Branded to Kill

1967 1h 31m JA

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 263

ThrillerCrimeAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After botching his latest assignment, a third-ranked Japanese hit man becomes the target of another assassin.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Cast

Joe Shishido
Gorô Hanada
Kōji Nanbara
No. 1
Isao Tamagawa
Michihiko Yabuhara
Annu Mari
Misako Nakajô
Mariko Ogawa
Mami Hanada
Hiroshi Minami
Gihei Kasuga
Hiroshi Chō
Bartender
Atsushi Yamatoya
No. 4 Killer Ko

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Seijun Suzuki
Writers: Seijun Suzuki, Seiichirō Yamaguchi, Chūsei Sone
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

59 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Seijun Suzuki, shot by Kazue Nagatsuka. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Naozumi Yamamoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Akira Suzuki shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Joe Shishido and Kōji Nanbara and Isao Tamagawa carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0061882 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Seijun Suzuki directs. Kazue Nagatsuka behind the camera. Naozumi Yamamoto scores. Akira Suzuki cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

159 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Seijun Suzuki, shot by Kazue Nagatsuka. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Naozumi Yamamoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Akira Suzuki shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Joe Shishido and Kōji Nanbara and Isao Tamagawa carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0061882 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kazue Nagatsuka
Original score: Naozumi Yamamoto
Editing: Akira Suzuki
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Branded to Kill (1967)

Also by

Seijun Suzuki

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Community reviews

What people are saying

talisencrw2016-03-07
★ 9/10
If someone both hated black-and-white films and movies with subtitles, I would encourage them to see this corker. It has 'hilarious masterpiece' written all over it. Suzuki's gangster movies are a cinephile's delight, to be sure--and this is one of his very best. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you need a really good laugh, love cinema and haven't seen it yet, I would recommend you RUN to your nearest film store and take a chance on it. It'll be the best 30 bucks you've spent in a very long time.
deepkino2026-05-09
Branded to Kill is a supposedly hard-boiled action film that gradually turns into an absurd dark comedy, drifting through disconnected scenes and bizarre imagery. Revolving around a chubby-cheeked assassin obsessed with the smell of boiling rice, the film constantly undermines the conventions of gangster cinema with surreal humor and chaotic energy. Seijun Suzuki transforms what could have been a routine hitman story into a fever dream filled with eccentric characters, strange erotic tension, and visual experimentation. Its fragmented narrative and rebellious style make it feel less like a crime thriller and more like a cinematic act of sabotage against traditional studio filmmaking.

Production companies