Directed by

Kinji Fukasaku
Made by

Toei Company
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Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 (1974). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Follow the complete movie timeline of New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 (1974) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
1950: Public assassination attempt on Boss Asada
Makio Miyoshi makes a bold public attempt to kill Boss Asada but flees before completing the hit. After the botched attempt, Yoshio Yamamori berates him for his failure and asserts his authority over the family.
Assassination plan approved and Makio's arrest
Yamamori's lieutenant Naotake Aoki and senior officer Shigeru Nanba arrive to coordinate the hit and supply Makio with a clean gun to kill Asada. Makio then allows himself to be arrested for the crime and is sentenced to eight years in prison.
Nine years later: the family division revealed
Makio is visited by both Yamamori and Aoki, who reveal a growing split in the family. Yamamori accuses Aoki of jealousy and ambition, while Aoki counters by accusing Yamamori of past abuses. The meeting plants the seeds for a long-running feud.
Paroled and protected: new arrangements
Makio is released on parole and Yamamori has his nephew Kenji provide him with a room and a monthly salary, while other Yamamori members, including Kitami, are assigned to protect him. He quickly senses the gifts are meant to win his loyalty, not to help him. He begins to weigh his loyalties carefully.
Family visit and bribery attempt
During a family visit to celebrate Makio's release, Yamamori and his wife bribe him to kill Aoki. Makio refuses, stating that Aoki is his blood brother and he will not harm him.
Nanba is killed and loyalties shift
News from Kure reports Nanba's assassination, enabling Aoki to become the blood brother to Kaizu. Aoki pushes for Masuo Nozaki to succeed Nanba, while Nanba's followers back Masaru Seki as an alternative.
Keiko confronts Makio
Makio visits Aoki with his girlfriend Keiko; Aoki's wife convinces Keiko that Makio plans to kill Aoki. A heated argument ensues, Keiko scars Makio with a knife, and she leaves.
Aoki ejects Makio to flee
Aoki asks Makio to leave the family; Makio refuses. In retaliation, Aoki arranges a hit on Makio while he's distracted by a prostitute. Makio escapes with his life and heads to Shikoku to swear loyalty to another family.
Aoki consolidates power and destroys rivals
An emboldened Aoki humiliates Yamamori and forces him to dissolve his family, while Nozaki orders a hit on Seki, leaving Seki hospitalized with severe injuries.
Makio plots to remove Aoki's threat
Yamamori recruits Gen Sakagami to approach Makio with a plan to assassinate Aoki using Seki's loyal crew. Makio agrees to break his blood oath with Aoki but refuses to help beyond that, preparing to set a trap instead.
The thwarted hit at the Nanba ceremony
The hit is scheduled to occur during a ceremony to name Nozaki Nanba's successor, but police arrive to take Nozaki into custody for attacking Seki. The conspirators lose their nerve, and Gen promises Makio that he will still kill Aoki.
The restaurant ambush and Aoki's death
Makio executes his trap as assassins open fire at a restaurant where Aoki is dining with Gen. Aoki is badly wounded as his bodyguards fight off the attackers. Seki confronts the dying Aoki and shoots him; Kitami witnesses and reports back to Makio.
Yamamori's comeback and Makio's rising influence
Yamamori celebrates his return to power and promotes Makio for loyal service. The film closes by noting that Makio would later play a key role in the major gang war that broke out in 1963.
Explore all characters from New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 (1974). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Miyoshi Makio
A Yamamori family member whose loyalty is tested after a failed public assassination. He initially refuses to kill his blood brother Aoki, clinging to a code of honor amid a brutal world. As events unfold, he navigates shifting loyalties, accepts protection, and orchestrates a plan to realign with new allies. His actions drive the power struggle that leads to the 1963 gang war.
Aoki Naotake
Aoki is a ruthless rival who uses manipulation and coercion to consolidate power. He undermines Yamamori by exposing past abuses and pursuing leadership with force, including orchestrating hits on rivals. He tries to coerce Makio to abandon his blood oath, showing a willingness to betray even family ties. He is eventually killed by Masaru Seki in a confrontation.
Shigeru Nanba
A senior Yamamori officer who embodies the old guard’s authority and loyalty within the family. He becomes a casualty as power moves fracture the clan and rival factions clash. His death cascades into a wider succession crisis within the organization.
Masuo Nozaki
A loyal Nanba subordinate positioned as a potential successor amid the factional feuding. He navigates dangerous loyalties while trying to maintain order, and his actions influence the direction of the clan’s future. His role highlights the fragility of succession within a violent criminal world.
Noboru Kitami
A Yamamori ally who helps Makio by manipulating events and managing surveillance. He assists in setting traps and coordinating efforts to protect or destabilize rivals as the power struggle unfolds.
Gen Sakagami
A former infiltrator who pushes Makio to break off his blood oath with Aoki, catalyzing the plan to reorient alliances. He is a key instigator in the maneuvering that reshapes loyalties and triggers confrontations within the clan.
Masaru Seki
Makio's old cellmate who leads a loyal crew and becomes a pivotal figure in the latter stages of the conflict. He confronts a dying Aoki and shoots him, turning the tide of the power struggle and cementing his own faction’s position.
Unokichi Kaizu
The Hiroshima boss who exerts influence over the Yamamori and Aoki feuds, his decisions shape the broader strategic landscape of the underworld. He is involved in the power plays that culminate in the intense violence surrounding the rival factions.
Keiko
Makio's girlfriend who becomes entangled in the yakuza wars. She contains the emotional stakes of the story, and a heated confrontation with Makio leaves a lasting mark, illustrating how personal relationships are pulled into the world of crime.
Learn where and when New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 (1974) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1950s–1963
The film begins in 1950 and follows nearly a decade of brutal power struggles within and between yakuza families. The period captures the postwar atmosphere, with delicate alliances, public assassinations, and political maneuvering shaping each move. It culminates in a major gang war referenced to erupt in 1963.
Location
Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, Shikoku Island, Japan
Set against the postwar port towns of Japan, the story moves between Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture and the island routes of Shikoku. These locations serve as grizzled backdrops for brutal power plays among rival yakuza factions. The settings emphasize gritty streets and shifting loyalties that drive the plot.
Discover the main themes in New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 (1974). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Loyalty & Power
Yakuza life hinges on loyalty and betrayal; Makio's bonds to Yamamori and to Aoki pull him in opposing directions. The power struggle within the Yamamori family forces him to choose sides, even as blood ties complicate his decisions. The story shows loyalty as both a shield and a weapon in a dangerous underworld. The ascent to leadership often requires violent compromise.
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Betrayal & Revenge
Betrayal threads through the plot as alliances fracture; Makio's plan shifts after double-crosses and assassinations. The hit attempts and counter-moves escalate violence, pushing the characters toward revenge-seeking choices. The narrative uses brutal acts to show the high cost of ambition. Loyalties are constantly tested as rivals strike from the shadows.
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Underworld Realism
The film presents a stark, unglamorous portrait of postwar yakuza politics rather than stylized action. Bribery, intimidation, and formalized codes shape every decision. Law enforcement interference and internal clan dynamics create a realistic texture of risk and consequence. The ambiance reinforces the harsh logic of survival in the criminal world.

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