As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of.
Director: Takashi Miike
Writers: Hideo Yamamoto (comic), Sakichi Satô (screenplay)
Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ômori, Shin'ya Tsukamoto.
Storyline
When a Yakuza boss named Anjo disappears with 300 million yen, his chief henchman, a sadomasochistic man named Kakihara, and the rest of his mob goons go looking for him. After capturing and torturing a rival Yakuza member looking for answers, they soon realize they have the wrong man and begin looking for the man named Jijii who tipped them off in the first place. Soon enough Kakihara and his men encounter Ichi, a psychotic, sexually-repressed young man with amazing martial arts abilities and blades that come out of his shoes. One by one Ichi takes out members of the Yakuza and all the while Kakihara intensifies his pursuit of Ichi and Ichi's controller Jijii. What will happen as the final showdown happens between the tortured and ultra-violent Ichi and the pain-craving Kakihara?
User Reviews
Ichi The Killer's storyline is absolutely brilliant and Takeshi Miike has turned the Anime comic into a masterpiece, combining "love", comedy and horror. You have to look passed the violence (which is quite humorous at times, ie; the prostitute trying to smile with a bruised face). If you watch this movie with an open mind, you will notice there is not one single dull moment and this is not an exaggeration. The ending is very mind boggling and leaves you to come up with your own conclusion, the soundtrack is awesome and the cinematography is very original; the camera angles displayed in the scene just after the Anjo group is kicked out of the syndicate amaze me, displaying a shot over Kakihara's right hand mans shoulder leaves me astounded, literally. Please, if you come across this movie, i beg you to see it; you certainly will not regret it.
