Ichi the Killer

"Love really hurts."

2001 2h 9m JA

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 1,156

ActionCrimeHorror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of.

“Love really hurts.”

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Cast

Tadanobu Asano
Kakihara
Nao Omori
Ichi
Shinya Tsukamoto
Jijii
SABU
Kaneko
Paulyn Sun
Karen
Susumu Terajima
Suzuki
Shun Sugata
Takayama
Toru Tezuka
Fujiwara

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Takashi Miike
Writers: Sakichi Sato
Languages: English, Japanese, Cantonese
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

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $1.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 6% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Japanese, Cantonese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Ichi Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Takashi Miike, shot by Hideo Yamamoto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Takashi Miike directs. Hideo Yamamoto behind the camera. Seiichi Yamamoto scores. Yasushi Shimamura cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in English, Japanese, Cantonese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $1.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 6% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
325 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Japanese, Cantonese.
5Part of the "Ichi Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
6Directed by Takashi Miike, shot by Hideo Yamamoto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Seiichi Yamamoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Yasushi Shimamura shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Tadanobu Asano and Nao Omori and Shinya Tsukamoto carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Love really hurts.".
11IMDB entry: tt0296042 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 21 themes, including "assassin", "pain", "yakuza", "gore".

The technical file

Cinematography: Hideo Yamamoto
Original score: Seiichi Yamamoto
Editing: Yasushi Shimamura
Production design: Takashi Sasaki
Costume design: Michiko Kitamura
VFX supervisor: Misako Saka
Runtime: 129 min · 2h 9m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $1,400,010
Box office: $80,631
Return: 6% of budget
Original language: JA
IMDB: Ichi the Killer (2001)

Part of

Ichi Collection

Based on works of Hideo Yamamoto The **Ichi the Killer** trilogy delves into the dark and violent world of its titular character, Ichi, a seemingly mild-mannered man hiding a terrifying secret. The trilogy explores themes of violence, psychopathy, and the consequences of unchecked anger. The trilogy presents a gripping and exhilarating exploration of contemporary Japanese society's underbelly, highlighting Ichi's struggle to reconcile his brutal instincts with his desire to connect with others. The films gradually reveal Ichi's backstory and motivations, ultimately questioning the lines between hero and villain. Experience the raw and intense journey through the **Ichi the Killer Trilogy**!