A yakuza (played by Miike himself in a cameo) is murdered after violently assaulting a hostess on rival turf, providing the catalyst for a gang war between a number of factions seeking a redistribution of power. In this densely-layered gangland drama , the backroom maneuvering of the senior figures in the yakuza, overseen by Mr. Kaito (Hiroki Matsukata, The Rapacious Jailbreaker), are juxtaposed against the actions of the street-level mobsters, as the two sides head towards an inevitable collision. Written by Graveyard of Honor scribe Shigenori Takechi, Miike directed Agitator in 2001, arguably the most notable year of his career, alongside Ichi the Killer, Visitor Q, and The Happiness of the Katakuris. Epic in scope, the film is presented here in its original theatrical version, and in a two-part 200 minute extended version, until now only available on Japanese VHS.
