Dan Oniroku's Rope and Skin

In the early Showa era, Okoma, a female yakuza who was highly successful as a gambler thanks to her skill and beauty, also incurred the envy of others, making her an enemy of the local yakuza group, the Ishioka-gumi. At one point, the Ishioka gang killed the boss of their rival, the Nishimura gang. All of the remaining Nishimura gang members defected to the Ishioka gang, and the Ishioka gang then imprisoned Yukishiro, the only daughter of Nishimura, who had resisted them to the very end. Okoma, who owes a great debt of gratitude to Boss Nishimura, learns that Yukishiro is being abused and heads to the brothel to rescue her, but what awaits her is a gruesome torture and ecstasy.

Directed by Kin Ishikawa, Dan Oniroku's Rope and Skin leans on a strong ensemble — Mieko Arai, Sana Kanato, 一戸のぞみ — 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 screen titles of 2008.