The Street Fighter

Tsurugi saves Tateki Shikenbara not out of mercy but to settle his own score with the killer. By rescuing Shikenbaru before the execution completes, Tsurugi ensures he can face his enemy on his own terms rather than letting the state do it. This sets up the personal vendetta that drives much of the film's conflict, as Shikenbaru's siblings later seek revenge for their brother's death and the humiliation of the aborted execution.

When Gijun and Nachi Shikenbaru appear on television pleading for more time to pay their debts to Tsurugi, he sees their plea as cowardice and refuses to show them mercy. Tsurugi's sense of justice is brutal and uncompromising, he believes they should face the consequences of their brother's actions. This confrontation leads to Gijun's death when Tsurugi dodges his flying kick and sends him out a window, while Nachi is later sold into sexual slavery through Renzo Mutaguchi as retribution.

The televised confrontation explicitly foreshadows the deeper violence that follows, with the news report showing the family pleading for time they never receive.

During their confrontation at the Seibukan dojo, Masaoka realizes Tsurugi is the half-Chinese son of a karate master he once knew who was executed. The recognition comes through their fighting style, Masaoka sees familiar techniques and observes Tsurugi's heritage in his movement. This personal connection stops the fight from turning deadly, and Masaoka agrees to protect Sarai partly because of his past bond with Tsurugi's father.

Rakuda's betrayal is actually an act of desperate loyalty. When Tsurugi is captured during the rescue attempt, Rakuda reveals Sarai's location to the gangsters not to harm her but to save his friend Tsurugi from being killed. He believes giving them what they want will secure Tsurugi's survival. This tragic misunderstanding fractures their friendship, though Rakuda later tries to redeem himself by fighting and dying against the blind swordsman Môrôkô.

Dinsau, the Hong Kong Triad boss, helps Tsurugi as a gesture of respect for a worthy adversary. Throughout the film, Dinsau operates by a code of honor among criminals, he granted Shikenbaru permission to fight Tsurugi fairly and allows the duel to proceed without interference. By the end, after Tsurugi has proven himself through sheer endurance and fighting capability, Dinsau recognizes him as an equal. The gesture suggests an uneasy peace between them, with Dinsau accepting Tsurugi as someone worth respecting rather than simply eliminating.

Nachi is sold into sexual slavery through Renzo Mutaguchi's trafficking operation after Tsurugi refuses her family's plea for leniency. She becomes a victim of the criminal network's brutal retribution, which expands the stakes of the conflict beyond simple martial arts confrontation. In the final duel, Nachi sacrifices herself by stepping in to give her brother a clear shot with a sai, hoping the tide might turn, but Tsurugi ultimately prevails and defeats Shikenbaru.

In the final shipyard duel, Tsurugi endures the fight despite severe injuries. When Nachi sacrifices herself to give Shikenbaru a clear strike with his sai, Tsurugi catches the weapon and overpowers his opponent. He delivers the final blow by ripping out Shikenbaru's vocal cords, leaving him unable to speak or utter defiance. The brutal victory comes at a tremendous physical cost, leaving Tsurugi critically wounded but alive.

The recurring theme of vocal cords and voice appears earlier when Shikenbaru is saved from execution, he was meant to die silently. Tsurugi ultimately silences him completely as the ultimate domination.

Tsurugi storms the Seibukan dojo to forcibly retrieve Sarai, who is being protected by her uncle Kendō Masaoka. Rather than simply taking her, he deliberately Provokes the entire dojo by attacking the students, forcing Masaoka to confront him directly. This brutal test serves multiple purposes: it establishes Tsurugi's dominance, draws out Masaoka, and ultimately leads to the recognition of Tsurugi's martial arts lineage that ends the violence.

After betraying Tsurugi by revealing Sarai's location, Rakuda seeks redemption. When faced with Môrôkô, the Blind Wolf, a skilled swordsman working for the Hong Kong faction, Rakuda deliberately throws himself into the fight knowing he cannot win. His death is an attempt to make amends for his betrayal and to give Tsurugi time to continue his mission. Tsurugi witnesses this sacrifice, which fuels his determination to complete the mission.

The oxygen coma punch is Tsurugi's signature technique, delivered while he's disguised as a Buddhist monk during Shikenbaru's execution. The punch delivers a precise strike that induces a state resembling sudden cardiac arrest, causing the recipient to collapse as if dead. Tsurugi uses this to stop the execution at the critical moment, creating the opportunity to later ambush the ambulance and free Shikenbaru himself. This technique establishes Tsurugi as a legendary fighter with almost supernatural abilities.