Description
Title: Angel Guts: High School Co-ed (1978)
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Plot Synopsis:
A young, idealistic reporter investigating the s&x industry becomes entangled in the story of a high school girl coerced into appearing in adult films. As he delves deeper into the world of exploitation and manipulation, his empathy begins to blur the line between professional curiosity and emotional involvement, forcing him to confront uncomfortable truths about power, desire, and complicity.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Chūsei Sone
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Writers: Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Yūki Mizuhara as Yuki
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Keizo Kanie as Tetsuro Muraki
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Takeo Chii as Tagami
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Erina Miyai as Miho
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Rie Saotome as Kumiko
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: High School Co-ed (1978)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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kiryu – ★★★★☆
“Chūsei Sone really knew how to craft a visually rich film even in the Roman P0rn0 genre. This is one of the more restrained and tragic entries, and the emotion lingers longer than expected.” -
antonius – ★★★☆☆
“Bleak, uncomfortable, and challenging. It avoids glamorization, instead offering a sobering take on coercion and identity in a hyper-exploitative industry.” -
Calvero – ★★★☆☆
“Not for everyone, but it’s an intelligent film hiding in provocative packaging. The slow pacing adds tension, and the moral questions are still relevant.” -
weirdgrape – ★★☆☆☆
“Stylish but feels exploitative in the wrong ways at times. There’s an interesting critique buried here, but it’s not always successful in navigating its tone.” -
Maura – ★★★☆☆
“Visually strong and thematically ambitious. A tragic descent that doesn’t offer easy answers, but maybe that’s the point.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: High School Co-ed (1978) is a gripping Japanese thriller exploring exploitation and emotional trauma in the adult film industry. Stylish, controversial, and deeply unsettling, this Roman P0rn0 entry blends drama with social commentary.
Title: Angel Guts: Red Classroom (1979)
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Alternate Title: Tenshi no harawata: Akai kyôshitsu
Plot Synopsis:
A journalist becomes obsessed with a former adult film actress after watching one of her disturbing films. As he digs deeper into her past and tries to track her down, his infatuation grows darker. When he finally finds her, he’s confronted with the psychological toll her trauma has taken. Their twisted connection spirals into a bleak confrontation with pain, control, and broken identity, blurring the line between voyeur and victim.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Chūsei Sone
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Writers: Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Yūki Mizuhara as Nami
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Keizo Kanie as Muraki
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Erina Miyai as Akiko
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Jun Aki as Shûji
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Naomi Oka as Mari
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: Red Classroom (1979)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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jonathan – ★★★★☆
“Visually striking and emotionally raw, this is one of the strongest entries in the Angel Guts series. Takashi Ishii’s script is merciless in its portrayal of obsession and trauma.” -
MarquisdeSade – ★★★★☆
“Part art-house, part pinku, and all psychological torment. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but a fascinating exploration of self-destruction and voyeurism.” -
desperate_living – ★★★☆☆
“The style outweighs the substance at times, but it’s hard to deny the disturbing beauty captured in some of the imagery. Leaves you cold and haunted.” -
sanityassassin – ★★★☆☆
“Unrelentingly grim, yet it maintains an eerie allure throughout. The line between exploitation and art feels intentionally blurred.” -
dirtypillows – ★★★☆☆
“Not the easiest watch, but as far as erotic thrillers go, this one digs deep into psychological territory most wouldn’t dare to touch.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: Red Classroom (1979) is a disturbing pinku drama exploring obsession, trauma, and voyeurism. With haunting visuals and psychological depth, it remains one of the most intense and controversial entries in the Angel Guts series.
Title: Angel Guts: Nami (1998)
Genre: Pinku, Drama
Plot Synopsis:
Nami, a quiet and reserved nurse, finds herself caught in a cycle of violence and degradation after being kidnapped and repeatedly assaulted by a group of men. As she attempts to reintegrate into daily life, her trauma continues to haunt her, affecting her relationships and sense of identity. The film delves deep into themes of violation, control, and the struggle to reclaim autonomy in a society that constantly objectifies and consumes women.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Takahisa Zeze
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Writers: Takahisa Zeze, Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Yumi Yoshiyuki as Nami
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Takeshi Itō as Makoto
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Kazuhiro Sano as Fujikawa
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Hotaru Hazuki as Reiko
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Shirō Shimomoto as Doctor Kinoshita
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: Nami (1998)
Reviews from Letterboxd:
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Karzor – ★★★☆☆
“Zeze’s take on Angel Guts leans heavily into psychological damage and emotional fragmentation. More subdued than earlier entries, but also more haunting in execution.” -
Brandon_Wu – ★★★☆☆
“Low-budget and gritty. Some scenes are uncomfortably real. The intimacy is hard to look at but important in the context of trauma cinema.” -
Jimsh – ★★☆☆☆
“While the film is well-acted and atmospheric, it can feel exploitative at times. The focus on suffering overwhelms any deeper message.” -
Atomatic – ★★★★☆
“One of the more human entries in the Angel Guts series. Nami is given emotional depth, and the direction is mournful rather than gratuitous.” -
LoganD – ★★★☆☆
“Stylish, intense, and grim. If you can get past the content, there’s a strong character study here. But it’s definitely not for everyone.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: Nami (1998) is a dark and emotionally complex entry in the Angel Guts series, exploring trauma and identity through the lens of pinku cinema. Yumi Yoshiyuki delivers a haunting performance in this stark and intimate drama.
Title: Angel Guts: Red P0rn0 (1981)
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Erotica
Plot Synopsis:
A journalist working for an adult magazine becomes increasingly disturbed by the world he reports on after he discovers a woman he once loved starring in a violent adult film. Obsessed and guilt-ridden, he descends deeper into the sordid underworld of exploitation and personal anguish. As he attempts to confront the system and his past, he finds himself spiraling toward irreversible decisions.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Toshiharu Ikeda
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Writers: Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Yûki Kazamatsuri as Nami
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Jun Izumi as Muraki
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Yōko Azusa as Kyōko
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Nobutaka Masutomi as Nomura
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Keizo Kanie as Okazaki
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: Red P0rn0 (1981)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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pulpjunkie – ★★★★☆
“One of the darker entries in the Angel Guts series. Haunting and morally complex. The ending sticks with you like cigarette smoke in a stale room.” -
kylepetersen – ★★★☆☆
“Beautifully shot, deeply unsettling. Not easy to recommend, but impossible to ignore if you’re exploring Japanese exploitation cinema.” -
HorrorVisionary – ★★★½☆
“Balances sleaze and sorrow in a way few films dare. Red P0rn0 is uncomfortable, but it’s supposed to be.” -
CinemaDoom – ★★☆☆☆
“I wanted to like it more, but it wallows in misery without giving you much to hold onto. Bleak for the sake of bleak.” -
MarikoBlu – ★★★★☆
“An eerie and effective portrayal of obsession and disillusionment. Ikeda’s direction is raw and gripping.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: Red P0rn0 (1981) is a harrowing tale of obsession and despair set within the grim world of adult media, offering a haunting and provocative look at exploitation and emotional ruin in Japanese pink cinema.
Title: Angel Guts: Rouge (1984)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Plot Synopsis:
Tsutomu Kikuchi, a magazine editor, becomes obsessed with Nami, a woman he first saw in a disturbing underground pornographic video. Tracking her down, he initiates an affair, unaware that she is entangled in an abusive relationship with Muraki, the man responsible for the video. As Tsutomu delves deeper into Nami’s life, he uncovers a web of exploitation and trauma, leading to unforeseen consequences.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Hiroyuki Nasu
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Writer: Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Emi Shindō as Yoko Maeno (Nami Tsuchiya)
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Yuki Kitazume as Tsutomu Kikuchi
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Kazuyo Matsui as Meika
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Shōhei Hino as Tetsuro Muraki
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Yoshio Tsuchiya as Akio Tsuchiya
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: Rouge (1984)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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Dakota Noot – ★★★☆☆
“This is too restrained for Nikkatsu and ‘Angel Guts.’ Whereas another ’80s film, ‘Flower & Snake 2: Sketch of Hell’ suffered from being repetitive porn without plot, this has the opposite problem. There’s too much plot and an attempt to make a normal film.” -
Bob McQueen – ★★½☆☆
“My attention to this movie checked out almost right away… there was just nothing really original nor compelling with this. Something to do with a pimp and a bunch of dudes loved her, I dunno, it was just boring really.” -
Bruce Rogers – ★★★★☆
“The more I’ve seen of Takashi Ishii’s Angel Guts series, the more it reminds me of Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion project… this is a surprisingly more thoughtful and emotionally complex entry.” -
Christopher Velasco – ★★★☆☆
“Nikkatsu can produce a well-lit, clean movie. The cinematography and sets are gorgeous. The script needed some reworking because there was a little too much dialogue for the theme they are going for.” -
TheWhiteDoll – ★★★☆☆
“The tape copying pairs well with the repetition of Nami’s misery, and the men repeatedly placing the blame for their own misfortunes on Nami. I shifted back and forth from enjoying and shrugging at the melodrama.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: Rouge (1984) is a Japanese drama directed by Hiroyuki Nasu, exploring themes of obsession, exploitation, and trauma. Part of the ‘Angel Guts’ series, the film delves into the dark intersections of desire and abuse.
Title: Angel Guts: Red Rope (1987)
Genre: Pinku, Thriller
Plot Synopsis:
A female journalist investigates the underground world of bondage photography, immersing herself in a subculture of sadomasochism as she tries to unravel the mystery behind a series of disturbing images. Her professional curiosity soon entangles her in a web of psychological torment and erotic obsession, blurring the lines between investigation and participation.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Shōgorō Nishimura
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Writers: Oniroku Dan
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Cast:
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Mai Kitajima as Yuri Nōguchi
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Kaoru Mizuki as Masako
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Naomi Hagio as Shigeko
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Yukijirô Hotaru as Sugimoto
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Takeshi Itō as Fujimoto
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IMDb Link: Akai Nawa: Hateru Made (1987)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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sanctuary – ★★★☆☆
“One of Oniroku Dan’s more stylish adaptations. Feels like a grim fairytale at times. Very slow-paced, but beautiful in its stillness.” -
NeonRiot – ★★★☆☆
“Grim, intense, and disturbingly quiet. The restraint in how it presents its subject matter makes it feel more chilling than overt.” -
allister – ★★★½☆
“Another of Nishimura’s haunting entries into the pinku genre. The soft visuals contrast with the sharp psychological turns.” -
bleak_gaze – ★★★☆☆
“A work of atmosphere and dread. Less erotic than it is meditative on power and control. Kitajima gives a haunting performance.” -
celesbianism – ★★☆☆☆
“Some effective mood-building, but I struggled to connect. Too emotionally distant for me despite its aesthetic strengths.”
Meta Description:
Akai Nawa: Hateru Made (1987) plunges into the psychological depths of bondage and obsession as a journalist unravels a mystery in the underground s&xual subculture. A moody, atmospheric pinku thriller with artful direction and unsettling themes.
Title: Angel Guts: Red Vertigo (1988)
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Erotic
Plot Synopsis:
Nami, a writer for a risqué magazine, becomes consumed by memories of her own traumatic past after interviewing a woman who was assaulted. As she investigates the incident further, she begins to question her own emotional state and desires, plunging into a dark spiral of obsession, vulnerability, and distorted identity. The lines between journalistic curiosity and personal torment blur as Nami is pulled deeper into the abyss of her own psyche.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Takashi Ishii
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Writers: Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Nami Tsukamoto as Nami
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Toshihiko Hino as Muraki
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Ren Osugi as Detective Kurokawa
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Shohei Yamamoto as Fujita
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Saiko Isshiki as Kazuko
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: Red Vertigo (1988)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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ChopsticksPanda – ★★★★☆
“Visually stunning and psychologically unnerving. Ishii’s use of shadow and fragmented memories immerses you in Nami’s fractured mind. Not for everyone, but powerful in its exploration of trauma.” -
kondou – ★★★☆☆
“An introspective and melancholic entry in the Angel Guts series. Less focused on exploitation, more on inner turmoil. Bleak, slow-paced, and artfully composed.” -
Tasha_R – ★★☆☆☆
“Beautiful cinematography can’t fully carry the grim and occasionally disjointed story. It tries to say something meaningful about trauma and desire but sometimes feels more voyeuristic than introspective.” -
itsugane – ★★★☆☆
“A heavy watch with poignant moments. The atmosphere is suffocating, which works for the tone. Nami’s descent feels real, though not always easy to endure.” -
microaggressions – ★★★☆☆
“Dark and lyrical. Takashi Ishii focuses on psychological breakdowns more than titillation. An erotic thriller with an emotional core and haunting visual style.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: Red Vertigo (1988) is a dark and poetic thriller from Takashi Ishii, delving into memory, trauma, and obsession. This haunting installment in the Angel Guts series follows a woman’s unraveling psyche as past and present blur in disturbing ways.
Title: Alone in the Night (1994)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Plot Synopsis:
After the murder of her undercover narcotics officer husband, Nami Tsuchiya becomes the target of a brutal assault by yakuza members searching for stolen drugs. Traumatized and seeking justice, Nami attempts suicide but is saved by a mysterious yakuza named Muraki. Determined to avenge her husband’s death and clear his name, she infiltrates the criminal underworld, facing a harrowing journey through violence, addiction, and betrayal.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Takashi Ishii
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Writer: Takashi Ishii
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Cast:
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Yui Natsukawa as Nami Tsuchiya
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Jinpachi Nezu as Kôzô Muraki
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Toshiyuki Nagashima as Mitsuru Tsuchiya
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Kippei Shiina as Kazuya Shibata
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Minori Terada as Ikejima
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IMDb Link: Alone in the Night (1994)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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Gregor Kreyca – ★★★★☆
“Alone in the Night is a bleak mix of crime noir thriller and rape & revenge drama. Yui Natsukawa delivers a powerful performance, portraying the hurt and determination of a woman taking on the Yakuza who destroyed her life.” -
Nathan Stuart – ★★★★☆
“One of Takashi Ishii’s best in my opinion, a dark, stylish trip into the underworld that is beautifully shot and heavy on atmosphere. Violent and disturbing but this is exploitation with something to say.” -
Bob McCully – ★★★½☆
“Takashi Ishii starts off this revenge thriller with evocative cinematography and a haunting score. The setup finds Nami mourning her husband’s death at the hands of the yakuza, leading to a powerful path of vengeance.” -
꩜ – ★★☆☆☆
“I hated almost everything about this movie. The actress is almost naked the whole time, not to mention the oversexualization. Half the movie is full of back-to-back rape and abuse.” -
Leandson – ★★½☆
“The film concludes Ishii’s cycle of repetition and martyrdom with Nami and Muraki, eternal lovers meeting in purgatory. However, this chapter feels weakened, with extended abuse sequences and less character development for Nami.”
Meta Description:
Alone in the Night (1994) is a Japanese crime drama directed by Takashi Ishii, following a widow’s harrowing journey through the criminal underworld to avenge her husband’s death and reclaim her life.
Title: Angel Guts: Red Flash (1994)
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Alternate Title: Angel Guts: Red Lightning
Plot Synopsis:
Nami, a photojournalist with a traumatic past, becomes entangled in a new case involving a high school girl who has been violated and left emotionally shattered. As Nami investigates, she is forced to confront her own buried memories and the pain she has long suppressed. The search for truth and justice unearths a brutal cycle of violence, leading her down a path of obsession, guilt, and confrontation with the darkness of her own past.
Cast and Crew:
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Director: Takashi Ishii
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Writers: Takashi Ishii (screenplay), Takashi Ishii (manga)
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Cast:
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Natsuki Ozawa as Nami
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Jinpachi Nezu as Yashiro
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Kippei Shîna as Okazaki
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Kenichi Endō as Inoue
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Kyoko Hayami as Mariko
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IMDb Link: Angel Guts: Red Flash (1994)
Reviews from Letterboxd
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Siegelord – ★★★☆☆
“Brutal and emotionally draining, but handled with more visual style than most pinku entries. Takashi Ishii really knows how to paint trauma.” -
VHSRevival – ★★☆☆☆
“Not for everyone. The themes are heavy, and while the film touches on redemption, it remains stuck in the mire of its own bleakness.” -
TrashCinemaQueen – ★★★☆☆
“Ishii’s aesthetic is mesmerizing, but I wish the script gave Nami more agency. Still, a haunting entry in the Angel Guts saga.” -
ReelSamurai – ★★★☆☆
“Stylish and disturbing. Red Flash plays like a fever dream of regret and pain, wrapped in noir shadows and blood.” -
cinemadrome – ★★★★☆
“One of the more introspective Angel Guts films. Ozawa delivers a strong, broken performance that carries the film’s emotional weight.”
Meta Description:
Angel Guts: Red Flash (1994) is a somber, visually arresting tale of trauma and redemption. Director Takashi Ishii explores memory and violence through the lens of a haunted photojournalist drawn into a disturbing case of abuse and revenge.
