Black Belt (film)

Black Belt
Directed by	Shunichi Nagasaki
Written by	George Iida
Music by	Naoki Sato
Distributed by	Toei Company
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Black Belt, known as Kuro-obi (黒帯) in Japan, is a 2007 film directed by Shunichi Nagasaki. It focuses mainly on the martial art of Karate, insofar that it doesn't contain any of the usual exaggerations of the genre. For example, the lead roles were played by karate experts, and no special effects were used.

Plot

The events take place in 1932 in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, in which the corrupt leaders of the Japanese army are trying to take over all the Karate dojos /training halls for their own personal benefit. Amidst these circumstances the master Eiken Shibahara (portrayed by Yosuke Natsuki) from one of these dojo located on the southernmost Japanese island of Kyushu dies before passing on the Kuroobi/ black belt to his successor; leaving three of his pupils (Taikan (portrayed by Tatsuya Naka 7th Dan JKA Shotokan karate), Giryu (portrayed by Akihito Yagi 7th Dan Meibukan Gōjū-ryū Karate) and Choei (portrayed by Yuji Suzuki, 1st Dan Kyokushin karate) the task of deciding amongst themselves who deserves it most. After they bury their master, they are forced to leave the dojo and join the Japanese army. At this point, their journey leads them on rather different paths both in life and in the understanding of their master's teachings of martial arts, only to reunite them at the end, in a battle of corruption vs tradition.

Cast

• Akihito Yagi
• Tatsuya Naka
• Yuji Suzuki
• Yosuke Natsuki
• Kimika Yoshino - Chiyo

DVD releases

Tokyo Shock (America)

• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (1:85:1) anamorphic
• Sound: Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English
• Supplements: Trailer; trailers for Heroes Two, The Master, Challenge of the Masters, The Deadly Duo
• Region 1, NTSC

Madman Entertainment (Australia)

• Aspect ratio: Widescreen (1:78:1) anamorphic
• Sound: Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English
• Supplements: Making of Black Belt; theatrical trailer; TV spot; trailers for Kaidan, Death Trance, A Tattooed Life, Sonny Chiba Boxset Volume 1
• Region 4, PAL

External links

• Black Belt at IMDb
• Black Belt on YouTube