Manhunt

Manhunt

Year: 1976

Runtime: 151 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Junya Satō

CrimeActionDrama

A tough prosecutor is falsely accused of theft and goes on the run to clear his name. He is assisted by the beautiful daughter of a rich man.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Manhunt (1976)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Manhunt (1976). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Tokyo, Makami Village (Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture), Kounogi (Hokkaido), Mito (Seaside area near Mito), seaside shanty

The story unfolds across Japan, moving from the bustling capital to rural coastal landscapes. Morioka flees from Tokyo to Ishikawa’s Noto Peninsula, then to the forested and coastal expanse of Hokkaido, before returning toward the Tokyo area. These varied environments—urban streets, remote villages, and rugged coastlines—shape the tension and danger of the pursuit, highlighting the odds Morioka faces along the way.

🏙️ Urban 🗺️ Rural 🐻 Wildlife 🛶 Coastal

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:40

Main Characters – Manhunt (1976)

Meet the key characters of Manhunt (1976), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Morioka (Ken Takakura)

A prosecutor whose career is derailed when he is accused of theft. Forced into hiding, he uses cunning and quick thinking to evade capture while trying to uncover who framed him. He also adopts the alias Maeda at one point, signaling his willingness to adapt to survive.

🔎 Protagonist 🧭 Outlawed by system 🧠 Resourceful

Tonami Yoshinori (Hideji Ôtaki)

A political heavyweight aiming for the governorship who offers help to Morioka to advance his own power. His withdrawal from the race shifts the political stakes and shows the use of public image as a tool for influence.

🏛️ Politician 🎭 Power broker 🗝️ Influence

Tonami Mayumi (Ryoko Nakano)

Mayumi is entangled in the political web connected to the Tonami family. She helps Morioka escape and later aids in navigating the dangerous pursuit, signaling complex loyalties and personal risk.

🧭 Ally 💪 Courage 👫 Partner

Detective Yamura (Yoshio Harada)

A police detective assigned to Morioka's case who becomes a relentless pursuer. He is pragmatic, but the investigation reveals troubling compromises and strategic moves by both sides.

🕵️ Investigator ⚖️ Law enforcer 🗝️ Persistent

Yokomichi Keiji (Kunie Tanaka)

The husband of one accuser, a key figure tied to the case. His actions and connections hint at the larger network of influence surrounding the crime and the pharmaceutical plot.

👨‍👦 Family man 🕸️ Connector 🧩 Suspect

Yokomichi Kayo (Hiroko Isayama)

A member of the Yokomichi family involved in the unfolding events. Her role intersects with the pursuit as the plot reveals hospital connections and the drug scheme.

👩‍👧 Family figure 🧭 Navigational ally 🧪 Risk

Nagaoka Ryosuke (Kō Nishimura)

A powerful representative whose company is tied to extortion and the drug AX. His pursuit of wealth and control drives much of the conspiracy, culminating in a dramatic confrontation.

💼 Business magnate 🧪 Corruption ⚡ Ruthless

Asakura (Representative Asakura)

A political figure who is extorted and who dies amid the financial and pharmaceutical intrigue. His fate underscores the lethal stakes in the power struggles driving the plot.

🏛️ Politician 💣 Blackmail victim 😶 Power victim

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:40

Major Themes – Manhunt (1976)

Explore the central themes of Manhunt (1976), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Justice vs Power

The narrative probes whether law and order can prevail when political and corporate interests interfere with justice. Morioka’s arrest and subsequent manhunt reveal a system where influence and money tilt outcomes. The plot suggests that some criminals slip through legal cracks because of their connections and resources.

🕵️ Identity & Deception

Morioka operates under aliases and within a web of misinformation, including his own disguises and the hospital’s manipulation. The pursuit exposes how identities can be manufactured or concealed to control outcomes. Truth becomes a negotiable commodity as clues are planted and loyalties tested.

🏃‍♂️ Pursuit & Survival

On the run, Morioka and Mayumi navigate a widening maze of danger across cities and remote locales. The chase tests resilience, trust, and a willingness to bend rules to stay ahead. Survival pressures characters to choose between personal safety and moral principles.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:40

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Relentless Fugitive Thrillers like Manhunt

Innocent protagonists on the run, racing to expose a conspiracy before they're caught.If you enjoyed the high-stakes chase and desperate survival in Manhunt, you'll find similar tension in these movies. This thread features films where an innocent person is hunted, combining fast-paced action with a complex conspiracy that must be unraveled from the shadows.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a protagonist, often an everyday professional, who is suddenly framed for a crime they didn't commit. Forced to flee, their journey becomes a dual mission: survive the immediate pursuit while piecing together the clues of a larger, more sinister plot that reaches into high places.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped by the core experience of being a fugitive—the constant tension of pursuit, the gritty reality of survival, and the intellectual challenge of investigating a conspiracy from the outside. The pacing is fast, the tone is tense and paranoid, and the stakes are life-or-death.

Movies with Bittersweet Endings after Heavy Conspiracies like Manhunt

Stories where exposing the truth comes at a profound personal cost.For viewers who appreciated the emotionally heavy and morally complex conclusion of Manhunt, this thread collects films where the hero wins but loses something fundamental. These stories explore the cost of truth, featuring bleak victories and endings that are satisfying yet somber.

oppressiveheavycorruptiondesperatepsychologicalbittersweetconspiracy

Narrative Summary

The plot builds towards a climax where the protagonist achieves their goal of exposing corruption or stopping a villain. However, the resolution is not a clean victory. The ending is bittersweet or bleak, emphasizing the personal sacrifices made and the lasting scars of the journey, leaving the characters forever changed.

Why These Movies?

They share a specific emotional arc: a heavy narrative weight leading to a conclusion that balances success with significant loss. The tone is serious and the emotional weight is heavy, united by the theme that fighting powerful, corrupt systems often demands a ruinous personal toll.

Unlock the Full Story of Manhunt

Don't stop at just watching — explore Manhunt in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Manhunt is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Manhunt Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Manhunt, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Manhunt Summary

Manhunt Timeline

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Manhunt Timeline

Manhunt Spoiler-Free Summary

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Manhunt Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Manhunt

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