Suzuki called Kanto Wanderer "a straightforward yakuzafilm and nothing more," though even he admitted that, as hesardonically put it, it "contains 'ideas.'" But"idea" is an action word in this film, expressed in abreathtaking use of color, movement, and abrupt histrionics that theimportant critic Tadao Sato compared to Brecht. Moody matinee idol AkiraKobayashi, decked out in elaborate upper-body tatoos, a sword scaracross one cheek, plays a gambling hall bouncer who renounces thegangster's code of honor, which forbids romance, for the love of aprofessional woman gambler, and pays the price. The classic conflictbetween giri (duty) and ninjo (humanity) is weighted toward the latterin a script based on a novel by Hirabayashi Taiko (1905-1972), animportant Japanese female novelist. "But the relative freshness ofthe plot is completely eclipsed by the film's visual dazzle...'Realism'evaporates as the film enters its characters' memories andobsessions." (Tony Rayns)