Konketsuji Rika (1972)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Kô Nakahira

Writers:

Tarô Bonten (original story)
Kaneto Shindô (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 November 1972 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

First film of a trilogy following the dramatic life of Rika, a half-Japanese/half-American woman who becomes the tough-as-nails leader of an all-girl crime gang. |

Plot Keywords:

Mixed Race Child | Exploitation | Unemployment | Erotism | Government Corruption

Cast

Rika Aoki	...	Rica
Kazuko Nagamoto	...	Reiko
Masami Souda	...	Hanako
Michi Nono	...	Junko
Fuminori Sato
Ryohei Uchida	...	Mr Z
Masane Tsukayama	...	Numata
Yasuo Harakayama	...	Sabu
Sotoshi Moritsuka	...	Hirose
Yoshihiro Nakadai	...	Tachibana
Jun Otomo	...	Tabucho
Emiko Azuma	...	Reform School Director
Kotoe Hatsui	...	Middle-aged Lady
Kazuko Imai	...	Kayo
Kunio Otsuka	...	Ichikawa

Also Known As:

Rica (USA) (DVD title)
Rika the Mixed-Blood Girl (International: English title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Japan:Unrated

Company:

Kindai Eiga Kyokai

Movie Connections:

Followed by Konketsuji Rika: Hitoriyuku sasuraitabi (1973)

Fast paced exciting pinky violence saga

I consider this comparable to Truck Turner in the blaxploitation genre. Not the best example of pinky violence, but one of the most entertaining. There's enough 'plot' here to fill 5 movies though it's rather episodic in nature. Lots of exploitative scenes (nudity, violence, catfights, etc.), also some anti-USA sentiment.

I just saw Rica 2 Lonely Wanderer yesterday. Not quite the exploitation showcase as the first, and with more conventional and less frantic pacing. No reform schools here, and no nudity from the star (Rika), though it does have some anti-USA bias. It's still a quite good followup and perhaps more believable than the original (which may actually detract from the entertainment value). Judging from the trailer, looks like the third installment is less sedate and more of a roller coaster ride like the first one.