The Bullet Train
Encyclopedia
is a 1975 Japanese disaster film
directed by Junya Sato
and starring Sonny Chiba
and Ken Takakura
.
) is a former businessman who lost his manufacturing company to bankruptcy and separated from his wife and son a year earlier. Desperate to make ends meet and start over, he collaborates with activist Masaru Koga (Kei Yamamoto) and his former employee Hiroshi Ōshiro (Akira Oda) in an elaborate plot to extort money from the government.
Hikari 109 is a high-speed Bullet Train
carrying 1,500 passengers from Tokyo to Hakata
. Shortly after Hikari 109s departure, railway security head Miyashita (Fumio Watanabe) is notified by Okita that a bomb has been planted aboard the train, and it will explode if the train slows down below 80 km/h. As proof of the bomb's efficiency, Okita tells Miyashita that a similar bomb has been placed on freight train 5790 bound from Yūbari
to Oiwake
. When freight train 5790 indeed explodes, Hikari 109s conductor Aoki (Sonny Chiba
) is informed by Shinkansen director Kuramochi (Ken Utsui) not to slow down the train below 120 km/h while the security personnel aboard the train search for the bomb - thus delaying the trip to Hakata by three hours. Police officials back in Tokyo are tasked to either find the bomber or the bomb first.
Back aboard Hikari 109, passengers start becoming weary when security does a second search, demanding for the train to stop. For the duration of the journey, Kuramochi must coordinate with Aoki on timing the train's speed and position to avoid incoming traffic while keeping it safe from the speed-sensitive detonator. Okita calls the National Railway authorities again; this time, he demands US$5 million in an aluminum suitcase in exchange for the safety of Hikari 109s passengers. As the Prime Minister
has the money ready, police find their first lead when a cigarette pack containing fingerprints of Koga are found at Yūbari station prior to freight train 5790's departure. Meanwhile, passengers aboard Hikari 109 start to panic when the train passes through Nagoya, with a pregnant passenger named Kazuko Hirao (Miyako Tasaka) going into labor. As a means of settling down the passengers, co-engineer Kikuchi (Raita Ryū) tells them of the bomb on board. National Railway officials are in further disdain when they realize that the bomb is attached to one of the train's wheels. Okita once more calls the officials and tells them to send the money northbound via helicopter and land at Yorii
High School. Officer Senda (Yoshihiro Aoki), who carries the suitcase, is then instructed to cross the Arakawa River
; upon reaching Iwate
, the suitcase is roped and pulled up a cliff by Ōshiro. However, Ōshiro is forced to drop the case and retreat when police yell at a university judo
team jogging nearby of his presence. Fleeing via motorcycle, Ōshiro finds himself tailed by several squad cars until he collides with one and is killed after hitting a light post.
The passengers once again panic when a businessman threatens to pull the emergency door latch open as the train passes through Osaka
; they are further exacerbated when they hear of Ōshiro's death on the radio. Meanwhile, police locate Koga, but fail to arrest him, despite wounding him during the chase. Koga limps back into Okita's hideout to have his gunshot wound tended. Okita ponders on giving up his mission, as he has failed to prevent any bloodshed, but Koga convinces him to carry on. As police trace the bomb parts to Okita's former company in Shimura
, Okita makes another phone call and tells Miyashita to drop the money at an abandoned truck by the Kanda motorway in 10 minutes. After the police do as instructed, Okita takes the suitcase and makes his getaway. Back aboard the train, Kazuko loses her baby and is in need of a blood transfusion. Okita then calls Miyashita and tells him to pick up a diagram of the bomb at Sun Plaza cafe in Shinbashi
. Unfortunately, the cafe is destroyed in a fire by the time police arrive. When the police surround Okita's hideout, Koga blows himself up with a stick of dynamite rather than turn himself in. With no other options left, Kuramochi goes on television to make an appeal for Okita to help them disable the bomb. On the train, Shinji Fujio (Eiji Gō), a former accomplice of Okita being escorted after his arrest, reveals that Okita is on his way out of Japan using a false name. With the help of high-speed cameras, the Shinkansen authorities manage to locate the bomb underneath the second coach. Kuramochi relays the information to Aoki and sends a rescue train to provide welding equipment to cut an access hole where the bomb is. Aoki succeeds in defusing the bomb, but the authorities suspect a second bomb located elsewhere underneath the train. Despite this, the government gives the order to stop the train. Aoki manages to stop Hikari 109 without incident. As Kuramochi leaves the main control room to regain his composure, he discovers that his appeal is still being broadcasted on TV. Miyashita explains that this is part of the police's trap for Okita. Overwhelmed by the pressure of the day's situation, Kuramochi resigns from his position.
Meanwhile, at Haneda Airport, Okita prepares to board his flight, but his cover is blown when his ex-wife Yasuko Tomita (Masayo Utsunomiya) and son Kenichi spot him. He is shot dead while attempting to escape outside the airport.
The edited version of The Bullet Train was bundled with Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
and Virus in the Sonny Chiba Action Pack Region 1 DVD set by BCI Eclipse in 2006.
Disaster film
A disaster film is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject...
directed by Junya Sato
Junya Sato
is a Japanese film director.-Career:Born in Tokyo, Sato graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1956 with a degree in French literature. He joined the Toei studio and worked as an assistant to such directors as Tadashi Imai and Miyoji Ieki. He debuted as a director in 1963 with Rikugun zangyaku...
and starring Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba
, also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese actor, singer, film producer, film director and martial artist.Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.- Early life :Born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka,...
and Ken Takakura
Ken Takakura
, born , is a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles.Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka...
.
Plot
Tetsuo Okita (Ken TakakuraKen Takakura
, born , is a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles.Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka...
) is a former businessman who lost his manufacturing company to bankruptcy and separated from his wife and son a year earlier. Desperate to make ends meet and start over, he collaborates with activist Masaru Koga (Kei Yamamoto) and his former employee Hiroshi Ōshiro (Akira Oda) in an elaborate plot to extort money from the government.
Hikari 109 is a high-speed Bullet Train
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
carrying 1,500 passengers from Tokyo to Hakata
Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is best known as the location of Fukuoka's main train station, Hakata Station.-Geography:...
. Shortly after Hikari 109s departure, railway security head Miyashita (Fumio Watanabe) is notified by Okita that a bomb has been planted aboard the train, and it will explode if the train slows down below 80 km/h. As proof of the bomb's efficiency, Okita tells Miyashita that a similar bomb has been placed on freight train 5790 bound from Yūbari
Yubari, Hokkaido
is a city in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 12,068. The total area is 763.20 km². Hemmed in by mountains Yūbari stretches for 25 kilometers along a mountain valley....
to Oiwake
Oiwake, Hokkaido
was a town located in Yūfutsu District, Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan.On March 27, 2006 Oiwake was merged with the town of Hayakita, also from Yufutsu District, to form the new town of Abira....
. When freight train 5790 indeed explodes, Hikari 109s conductor Aoki (Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba
, also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese actor, singer, film producer, film director and martial artist.Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.- Early life :Born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka,...
) is informed by Shinkansen director Kuramochi (Ken Utsui) not to slow down the train below 120 km/h while the security personnel aboard the train search for the bomb - thus delaying the trip to Hakata by three hours. Police officials back in Tokyo are tasked to either find the bomber or the bomb first.
Back aboard Hikari 109, passengers start becoming weary when security does a second search, demanding for the train to stop. For the duration of the journey, Kuramochi must coordinate with Aoki on timing the train's speed and position to avoid incoming traffic while keeping it safe from the speed-sensitive detonator. Okita calls the National Railway authorities again; this time, he demands US$5 million in an aluminum suitcase in exchange for the safety of Hikari 109s passengers. As the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
has the money ready, police find their first lead when a cigarette pack containing fingerprints of Koga are found at Yūbari station prior to freight train 5790's departure. Meanwhile, passengers aboard Hikari 109 start to panic when the train passes through Nagoya, with a pregnant passenger named Kazuko Hirao (Miyako Tasaka) going into labor. As a means of settling down the passengers, co-engineer Kikuchi (Raita Ryū) tells them of the bomb on board. National Railway officials are in further disdain when they realize that the bomb is attached to one of the train's wheels. Okita once more calls the officials and tells them to send the money northbound via helicopter and land at Yorii
Yorii, Saitama
is a town located in Ōsato District, Saitama, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 37,548 and a density of 585.13 persons per km². The total area is 64.17 km².Hachigata Castle is located in Yorii.-External links:*...
High School. Officer Senda (Yoshihiro Aoki), who carries the suitcase, is then instructed to cross the Arakawa River
Arakawa River
The is one of the principal rivers flowing through Tokyo, the capital city of Japan. The point of origin is on Mount Kobushi in Saitama Prefecture, and the Arakawa River empties into Tokyo Bay, spanning 173 kilometers. The drainage basin covers 2,940 square kilometers...
; upon reaching Iwate
Iwate, Iwate
is a town located in Iwate District, Iwate, Japan, 40° latitude.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 18,264. The total area is 360.55 km²....
, the suitcase is roped and pulled up a cliff by Ōshiro. However, Ōshiro is forced to drop the case and retreat when police yell at a university judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
team jogging nearby of his presence. Fleeing via motorcycle, Ōshiro finds himself tailed by several squad cars until he collides with one and is killed after hitting a light post.
The passengers once again panic when a businessman threatens to pull the emergency door latch open as the train passes through Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
; they are further exacerbated when they hear of Ōshiro's death on the radio. Meanwhile, police locate Koga, but fail to arrest him, despite wounding him during the chase. Koga limps back into Okita's hideout to have his gunshot wound tended. Okita ponders on giving up his mission, as he has failed to prevent any bloodshed, but Koga convinces him to carry on. As police trace the bomb parts to Okita's former company in Shimura
Shimura
Shimura is a comic strip in the British science fiction anthology the Judge Dredd Megazine, detailing the exploits of its eponymous hero in Hondo-City, a futuristic version of Tokyo....
, Okita makes another phone call and tells Miyashita to drop the money at an abandoned truck by the Kanda motorway in 10 minutes. After the police do as instructed, Okita takes the suitcase and makes his getaway. Back aboard the train, Kazuko loses her baby and is in need of a blood transfusion. Okita then calls Miyashita and tells him to pick up a diagram of the bomb at Sun Plaza cafe in Shinbashi
Shinbashi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located south of Ginza, west of Tsukiji, east of Toranomon and north of Hamamatsucho.-History:Shinbashi was the Tokyo terminus of the first railway in Japan in 1872...
. Unfortunately, the cafe is destroyed in a fire by the time police arrive. When the police surround Okita's hideout, Koga blows himself up with a stick of dynamite rather than turn himself in. With no other options left, Kuramochi goes on television to make an appeal for Okita to help them disable the bomb. On the train, Shinji Fujio (Eiji Gō), a former accomplice of Okita being escorted after his arrest, reveals that Okita is on his way out of Japan using a false name. With the help of high-speed cameras, the Shinkansen authorities manage to locate the bomb underneath the second coach. Kuramochi relays the information to Aoki and sends a rescue train to provide welding equipment to cut an access hole where the bomb is. Aoki succeeds in defusing the bomb, but the authorities suspect a second bomb located elsewhere underneath the train. Despite this, the government gives the order to stop the train. Aoki manages to stop Hikari 109 without incident. As Kuramochi leaves the main control room to regain his composure, he discovers that his appeal is still being broadcasted on TV. Miyashita explains that this is part of the police's trap for Okita. Overwhelmed by the pressure of the day's situation, Kuramochi resigns from his position.
Meanwhile, at Haneda Airport, Okita prepares to board his flight, but his cover is blown when his ex-wife Yasuko Tomita (Masayo Utsunomiya) and son Kenichi spot him. He is shot dead while attempting to escape outside the airport.
Cast
- Ken TakakuraKen Takakura, born , is a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles.Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka...
as Tetsuo Okita - Sonny ChibaSonny Chiba, also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese actor, singer, film producer, film director and martial artist.Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.- Early life :Born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka,...
as Aoki (credited as Shinichi Chiba) - Ken Utsui as Kuramochi
- Fumio Watanabe as Miyashita
- Kei Yamamoto as Masaru Koga
- Eiji Gō as Shinji Fujio
- Akira Oda as Hiroshi Ōshiro
- Yasuhiro Aoki as Officer Senda
- Raita Ryū as Kikuchi
- Masayo Utsunomiya as Yasuko Tomita
- Yumiko FujitaYumiko FujitaYumiko Fujita is a Japanese actress.-Selected filmography:* Under the Flag of the Rising Sun * Karafuto 1945 Summer Hyosetsu no Mon * The Bullet Train...
as Akiyama - Miyako Tasaka as Kazuko Hirao
- Etsuko Shihomi as telephone operator
Release
The U.S. version of the film was shortened to 115 minutes, with the antagonists' backstory scenes removed.The edited version of The Bullet Train was bundled with Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon
is a 1977 action movie starring Sonny Chiba as the international assassin Golgo 13. It was the second live-action movie based on the Golgo 13 manga.-Plot:...
and Virus in the Sonny Chiba Action Pack Region 1 DVD set by BCI Eclipse in 2006.
External links
- Shinkansen Daibakuha at the Japanese Movie Database