Irezumi

1966 1h 26m JA

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 62

CrimeDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Otsuya, the daughter of a rich merchant, elopes with her lover Shinsuke, an employee of her father's. During their flight, Otsuya's beauty attracts the gaze of Seikichi, a mysterious master tattooist who sees her pristine white skin as the perfect canvas for his art. The image of the large demonic spider that he emblazons across Otsuya's back marks her as the property of another man, radically altering her relationships with all around her as her personality seems to transform under its influence.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Ayako Wakao
Otsuya
Akio Hasegawa
Shinsuke
Gaku Yamamoto
Tattoo Artist Seikichi
Kei Satō
Hatamoto Serizawa
Fujio Suga
Kenji
Asao Uchida
Tokubei
Reiko Fujiwara
Otaki
Kikue Mōri
Shinsuke's Mother

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Yasuzō Masumura
Writers: Kaneto Shindō
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 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

86 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

60 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Yasuzō Masumura, shot by Kazuo Miyagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ayako Wakao and Akio Hasegawa and Gaku Yamamoto carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0200740 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Yasuzō Masumura directs. Kazuo Miyagawa behind the camera. Hikaru Hayashi scores. Kanji Suganuma cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

186 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
260 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Yasuzō Masumura, shot by Kazuo Miyagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Hikaru Hayashi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Kanji Suganuma shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Ayako Wakao and Akio Hasegawa and Gaku Yamamoto carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0200740 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 62 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.