, again, tries to make for a normal life. He lies his way into a job and they get an apartment together. But his attempts at legitimacy go against the fire and the temper he's known all of his life. When he helps Asako put the beat down on a sleazeball who wronged her, this puts him in bad favor with the underworld and leads him to strike back in the only way he knows how.

Much of the charm and dramatic impact of the film rests not only in the Mochizuki's staging but his perfect choice for the films lead actor, Yoshio Harada (Hunter in the Dark, Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance). A veteran tough guy actor, Harada conveys an assured cool with a natural ease. His resume is filled with the likes of such confident anti-heroes, so the role, for him, was probably as easy as breathing. Like most new wave gangsters, the character has these polar opposite sides- he is man of violence and short temper but is also capable of jovial heart and an endearing, near adolescent discomfort with the opposite sex. For him, violence is easy and intimacy is hard. Reiko Kataoka is quite good with a difficult character. Essentially, she is "the girl", and a cute one at that, who falls for the older, warm-hearted, but rough and dangerous man. A very recognizable face in the genre, Sho Aikawa has a small role where he more or less just shows up.

Rokuro Mochizuki's carefully composed direction keeps things very minimal with a largely locked down camera, which of course lends to a leisurely pace. Though it is definitely in the artful vein, like Kitano, Mochizuki adds some good touches of humor that keeps the film from getting too heavy. Like the best of the new wave gangster pictures, Mochizuki finds the balance to keep his melodrama at a slow boil instead of a tepid (in other words- boring) simmer or a hysterical boil.

The DVD: Artsmagic

Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen. Comparable to Artsmagic's release of Another Lonely Hitman, if faring a tad better. Both of these Rokuro Mochizuki DVD's show some defects, most notably some softness and rampant edge enhancement. Still, these flaws aside, in the realm of import transfers of such material (like Gonin or Boiling Point) which can be notoriously rough, Onibi fares pretty well. Color and contrast denials are well-rendered with rich tones and good black levels. General print clarity and cleanliness is also quite good.

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 or 5.1, Japanese language, with optional English subtitles. Audio presentation is solid. Simple and straightforward in fx and general sound presentation, the dialogue is clear, the (classical) soundtrack fairly beefy, and the minimal fx adequate. The subtitles were quite well-rendered and translated.

Extras: Bio/Filmographies— Interview with director Rokuro Mochizuki (29:17). Very good. Mochizuki is a good talker and goes into detail about the genesis and research for the film as well as character development and production woes. — Audio Commentary by Midnight Eye contributor and author Tom Mes. Mes does a serviceable job covering the basics about the particulars involved and the genre in general. Worth a casual listen.

Conclusion: For fans of the genre, the understated Kitano-esque yazuza flick, Onibi: the Fire Within will be a welcome addition to their collections. The DVD presentation offers a nice sound and image transfer and informative extras making this one very purchase worthy.