Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- brutal
- paranoid
- cult movie night
- martial arts movie night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ichi repeatedly endures bullying while visibly enjoying the violence around him and refusing to fight.
Students, younger children, Dai, and the transfer student all establish status through taunting and beatings.
The transfer student breaks opponents’ bones and challenges the film’s central figure through deliberately excessive fights.
The plot follows Ichi during high school and presents his formative relationship to violence before the later story.
Films like 1-Ichi, and why
Ichi the Killer
stylized school violence, criminal underworld energy, and brutal manga-derived action
Battle Royale
teenage delinquency, fractured masculinity, and escalating gang violence
Crows Zero
hard-edged Japanese crime action centered on violent young men and school hierarchy
Dead or Alive
manga-inspired excess, criminal rivalry, and graphic close-quarters combat
Movie Details
- Director
- Masato Tanno
- Release Date
- 2003-01-24
- Runtime
- 83 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (56)
Cast
- Nao Omori
- Teah
- Junior Chihara
- Chisato Amate
- Yuki Oikawa
- Eiki Kitamura
- Kazuhiro Mashiko
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is 1-Ichi about?
- A bullied high-school boy’s fascination with violence draws him toward a brutal challenge from an unstoppable transfer student.
- What is 1-Ichi like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 1-Ichi as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is 1-Ichi violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in 1-Ichi as graphic.
- Which films are like 1-Ichi?
- Films with a similar feel include Ichi the Killer, Battle Royale, Crows Zero, and Dead or Alive.
- How long is 1-Ichi?
- 1-Ichi runs 83 minutes.
- Where can I watch 1-Ichi?
- In United States, 1-Ichi is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
