Street Mobster

Street Mobster

Year: 1972

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Kinji Fukasaku

CrimeActionThriller

After serving time, a defiant street thug is incensed to find his town overrun by two yakuza factions. He gathers his crew and takes them on.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Street Mobster yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Street Mobster (1972)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Street Mobster (1972). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Postwar Japan

The story is rooted in the years following Japan's surrender in 1945, with the protagonist born in 1945. It depicts the rough, evolving underworld of a rapidly changing urban Japan, where survival hinges on strength and ruthless pragmatism. The period is marked by social upheaval that shapes Okita’s rise and the ensuing yakuza wars.

Location

Kawasaki, Japan

The action unfolds on the mean streets of Kawasaki, an industrial city in Kanagawa Prefecture. Its factories, bar rooms, and alleyways provide a gritty setting where underworld figures operate. The city serves as a backdrop that highlights postwar urban decay and the vulnerability of its residents to gang violence.

🗺️ Industrial city 🏙️ Urban crime backdrop

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:29

Main Characters – Street Mobster (1972)

Meet the key characters of Street Mobster (1972), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Isamu Okita (Bunta Sugawara)

A fiercely ambitious street kid who climbs from poverty to become a powerful yakuza figure. He forms and leads a gang, then joins the Yato family, gaining wealth through illegal ventures while wrestling with personal loyalties. His arc is defined by a rapid rise, ruthless tactics, and a descent into a brutal war against rival forces.

🗡️ Ambitious 🧭 Charismatic 💥 Violent

Taniguchi (Takeo Chii)

A quiet, reserved man serving time for domestic violence who, after release, declines Okita’s offer to join him. His restraint and moral ambiguity stand in contrast to Okita’s extremity, hinting at a different path that could have been taken.

🧊 Quiet 🧭 Reserved 🩸 Troubled past

Boss Yato (Noboru Andō)

A formidable rival who orchestrates power plays and warfare against Takigawa’s faction. He exacts obedience, demands apologies, and uses strategic violence to maintain control, ultimately shaping the trajectory of Okita’s fate.

🗡️ Powerful 🧭 Cunning ⚔️ Ruthless

Kizaki (Asao Koike)

A yakuza expelled from his family who proposes building a new gang by recruiting local street punks. He proves to be opportunistic and ultimately betrays Okita, highlighting the fragility of loyalties in the criminal underworld.

🗡️ Opportunistic 🧭 Ruthless 🧯 Exiled

Kimiyo (Mayumi Nagisa)

A young woman who has a traumatic past with Okita, later sharing complicated feelings and a tentative forgiveness. Her arc culminates in tragedy as she becomes a casualty in the power struggle, underscoring the personal costs of the cycle of violence.

💔 Survivor 🕊️ Forgiving 💃 Complex

Takigawa (Keijirō Morozumi)

Head of the Takigawa yakuza family, a major figure in the ongoing war with the Saiei Group. His leadership and rival alliances drive the broader conflicts and shape the territory Okita fights over.

⚔️ Powerful ♟️ Strategic 🧭 Territorial

Eisaku Owada (Asao Uchida)

Chairman of the Saiei Group, a Osaka syndicate seeking to form an alliance with Takigawa. He represents the broader corporate-criminal power structure against which Okita and his allies contend, and he plays a pivotal role in demanding loyalty and enforcing consequences.

🏛️ Chairman 🗺️ Manipulative 🐍 Calculating

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:29

Major Themes – Street Mobster (1972)

Explore the central themes of Street Mobster (1972), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗡️ Loyalty & Betrayal

Loyalty is fluid and often bought with power, while betrayals are common in the scramble for control. Okita, Kizaki, and Yato navigate shifting alliances as strength and fear dictate who stays or goes. The tension between allegiance and self-preservation drives much of the conflict and character choices.

💥 Violence & Power

Power is forged through force, scare tactics, and calculated violence. The yakuza war unfolds with raids, killings, and strategic strikes, showing how control over territory and resources is paramount. Ritual acts of intimidation, like yubitsume, underscore the brutal code governing their world.

🔥 Fate & Rage

Okita’s hunger for ascent becomes a self-destructive force, fueling rage and reckless decisions. His stubborn pride leads to extreme acts, including self-mutilation, and blinds him to looming consequences. The cycle of revenge ultimately consumes him and those around him.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:29

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Explore Movie Threads

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Bleak gangland stories like Street Mobster

Stories of doomed antiheroes whose violent ambitions lead to inevitable ruin.If you liked the grim, violent world of Street Mobster, explore more movies like it. This thread features similar crime thrillers and yakuza films where defiant antiheroes spiral into tragedy, characterized by intense gang wars, harsh atmospheres, and bleak endings that leave no room for hope.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically chart a linear, cause-and-effect path of a protagonist's entry into and subsequent annihilation by the criminal world. They often begin with a rebellious figure challenging the established order, leading to a rapid escalation of violence, key betrayals, and a final confrontation that underscores the futility of their struggle, confirming a tragic fate.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together because they share a core narrative of fatalistic decline, a relentlessly dark tone, and a high-intensity viewing experience. They focus on the grim realities of the underworld, where cycles of violence trap characters in a downward spiral, creating a cohesive vibe of despair and brutal inevitability.

Brutal and chaotic crime movies like Street Mobster

High-octane stories where violence is relentless and the world is harsh and unforgiving.For viewers who enjoyed the raw intensity and violent chaos of Street Mobster, this thread collects similar fast-paced action and crime thrillers. Discover movies with a high level of brutality, grim settings, and a sense of relentless conflict that mirrors the harsh, unforgiving vibe of the original film.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern is often straightforward, serving as a vehicle for escalating conflict and set-piece violence. The plot moves swiftly from one explosive confrontation to the next, with characters driven by rage or desperation. The structure emphasizes immediacy and sensory overload, often culminating in a final, destructive explosion of violence.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their shared emphasis on a high-intensity, violent, and chaotic vibe. The similarity is less about a specific plot arc and more about the consistent feel: a fast pace, a dark and harsh tone, and a presentation of violence that is brutal and direct, creating a coherently aggressive and tense atmosphere.

Unlock the Full Story of Street Mobster

Don't stop at just watching — explore Street Mobster 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 Street Mobster is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Street Mobster Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Street Mobster, 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.

Street Mobster Summary

Street Mobster Timeline

Track the full timeline of Street Mobster with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Street Mobster Timeline

Street Mobster Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Street Mobster that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Street Mobster Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Street Mobster

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Street Mobster: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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