No you see, for the traditional Yakuza movies; Though they don’t have masters, just like in the ‘seven samurai’ movie, there’s those with the same sense of justice as the samurai and evil of the field warriors. That means, there’s good and bad Yakuza Margo-san said.
The good Yakuza always suffers in the hands of the bad Yakuza. They endure it, all the time and in the climax, they’re unable to put up with it anymore, and so the good Yakuza attacks the house of the bad Yakuza. Then, they cut down all of the bad Yakuza. The only difference of Yakuza movies from ordinary dramas is that they kill the bad Yakuza, and that ends up coming back at the good Yakuza, the main character. Their allies die, or they die, or they get caught by the police and end up in jail, or they have to leave the city and their loved ones. That kind of tragic end is the pattern of the traditional Yakuza movies.
I see.
Why does the good Yakuza have to endure the harassment from the bad Yakuza? That’s because the good Yakuza is the virtue as a Yakuza, or so they say. Sentiments to their allies, loyalty to their boss, the law to protect the organization, they’re tied up to all of that. Therefore, they hold back until the last minute. And when the bad Yakuza finally tramples on the roots of their virtue, that’s when they snap and bite back. If it reaches the point where it can never be forgiven, then it’s very Japanese to fight even if they throw away their life. If it’s from the other race, then they would snap right away Margo-san said.
In other words, it’s not possible in the actual Yakuza in Japan, but if you sublime it to a beautiful thing called Ideal Yakuza image, That’s why there’s a lot of movies with Yakuza as the main character
Yakuza was the ideal figure.
But in the end, that sounds fake, doesn’t it? Ideal Yakuza? That doesn’t exist. For the actual Yakuza, betrayal, subordinates overthrowing the superiors, and so on are ordinary. Instead, it would be more interesting to draw a realistic figure of Yakuza filled with such vitality, a series of actual yakuza was made in the ’70s. It’s a series of movie modeled on the reality of the Yakuza world and the real Yakuza The real one, not the ideal.
Naturally, even if they say that it’s real, it’s not a documentary, and so they will still have direction. Instead of saying that it’s the real Yakuza, you call it a realistic one, it’s a story where the people would believe that Yakuza’s like this The first and the greatest success is the title the battle without justice They’re telling the viewers that the Yakuza’s world has no traditional virtue There’s no virtue.
But you know, if it’s the real guys, they’d get angry too fast. There are not many exciting events that could become a movie in real life. Then, after it got popular, Yakuza movies changed again
What’s the change?
I asked.
The characters follow the Yakuza’s virtue, and they also do all kinds of lawless acts realistically
Realistically.
It means that they are compassionate to people in the same organization. But unreasonable towards the enemy. On the one hand, there’s a strong and reliable boss or senior, but on the other side, What the hell? If you think using Yakuza’s common sense! That’s wrong! and so their atrocities aren’t legally acceptable. It’s a story of dual personality and the double standard for people Margo-san said.
That kind of various aspects is realistic and very human-like. At first, that is. But as a result of that, the popularity of Yakuza movies has fallen in popularity because of that kind of stories
Is that so?
Well no, instead of reducing the number of works that goes to the cinema, most of it goes to the V-cinema, but now that’s taken down
Is it not interesting?
Well, it makes you think if a person talking kindly, and suddenly snapping out on someone, and then sympathizing again, is something cool. As expected, just like the old Yakuza movies, it gives the main character emotional attachment. The main character’s way of thinking and attitude has no blur Oh, they don’t understand why the emotions are changing.
Therefore, Yakuza movies aren’t that good nowadays
I see
Edie nods.
The lesson in Margo’s story just now is that even if something doesn’t actually exist, the thought that there’s an idealized shape of the virtue of Yakuza in their world is precious
The thought of virtue.
That’s what I think. There’s a lot of criminal organizations globally. Even at this moment, a new criminal organization’s found somewhere in the world. That’s inevitable. Some people can’t live without committing crimes Margo-san said.
But, organizations that don’t have the same thoughts as the members are destroyed right away. That’s the truth. Betrayals crush them right away. The big criminal organizations are known all over the world, whether they’re the Mafia, Camorra, or Jewish gangs have their law, and their ideology Ah, in America, Sicilian immigrants are in mafia, and the others are in different gangs
Edie comments.
Naturally, the Yakuza in Japan also have their laws and ideals thought out. I think they’ve developed it during the Meiji period. Their code is to respect honor, empathy, and their boss
And that’s broken?
I think. The movie is a mirror of the ideas of the times. Movies never cut you off the reality from that era. That’s where the views get their ideas. And instead of reality, they show what kind of thoughts existed at that time For example, the ‘seven samurai.’
Even at the age of the traditional Yakuza virtues, in the real world, the Yakuza doesn’t strictly follow that virtue. There’s actually evidence for several disputes. But the fact that the protagonist in that movie follows the virtue in that era, ignoring the reality, shows that people feel that virtue is a beautiful thing. If there’s a beautiful image to become a model of the ‘ideal,’ then no matter how messy the reality can be, people can live in that lovely thought. People from the past thought that the Yakuza’s antisocial existence is beautiful. I believe that even the real Yakuza are proud of it, but The Yakuza can’t live in that idea, right?
Edie said. Margo-san;
Yeah. Do they feel proud of themselves now?
Proud.
If we’re talking about those who move up with power then businesses that exploit its companies are worse than the Yakuza. Instead of being bound by the old tradition of the Yakuza’s world, it’s better to do business that barely breaks the law. There’s no need to become Yakuza at all That’s true.
I mean, if you enter the world of Yakuza, you’re not sure if you’d succeed. Will the young and successful Yakuza feel the beauty? If you want a luxury brand suit, ride a foreign car, then it’s faster if you start up a company that exploits it’s employees, right? If you’re in Yakuza, at best, you can convince a hostess to sleep with you, but if you’re a president of a black company, then you can have an idol in your bed I see, it’s not a dream then
Edie nods.
The world of Yakuza in Japan would change in the next two years, maybe. There would still be large organization remaining, but it’ll gradually decline. There’s no other way for them. That’s because the thoughts and dreams of beauty are no longer present in the current world of Yakuza. That is why Kouzuki-san is starting to crack down the Yakuza world.
Jii-chan.
The deal that just happened is Kouzuki-san’s declaration of war. From today onwards, Kouzuki SS will be fighting the entire Yakuza world. Kouzuki-san would be dismantling the Yakuza world in a few years, and Kouzuki SS would infuse new ‘virtues’ and take away it’s only organizational power It’s a war from today onwards.
And then, once it’s newly reorganized, all of the underground society will be yours
Yours? Wait, me?
And that’s why you were introduced the big-shots of the Yakuza. Kuromori Kou-kun
Margo-san looks at the mirror and smiles.
It’s great that you have two family registers. You’re known as Kuromori Kou, Misuzu-san’s fiance, and on paper, the name is Kuromori Keito. That name would be known as the ruler behind Kouzuki SS from now on