The real-life character of Ishikuro “The Looter” Hikoichi has been a source of inspiration for many, starting with the great novelist Shiro Ozaki, who based a central character in his opus “Theatre of Life” on the notorious gambler/looter. The book has since been adapted various times in print and media. Shinji Murayama, however, does not look at Ozaki's work for his 1974 feature “True Account of Hikashaku: A Wolf's Honor and Humanity”. Instead, he bases his Ishikuro Hikoichi on the character from the homonymous work by writer/journalist Koichi Iiboshi, who is also responsible for the writings that inspired Kinji Fukasaku's “Battles Without Honor and Humanity” series, a connection also reflected in the project's title.
This retelling starts in the 1920 and journeys to the 1940s, from when Hikoichi came into the contact with the Yakuza through to his death in 1942. We see how, after striking and killing a feared yakuza underling with no remorse, the impressed yakuza boss lets Hikoichi off and allows him to work for him. Soon after, he meets lifelong friend and partner-in-crime Pokkari, who introduces him to the world of robbing gambling games. We then see him meet Okimi, a prostitute who would go on to shape a major part of Hikoichi's life while sure enough, he also runs into Muraoka from Tokyo, a strong-willed and ferocious person just like Hikoichi. As fate would have it, the two men soon embark on two separate paths that would ultimately see them come at loggerheads with each other.
In focusing on Koichi Iiboshi's writings instead of Ozaki's “Theatre of Life”, Murayama does away with the romanticism attached to the character in other works, presenting a gritty yakuza tale of loyalty, love and brotherhood that is filled with violence and sex. Murayama applies some interesting storytelling choice, most noticeably the interesting use of a narrative voiceover that talks about everything from Hikoichi being Ozaki's inspiration to social and political aftermaths of the great Kanto earthquake in 1923. The way the final scene of the narrative is put forth is also a rather unique way to end the story, making it a memorable one. Susumu Saji's script spends a larger part of the middle segment on the love story between Okimi and the Looter, but that doesn't really bog the feature down as it serves to progress Hikoichi's story. The melodramatic element of that story arc as it goes on, however, does prove a bit overbearing on the overall enjoyment of the feature, but considering its period, it is an expected and accepted issue.
Bunta Sugawara shines once again as a yakuza in a feature based on Iiboshi's work after featuring in three “Battles Without Honor and Humanity” just a year prior to breathing life into Hikoichi here. The man oozes masculinity and swagger, carrying himself with the sure-footedness required for this complex character. The actor manages to work well both in scenes that require him to portray intensity as the yakuza and the more delicate moments in scenes with Okimi, who is played by Nashie Nakagawa. Nakagawa isn't merely there for skin show and as eye-candy, but manages to handles the emotionalism sufficiently. However, it is Sugawara's scenes with Akira Kobayashi who plays Muraoka, few as they may be, that shine. The relationship between the two characters, who could almost be best friends but end up on opposite sides, is very richly written and both the actors make the scenes memorable.
Technically, “True Account of Hikashaku” follows the trend that yakuza productions of the era seemed to follow. The set and costume designing play their part in portraying the accurate period setting, while Shigeru Akatsuka's cinematography is particularly impressive in the nighttime shots and those that take place in the enclosure of crowded bars. Taiichiro Kosugi's music is also relevant to the period of the story and is made most use of in the bar scenes.
Murayama's film may not have a very fresh story to tell, but succeeds with its innovative storytelling and Bunta Sugawara's splendid performance, making it a noteworthy entry of the yakuza subgenre and one that manages to stand out as a jitsuroku production.