Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture – Discotek Media (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1973
Director: Teruo Ishii
Writers: Teruo Ishii, Masahiro Kakefuda
Cast: Reiko Ike, Makoto Aikawa, Arumi Kuri, Meika Seri, Jun Midorikawa, Emi Jô

Release Date: December 27th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 86 Minutes 48 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $24.95

"Reiko Ike, returns in this gonzo sequel to Sex & Fury following the further exploits of Ocho, a thief and gambler running afoul of evil yakuza in Meiji Era Tokyo." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 16.1 GB

Feature: 15.5 GB

Though there is no information provided on the actual packaging for this release, on their social media page, Discotek Media mentions that the transfer comes from a recent HD master and that they have performed additional color correction. That said, the image looks crisp, the colors look great, the black levels are not as convincing as they should be, and any compression-related issues are fortunately not too intrusive.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Japanese, and included with this release are removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), and  a slipcover.

A poster and still gallery, bios for Reiko Ike and Teruo Ishii, production notes titled Toei's Bad Girl Cinema written by Chris D., an audio commentary by Chris D., a Reiko Ike sticker, and a see-through slipcover are among the extras not carried over from Panik Houses' 2005 DVD.

Summary:

A Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture was directed by Teruo Ishii, a versatile filmmaker who worked in just about every film genre. No matter the quality of the source material, he always somehow manages to craft something that is above and beyond an amazing thrill ride. The Man from Abashiri Prison, Horrors of Malformed Men, Blind Woman's Curse, The Executioner, The Executioner II: Karate Inferno, and the Joy of Torture series are notable films directed by Teruo Ishii.

A Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture picks up right where its predecessor, Sex & Fury, left off as we see the prototagnoist Ochô surrounded by a group of assassins with their samurai swords drawn as she spins her umbrella. A tongue-in-cheek opening credits showcase not only Ochô’s impressive fighting skills but her other ample assets as well.

Teruo Ishii’s direction is inspired; he keeps things moving along at a brisk pace. with a jaw-dropping finale in which numerous naked women use swords and other weapons against their male counterparts. Also, when it comes to more exploitative elements, which are overflowing throughout A Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture, Teruo Ishii does not miss a beat.

As good as the cast is in their roles, everyone is obscured by Reiko Ike’s (Graveyard of Honor) mesmerizing performance in the role of Ochô Inoshika, a gambler who is also a deadly assassin. She delivers a solid performance that expands on her performance in Sex & Fury. And though she is portraying the same character in both films, the way in which she portrays Ochô Inoshika is slightly different in each film.

Ryohei Uchida (Bodyguard Kiba), who made a career portraying offbeat characters, portrays Jôji, who has a score to settle with the same people Ochô Inoshika is going after. Though he is not given that much screen time, when he does appear on screen, he tends to dominate that scene. His character's most memorable moment is a scene where he throws bullets like throwing stars as they pierce his eyes and forehead.

Teruo Ishii goes for a more realistic look at the carnage in Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture than he did in Sex & Fury. The fighting scenes are beautifully photographed and executed. That said, one area where A Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture comes up short is the obvious lack of budget. Most noticeable is the overuse of framing compositions at an angle or tight close-ups that obscure the background.s increasing the level of violence when compared to its predecessor Sex & Fury this film takes disrobing to another level.

Another distinct difference is that Sex & Fury was a period film that took place in the past, whereas Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture looks and feels modern. Also, besides increasing the level of violence when compared to its predecessor, Sex and Fury, Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture takes disrobing to another level. Ultimately, Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture is a very satisfying sequel that stands well on its own.

A release like this makes you appreciate a company like Panik House that puts their heart and soul into their releases. Unfortunately, this release from Discotek Media is lacking any substantial extra content, and the audio/video presentation, though it improves upon earlier home video releases of Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture, still has room for improvement.

Written by Michael Den Boer