The Street Fighter (激突！殺人拳 Gekitotsu! Satsujin Ken?), literally Clash, Killer Fist!, is a Japanese martial arts film released in 1974 and produced by Toei Company Ltd. It is notable as the first film to receive an X-rating in the United States solely for violence. Takuma Tsurugi (Sonny Chiba) is a martial arts master for hire who comes to the rescue of a kidnapped heiress. The film begins with Tsurugi meeting the condemned murderer Tateki Shikenbaru while disguised as a Buddhist monk. Tsuguri applies his "oxygen coma punch" to Tateki, causing him to collapse just before he can be executed. As Tateki is rushed to a hospital, Tsurugi and his sidekick Rakuda ambush the ambulance and free him. Later, Tateki's brother Gijun and sister Nachi arrive and plead for more time to pay for Tsurugi's help. Outraged, Tsurugi refuses and attacks the siblings. Gijun falls to his death and Nachi is sold into sexual slavery. A group of gangsters attempt to hire Tsurugi to kidnap Sarai, the daughter of a recently deceased oil tycoon. Tsurugi refuses after discovering that the gangsters are Yakuza. He escapes, but the Yakuza gangsters resolve to kill Tsurugi as well as kidnap Sarai. Tsurugi immediately seeks out Sarai, who is being protected at the Nippon Seibukan dojo by her uncle, Kendō Masaoka, a Karate master. Tsurugi captures Sarai and challenges the entire dojo to a fight. He brutalizes the rank-and-file students before Masaoka bests him. Ultimately, Tsurugi offers to protect Sarai, and Masaoka agrees, against Sarai's protests. Meanwhile, the Yakuza's allies in Hong Kong recruit Tateki Shikenbaru to avenge his siblings by killing Tsurugi. The gangsters make several attempts to kill Tsurugi before they successfully kidnap Sarai. Tsurugi manages to rescue her, but gets captured himself. Rakuda gives up Sarai's location to save Tsurugi, causing the honorable Tsurugi to forsake him. When Tsurugi faces a blind swordsman working for the Hong Kong gangsters, Rakuda dies in a reckless attempt at redemption. Tsurugi finally tracks the gangsters down to a shipyard and fights his way through their guards. In the end, the Hong Kong crime lord permits Tsurugi to duel Tateki. Nachi sacrifices herself to give her brother a free shot with a sai, but Tsurugi survives and kills Tateki. Critically wounded, Tsurugi stumbles to his feet and the film ends abruptly in freeze frame.

• published: 12 May 2012
• views: 133669