A twist on the perspective of Battles Without Honor and Humanity, this 1975 film effectively expands its gang war tale to encompass yakuza, police, and politicians, a tactic here used to examine the fundamental links between violence, power, and justice. A police inspector is ordered to investigate the war between two rival gangs. However, his friendship with one gang leader soon leads to the inevitable betrayals and shakeups as a city councillor (and ex-yakuza figure) does everything possible to destroy their relationship. With police exploiting yakuza, yakuza exploiting politicians, and politicians exploiting them all, the film embraces a netherworld of dishonor and ingrained corruption. Fukasaku giddily throws up enough mud into Japan's supposedly clean economic miracle to make it permanently sullied. (JS)