Karate baka ichidai (1977) - full transcript

A TOEI PICTURE

In 1952, Masutatsu Oyama,
a karate expert,

was working as a bouncer
for a gangster outfit.

His days were filled with booze
and barroom brawls,

but he couldn't forget
his love for karate.

In frustration, he made
challenge visits to karate dojos.

- Next form!
- Ready!

And one!

Advance!

Back!

And two!



Advance!

Back!

And three!

Advance!

Back!

And four!

Advance!

Back!

Who the hell are you?

I'm Oyama,
karate fighter extraordinaire.

Call your Sensei!

Fuck off!

I didn't come for you!

I came to fight your boss,
one-on-one.



Wait!

I won't fight a rascal like you
who does karate just for publicity.

Go find a bear or ox to fight.

The dojo is sacred.

I refuse to sully it
with your filthy blood.

Are you scared, Yonajima-sensei?

You just do no-contact fighting.
Can't handle full-contact, huh?

You're so full of shit!

What is this, a karate dance hall?

Come on!

So that's what Oyama karate is...

It's just about picking fights!

You come sniffing around here
looking for trouble, like a mad dog!

Shut up!
Are you gonna fight or not?!

All right.

Other dojos may avoid a mad dog.

But we'll fight you.

If you die, it's your own fault.

But you must fight all 100 students.

All 100 of them?

Are you afraid?

If so, then beat it!

No, that suits me fine.

As long as you'll be number 101.

KARATE BAIKA ICHIDAI
(KARATE FOR LIFE)

Planning: Kohji Ohta
Screenplay: Masahiro Kakefuda

Original story:
I. Kajiwara and J. Kagemaru

Photography: Y. Nakajima
Art: H. Kitagawa

Music: H. Kaburagi
With songs by M. Nakao, T. Kiyono

Starring:

Shinichi (Sonny) Chiba

Introducing: Yoko Natsuki

Hideo Murota,
Masashi Ishihashi, Asao Uchida

Hiroshi Nawa, Katsu Shiga,
Hiroshi Kondo, Toshiaki Minami

Hirohisa Nakada, Hiromi Sairaiji

Mr. Ching, Eddy Sullivan,
Rip Tyler, Snake Amami

and Kohjiro Hongo

Directed by
Kazuhiko Yamaguchi

What are you doing? Attack him!

Get the oil!

Dirty trick!

Sensei!

Got it?

This is Oyama karate.

I'll never run and hide.

Come and get me anytime.

Sensei!

Sensei!

Go away!

No one in front of me

No one behind me

My only companion

Is my shadow

Why is it that in this cold world

You can only depend on yourself?

Beneath a starry sky I wander

I'm a lone Karate man

Where shall I go?

Step aside.

I hate to say this,

but could you pay us once in a while?

Yeah, Sensei.
Give us a break, OK?

Look what a tab you've run up!

That much?

- Anyway, please pay us.
- I will later.

Later we'll be forced
to close this place.

- Hey, lay off.
- Very sorry.

Listen, Sensei...

I really respect you
when you're in your karate outfit.

But when you're with these men,
I really hate you!

Watch who you're talking to.

Keep that up
and I'll show you what happens!

Let's go. Let's go.

Oh! Just who I wanted to see.

- Hey!
- What? I just asked you to sit down.

Hey, look how much money
I have in my wallet!

Madame, a round of sake for everyone.

Yes, Sir.

Recognize this?

It's money.

You can get more money
if you take a part in my business.

Business?

What business?

I'm a promoter
of wrestling and boxing matches.

I want to sign you.

Put me on display?

I know you're a top-notch karate man.
You deserve respect.

Please accept our invitation.

Come to Okinawa
as a karate champion in Japan.

Okinawa?

Okinawa

Hello, Boss.
I've brought Mr. Oyama.

Oh!

So this is Mr. Oyama!

I'm glad to see you.

I'm the Great Yamashita.

Oh... I should introduce you.
Hey, Mr. Fujita!

This is Shuzo Fujita,
Japan's number-one judo expert.

This is Masu Oyama,
Japan's number-one karate expert.

Hello. I'm Oyama.

I'm really pleased to have

two top men from Japan.
I feel secure now.

From now on,
it's big fights and big money!

Yamashita is a top-notch wrestler.

So if you leave everything to him,

you are sure to be successful.

From today, you are my brothers.

We're the Three Yamashita Brothers.

What's that, "the three brothers"?

Let me explain.

The eldest brother
will be Great Yamashita.

The second brother is you...

Shuzo Fujita..."Shu Yamashita."

The third brother, Masu Oyama,
is "Masu Yamashita."

Three brothers, see? It's brilliant.

What? Nobody told me.

You two came to help me, right?
We're brothers!

Yes, you three are very popular
among Okinawans now.

Yeah, right.

I won't fight with those low-lifes.

Hey, we'll have none of that talk!

It's too late, anyway.

It's already in the newspapers.
Right, Boss?

I said, "No"!

Print a retraction!

We start training tonight.
The matches are already scheduled.

It's your duty to fight before the fans.

If you withdraw from the fight,
the Gls will laugh at us Japanese.

All trust, gone!

I'm a sixth-degree black belt
of the Kodokan School.

No lousy foreigners will beat me.

Then you'll fight them. OK?

And you, Oyama?
Do you agree to fight, too?

If our national reputation
is at stake, I'll fight.

In the red corner:

At 275 pounds, Rip Tyler!

...and at 255 pounds, Eddy Sullivan!

In the blue corner:

Great Yamashita...

Shu Yamashita...

and Masu Yamashita.

The referee: Harold Oki.

Don't let it get to you.

You just gotta get in the zone.

Fight!

Airplane Spin Toss

Atomic Drop

Bear Hug

Masu, use your karate techniques.

Neck Hanging

Masu, run before you get killed!

The match is a show.
Don't defeat them so badly.

You've got to be kidding.
It was a life-or-death match.

People aren't interested
in samurai spirit.

We're the heavies.

We're supposed to hurt them
and then to lose.

The fans are happy...

...and we make money.

That's business.

So that's why you brought me here?
For fixed matches?!

If you can't take orders, go home!

'Course, you'll be
in breach of contract,

so you'll have to
repay me the advance.

What did you say?

Masu, this steak is really delicious.

So are the drinks and hotel services.

Let me take care of you,
and you'll be happy.

Shut up!

I'll never go along with it.

Oyama, I know how you feel,
but just give it up.

It's no use.

It's our fault
we didn't read the contract.

Are you gonna keep
throwing fights then?

No...

I just want one more fight.

Fujita, do as you promised!

Now you've done it.

Please...

- It's not my fault!
- You fool!

Your guys mangled
our prime wrestlers.

We hold you responsible.

When your fighters screw up,
it's on your shoulders.

Let's go!

It's open.

Look what you did!

Those guys are gangsters.

They beat me to a pulp.

You guys never thought
about my position...

...too busy being all self-righteous.

You're both crazy!

From now on,
I want nothing to do with you.

I want to live long.

This is for your airline tickets.

Go back to the mainland.

What a relief.

Fujita, let's go home.

What happened?

Sorry, but you go on ahead.

Looks like I got a crack in my ribs.

It'll heal in about ten days.

They won't drive an injured man out.

Don't worry about me.

Take my advice
and return to the mainland at once.

Wanna buy some chewing gum?

- It's really good.
- From the US Army.

- It's very tasty.
- Really!

- Please buy some!
- Please! Please!

What are you doing?

Let me go!

You're drinking the whole day...
that's why your earnings are low!

I can drink when I want!

What?

Quit being lazy!

Understand?

Work harder,
or we'll sell you to a brothel.

Shit.

What are you doing?

Leave me alone.

Stay away!

It's none of your...

Don't be ridiculous.

What's the point in dying?

You must be Japanese
from the mainland.

Mainlanders...
can't understand how I feel.

You can't.

You can't!

Stop him!

He's a thief!

Come on!

Yeah, that's right!
Come on! Wanna fight?

Hey, everybody!
We've got a live one!

Here goes...

Take this!

- Let's split!
- Not before I kill him!

Let me at him!

Run!

Dirty swine!

Where does he get off
sleeping in our place?!

He ate up all the canned goods!

Hey, let's beat him up!

Hold on...
we have to do this carefully.

OK, now!

Hey, you!

You stole from the warehouse!

- No, we didn't!
- Liar!

- Where's the money?
- I don't know!

Oh yeah?
You don't know?

Then what's this?!

Who the hell...?

- Oh no!
- It's Oyama!

You'll pay for this!

Hey, Chibi,
get over here and help me.

I wish I were a grown-up.

Chow's ready, Nobuo.

Come on, everybody!

Eat it while it's hot.

Mmmm!

- Tasty, isn't it?
- We're good cooks.

What happened to your parents?

- Died in the bombing.
- Mine, too.

My mother was killed.

We're all in the same boat.

But we manage to have fun anyway.
Right, everyone?

Hey, Mister, how 'bout joining us?

Yeah, then we'll be safe.

Hold on.

You want to use me
as a thieves' bouncer?

So? You stole our canned goods.

That makes you a thief, too.

- Well... I guess so.
- Yeah!

You ate all our canned food!

- Anyway, join us!
- Yeah, come on!

- Do you really want me to join?
- Yes, of course!

There's one condition:

Come to work with me tomorrow.

Folks, this hammer can break
four of these roofing tiles.

But this karate expert
can break ten of them barehanded.

And just to make it more interesting,

this karate man
will put his hand on these tiles

and let you strike
his hand with this hammer.

Come on! Try it! Come on!

Everyone, clap your hands!

Oyama!
Where've you been?

Fujita! Yamashita!

Didn't you return to Japan?

Why are you dressed like that?

The Ryu Group took
Yamashita's money and drove him out.

We're working as day laborers.

What else can we do?

I see.

- It's my fault. I'm sorry.
- No...

...it was my own fault
for being so greedy.

Listen, we're planning
to go to America. Wanna join us?

America?

There are many strong men there.

With your power, I'm sure
you two will do very well there.

You can fight fairly
and I can get fair money.

You're still talking about money.

Don't get mad.
He's a good guy at heart.

Oyama, this is my dream.

Let's go to America. It's a chance
for us to really show our stuff!

Think it over, Oyama.
When it's time, we'll come for you.

Sister!

Sister!

Kazuo... come on now.

Don't lose heart.

I was an orphan like you.

But you have a sister.

You're a man, aren't you?

Then be strong and help your sister.

That's being a man.

Well, isn't it?

Got it?

Then hit me.

Go on, hit me.

Stand up.

Stand up!

Are you scared?

That's good!

With that spirit, you can do anything.

Justice without power is nothing.

Power without justice is only violence.

What's up?

It's about Kazuo.

Kazuo?

Go and see him.

I almost forgot about Kazuo.

Do you really mean that?

He's all you've got.

He's your only brother.

Doesn't that mean something?

Even if it does...

...there's nothing I can do about it.

Leave me alone.

Please... come on.

Are you OK?

How is she, Doctor?

It's T.B.

And a very advanced case.

Get her to a hospital immediately.

If the fever continues,
she'll be in critical condition.

Take care of her.

Doctor, please do something for her.

The medicine for this is hard to get.

The US Army hospital has it.
It's called "penicillin."

Please get it, Doctor.

It's so expensive
that you'll be shocked.

500 dollars.

500?

You OK?

I must've gotten drunk
and passed out.

Take it easy. You'd better lie down.

My body's a wreck.

The end is near.

Don't say that.

You'll be fine.

I was dreaming a long dream.

My hometown... Nuibaru.

Kazuo and I were always
playing on the beach.

The beautiful sandy beach
extended as far as I could see.

And hibiscus flowers
bloomed a bright red.

I want to go back to Nuibaru

and live with Kazuo again.

Yes, that's why
you need to get well soon.

Sorry to be so much trouble.

It's nothing.

I never thought I'd meet
a kind mainlander like you.

They've come.

Boss, we'll do whatever you say.

So I want you to let
Oyama fight once again.

Sorry I caused you so much trouble.

Don't ever do that again.

I promise I won't.

But I have a favor to ask you.

Would you pay me in advance?

Masu! What are you saying?

Boss, I promise I'll do
anything you say. So please.

So you promise you'll do
as you're told from now on, right?

You know what you've gotta do?

He's supposed to be
KO'd in five minutes.

Secret Ring

Don't forget, you promised!

You broke your word.
Let's get out of here!

Where's Oyama?

I don't know.

Liar!

We know he's been visiting you.

Talk!

Where's Oyama's hideout?

I don't know.

You slut!

Why do you side with that low-life?

Stubborn, aren't you? Looks like
you need some obedience training.

No!

We won't be able
to stay in Okinawa longer.

I'm OK.

One bullet can't kill me.

It's my fault. Please forgive me.

You can't fight in a fixed match.

It's just your way.

Let's go back to Japan
and fight to the best of our ability.

Let's go on a wild rampage.

Kazuo!

You broke your promise!

I'll kill you!

Stand up!

Stand up now!

Now move. Hurry up!

I'm... finished.

Don't say that. Hold on!

Fujita...

Oyama...

You two are great fighters.

Continue to fight
and make big money, OK?

Kazuo, what happened?

My sister...

What about your sister?

My sister...

What's happened to her?

Sister!

Kazuo.

Kazuo.

Let's go back to Nuibaru.

Just you and me.

Sister!

I was wrong.

I've been so unkind to you.

Please forgive me.

Please don't die!

My hometown... Nuibaru.

Kazuo and I were always
playing on the beach.

The beautiful sandy beach
extended as far as I could see.

And hibiscus flowers
bloomed a bright red.

I want to go back to Nuibaru

and live with Kazuo again.

You! What do you want?

Oyama, how nice to see you!

Your karate hinders my business.

Now I have to kill you.

Turn around!

Now!

I'll show you what happens
to anyone who opposes us.

Oyama, go get him.

Here goes.

Oyama...

I've been waiting for you.

Yonajima!

So you ran away to Okinawa.
How pathetic.

You and your karate
will be finished here.

I'll gouge your eyes out!

There is no end to my way of karate.

THE END