This is a static archive of the AnimEigo site as of 2015-03-21. Important links: Current Main Website • Special Projects Wiki.
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather DVD
Trailer (QuickTime)
Trailer (WMV)
IMDB
Wikipedia
Liner Notes
Images
Japanese
English
DVD-9
1 - North America
18+
146 min
1982
16:9
COLOR
Image Gallery, Program Notes, Bios, Theatrical Trailers
Hideo Gosha
Hideo Gosha, Koji Takada, Tomiko Miyao
Masako Natsume, Shima Iwashita, Tatsuya Nakadai
Contains Violence and Nudity
© 1982 Toei Company, Ltd.
Onimasa is the egocentric boss of a small yakuza (Japanese mafia) clan on Shikoku island, whose criminal duties conflict with his self-image as a chivalrous samurai. His struggles with his boss, the Shikoku Godfather, and the tumultuous life of his adopted daughter, Matsue, form the backdrop of this epic tale of justice, obedience, and bloody vengeance.

  • Winner of 2 movie awards & 9 nominations,
  • Renowned director Hideo Gosha’s best-known film.
  • Japan’s official submission for the 1982 Foreign Language Academy Award (Oscars).
"...an intimate portrait of behind-closed-doors life in a small-time yakuza gang" -- AsiaShock
"...a satisfying, engrossing yakuza drama with much to recommend it, and AnimEigo's great transfer make it a pleasure to watch" -- DVD Talk
"...a film that showcases the complex world of the yakuza where the players were by turns criminals, heroes, dishonest, honorable, hated, and loved" -- Shogun-ki
"...a more complete understanding of this film by non-Japanese critics is essential" -- Coffee, Coffee...
"The film's meshing of contemporary elements with a period setting is oddly compelling" -- Twitch Film
"...a showcase role that lets the great actor [Nakadai] roam across a wide emotional range, from bloodstained badass to poignantly pathetic" -- Mondo 70
"The film carries Gosha’s signature style, of a long slow burn leading up to an explosive finish..." -- Japan Reviewed
"A superb, complex drama and a stellar later performance from Tatsuya Nakadai make the film a rare treat..." -- Slant
"...Onimasa A Japanese Godfather presents Tatsuya Nakadai at his best and surrounded by an equally impressive cast" -- AV Maniacs
"[Matsue's] life experiences make Scarlett O'Hara look like a sheltered innocent" -- DVD Savant
"With strong performances from all involved and a compelling family saga, Onimasa is a movie that deserves discovery and a high place of stature amongst the bloody tales of the Yakuza" -- Inside Pulse
"Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather is one of the greatest yakuza films I have ever seen" -- Euro Cult AV
Customers who bought this product also bought these products (click on image to visit product page)
Bushido: The Cruel Code of the Samurai DVD
The Secret of the Urn DVD
The Blind Menace (Shiranui Kengyo) DVD
Sleepy Eyes of Death DVD Box Set 1