Blood of Revenge Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Blood of Revenge Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 11, 2026

Radiance Films has been curating the filmography of Tai Katô for some time now, with this release following Radiance Blu-rays of I, the Executioner*, Eighteen Years in Prison, By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him*, Tokijiro: Lone Yakuza and The Tale of Oiwa’s Ghost. While Blood of Revenge may fit more or less into one of Katô's perceived calling cards, namely ninkyo eiga, it also is an outlier in a way that tends to emphasize character over any perceived "action" elements, even if the film begins with a really energetically edited opening featuring an attempted "hit" on a clan boss in Osaka circa 1907 during a festival performance.

*Note: As of the writing of this review, available in Region B only from Radiance (some additional Region A releases of various films are available from other labels).

That attempt, which is at least not initially successful, then sets up the central conflict of the film, which is a generational saga of a once prominent Yakuza clan family trying to matriculate into "legitimate business" enterprises (kind of, in fact, somewhat like The Godfather: Part III), which plays out against what might be termed an intramural conflict with another clan who may or may not be on the same hunt for respectability. This certainly has elements of "chivalrous" behavior, but it's also arguably a bit of a cautionary tale about retribution and what might be termed the Japanese version of karma.

Blood of Revenge Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Blood of Revenge is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains only some fairly generic information on the transfer:

Blood of Revenge was transferred in high definition by Toei Company, Ltd. and supplied to Radiance Films as a high definition digital file.

I've been on record as not always completely liking these "pre-delivered" masters that have no further work done on them, but this is a generally pretty solid looking presentation, though some might quibble with a bit of the color timing, which seems slightly skewed toward browns in things like flesh tones, and with a just slightly aquamarine or teal tinge to a few outdoor moments. That said, there are some extremely effective pops of color throughout and the palette is generally quite healthy looking. Detail levels are appealing, especially on some of the traditional Meiji Era sets and costumes, though this is another Japanese effort where some noticeable anamorphic anomalies can be spotted, especially toward the edges of the frame. There are a few passing shots where the left side of the frame in particular can look a bit blurry (aside from any intentional focus pulling). Grain can be slightly rough looking in some outdoor material in particular, but typically resolves tightly.

Blood of Revenge Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Blood of Revenge features an energetic LPCM Mono track in the original Japanese, one that gets off to a propulsive start with the really engaging Taiko drum vignette that opens the film. Scoring is a strong point throughout the track and resonates very well whether featuring "ethnic" instruments or more traditional orchestral forces. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Blood of Revenge Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Lice Are Scary (HD; 14:01) is maybe just a slightly hilarious early 1943 offering from Kato, in PSA mode here warning unsuspecting people about the pesky insects. This has some frankly bizarre animated elements.


• Junko Fuji: Flower and Storm (HD; 14:39) features Mark Schilling discussing the life and career of the actress.

This Limited Edition features a reversible sleeve and a booklet featuring both new writing and an archival essay. Radiance's traditional Obi strip is included.

Blood of Revenge Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Blood of Revenge is a compelling entry in the filmography of Tai Katô, and should be of special interest to those who have been following Radiance's other releases of Katô films. Koji Tsuruta is expectedly stolid as the prime exemplar of "chivalry", but maybe a bit unexpectedly interruptions of actual violence are relatively rare in this tale. Technical merits are generally solid, and the two on disc supplements informative and enjoyable. Recommended.