Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy War

Shozo Hirono has managed to break from the Yamamori family and set up his own small one. His circle has widened, and among his new acquaintances is Noboru Uchimoto, a powerful underboss of the Muraoka family. But tension is growing between two large families in the Hiroshima region and the smaller groups are being forced to choose sides. Hirono tries to stay out of the war, which makes him a target for both. Kinji Fukasaku's film is the third in a series of five. The narrative is built from newspaper sources based on real events, and narration moves it along by dating each development. The camera is handheld and unsteady throughout; the violence is disorderly and contains no heroism. Bunta Sugawara plays Hirono. The series counts among the most influential works of Japanese crime cinema. Who it's for: Viewers who like Japanese yakuza films, 1970s crime cinema, and Fukasaku. Who it's not for: There are far too many characters and it is almost impossible to follow without watching the series from the start. The violence is also constant.