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Ichi the Killer (Japan, 2001)
Directed by: Takashi Miike
Starring: Nao Omori, Tadanobu Asano, Shinya Tsukamoto

Who or what is Ichi the Killer?

  • It's based on a comic book that is completely banned in parts of Japan

  • Thirteen minutes were censored for its Hong Kong release

  • The British Board of Film Classification recommended more cuts in ICHI
    than in any other film in almost a decade

  • The Toronto Film Festival handed out barf bags when they screened it

ICHI THE KILLER is the shocking story of Japan's number one hitman — a crybaby killer with razors inhis shoes and hair on his palms. Someone has killed the Yakuza boss, festooning a hotel room with his guts. Masochist psycho #2 man, Kakihara (Tadanobu Asano), is mighty pissed because no one ever beat him up as good as the boss did. So when he discovers that the legendary Ichi is the killer, he decides to hunt him down, hoping to receive the ultimate orgasm: a nice, hot, lethal beating. But Ichi is actually a blubbering crybaby who can only kill when his hypnotist-handler works him up into an emotional lather. In the original manga, Ichi¹s handler is a super-deformed midget, Miike does the next best thing and casts a cult film director in the role: Shinya Tsukamoto, director of Testuo: The Iron Man and Gemini.

This is the mafia movie taken to its logical conclusion: if these guys beat each other up so much, then they must be getting off on it. Otherwise, why apply for the job in the first place? Why not quit earlier? In Miike's hands the macho gangster film becomes the back room of an S&M club, and Sopranos fans will never be able to look at their favorite thugs the same way again.

With gruesome special effects by the outfit NHK-TV established to work on their educational programming (the geeks get bored of children's shows and work for Miike at a discount), this movie will make you storm out of the theater in disgust only to return minutes later for more, More, MORE! MORE Yakuza bondage torture sessions! MORE human tongues cut out before your very eyes! MORE corrupt cops dressed as teddy bears! ICHI THE KILLER: you won't be able to tear your eyes off the screen...so let Ichi do it for you.

NOTE: ICHI THE KILLER contains graphic scenes of violence, rape, torture, and self-mutilation. If you want to see a movie about nice, normal people having sex, we recommend Too Young To Die.