Blood-Club Dolls 1

Following the news of a heinous tragedy, a young woman searches the streets for her missing brother, the person accused of committing the incident. Unaware of his true status or location, he finds himself in the employ of an underground fighting ring using inmates like him to entertain wealthy clients, eventually moving up the ranks of the fighters quite quickly. Eventually frustrated at the lack of information from the investigation, she turns to a detective to help him, but with a dangerous socialite also looking into the club they try to push their rescue efforts into high gear into order to save her brother.

Directed by Shutaro Oku, Blood-Club Dolls 1 leans on a strong ensemble — Ryunosuke Matsumura, Ryo Kitazono, Kanon Miyahara — 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 action titles of 2018.