Master Dochu, Grudge and Love

Who are “Dochu-shi?” They are street thieves. Ankuro’s blissful holiday with his parents is shattered when a group of thieves frame his father for theft and violently take his mother’s life. Fueled by grief and a thirst for justice, Ankuro vows to become a thief himself and challenge his parents’ killers to a match of thievery skills someday. 15 years later, having mastered his skills under the training of Oshin, his adoptive mother, he prepares to face his enemies in a series of matches adhering to the Dochu-shi’s code.

Directed by Masaru Tsushima, Master Dochu, Grudge and Love leans on a strong ensemble — Kenjiro Nashimoto, Mio Takaki, Toshiya Ito — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about crime titles of 1995.