Anego (1969)

Production: Nikkatsu
Color / Length: Color, 90 minutes
Director: Buichi Saito
Actors: Nobuko Aoki, Kanjuro Arashi, Ryoji Hayama, Akira Kobayashi

Probably this Movie was made with expectations on profiting on the success of the Toei Series “Red Peony” that featured Junko Fuji as a tough female Yakuza, who proofed to be cooler and deadlier than some of her male counterparts. Hiroki Ogi was chosen to fill those shoes for “Anego”. Ogi was a part of the Nikkatsu-Stable just like her colleague Meiko Kaji (with whom she would appear in the first “Female Convict Scorpion”-Movie a few years later) and had already starred in a few other Nikkatsu outings. At her side in “Anego” were other Nikkatsu and Yakuza-Eiga regulars like Akira Kobayashi, Ryohei Uchida or Kanjuro Arashi. In Buichi Saito, “Anego” had a director who had already proofed that he knew how to make a good Yakuza-Eiga, with titles like "Winner in the Gambling Dens" and "Ruthless Gambler" on his CV. Saito, who went to work for Toei in the seventies, incidentally was the director of the last “Red Peony” in 1972.

So, what do we have? A female Yakuza similar to “Red Peony”, a bunch of good Yakuza-Eiga actors and a time (1969) where the movies were getting more violent and bloody – sounds like a winner. But then again, “Anego” is up in competition with “Red Peony” and that for sure isn’t an easy feat.

One night Junichi Konno (Shinjiro Ebara) and his Wife Ai (Hiroki Ogi) are assaulted by thugs of the Kageyama-Clan. Thanks to his Wife Ai, Junichi survives, though badly wounded and his wife missing two fingers. The next day Kageyama (Ryohei Uchida) is summoned to his Oyabuns (Masao Shimizu) Headquarters, where he has to answer some questions.

Though Junichi was the one who was attacked, he takes the blame for Kageyama’s actions. With the help of Ai he cuts of two of his fingers, jokingly telling his weeping wife that now they are the same again. In a ceremony by the sea, Kageyama, Junichi and Isojima (the Oyabun), under surveillance from Hanamura (Kanjuro Arashi), renew their bond of loyalty; Junichi and Isojima hoping, that Kageyama will calm down again.

But only a little while later Kageyama returns his cup to Isojima, who then breaks down from grief and illness and asks Junichi to be his successor. But he doesn’t want to take over because of the Oyabuns son, Masateru, due for prison release within the next 3 month. Kageyama in the meantime openly shows his disrespect by invading Isojima territory with his men and causing a stir. Masateru Isojima returns and Junichi returns the lead back to him. They organize a succession ceremony which Kageyama refuses to join. He doesn’t even send his 2nd in command, which is a real “affront” against Masateru Isojima. Knowing that Kageyama is out for a big fight, Junichi gives him one last chance to end the ongoing dispute, forcing him at gunpoint to come to a meeting with him and Isojima jr.. But on the way to the reconciliation dinner, kageyama’s men attack Isojima and Junichi, while Isojima only gets wounded, Junichi dies protecting his Oyabun.

The Isojima clan wants to retaliate, but Kageyama already got arrested by the police, which gives him some time. Hanamura tells Isojima, that at the moment there is no possibility of revenge and Isojima opts for staying put. But when Kageyama appears at Junichi’s funeral some of Isojimas men want to go after him. A big fight is stopped in the last moment by Kano (Akira Kobayashi) an old friend of Junichis who came back for the funeral. Ai of course is shattered by the death of her husband and when the clan lets her go with no obligations to them she gets herself a tattoo that reads “neither my life, nor my body are of any means any more”. She then goes to the massage parlor where Kageyama is having some fun and tries to kill him. This of course fails and she’s nearly left for some ugly rape and violence, when Kano once again saves the day. He takes her beating but Kageyama lets both go. When in the next morning Ai wants to see for him, he’s gone.

Two years later.

Kageyama made it big in the meantime. At the opening of one his new casinos, Isojima jr., who is now wheelchair bound, storms the event and blames Kageyama for the downfall of the Isojima clan. Before Kageyama can get Isojima thrown out, Hanamura, who’s also present takes action and leaves the ceremony with Isojima. Ai works as a mama-san in a bar, where she’s often visited by Isojima gang members. One night Shinji (Jiro Okazaki), the younger brother of her dead husband, visits her and begs for some money. Ai, always a good soul, gives him what she’s got without the blink of an eye. Shinji wants to use it to escape with his hooker girlfriend. The trouble is that she is one of Kageyamas girls. When both get caught by some of Kageyamas men Shinji tries to fight his way out, but there are too many of them and he flees to Ai. When Kageyamas men track them down to the bar, once again Kano turns up out of the nothing, saving the day. But Kageyama won’t just let go even if Isojima is willing to give up his whole clan…..

Well… “Anego” doesn’t fail totally. But it isn’t the big surprise-wowy-zowy-Yakuza-Eiga-never-heard-of-but-pure-genius either. I guess one of the big problems is that for a Female Yakuza Flick, the woman of question isn’t present enough. She may save her husband in the first five minutes, but then for the next half hour she fades into the background only to come forth again when half of the movie is over. But there isn’t a “real” male hero either. Her husband dies after the first half and Akira Kobayashi only turns up in the second. So the only person around for the whole movie is baddy Ryohei Uchida, but that’s not too bad actually. Uchida makes a great villain, changing from “kinda” loyal into a cold Machiavellian Snake; ready to bite anyone who comes close enough (even throwing a wheelchair bound man down some stairs). There are some fight scenes, but they are rather mediocre in execution compared to some other stuff Nikkatsu had already showed in movies like “Villainy” or “Bloody Territories”.

“Red Peony” 1 – “Anego” 0, but acceptable as a not-to-bad Nikkatsu Yakuaz-Eiga.

3 1/2 Kitanos