Rikio Ishikawa, a member of the Kawada yakuza family in
Shinjuku, assaults and steals money from the Aoki gang, members of the rival Shinwa family from
Ikebukuro, for operating in their territory. Ishikawa then robs a
Sangokujin gambling den with Imai, whom he had become friends with in prison and who asks Ishikawa to join his gang; he stashes his gun with a geisha named Chieko. After being released from jail that night, he returns for the gun and rapes her. The Nozu family boss is running for parliament, and is associated with the Kawada family. When Ishikawa severely wounds Aoki after finding him in one of their clubs, he is scolded for this by Kawada, who is worried the Shinwa might retaliate. Both the Shinwa and Kawada families gather and arm themselves in a standoff that is only ended when Kawada pays the American Military Police to disperse them. However, Nozu loses the election and when he lectures Ishikawa, Ishikawa blows up his car. Ishikawa is severely beaten and told to commit
yubitsume; however, he gets drunk, stabs boss Kawada and flees to Chieko before turning himself into police some days later. Having committed an unforgivable offense, he is banished from the
Tokyo yakuza for 10 years, and retreats to
Osaka upon his release from prison. There, he becomes addicted to drugs and fast friends with fellow junkie Ozaki. A year and a half later, Ishikawa returns to Tokyo with Ozaki. Imai tries to get his old friend to leave as he is now the boss of his own family and has to abide by the yakuza ban. But Ishikawa, having reunited with Chieko and being as strong-headed as ever, refuses and attacks Imai with Ozaki before hiding. After returning to kill Imai, Ishikawa holes up in a building with Ozaki facing police and both the Imai and Kawada families. After being detained and arrested Ishikawa is sentenced to 10 years, but using funds raised by Chieko is able to make bail while he appeals the decision. Making bail, he attempts to pay his respects to Imai's widow, but is turned away and spends his days shooting drugs and taking care of the ill Chieko until she commits suicide. He orders a gravestone made for three people before asking Kawada if he can start his own family while eating Chieko's remains. Kawada initially approves giving him some turf, before walking away because of the bizarre situation and Ishikawa's asking for a large sum of money. Ishikawa remarks he will return, and later robs a Kawada family member. While injecting drugs in a cemetery, he is attacked by the Kawada family with swords. He survives, but his appeal is denied and he is sent back to prison. After six years in jail, Ishikawa commits suicide by jumping off the prison - leaving the note "What a laugh! Thirty Years of Madness!" on his cell wall. He is buried at the gravestone he had made, which also lists Imai. ==Cast==