QUICK-DRAW OKATSU (1969)

(妖艶毒婦伝　人斬りお勝)

dir: Nobuo Nakagawa

Toei

April 10, 1969

89 minutes Color - Toei (Kyoto Studio) 

Victory ...... Junko Miyazono
Residence ... Reiko Oshinoda
Yabei Makabe ................ Akira Nishimura
Rintaro Makabe ...... Masami Kondo
Saki ................ Yukie Kagawa

My Review:

Quick Draw Otaku (Japan, 1969)

Junko Miyazono returns in this NOT-a-sequel to 1968's Ohyaku: The Female Demon (a B&W semi-classic that is considered an early influence to the pinky violence genre), as a wronged female swordswoman out for revenge. I would imagine this is even more of an influence on the genre as well, with the bright colors, torture, rape, attempted abortion, over the top bad guys, and even a very young looking Reiko Oshida (20 years old) as a spunky short skirted ninja-girl. No nudity, or spraying blood, but a whole lotta people get sliced up.

Okatsu (Miyazono) is a sword-master, respected by the community and loved by her samurai training father. But her brother Rintaro (Masaomi Kondo) just wants to be a farmer, and runs away with his hidden lover, who is pregnant. This starts a chain of events leading to the local bad guy Shiozaki (Kenji Imai) having the father beaten, tortured and killed while he rapes Okatsu. Though neither is that graphic, you can see both happening at the same time, and it has a weird, shocking feel to it.

Even though she escapes, everyone she runs into turns out to be an evil, manipulative swindler; except for Reiko Oshida's adorably cute ninja girl, who kinda shows up here and there, for reasons unexplained, to help slice up people. Her short sword skills are surprisingly entertaining, especially compared to Miyazono, who, despite the role, isn't that great with a sword. Tomisaboro Wakayama (Lone Wolf and Cub) shows up late as a bounty hunter to really put on a display.

The second of three unrelated films (all starring Miyazono), and an early influence for the pinky violence genre, it's an enjoyable revenge flick to see.