Zeppin tsubo awase

A man who was a star cyclist is forced to retire after an accident during a race. Due to his pride as a star cyclist, he doesn't work and just hangs around, enjoying his girlfriend's income, but when his girlfriend's savings eventually run out and he becomes anxious, he accepts an invitation from a yakuza who claims to be his fan, and starts gambling, getting into a lot of debt. To repay the debt, the yakuza introduces him to a job where he and his girlfriend perform a black and white show in a tatami room. The black and white show of a former star cyclist becomes popular, and they perform four or five times a day. However, that alone does not reduce his debt, and due to physical strain, the man develops erectile dysfunction. When this happens, the yakuza starts forcing her to perform sex with customers, and she has no choice but to comply, but the man can no longer bear to see himself sinking so low, so he takes her hand and tries to escape from the yakuza...

Directed by Mamoru Watanabe, Zeppin tsubo awase leans on a strong ensemble — Yuki Minami, Kiyomi Yasuda, Takashi Seki — 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 1977.