Skip to main content

Abashiri Prison Collection

Constructed in the late nineteenth century to house political prisoners, Japan's infamous Abashiri Prison served as the inspiration for a popular and prolific run of yakuza movies released between 1965 and 1972.

10 movies 1965 – 1967 14h 51m total
Directed by Teruo Ishii

Movies in this collection

Abashiri bangaichi
Abashiri bangaichi

Abashiri bangaichi

1965 1h 32m Dir. Teruo Ishii

Abashiri Prison is located in the coldest place in Japan. Two men, handcuffed together have escaped from the prison, one a yakuza, the other a petty criminal, and although they hate each other they must work together if they are to evade capture in this harshest of climates.

Zoku Abashiri bangaichi
Zoku Abashiri bangaichi

Zoku Abashiri bangaichi

1965 1h 27m Dir. Teruo Ishii

Two convicts just released from prison find a green bauble filled with diamonds — and try to prove they didn't steal it.

Abashiri bangaichi: Bôkyô hen
Abashiri bangaichi: Bôkyô hen

Abashiri bangaichi: Bôkyô hen

1965 1h 29m Dir. Teruo Ishii

Upon returning to his hometown of Nagasaki, recently released prisoner Tachibana Shinichi must rejoin the Asahi gang family in order to pay back a past debt. Trouble brews when the rival gang that was responsible for sending him to prison learns of his return.

Abashiri bangaichi: Hokkai hen
Abashiri bangaichi: Hokkai hen

Abashiri bangaichi: Hokkai hen

1965 1h 30m Dir. Teruo Ishii

A gripping tale of friendship set against the backdrop of Hokkaido. Shinichi sets out to earn a few honest dollars with which to bail a friend out of jail.

Abashiri bangaichi: Kôya no taiketsu
Abashiri bangaichi: Kôya no taiketsu

A strange episode with Takakura involved with horse-breeders and, at one point, getting revenge on at the guy who killed his Shetland pony.

Abashiri bangaichi: Nangoku no taiketsu
Abashiri bangaichi: Nangoku no taiketsu

This is the sixth film in the "Abashiri Series," based on an original idea by Hajime Ito, and written and directed by Teruo Ishii of "Operation Big Bad" fame. The film was shot by Kiichi Inada, who also worked with Ito.

Abashiri bangaichi: Dai setsugen no taiketsu
Abashiri bangaichi: Dai setsugen no taiketsu

Based on Ito Hajime's original story, this is the seventh installment in the "Bangaichi" series, adapted jointly by Kamba Fumio and Matsuda Hiroo, and directed by Ishii Teruo of "Kamba 101: Killing Bouncer" fame. The film was shot by Kiichi Inada, who also directed "Abashiri Bangaichi: Confrontation in the South" in the same series.