Tattoo Ari

Tattoo Ari (TATTOO＜刺青＞あり) is a 1982 Japanese film directed by Banmei Takahashi. The film was based on the life of Akiyoshi Umekawa.

Cast

 * Ryudo Uzaki as Akio Takeda
 * Keiko Sekine as Michiyo
 * Misako Watanabe as Sadako Takeda
 * Ayako Ōta (太田あや子) as Miyoko
 * Yoshiko Osimi (忍海よしこ) as Satoko
 * Jirō Yabuki as Teruya Shimada
 * Shirō Shimomoto as Sato
 * Hitoshi Ueki as President
 * Kazuhiro Yamaji as Michiyo's new lover
 * Maiko Kazama as Sanae

Background
Director Banmei Takahashi was at this point a veteran director of pink films with a resume of about 40 movies. This film in the action genre represents a new direction for Takahashi. Tattoo Ari was a critical and box-office hit and with his award for Best Director from the Yokohama Film Festival launched Takahashi on a mainstream career. The female lead in Tattoo Ari, Keiko Sekine, was Banmei Takahashi's wife and later acted under the name Keiko Takahashi.

Awards and nominations
4th Yokohama Film Festival
 * Won: Best Director - Banmei Takahashi
 * Won: Best Actor - Ryudo Uzaki (宇崎竜童)
 * 3rd Best Film