Tai Katō
Born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Kato was the nephew of the film director Sadao Yamanaka. He entered the Toho studio in 1937 and first began by working on documentaries. He worked as an assistant director to Akira Kurosawa in Rashomon. After World War II he switched to making jidaigeki.
Hibotan Bakuto: Oinochi Itadaki masu
Oryu meets villagers whose crops and livelihoods are being damaged by air pollution from a local factory.
Hibotan bakuto: oryû sanjô
Oryu searches for blind child she left behind and get involved in a Yakuza turf war that takes place in the Tokyo Theater.
Hibotan bakuto: hanafuda shôbu
After saving a blind child from being hit by an oncoming train the gambler known as Oryu-The Red Peony is accepted as a guest by a Yakuza boss only to become involved in a romantic dispute between two members of rival clans.
Minagoroshi no reika
Police investigators investigate the link between a serial killer's machinations and a teenage boy who committed suicide.
Choueki juhachi-nen
A former soldier is caught working the black market and sent to prison while his partner escapes and goes on to become a gangster, but their paths cross again as they both fall in love with the same woman.
Otoko no kao wa rirekisho
Immigrant gangs terrorize a Japanese town with their threats, loud jazz, and tasteless fashion sense, and only the tough but suave Dr. Amamiya (Ando) can stop them, as long as he gets rid of his silly peace-loving ideals.
Kutsukake Tokijirô: Yûkyô ippiki
Tokijiro has the unfortunate duty according to the code of the gamblers to join in the fighting when afforded a night’s stay and meals at the home of a town boss. Though he dislikes killing, the strength of his swordsmanship will be tested time and time again in the bloody tale.
Mabuta no haha
Period piece about a young man who, because of his hard life alone in the world, has become a yakuza. When he hears that his mother may be living in Edo (Tokyo), he travels there, intent on finding her and leaving the swordsman's life behind. But a team of rival gangsters is hot on his heels.
Kaidan: Oiwa no bôrei
A samurai plots to reclaim his estranged wife after she leaves him over a murder scandal. When her sister falls victim to a scheme, he and his friend manipulate events, but their plans lead to supernatural vengeance.