is a 1999

1999 in film

The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...

 Japanese film

Film

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

 directed by Katsuhito Ishii

Katsuhito Ishii

-Work:Katsuhito Ishii began directing commercials in 1992, receiving numerous awards in this field. His first short film The Promise of August, shot in 1995, went on to receive the Japanese Film Grand Prix in the Fantastic Video Section of the 1995 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival Ishii...

 and starring Tadanobu Asano

Tadanobu Asano

, born is a Japanese actor. He is known for his roles as Dragon Eye Morrison in Electric Dragon 80.000 V, Kakihara in Ichi the Killer, Mamoru Arita in Bright Future, Hattori Genosuke in Zatoichi, Kenji in Last Life in the Universe, Aman in Survive Style 5+, Ayano in The Taste of Tea, and Temudjin...

. It is based on a manga of the same name by Minetaro Mochizuki

Minetarō Mochizuki

is a Japanese manga artist. He won the Award for Excellence at the 4th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and the Award for General Manga at the 21st Kodansha Manga Award for Dragon Head.-References:...

 which was originally serialized in Mister Magazine circa 1993 under the title "Daisharin" (Big Wheel). The current title was adopted when the comic was published as its own book.

Story

Kuroo Sameheda (Tadanobu Asano) a yakuza soldier is on the run for his life after stealing from his Boss Sawada (Susumu Terashima). During a chase through the forest Sawadas car is struck by an SUV. Enter Toshiko Momojiri (Sie Kohinata) who is also on the run. She's running from her twisted whack job uncle Michio Sonezaki(Yohachi Shimida), who manages the hotel that she works at, and whose intentions for his niece are inappropriate to say the least. During the crash Toshiko is knocked unconscious and Sameheda is able to make good his escape with Toshiko in tow. The couple is then chased across Japan by gun crazy, deadpan gang members dressed in over the top, high end, fashion clothes. They are also being followed by Yamada, an amateur hit man, who was hired by Michio to bring Toshiko back.

Cast

• Tadanobu Asano
  Tadanobu Asano
  , born is a Japanese actor. He is known for his roles as Dragon Eye Morrison in Electric Dragon 80.000 V, Kakihara in Ichi the Killer, Mamoru Arita in Bright Future, Hattori Genosuke in Zatoichi, Kenji in Last Life in the Universe, Aman in Survive Style 5+, Ayano in The Taste of Tea, and Temudjin...
  
  as Kuroo Samehada
• Shie Kohinata as Toshiko Momojiri
• Ittoku Kishibe as Tanuki Fukuda
• Susumu Terajima
  Susumu Terajima
  is a Japanese actor who has appeared in over 100 films, 15 television commercials, three PVs, and numerous television dramas in a career spanning over 20 years. He rarely is the star of the films he is in but he is widely respected for taking every job seriously and diving into his work,...
  
  as Sawada
• Kimie Shingyoji
  Kimie Shingyoji
  is a popular actress and model in Japan, and she is known as one of the country's most beautiful women. Her best known roles are in the films Eureka, Station To Heaven, Natsumeke No Shokutaku, and Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl....
  
  as Mitsuko Fukuda
• Youhachi Shimada as Michio Sonezaki
• Tatsuya Gashuin as Yamada
• Shingo Tsurumi
  Shingo Tsurumi
  - TV :* Antoki no Inochi * Kamen Rider Fourze * Yakuza Weapon * Umechan Sensei * Ningen Konchuki * Brutus No Shinzo * LADY~Saigo no Hanzai Profile~...
  
  as Mitsuru Fukuda

The Yakuza Hitmen

• Daigaku Sekine as Sakaguchi
• Koh Takasugi as Sorimachi
• Shingoro Yamada as Taniguchi
• Hitoshi Kiyokawa as Maruo
• Yoji Tanaka as Asahina
• Keisuke Horibe as Inuzuka
• Yoshiyuki Morishita as Hidari
• Kanji Tsuda
  Kanji Tsuda
  is a Japanese actor.He played Katsuya Tokunaga in the Japanese film The Grudge. He is married and has one child. He is managed by La Sette talent agency....
  
  as Fukazume