Scars of the Sun / Blow the Night – Third Window Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1981 (Scars of the Sun), Japan, 1983 (Blow the Night)
Director: Chūsei Sone (Both Films)
Cast: Kenichi Kaneda, Hayashi Mirai, Ken Ogata, Satoshi Sadanaga, Kôji Tanaka, Emi Yokoyama (Scars of the Sun), Moeko Ezawa, Kazumi Kawai, Eiji Kobayashi, Namie Takada, Yūsuke Takita (Blow the Night)

Release Date: July 27th, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 99 Minutes 6 Seconds (Scars of the Sun), 109 Minutes 12 Seconds (Blow the Night)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £34.99

"Chusei Sone's 1981 film Scars of the Sun departs from the director's previous works in the field of Roman Porno, with this Toei youth-drama starring Kenichi Kaneda. Kenichi plays Shuhei, a member of a rough-and-tumble gang whose customs are broken apart when Kenichi is reunited with his estranged brother whose girlfriend's entry into the group starts to cause friction between its members and the traditions they follow. Starring Kenichi Kaneda, Kôji Tanaka, Ken Ogata, Kyôko Enami, and Satoshi Sadanaga.

The first film from Chusei Sone's production company "Filmworkers" is a hard-hitting Docu-drama based on the stories of Namie Takada: a 15 year old thinner-sniffing, girl-gang member. Namie stars in the film as herself to tell a brutal tale of wild youth in early 80s Japanese society. Starring Yuka Komatsu, Shûichirô Moriyama, Moeko Ezawa, Eiji Kobayashi, Kazumi Kawai, and Eiji Kobayashi." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (Scars of the Sun), 3.75/5 (Blow the Night)

Scars of the Sun comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

Blow the Night comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.3 GB

Feature: 25.7 GB

Blow the Night has some source debris that fortunately is never intrusive. Scars of the Sun’s source are in better shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (Scars of the Sun - LPCM Mono Japanese, Blow the Night - LPCM Mono Japanese)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for Scars of the Sun include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay titled Dakota Noot titled The Sun Sets on Chusei Sone (17 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Japanese film expert Jasper Sharp.

Extras for Blow the Night include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay by James Balmont titled Juvenile Deliquency in '80s Japan (19 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with producer Kunihiko Ukai (21 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Japanese film expert Tom Mes.

Other extras include reversible cover art, an O-ring slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 12-page booklet with an essay titled ‘Stupid rules don’t apply here’: The punk melodies of Blow the Night and Scars of the Sun written by Miriam Balanescu.

Summary:

Scars of the Sun and Blow the Night were directed by Chūsei Sone, known mostly for directing Nikkatsu romantic pornography films. Notable films he’s directed are Love Bandit Rat Man, Hellish Love, Naked Rashomon, Case of the Disjointed Murder, Angel Guts: High School Coed, and Angel Guts: Red Classroom.

Scars of the Sun: A young man’s reunion with his estranged brother puts him at odds with a gang of juvenile delinquents that he’s part of.

While the brief synopsis provides a distilled overview of Scars of the Sun, it just covers the surface of what unfolds. The protagonist, a young man named Shuhei, comes from a broken home. His parents separated when he was very young, and he has not seen his mother since the separation. He lives with his father, an author whose major success is a book loosely based on his son. Instead of providing guidance, his father lacks morals and has no boundaries when it comes to raising his son. Shuhei, unlike most teenagers who would be ecstatic to have such freedom, harbors intense resentment for his father.

1970s delinquent youth films were populated with characters who let violence do all of the talking, while Scars of the Sun is a film deep with emotion that goes beneath the surface with its characters. Throughout, Shuhei lets his anger get the better of him, and yet the issues that are plaguing him remain unsolved. It is not until he lets go of his anger that he finally frees himself of scars from his past.

All around, the performances are excellent. Anchoring the cast is Kenichi Kaneda in the Shuhei; he delivers an authentic performance that perfectly captures his character's state of mind. Other performances of note are Ken Ogata (Vengeance Is Mine) and Kyoko Enami (The Fall of Ako Castle), who portray Shuhei’s father and mother. In the case of the latter, despite her limited screentime, her character's moments with her estranged son are the most powerful.

While there is a looseness to the story that unfolds, there are no throwaway moments. The opening setup does an excellent job pulling you in and from there the narrative effectively builds to a heartfelt, bittersweet finale. Although the visuals mostly let the character be the focal point, there are a few striking moments that greatly heighten the mood. The most striking moment is a scene where Shuhie finally loses control of his anger, and in a jealous rage he uses a boat to run over his friend who was surfing. Ultimately, Scars of the Sun is a well-crafted melodrama whose emotionally charged finale stays with you.

Blow the Night: A teenage girl becomes entangled with an all-girl gang at her new school after recently moving to a rural city.

Reportedly, Blow the Night is based on stories of events from the life of Namie Takada, who portrays a character named Namie. That said, there is an authenticity to her performance since she is essentially portraying herself. While based on Namie Takada’s life experiences, Blow the Night is reminiscent of Toei’s Pinky Violence films. Another clear influence is Yankii, a Japanese subculture characterized by its rebellion against societal norms.

While the narrative weaves between several characters, Namie and Natsuko (sisters) are the focal point. The opening setup does a superb job laying the foundation and a punk rock soundtrack perfectly sets the tone. That said, the narrative retains a cohesiveness despite its free form, and it is very effective at building and maintaining momentum.

There is rampant drug use and sexual promiscuity and a general disregard for authority. The characters in Blow the Night come from dysfunctional families whose parents are absent or avoid confrontation. The visuals are shot in a documentary-like style that uses long takes that greatly enhance the realism. The most memorable moment visually is a rage-filled riot at the school where all hell breaks loose. Ultimately, Blow the Night is an angst-fueled melodrama whose relentless momentum never gives you a chance to catch your breath.

Where most home media companies try to play it safe, Third Window Films is one of the few companies that constantly surprise me. Third Window Films gives Scars of the Sun and Blow the Night a solid release, making it a must-see for fans of Japanese cinema and one of the forerunners for the best releases of 2026. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer