The Street Fighter was a signature role for Sonny Chiba, a cynical anti-hero who takes on the Yakuza in three installments.

The first Street Fighter movie starts with Terry Tsurugi freeing the convicted murderer Junjo from death row by giving him a special blow that makes him collapse before the execution. On the way to the hospital, Junjo is freed by Terry and his accomplice Ratnose. Junjo is taken abroad. A little later, his brother Gijun and his sister Nachi show up at Terry's house asking for a delay in payment. Terry refuses to talk about it and gets into a fight with Gijun, who dies accidentally in the process. Gijun is sold by Terry as a sex slave to the gangster Mutaguchi to pay for his expenses. Mutaguchi has another mission for Terry: He is supposed to kidnap Sarai, the daughter of a recently deceased oil magnate, but when Terry finds out that the Yakuza is involved, he refuses. Terry wants to visit Sarai, who is protected by her uncle, a successful karate fighter, in his studio. Terry takes Sarai's side after he has a fight with her uncle and he finds out that he is the son of a karate master he knows. Meanwhile, Junjo meets his sister in Hong Kong, who has to work as a prostitute. The Yakuza recruits the two to kill Terry in their hatred. The Yakuza eventually manage to kidnap Sarai and on a ship where a big showdown is happening.

The Street Fighter is infamous, because it is the first movie that got the X-rating in the US because of its excessive depiction of violence. In fact, Sonny Chiba plays the anti-hero, who smashes skulls without scruples, castrates rapists and squeezes eyes in when he isn't selling innocent women to a human trafficker. The brutality of the fighting scenes reaches an unusually high level, so that you will be happy to overlook some small flaws in the plot, because a big part of the movie simply consists of how the Yakuza try to kill Terry, since he already knows too much about their plans, or kidnap Sarai. Technically, there is not much to complain about, because the movie is well directed and has some good ideas to offer, like the X-Ray Skull Crunch. A classic, and rightly so.

Despite the half-open ending, the second Street Fighter movie doesn't tie in directly with its predecessor. Terry gets the order from a Yakuza boss to silence a gang member caught by the police. Terry gets himself captured by the police and after a big scuffle he manages to tear out the Yakuza's vocal chords. Satisfied with his work, the Yakuza boss gives Terry the order to kill Sarai's uncle, because his karate school is in direct competition with a school favored by the Yakuza. Terry refuses and thus once again attracts the wrath of the Yakuza, who now want him dead at all costs. Things get dicey for Terry as his old arch-rival Junjo reappears.

Return of the Street Fighter, the second part of the series unfortunately isn't much more than a reinterpretation of its predecessor. At the beginning, Terry once again attacks a detainee and once again he incites the anger of the Yakuza after he refuses to do a job for them. What follows are lots of brawls, which culminate in an explosive finale. This time, he is accompanied by a female sidekick in a hippie-look of the 70's. Notorious is the scene in which he makes the eyes of an attacker pop out of the skull with a targeted blow to the back of the head.

In the last part of the series, Terry is ordered by a yakuza leader Owada to save a member of his family from arrest by the police. When Terry is paid with paper money at the handover, a brawl ensues in the course of which Terry gets his hands on a tape recording. On the tape is a record of a procedure to produce heroin cheaply. The Owada-Clan does everything to get back the recording and hires the Mexican hitman Frankie Black. At the same time the public prosecutor's office is also interested in the recording and hires the lawyer Kunigami. Terry finds himself in a dilemma once again.

As expected, Terry gets into a fight with the Yakuza in the third part, who would rather see him dead sooner than later. The film goes back and forth, as the tape recordings oftentimes changes its owners. Because of the adaptations to the US market, the movie may seem a bit confusing at times, but the strong fighting scenes and the two female supporting actresses Etsuko Shihomi as Huo Feng, who is responsible for the action, and Reiko Ike as gangster, who is responsible for the nude scenes, create a good mood. A worthy ending of the series.

While the first two parts were released in the US without being shortened, extensive changes were made for the third part, The Street Fighter's Last Revenge. The original version was re-cut and heavily modified by the English dubbing. In the original Japanese version, the tape contains incriminating recordings of bribes paid to the government by a chemical company. The Yakuza are trying to blackmail the company, while the Yakuza try to get the recordings through the lawyer Kunigami. In the US dubbing, on the other hand, a formula for the production of heroin has been put on the tape. According to this change, the dialogues are constantly adapted throughout the film.

In a further adaptation to the US market, various action scenes were moved to change the content of the film. In the Japanese version, Huo Feng is a fighter hired by the Owada family, who eventually turns against her financiers when she learns that she has to work with contract killer Frankie Black. In the US version, however, Huo Feng is a lawyer, who was planted undercover in the Owada clan, but uses the same reason to get out. So in the US version, the scene in which Terry meets Kunigami was positioned until after Terry had his first fight with Huo Feng. Also, other scenes with her were moved and changed in content.

Annoying are some censorship cuts, which were necessary for the R rating. Terry can be seen breaking the neck of a gangster for quite some time. Owada's head wound after the fatal injury can be seen longer and in the finale there are more bloody details after Kunigami was defeated by Terry. It's questionable if the scene in which Terry fatally injures a gangster at the garbage dump is a censorship cut. An omission because of the adaptation of the dubbing would also be possible.

Shout Factory has released the three films in one set on Blu-ray. The third part contains both the original Japanese version and the adapted US version. Apparently, only an HD master of the US version was available, because the exclusive scenes of the Japanese version were inserted from an SD source. In order to avoid a change of the picture quality during a shot, only complete scenes were exchanged. Therefore, in the Japanese version, some (sometimes short) shots are in SD, although HD material from the US version is available. The following picture comparison illustrates the differences between HD and SD material.

The Blu-ray set is highly recommended. It would even be advisable to watch the US version first. The sloppy/snooty synchronisation harmonises perfectly with the overdrawn plot. There are two very interesting interviews in the bonus material with Sonny Chiba, who is a bit dissatisfied with the movies, and Jack Sholder, who edited the movie trailer for the US market.

Picture comparison:

HD footage:

SD footage:

Runtimes:

US version: 79:17 min.
Japanese version: 83:24 min.

The US version was compared to the Japanese version.

[00:00:46][00:00:46]

After people were seen on the street, the US cuts to the scene where the angry chemical plant workers storm the press conference. A brawl ensues.

The Japanese version fades over to the Nighi-Ginza phone service. The operator has some problems understanding the man on the other end of the phone line.

US: 1:19 min.
JP: 15 sec.


[00:06:42][00:05:38]

The US version has the English opening credits, while the Japanese version shows the original opening credits.

No time difference


[00:09:27][00:08:23]

After Terry fights with Huo Feng, he meets with a lawyer. The two go up to the roof of the house and the lawyer warns Terry that it's dangerous to get involved with the gangsters, as they are after the tape.

Instead, the Japanese version shows various newspaper clippings in which the future of the chemical factory is in doubt as the problem of environmental pollution has not yet been resolved. This is followed by the scenes in which the workers storm the press conference. The dialogue with Owada is a little different. Here, the employee thinks that his boss would like to meet Owada for dinner, which makes the connection to the next scene.

US: 1:50 min.
JP: 1:31 min.


[00:12:46][00:11:23]

The US version cuts to Terry running down the stairs. As he is about to get into the car, Huo Feng appears, who thinks she wants to help Terry. Af first, Terry rebuffs her brusquely with words, then with blows.

The Japanese version stays with the scene in which Owada talks to Izuka. Owada's bodyguard holds back the man from Izuka, who wants to take the tape. He threatens to give Izuka the tape to the press. Owada demands a billion yen from him, knowing that Izuka has earned a lot from the oil crisis.

US: 54 sec.
JP: 37 sec.


[00:16:06][00:14:26]

In the Japanese version, the television can be seen earlier. The presenter announces a sensation, as occult/supernatural powers are immediately demonstrated in his show.

JP: 35 sec.


[00:18:31][00:17:26]

After the TV show, we can see Huo Feng, who gets the order from the gangsters to support the killer, which she considers to be too undignified a task. She throws her paid money on the table and gets into a fight with the gangsters. Owada shows up. Huo Feng warns him not to mess with Terry. Aya shows up and holds the men back so Huo Feng can leave.

JP: 1:03 min.


[00:26:58][00:26:57]

The Japanese version shows the scene in which Huo Feng wants to ally himself with the Mexican after Terry had a fight with him. The dialogue is a little bit different. She says that she no longer works for Owada and that she is an admirer of Terry.

JP: 54 sec.


[00:30:09][00:31:01]

There are different scenes after Terry's tape is taken off.

Terry goes to the karate school in the US version. He shows Masaoka the fighting style of the lawyer and asks if he knows it. Masaoka thinks that it is a Korean style called Cosmic Wave. Terry wants Masaoka to teach him this style, but Masaoka thinks that Terry needs spiritual training. In the training hall, he shows Terry some exercises. Terry starts to fight with him, but loses. Terry has a flashback from his youth. He remembers how he had to watch his father being executed as a traitor by the Japanese. He hears his father talking about not trusting anyone and working on his skills.

In the Japanese version, we can see Aya being pulled into a car by Terry, which is just going through the car wash. He notices that she is following him and asks her if it is because she is so attracted to him. He confesses to her that the tape was stolen from him, but adds that he wants to get it back. Aya's brother is supposed to have the money ready for that. He warns her not to cheat him again. At the end of the car wash, Terry gets out.

US: 4:37 min.
JP: 1:46 min.


[00:34:48][00:32:50]

The Japanese version shows that the building is the prosecutor's chamber. The attorney introduces Kunigami to Mr. Kuroda. The lawyer asks why Kunigami wants to call the boss of the chemical plant for questioning. The lawyer thinks that Kunigami should be more careful because the boss is very influential. Kunigami justifies himself because he suspects that the boss could be involved in a bribery affair.

JP: 58 sec.


[00:36:15][00:35:14]

After the conversation between Kunigami and his boss, the Japanese version shows the scene in which Terry meets Kunigami.

This is followed by the scene in the karate school, which has been seen earlier in the US version.

JP: 6:27 min.


[00:39:05][00:44:32]

After Terry gets the tape, we see him delivering it to Owada and collecting the money. Owada is amazed by him. On the way back by car, Huo Feng jumps on the roof. She forces him to stop in a tunnel and wants to collect the money. Terry won't let him do this, when suddenly both entrances of the tunnel are blocked by gangsters. The gangsters shoot at the car. Huo Feng tries to escape, but gets shot by the Mexican. Terry's car explodes.

JP: 3:52 min.


[00:39:50][00:49:10]

Owada asks Kunigami if he has already found his missing brother. Kunigami says he doesn't believe him and has evidence to prove it. Owada is astonished.

JP: 31 sec.


[00:43:29][00:53:20]

After the conversation between Owada and Kunigami follows the scene in the US where Terry and Aya are talking in the car wash.

Then follows the scene of the money handover.

Finally, the fight between Huo Feng and the gangsters.

Followed by the attack on Terry and Huo Feng.

US: 6:32 min.


[00:53:45][00:56:54]

Terry hits the gangster on the neck and tells him that he now has only one hour to live. He should tell Owada to come to the Aoidani crematorium.

JP: 24 sec.


[01:01:40][01:05:13]

Terry hits the gangster's neck with his foot one more time. The next shot starts earlier.

JP: 4 sec.


[01:05:38][01:09:15]

Terry shows up unexpectedly and takes a look inside the boat before he leaves again. A fight follows with several gangsters who try to stop him.

JP: 1:08 min.


[01:06:40][01:11:25]

Owada can be seen earlier with his head wound.

JP: 6 sec.


[01:07:26][01:12:18]

The scene with the fight between Terry and the gangsters follows in the US version before Terry cracks the car.

US: 1:08 min.


[01:16:45][01:20:28]

Kunigami and Terry can be seen earlier. Kunigami's blood runs down.

JP: 7 sec.


[01:16:55][01:20:45]

Terry rolls to the side and tries to stand up. There's blood and tissue on his hands.

JP: 19 sec.


[01:19:08][01:23:17]

The Japanese version shows the "end" when the burning car is visible. In the US version, this comes afterwards.

No time difference