Copyright 1998-2004 Screaming Stoner Video || Last Update: 10/06/07 @ 4:20 PM

Hitting the streets on October 26th, 2004 from the tremendous Artsmagic DVD is both parts of Japanese independent filmmaker Takashi Miike's Young Thugs. The first part called Innocent Blood focuses more on teenage life and centers around four friends who are leaving high school and the changes each one goes through during the process. Based on the novel by Riichi Nakaba, this cool movie doesn't play like a "brat pack" type film with tons of cheesy dialogue but rather slants towards the perspective of the hoodlums. See what we mean?

This somewhat autobiographical motion picture centers around three friends who are entering the "real world" after finally graduating high school. Set in a fishing district in the industrial town of Osaka called Kishiwada, Young Thugs: Innocent Blood captures the social richness of the area while telling a saddening story of how juvenile relationships can fall apart during the course of time.

However, the main emphasis of this Japanese movie is on the thug Riichi (notice the first name?) and the "boring" relationship he shares with the attractive Ryoko (played by Sarina Suzuki).

Like most neighborhoods, the one that Riichi lives in has continual turf wars and his biggest "enemy" (in that neighborly sense) is Sada. When Riichi's friend Tetsuo (Kyosuke Yabe) obtains employment as a cook for a local tough guy he inadvertently opens a can of worms between Riichi (Koji Chihara) and the flirtatious Nahomi. It seems that in due process (although it's apparent throughout) Riichi becomes tired with the lifeless Ryoko and starts dating the "loose woman" Nahomi. This begins to unfold the many dramatic aspects of Innocent Blood.

Riichi quickly discovers his mistake and slips into a deep state of depression vowing never to fight again. Ryoko's friend Masae (Hiroko Nakajima) gets into the mix by bitching out the emotionally crippled Riichi and calling him a scumbag for dumping the bubbly Ryoko which only seems to make his condition worse. Some of the local thugs even rough up the depressed "ex-thug" in an attempt to thicken his hide (it doesn't work, all the same).

How does it all end you ask? Does the once tough Riichi ever get his "groove" back? Yeah, thank goodness he does because it leads to one of the finest endings we've seen in a long time. Kung Pow!

Innocent Blood closes with a bang with a climatic ending which is a good thing considering the overall slow presentation of the entire 107½ minute movie. Riichi discovers the price of adultery and in an unspoken (but oddly failed) attempt at getting Ryoko back he takes off in a fit of rage and finds Sada (Yasushi Kitamura) for yet another battle in the ongoing street war. Let it never be said that Miike doesn't know how to end a movie! In fact, this could well be one of the most mature and straightforward efforts we've seen on the part of the director so far.

Perhaps one of the coolest aspects of Innocent Blood is the fact that it's shot in Osaka and has a major focus towards the Gion Festival where participants dress in fine costumes and carry portable shrines going at super high speeds while running on foot (just like on Real TV).

Also, notice the significance of the floating, red balloon that appears at the very beginning of the film and later towards the conclusion. Red has always been the color of communism and if one probes deeper they might notice much more to these segments than that of a simple "loop." Like all things Miike, he certainly gives his viewers plenty to think about and be sure to catch his own cameo as a crooked gambler during the film (pictured).

On the technical side, Young Thugs: Innocent Blood is a beautiful motion picture and bleeds Miike in a much different manner than The Black Society Trilogy. Here we see a compassionate side of the director and his focus is on telling a terrific story rather than attempting to shock the audience with (sometimes unneeded) junkage. Attention has been paid to every frame and although Miike feels he really has no "style" of his own - it's apparent here mostly from the shot structure and angles chosen that Innocent Blood is a without a doubt a Takashi Miike film.

Innocent Blood also has the distinction of having the most memorable soundtrack from the Miike films we've reviewed to date. The score by Tomio Terada is perfectly accentual, totally "Japanese" and could well be considered the most professional we've seen. Also notice the cool musical number "Let It C." Strangeness.

Yasushi Shimamura joins forces with Miike yet again and adds his editing technique to the film. Innocent Blood also plays out in two "sides" being that of both Summer and Winter (covering one total year). Much like Requiem For A Dream in this aspect, Innocent Blood encompasses one moment in time - one that many look back at with warmness. High School, sigh.

The DVD extras on this disc are as plentiful as every other Artsmagic DVD. The most impressive, we feel, is the 8½ minute Documentary by Takako Tucker called Osaka History and Culture that gives an extensive history about Osaka and the ancient society. There's also a 17½ minute Takashi Miike Interview (with removable subtitles no less) in which the director discusses almost every aspect of the two-part Young Thugs series. In addition, there's a 2 minute Trailer for Young Thugs: Innocent Blood (with removable subtitles as well), Bios/Filmographies on Koji Chihara, Hiroko Nakajima, Sarina Suzuki, Kyosuke Yabe, Yasushi Kitamura and of course film director Takashi Miike. There's even a cool section devoted to the Original Sleeve Art with translatable choices and Scene Selections.

Both films in this 2 DVD set are presented in 1.85.1 Anamorphic Widescreen and Dolby Digital 2.0 and Dolby Digital 5.1 with removable English subtitles.

Smoker's Soapbox:

We prefer Innocent Blood over the second part of the Young Thugs series called Nostalgia which has been billed as director Takashi Miike's favorite film from his entire body of movies. Certainly not as perfect a film as Rainy Dog but an overall great comedy that has hints of Miike scattered throughout. If the truth be told than both parts of Young Thugs successfully capture the hardships and innocence of growing up and are a testament to the many talents of the rebel director.

Proof that protractors have happiness!

[ 4 puffs! ] 80%