Yakuza Wives / Jakoman & Testu

As the title implies, Yakuza Wives isn't just about mobsters; it's about the women who live in their shadows — and often, step out of them. Director Hideo Gosha puts a unique spin on the all-too-familiar genre, dragging it into the neon-drenched ‘80s complete with big hair, big boobs and high stakes power plays.

At the center is Migiwa Awazu (Shima Iwashita), the "elder sister" and de facto leader of the Domoto Family while her husband serves out a prison stretch. But Migiwa isn’t content to just arrange tea parties for the “prison wives club” — she takes advantage of an all-out gang war to make sure her man comes home to a throne. Meanwhile, her naïve younger sister falls for a rival yakuza with ambitions of his own, setting up a collision course of blood, betrayal, and broken hearts.

Yakuza Wives nails a particular moment in Japanese cinema: the glossy, turbocharged ‘80s, when crime films looked slicker but stayed just as brutal underneath. Yet it’s Shima Iwashita who truly steals the show. As the would-be matriarch, she navigates shifting loyalties and deadly vendettas with the icy poise of a prime-time soap opera queen.

And speaking of soaps, the film’s climax delivers a one-take, knock-down, drag-out catfight that plays like Dynasty meets They Live — pure, high-drama chaos that proves the deadliest battles aren’t always fought in the streets, but right at home.  88 Films gives this one its North American premiere on a limited-edition Blu-ray, featuring a new introduction, interviews, stills, trailer, liner notes and original artwork.

1964’s Jakoman & Tetsu sets up camp at a frozen fishery on Hokkaido in 1946 where post-war struggles find native migrant workers hoping for a big herring catch to save the year.  But their boss has problems of his own: the arrival of Jakoman (Tetsuro Tanba), a one-eyed desperado out for revenge after the theft of his boat.  When the boss’s son Tetsu (Ken Takakura) arrives, the rivals must find a way to meet in the middle or risk losing the entire season…which just might be Jakoman’s plan.

A remake of the Akira Kurosawa scribed original, director Kinji Fukasaku retains the Westernized approach to the material, creating a community of hard-working pioneers and honorable gunslingers that would make John Ford proud. Takakura, clenched jaw tough but a softie underneath, is pure old-school cool, while Tamba leans into his villain role with gleeful menace. Their collision feels inevitable, but Fukasaku still manages to crank up the tension with a series of betrayals, beatdowns, and hard choices that turn the final act into a powder keg. The camerawork here is tame compared to his latter films, but even in 1964 he knew how to raise the stakes in any scenario.  Jakoman & Tetsu establishes its own frontier, a hardscrabble world in desperate need of a hero…even if this one’s not wearing spurs.

88 Films gives this one an excellent commentary track from Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp, new introduction, a still gallery, liner notes and new artwork.  A real treat from beginning to end.