Mikogami Trilogy

Brought together for the first time in a single DVD collection, this trio of Japanese action films follows the bloody misadventures of Jokichi of Mikogami, a Yakuza soldier who leaves piles of dead bodies in his wake everywhere he travels. The Trail of Blood (1972) introduces Jokichi, who seeks revenge against the mobsters who murdered his family. In The Fearless Avenger (1972), Jokichi fails to kill his enemy Chogoro, but his life is spared when he agrees to guard a Yakuza boss' rebellious daughter—or so he thinks. Slaughter in the Snow (1973) finds Jokichi on the run with a price on his head, and Kobunji, the master of the throwing knife, on his heels. Although rife with violence, these samurai films are essentially second-tier in both style and substance. On the plus side, Yoshio Harada's strong presence as the lethal swordsman is the Japanese equivalent of 1970s antiheroes in the Eastwood-Bronson mold. The special features are a bit skimpy—original theatrical trailers, an image gallery, and program notes—but the English subtitles are crisp and the visual quality is pristine. Unrated, but containing “violence, strong language, nudity and villainy,” this is recommended for larger Japanese film collections, but optional elsewhere. (P. Hall)