Known for Acting
Karasudo, who charges 16 mon for his fortune-telling skill, asks for nothing when it comes to swordplay. His merciless blade is stained with the blood of his enemies when he uncovers a sinister plot and finds that his martial arts skill must be called into action. An unusual and highly entertaining story, about a man not to be trifled with.
A shikakenin was an under-the-cover trade that undertook killing in Edo. Hanemon of Otowa, an agency that introduced laborers and maids, was also one of these. Katsugoro Iseya was a timber dealer who had come in as a client. His target was the constructions magistrate Hanno, and the Tatsumiya who sipped on the benefits. Hanemon who had a stong code towards killing, where he would only kill those who do no good to be in the world, accepts this request. Baian Fujieda, a needle doctor would carry out the killing. However, the professional killer Baian fails to bring down Tatsumiya. Hanemon then looks to another shikakenin, the ronin Sanai Nishimura for the role. Although Sanai's ability with the sword is good, he lives poorly in a tenement, and accepts this commission on the condition that it is kept a secret from his wife and child. Here, they close in on Hanno and Tatsumiya again...
A story of rivalry between two gambling clans.
Second part of the Zenka mono series.
A look at the lives of a troupe of geishas working in a small seaside resort town. For the most part, their lives consist of greeting boatloads of oversexed businessmen and providing bawdy entertainment through the evening followed by private companionship at night, interspersed with occasional catfights with the rival geisha house. Their routine is suddenly thrown off by the appearance of an abandoned baby in the geishas' dormitory, followed by its disappearance only a short time later. Who could be responsible for such a thing?
Kogure, an industrial spy, is tasked by Sawada, head of the research department of the Nisshin Corporation, to learn the secrets of the design of a new engine invented by a rival company. Kogure manages to obtain the secrets, but Sawada's goal was not the secrets themselves, but to use them to obtain the position of president of the company. Angered by Sawada's dirty tricks, Kigure begins to take revenge.
Komatsu Takioka is boss of a Yakuza group rival to Masakichi Kijima boss of the Kikuya group which supports the town vendors unlike Takioka, who will stop at nothing to undermine the vendors and take over the territory. Masakichi will do all he can to protect and support the people. Ryutaro Kijima is senior son to Masakichi, though disowned, he keeps interest in the family from a distance. He will be there for his father and his hot tempered younger brother Katsuo, if they should need his loyal help.
An entertaining historical drama featuring popular comedians from the Kansai region of the time, such as Makoto Fujita, Minoru Shiraki, and Gannosuke Ashiya. Raizo Ichikawa as the famous yakuza boss Jirocho.
The Tokaido highway is crowded with people heading for Shimizu Port with the dream of defeating Jirocho of Shimizu and becoming the strongest in Japan. Tokijiro is a fallen yakuza who is trying to make his mark by heading for Shimizu Port with his partner, Chinen.
