AllMovie

Masahiro Shinoda directed this sexy, darkly humorous look at Tokyo's red-light Edo district in 1842, focusing on three characters whose lives intersect. Soshun (Tetsuro Tamba) is the infamous fugitive Buraikan in disguise, Naojiro (Tatsuya Nakadai) is a shiftless lout who dreams of being a Kabuki performer, and Ushimatsu (Shoichi Ozawa) has just left his family. The hip screenplay by filmmaker Shuji Terayama throws in some contemporary touches, comparing the revolutionary spirit of the Tempo era with the 1960s youth movement. Buraikan is still a delight to watch due to the sheer exuberance of its cast and Shinoda's stylish direction.