Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Fukasaku Kinji’s crime soap opera begins in chaos, visually and in storytelling, much like the world it was portraying. Many characters are introduced quickly before much context is gained, but the film settles down to an unemotional, clinic look at the world of the yakuza. The main character is interesting, displaying a touch more of honour than his cohorts, even in the narrow sense of the criminal organization; generally, the power struggles are very well described by the title. Sugawara Bunta has a very distinctive face and plays well the hardness of the character. Cinematographer Yoshida Sadaji gives the film a gritty documentary look and his visuals complement the chaotic nature of the story early on. That aesthetic is well defended also by editor Miyamoto Shintaro. Tsushima Toshiaki’s musical score is memorable.