Another Lonely Hitman

Another Lonely Hitman
Another Lonely Hitman
Directed by	Rokurō Mochizuki
Screenplay by	Toshiyuki Morioka
Based on	Novel by Yukio Yamanouchi
Cinematography	Naoaki Imaizumi
Music by	Kazutoki Umezu
Release date	July 1, 1995;
Running time	105 min.
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Another Lonely Hitman (新・悲しきヒットマン, Shin kanashiki hittoman) is a Japanese yakuza film directed by Rokurō Mochizuki starring Ryo Ishibashi and Asami Sawaki, who was making her film debut. The film was based on a novel by Yukio Yamanouchi who also appears as an actor in the film.^[1]^[2] The Japanese title of the film begins with the character 新, shin (new), to distinguish this movie from a 1989 film 悲しきヒットマン (Lonely or Sad Hitman), also based on a novel by Yamanouchi but unrelated in plot.^[2]

Plot

After 10 years in prison, yakuza hitman Takashi Tachibana is returning to a new mob scene where his code of honor is outdated. The old violent gangs have now turned to drug dealing as their main business. His old mob presents him with a bundle of cash and Yuki, a call girl who is addicted to drugs as he once was. Tachibana falls for the girl and tries to rehabilitate her which eventually causes trouble with his own gang and rivals as well.

Cast

Ryo Ishibashi as Takashi Tachibana
Asami Sawaki as Yuki Tajima
Kazuhiko Kanayama as Yuji Takayama
Tatsuo Yamada as Shimoyama
Tetsuya Yūki as Hirakawa
Zenkichi Yoneyama as Wada
Toshiyuki Kitami as Mizohashi
Yukio Yamanouchi as Yoshimura

Release

The film was released theatrically in Japan on July 1, 1995.^[1] A DVD version with English subtitles which included an interview with director Mochizuki came out May 31, 2005.^[3]

Reception

At the 5th Japan Film Professional Awards, Another Lonely Hitman won the award for Best Film of 1995 and Rokurō Mochizuki was named Best Director. Ryo Ishibashi took the Best Actor award at the same ceremony.^[4]^[5]