Red Peony Gambles Her Life

With the RED PEONY series, production company Toei introduced a female protagonist in a Yakuza film instead of the usual male hero. A decision that proved to be right – the first film was a runaway success and spawned seven sequels. In each of the films, the wandering gambler Oryu comes to a town and is drawn into conflicts that, in the end, have to be solved with her short sword. With its sensual color cinematography and director Tai KATO’s trademark low-angle shots, this third installment in the series is definitely one of its highlights.