Female Yakuza Tale

The beautiful Reiko Ike returns in this low-budget sequel to "Sex and Fury". A non-stop, rather confusing tale of gangs, drug running and revenge, "Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture" is a wonderfully visual movie with a great '70s score and an excellent cast.

Despite finding the plot a little too convoluted, I enjoyed watching this movie. The scenes of softcore romps with middle-aged men started to exceed their welcome in no time at all but the film has a decent pace and energy that allows it to overcome its limitations. Reiko Ike is a stunning actress and steals every scene. Her willingness to give 100% to the film soon becomes apparent in the opening credits where she manages to full disrobe in the midst of a sword fight with numerous assailants.

Not the most exciting crime thriller I've seen from Japan, "Female Yakuza Tale" is still an entertaining movie from bonkers director Teruo Ishii.

Like the Italians around that same era, the Japanese exploitation cinema industry didn't waste any time, money or effort during the 1970's. "Female Yakuza Tale", the sequel to "Sex and Fury" was released in the very same year as the original. Reiko Ike, the ravishing and slightly exhibitionist lead actress, even appeared in six different films that same year and – according to her filmography - made a total of twenty films in a span of barely eight years (between 1971 and 1979). That's very impressive, to say the least, especially considering the fact these movie don't feel rushed or unfinished at all, like often the case with their European counterparts.

Fortunately enough for us fans, the sequel isn't just a quick and derivative rehash of the original. Like the different entries the righteously acclaimed "Female Prisoner: Scorpion" series, the sequel is a completely new adventure with other themes and – thanks to the change in director from Norifumi Suzuki to Teruo Ishii – there's also another type of stylishness and flamboyance. After extracting vengeance on her father's murderers, and killing a whole bunch of other bastards in the process, you would think our heroine Ochô Inoshika could now finally lead a happy and peaceful life. Think again, because this time around she plots to almost single-handedly bring down a whole network of drugs and prostitution. And these two crimes are really inseparable as the sleazy male gangsters use the prostitutes' gouged vaginae to smuggle the drugs. The modus operandi is integrally and quite graphically illustrated a couple of times and really has to be seen in order to be believed. I swear, only in Japan they can come up with deranged stuff like this and simultaneously find aspiring young actresses to comply. When Ochô is wrongfully mistaken for one of the prostitutes, she's abducted, abused and humiliated. She swears revenge and, with a little help from a mysteriously sexy and praying woman, Ochô gradually mobilizes a whole army (and you make take that literally) of girls to unleash a war.

Although I've yet to check out a lot of acclaimed titles, "Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture" is bound to be one of the purest and sub- genre defining Pinky Violence movies out there! It's literally chock- full of gratuitous nudity (during the opening title sequence already), mildly stunning "crotch-gouge" absurdity and sword-wielding splatter. The climax in particular is perplexing, with dozens and dozens of girls stripping off their robes before battling against the other sex. And they're bound to lose, of course, because every single man depicted in this film is perverted, abusive and exaggeratedly chauvinist pig! There's only one "good" male character in the film, and he's a bit of a silly loser who makes jokes like "your pussy is going to catch a cold". I love feminism.

DAMN I love this era of Japanese exploit film-making. I just recently really started digging into the 70's pinky and samurai films - but I have to say that I've LOVED every one that I've seen so far. Violent, gory, sleazy, sexy - they just don't make films like these anymore...

Unfortunately, the story behind FEMALE YAKUZA TALE is a little convoluted and can be hard to follow at times. This one has Ocho (female pickpocket and "swords-mistress" extraordinaire of SEX AND FURY fame) trying to bring down a drug cartel that uses dope-addicted women as mules to smuggle drugs in their snatches. There are some rival gangs also involved, and throw in a side-plot of some of the local girls becoming victims of a string of "Crotch-Gouge" crimes (!?!), another female assassin who prays before she kills, and a guy who is part of a local crime family who was in jail but now is out and is looking to take down the new leader...and there ya have it...

Again, the main problem with FTY is that there are too many things going on at once, and too many characters who are introduced and then not explained very well, so that the story can become confusing and hard to keep up with. But, on the good side - there is so much sleazy "fun" going on that it's hard to fault the film for some plot inconsistencies. We are treated to the typical rape, torture, some hilarious dildo play, tons of tits and ass, and a few good fight scenes (including an awesome end battle of the drug dealers versus a gang of ex-mules who are naked and p!ssed!!!). I do think there could have been some more violence also - but I won't really hold that against the film either, as there is just so much fun stuff going on in this one. And in typical fashion for the Japanese exploit-style films of this time-frame - the sets, settings, cinematography, choreography, and acting are all top-notch. An absolute winner and highly recommended for pinky fans. Check out also SEX AND FURY, FEMALE PRISONER 701: SCORPION, LADY SNOWBLOOD, and the BABY CART series. 8.5/10 for FEMALE YAKUZA TALE...

This is considered a sequel to Sex & Fury also released in 1973. Not a continuation of the story. Rather a continuation of the character Ocho Inoshika again played by Reiko Ike.

This movie as a whole is definitely watchable. Unfortunately the script has a number of holes which makes it a little confusing at times. The fight choreography which was excellent in Sex & Fury is disappointing here. There is plenty of nudity just like before if that's what you seek. A decent helping of violence as well. You could compare both Ocho Inoshika films to Lady Snowblood. Have to think Quentin Tarantino has seen these.

Reiko Ike is of course excellent. The rest of the cast ranged from passable to excellent. Change in directors for this film is definitely noticable, giving this film an entirely different feel and atmosphere.

If you're looking for a Yakuza pinky violence story with action, then definitely watch. It's not required to see Sex & Fury first but it is a much better movie.

Reiko Ike returns as skilled gambler & swordswoman Ochô Inoshika in this unrelated sequel to Norifumi Suzuki's Sex and Fury directed by Ero-gro master Teruo Ishii (Joys of Torture series, Blind Woman's Curse).

When she is framed as the "Crotch-Gouge'' killer by three men, Ocho sets out to discover their identities and in turn becomes embroiled in a convoluted plot involving Yakuza-related drug smuggling between Japan and China. She soon learns the men have mistaken her for one of their dope-addicted prostitutes they've been using as drug mules to import the Heroin.

Meanwhile the Ogi Clan are having leadership troubles as their old boss has died and his young daughter is missing. Ocho subsequently finds out the bosses daughter is being held in a mental institution but arrives on the scene too late as the girl has already been electrocuted then strangled to death.

Female Yakuza Tale definitely lacks the surreal and psychedelic visuals of Suzuki's direction in Sex and Fury. Aside from the excellent opening sequence involving a naked Ocho slaughtering multiple opponents in slo-mo with her trusty sword and the films fantastic climax, the blood & action mainly takes a backseat here to be replaced with copious amounts of softcore sex, goofy comedy relief and an often hard to follow plot.

On the plus side though, there's plenty of sleazy sex & rape, a badass Nun / assassin who says a little prayer before she kills, a hilarious bullet-in-the-eye scene, some extremely bizarre mental patients and the spectacular finish in the form of a garishly lit kill-a-thon which reminded me of the Batman TV series from the 60's. Add to that a superb score, brilliant fight choreography and slick cinematography and you have one slightly flawed but still highly enjoyable Pinky Violence flick. 8/10