Ichi the Killer takes special care to alienate the audience right from the start. Within the first ten minutes it assaults them with a cast of distasteful characters, graphic violence, a brutal rape scene, and a sequence in which the opening titles emerge from a pool of semen (which, if you believe the audio commentary, is authentic). What follows is a hyper-violent, psychosexual, slightly surreal tale of pain, the Yakuza and, above all else, revenge, which is not for the weak of stomach. It is the sort of cautionary tale for bullies that could only be presented by the prolific, mad genius of a director, Takashi Miike (emphasis on the mad).

Tadanobu Asano (Survive Style 5+) is brilliantly understated as Kakihara, the Yakuza killer with a quiet demeanor and a loud wardrobe, who is fond of body mods and only lights up in the presence of pain. While engaged in an ever-escalating gang war, the cruel and disaffected Kakihara learns that the rival faction has a killer more vicious than himself, (the titular Ichi, played by Nao Omori) , and Kakihara is on his hit list. Ichi, a costumed killer who wears his name on his back and his weapons hidden in his shoes, although indeed a ruthless killing machine, is timid and hesitatnt; Kakihara's emotional and psychological opposite. Naturally, as their paths intertwine, wacky hi-jinks ensue; wacky, gore-soaked, occasionally time-compressed and often confusing, hi-jinks.

If this sounds a bit outlandish that's because it is (and I've not even touched on some major plot points, not wanting to ruin any of the film's copious surprises). Ichi, although incredibly dark, is also disturbingly, morbidly funny. Much of its violence (achieved through a mixture of traditional and CG effects) supercedes the gruesome to become cartoonish and silly, leaving it largely laughable even while undeniably cringe-worthy. I would caution viewers not to let this fact allow them to become too comfortable while watching however. Miike is more than well aware of the narrative, visual and auditory tropes movies use to manipulate audiences, and he loves to stand them on their ear. Ichi will have you laughing at an offal pratfall one moment, moved to deep compassion for an otherwise contemptible character the next, and then inflict upon you visions of such realistically brutal violence (the most horrendous examples of which seem to be saved for the female characters in the film) so uncomfortable to watch that you'll consider the next fonting arterial spray to be a relaxing and genuine relief.

Ichi's story is neither easily followed nor neatly wrapped up, and yet it takes viewers on such a visually stunning and entertaining journey that the ultimate destination is unimportant.

The Tokyo Shock/Media Blaster DVD release is the full 129 minute version of the film, so you wont miss a modicum of the ultra-violence. In addition, this release includes an audio commentary by Miike and Hideo Yamamoto (the author whose manga, Koroshiya 1, was the movie's inspiration). I found the transfer, although not poor, left a lot to be desired by way of quality, a fact which is particularly disappointing when one considers the lush and deliberate use of color and singularly memorable visuals that make up the film. Still, if you have the choice between this and one of the edited editions, I recommend the Tokyo Shock DVD. In for a penny, in for a pound of flesh, I always say.