Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter (1970) User Reviews

Once more for the third time!

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 18 March 2019]

Shot at the same time as the second film in the Stray Cat Rock series, Wild Jumbo, this third film has the return of director Yasuharu Hasebe. This time around, the Alleycats - led by Mako, played by series star Meiko Kaji - battle the male gang the Eagles. Look - any movie that starts with a girl versus girl knife and flashlight fight and a girl gang robbing a salaryman is worth watching.

When one of the Alleycats named Mari turns down the advances of the Eagle's member Susumu and hooks up with a mixed-race guy named Ichiro, the gang's leader Baron goes crazy. Turns out his sister was attacked by several mixed-race men, so he decides to take out anyone that isn't purely Japanese. It also doesn't help that Mako falls for another mixed race stranger.

Race relations were a big deal at the time in Japan, as many Japanese/American babies were being conceived. The film was shot near the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka and features the girl group Golden Half, whose five members all had Japanese mothers and gaijin fathers, which was their selling point.

From the first frame, I was happy to have Hasebe as the director. This is a cool, calculated film filled with violence and themes of male impotence and the actual melting pot of races producing a better future. Like all the Stray Cat films, the women are the strong ones, with men fighting to own and control them. But they just can't - there's no way they can tame them.

One question I have: were Jeeps really that big of a deal in 1970 Japan? These movies have more of them driving all over the place than any I've seen!

Stray Cat Rock:Sex Hunter

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 6 May 2009]

Goofy title aside, this is essentially another Japanese gang war carried out through racial turmoil orchestrated by Baron who targets "half-breeds" due to a past traumatic experience involving his sister's rape at the hands of black attackers. Meiko Kaji, her deep, penetrating eyes peering from between her long black hair, wearing a big-ass black hat which looks to weigh a ton, is Mako, representing a female group(..I've read them referenced as "The Alley-cats")who seem sexually aligned with a hostile clan of hellraisers known as The Eagles, directed by their sadistic brooding leader Baron(Tatsuya Fuji, under dark shades, wearing colorful shirts and white pants)and his obedient lieutenant Susumu(Jiro Okazaki). A handsome foreigner enters the city looking for his sister, a "half-breed", Kazuma(Rikiya Yasuoka), finding much trouble with Baron who wants him out of their turf. Kazuma works as a mechanic and strongly desires to find his sister no matter the cost to his well being, and Baron is determined, & hell-bent on ridding his city of all those who carry Negro characteristics. Mako, attached to Baron, falls in love with Kazuma while helping him find the sister he's searching for. When she's actually a member of Mako's own sisterhood, rejecting Kazuma, he takes the resentment especially hard. When she is gang-raped by Baron's hoods, Kazuma will have it out with him once and for all in a climactic shoot-out. Mako must endure a tragic conclusion, right up close-and-personal as Baron and Kazuma square off in a duel, western style.

The film features the period psychedelic bubble gum pop music club scene of the 70's, the fashion styles, drug use, criminal activity and overall rebellious youthful atmosphere of Japan, an obvious cinematic concoction designed to appeal to the target demographic attracted to these themes at that time. STRAY CAT ROCK:SEX HUNTER started out seeming rather aimless, an inside look into the culture of defiant youth, the film startled me when the very topical theme of racism is injected into the story. Baron, upon first appearance, seems little more than the head of a group of males without an identity..they merely exist to smoke dope, lounge around clubs, and stir up some trouble with anyone who dares an attempt to date their women. When one of Mako's girls, Maki, leaves Susumu for a half-breed named Ichiro, Baron hearkens back to that painful childhood memory that has left an indelible scar, resulting in a systematic hunt for those for whom he looks at as "symbols" of those that raped his sister. Scenes that emerge include Baron's setting up Mako's girls for a rape party, his constant heinous attacks on Kazumi, the Molotov cocktail revenge which sets a hotel room ablaze, and a very bizarre shooting resulting in a brother killing his sister for some unexplainable reason. Early on you even had Mako in hand-to-hand combat with one of her own girls due to a roundabout challenge. The Eagles drive around the city in army jeeps, all(..or most)wearing dark shades, and certainly reveling in their violent actions towards innocents. Baron allows his boys to play, often laughing hysterically;you come to realize that Baron is a moody psychotic, often stewing quietly until something pushes him over the edge. Kaji always holds my attention and Fuji commands the screen as her one-time-lover and eventual adversary. Yasuharu Hasebe, thanks to the typically marvelous production values of Nikkatsu studio, brings a polished look to compliment his skills at maintaining a decent pace(..which can lag due to long drawn out camera set ups capturing the intensity or sadness of faces). I think the film's most interesting feature is how Hasebe captures that particular time in Japan, and the way he lenses characters. The unpredictability might just be another asset STRAY CAT ROCK:SEX HUNTER has in it's favor. Attractive cast with interesting faces;the story could be polarizing to some. Rather depressing ending.

Japanese "Girl-Gang" Exploit Film With A Message...

[EVOL666 · 7/10 · 20 August 2006]

Yasuharu Hasebe, director of my personal favorite pinku film, ASSAULT! JACK THE RIPPER and the equally sleazy but less powerful RAPE! 13TH HOUR, helms this earlier Nikkatsu entry that is far less twisted then his later films. STRAY CAT ROCK: SEX HUNTER (the third in the STRAY CAT ROCK series) is a decent film for what it is, but the lower level of sleaze knocks it down a few notches for me...

Mako and her girl-gang are in a constant state of flux with the local guy-gang, The Eagles - and things get rough when the guys start targeting local mixed-race citizens for violence. A side-story about a half-breed guy looking for his long-lost sister adds another layer to the plot...

The SEX HUNTER title kinda throws this one off, as there's really not all that much sex, and really no "hunting" to be had in this one - but given the 1970 date, I didn't expect this one to be quite as "rough" as some of the later pinku material. This one reminded me a bit more of the more "mainstream" Toei productions which I also dig - just not as much as some of the latter, more "twisted" Nikkatsu productions. Worth checking out for hard-core pinku fans but definitely not one of the top of the genre...7/10

Sex Hunter

[random_avenger · 7/10 · 30 November 2010]

Even though Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter was only released third in the Nora-neko rokku series, it was actually filmed back to back with the second entry Wild Jumbo and marks Yasuharu Hasebe's return as director in the franchise after Toshiya Fujita who would also make the fifth and final movie besides the second one. After the light, even comedic Wild Jumbo, Sex Hunter is a step toward the darker mood of the original film and carries a strong anti-racism message despite the lurid title that makes the film seem sleazier than it really is.

As with the previous movies, Sex Hunter deals with youth gangs in a big city in Japan. This time the story focuses on two gender-based gangs: the girl gang led by Mako (Meiko Kaji) and the guys' gang called the Eagles led by Baron (Tatsuya Fuji). The two gangs can somehow get along with each other, but tensions are created by the relationship of Mako and Baron and especially the latter's intense hatred for people of mixed race. The girls cannot accept the Eagles' assault campaign against their half-blooded friends, such as Kazuma (Rikiya Yasuoka) who has come to the city to look for his long-lost sister, and eventually things escalate with dramatic consequences.

As already mentioned, the mood is significantly darker than in Wild Jumbo. There is more nudity, blood, drug use and sexualized violence (even an outright "rape party"), even though in general the title "Sex Hunter" can be called exaggerated. Nevertheless, the film is still a recognizable Stray Cat Rock movie as all the trademark elements are there: extremely groovy psychedelic rock and jazz music, lots of aggressive driving in roofless Jeeps and some camera trickery to heighten the intensity of certain scenes. The use special camera techniques has been toned down from Wild Jumbo though; this time the only specialties are some flashy editing and a diminished screen size that forces the mise en scène to seem very cramped and crowded but also starts to get annoying after a while. But as said, gimmicks are not used as extensively as before and most of the movie is conventionally good-looking and well shot.

The story about the Eagles' racism adds a welcome societal touch to the plot, as does the tragic ending at an abandoned watchtower (why he fires those last shots is open to interpretation). The girls' friendship and the roots of Baron's racism in his childhood also belong among the more interesting plot lines and could have actually deserved more screen time at the expense of some of the action. On the other hand, stylized visuals are what these movies are known for, philosophical and plot-hole-free stories not as much. In any case, Meiko Kaji and Tatsuya Fuji, the staples of the franchise, are as fun to watch as always; in addition I especially liked the appearance of the girl pop group Golden Half in the psychedelic club scenes (keeping up with the movie's theme of racial acceptance, the group was known for its members being of mixed heritage themselves).

I guess it largely depends on personal tastes if one prefers the serious Sex Hunter and Delinquent Girl Boss to the more lighthearted Wild Jumbo. As for myself, I like all of them but might ultimately give an edge to Toshiya Fujita's entertaining caper story. For anyone interested in Japanese tough girl gang cinema, all five films are recommended viewing though. Sex Hunter appears to be the most well known of the five based on the number of IMDb votes and reviews (perhaps the title attracts fans of Hasebe's rape-themed pink films?) but I maintain that the other four Nora-neko movies are cool too if you like this one. Good entertainment with a serious undercurrent.

What did the credit say? Yasuharu Hasebe?! Really?!

[fudgepax261 · 7/10 · 2 March 2008]

Stray Cat Rock:Sex Hunter starts off as local girls running around the city,taking advantage of older men, stealing their money and going out for drinks.The head girl Mako lies outside of a bar and suddenly a man wanders over, singing a sorrowful ballad.They talk and get to know each other, then a pack of male gangs out to rid the city of half-breeds go over to threaten him to leave or get killed.This has a lot going on along with lots of revelations at the end.There's fights,Mako getting stoned with rocks,a hotel "rape party",an underground bar with actual bars, a frustrated gang leader named Baron who can't get it up.

When I realized it was a film made by Yasuharu Hasebe I was shocked since this is actually something early from him, he would later make the violent pinku entries:rape 13th hour,assault!jack the ripper, etc. This was a fantastic action film done by Yasuharu Hasebe he did an impressive job to what we've seen now, but a production from Nikkatsu it was way more like a toei.I didn't get much into Stray Cat Rock until the last 50 minutes,plus it was after watching Rica which I didn't like.But this was better especially Meiko Kaji.She's like Miki sugimoto and Reiko Ike,beautiful and badass.

If you LOVE the Japanese exploitation scene from the 60's or 70's like I do, you should definitely check it out.It's a winner..a real winner

Interesting film, worth a viewing

[okibeav · 15 July 2004]

I saw this DVD in the front of an independent video rental store. Judging by the cover, it seemed to be a Japanese version of Faster Pussycat. I took it home, popped it in, and the beginning seemed to confirm my suspicion. However, as the movie progressed, it told the story of a gang of teenage/young adult Japanese girls, and their interaction with a gang of xenophobic young Japanese men and their battles with those who are the offspring of Japanese women and US servicemen. A lot of violence perpetrated by the Japanese men, with the girls acting as peacemakers and protectors of the "half-breeds". Like all movies, it comes down to a violent confrontation, and not everyone will live to see the credits roll. All in all, if you are looking for a good non-mainstream movie, it is worth a viewing.

Gang warfare, early 70's Japanese style

[Red-Barracuda · 7/10 · 23 February 2017]

You don't necessarily expect to find social undercurrents in a film entitled Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter but that is what you get here. In fact it turns out that this sensational and very cool title is pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things, as there is little evidence of sex hunters to be found here. No, the story actually considers the serious topic of racism, more specifically the effects of the occupation in Japan by American soldiers after the Second World War. This led to an increase in mixed race Japanese and it is the persecution of this ethnic minority which much of the plot is built around. A racist male gang called the Eagles, who go around in American army jeeps, terrorise anybody of mixed-race heritage. They are led by a character called the Baron whose racism stems from the knowledge that his sister was raped by black American GIs during the occupation years. This gang of thugs is opposed by a girl gang called the Alley Cats who assist a mixed race man who is trying to find his missing sister while being consistently beaten down by the Eagles.

This is a film which comes under the banner of Japanese exploitation films known as Pinky Violence. These films were essentially crime films which combined elements of sex and violence with a focus on sexy leading actresses. The queen of the genre was the very alluring Meiko Kaji, who stars here as the leader of the Alley Cats. She has fantastic screen presence and is a master of the cold stare. In this one she achieves this while often sporting a fabulously enormous hat. Like in all of these films she starred in Kaji is a major reason they are so good. This one isn't too salacious to be honest, especially taking into account what you might think given its title, although it admittedly does feature the rather awful idea known as a rape party. But its appeal lies mainly in other directions such as its psychedelic musical interlude and its stylish presentation. It also has a bit of a downbeat ending which leaves us with more questions than answers, which only illustrates further that this is pretty left-of-centre stuff. If I had to criticise, it would be to say that there probably wasn't as much girl gang action as I would ideally have liked. But all-in-all, I thought this was pretty good value.

Not to be confused with Sex Hunter (1980), which does live up to the title.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 29 August 2020]

With the most salacious title of the series and a director (Yasuharu Hasebe) who would go on to make some of the more notorious 'violent pink' movies of the '70s, Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter sounds like it should be a thoroughly tasteless sleaze-fest, but in reality proves just as mediocre as the previous two entries (Delinquent Girl Boss and Wild Jumbo), being another unexceptional gang drama with attractive actresses acting tough unconvincingly.

The beautiful Meiko Kaji returns, this time as Mako, leader of the Alleycats, an all-girl gang who clash with male gang The Eagles, whose leader, Baron (Tatsuya Fuji), has a hatred of African-Japanese people. When one such mixed race man falls for Alleycat Mari (Mari Koiso), Baron and his men react with violence, but are seen off by young stranger Kazuma (Rikiya Yasuoka), who has arrived in town looking for his sister Megumi. Mako takes a fancy to Kazuma, who is also mixed race, which upsets Baron even further, since he also has the hots for the top Alleycat (although impotency prevents him from proving his manliness). Rising tensions lead to punch-ups and random acts of violence, culminating in a shoot-out at a U.S. airbase.

There are a few moments in Sex Hunter that definitely offered Hasebe the opportunity to cut loose, but the director plays it safe this early in his career, delivering very little of the shocking sexual violence that typifies his more infamous work: those looking for jaw-dropping scenes of deviancy are advised to move on... there's nothing much to see here. The majority of the film consists of much posturing from both sides, some musical interludes (including a couple of numbers by mixed-race girl group Golden Half), mild drug-taking, and lots of driving around Tokyo in jeeps. The racially charged plot adds a modicum of interest, but this third Stray Cat Rock movie - regarded by many as the best in the series (which doesn't say much for the others) - still left me wanting.

Serious subject through the Nikkatsu lens

[freakus · 9/10 · 9 August 2004]

On the face of it, this is a very "violent youth" type of exploitation film but there are some very interesting social matters running through the film. It revolves around the relationship between Japanese, occupying Americans and the "half" offspring of the groups.

There are interesting contrasts. Baron's gang runs around in American military jeeps yet we see through flashback that Baron's hatred of "halfs" may spring from his sister being raped by a US serviceman. His gang sets up a "party" with foreigners but they are the most ugly and brutish types imaginable. We have these ugly stereotypes of whites on the one hand yet the soundtrack features an on-cameras role by the group "Golden Halfs", five attractive "half" japanese women.

This is all packaged in a fantastic Suzuki style "exploitation "film. Great use of color and composition mark the influence of the Seijin Suzuki style on the director Hasabe. A great film for any "Violent Youth" fans.

Meiko Kaji impresses again

[bensonmum2 · 6/10 · 17 April 2007]

When one of the local girls starts dating a "half-breed", the local guy gang (The Eagles) doesn't think much of it. The Eagles start of campaign of terror directed at mixed race couples and individuals they deem to be not of "pure" Japanese heritage. It's up to the leader of the local girl gang and a "half breed" named Kazuma to stand up to The Eagles – even if they have to die for what's right.

While Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter is a decent enough movie, it's not the movie I was hoping for. I'm relatively new to the Japanese exploit movies of the 70s having only recently watched three of the Female Prisoner #701 movies. Since Meiko Kaji stars in both and Yasuharu Hasebe directs in both, I was hoping Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter would be similar in tone to Female Prisoner #701. And while it has its moments (a couple of fight scenes, the rape party, and the jeep chase for example), the movie is far too serious in its focus to be as much fun as I hoped. More girl gang action and less racial tension would have gone a long way to making this one a real winner.

The highlight of the movie for me has to be Meiko Kaji. I've now seen her in five different movies (this one, the three Female Prisoner #701 movies, and Lady Snowblood) and she never fails to impress me. She's an actress I hope to see more of in the future.

The Stray Cats will Rock this Town; Rock it inside-out!

[Coventry · 8/10 · 15 March 2010]

You never really know what to expected with these early 70's Japanese Pinky Violence/Exploitation movies, but the absolute last thing I ever expected to find in a film lusciously entitled "Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter" was a socially relevant and thought-provoking allegory on topics such as racism, female liberation and brotherhood. There are a handful of "Stray Cat Rock" movies, but apparently "Sex Hunter" is the most widely available one and also the most superior one in the cycle. I'm certainly tempted to believe that, because what I saw was a compelling film from start to finish; - albeit with a exemplary crowd-pleasing elements like sexy eloquent girls, grotesque moments at comedy and kitschy musical interludes. Most bizarre, however, is the surprisingly low amount of explicit violence and gratuitous nudity. The main emphasis here lies on plausible story and the increasing tension between the rivaling gangs/sexes. The unearthly beautiful Meiko Kaji (later she became Japan's most successful exploitation actress thanks to "Lady Snowblood" and the "Female Prisoner: Scorpion" series) stars as Mako, the leading lady of an all-girls gang known as the Alley Cats. The girls are tough and independent, but they nevertheless still stand in the shadow of "The Eagles". They are a male gang, led by sadistic Baron and driving around the city in military jeeps. The Eagles are a bunch of racists, particularly against the half-bloods (the offspring of Japanese women and American WWII soldiers) who're allegedly stealing their women. The hard-boiled Mako is also falling in love with a half-blood, named Kazuma, but he actually came to town to look for his long lost baby sister. "Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter" turned out to be much more compelling, suspenseful and memorable than we (my fellow cinema mate and I) dared to anticipate. I love it when that happens! Director Yasuharu Hasebe may perhaps be most (in)famous for his downright deviant exploitation-porn movies, like "Assault! Jack the Ripper" and "Rape!", but this undoubtedly must be his best movie. Besides, if you're really looking for weird stuff, you'll still enjoy the inexplicably theatrical denouement and the numerously shameless attempts at product placement by Coca Cola.

The Third Film of the Stray Cat Rock Series

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 13 August 2022]

This film essentially revolves around a female street gang led by a young woman named "Mako" (Meiko Kaji) that is having problems with a male gang known as "the Eagles" which is led by a man called "the Baron" (Tatsuya Fuji). To that effect, although the Baron is quite attracted to Mako, what he doesn't like is the fact that some of the local women with connections to her gang are hanging out with certain young men who are of mixed Japanese and Afro-American descent. So, in order to further his racist views, he and his men resort to extremely violent measures to expel them from the area. What he doesn't count on, however, is one particular young man named "Kazuma" (Rikiya Yasuoka) who is willing to endure all kinds of abuse in order to find his younger sister who was separated from him many years earlier. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I thought this film was slightly better than its immediate predecessor due to its more dramatic plot. Having said that, however, I must admit that there were a couple of scenes that were somewhat unrealistic. Even so, I liked this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

The Stray Cat Rock series: Part 3: Sex Hunter.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 10/10 · 10 September 2019]

After viewing the second SCR (also reviewed) I took a peak at reviews for the next one,and was happy to find that unlike most franchises, the level of praise increased for the later films,which led to me running to meet the Stray Cat for a third time.

View on the film:

Keeping a welcomed consistency, Arrow present a great transfer,with the picture only having a few spots of dirt,and the swinging soundtrack remaining clear.

Greeting the audience wearing her iconic hat,alluring Meiko Kaji gives an incredibly expressive performance as Mako, whose tough as nails leadership in taking on the racist men of The Eagles street gang,is threaded by Kaji with a thoughtful femininity of supporting each member of her gang facing any challenge,plus not only using actions, but words in standing up against the racists for Mari dating Ichiro. Targeting the Stray Cats and Ichiro every time they are in his sights, Tatsuya Fuji gives a delicious, snarling performance as merciless The Eagles leader Baron.

Filmed at the same time as the second SCR, (they did not wait around!) returning co-writer/(with Ai Kennedy and Atsushi Yamatoya)director Toshiya Fujita & cinematographer Muneo Ueda strikingly make the atmosphere of both flicks completely different. Taking inspiration from the US Drive-In/Grindhouse scene, Hasebe alters the Pop-Art stylisation of the franchise with a rougher edge, slashing the aspect ratio in a experimental manner between wide-screen for the Stray Cats, and 4:3 to close in on the seedy happenings of The Eagles, and taking the flower power off-beat mood of the past SCR into lightning fast gun-shot edits and Coca-Cola bottle Molotov cocktails.

Successfully dancing to a more serious tone, the screenplay by Hasebe/ Kennedy and Yamatoya deliver their message against racism with a chirpy sincerity, holding firm even against The Eagles attempted sexual assault of the Stray Cats, and the brutal treatment they hand out to Ichiro in their attempt to keep the Japanese race "pure.". Along with the heavier themes, the writers joyfully don't miss a beat in keeping time spent hanging out with the partying Stray Cats a joy to mingle with,whilst they take down The Eagles.

a luxuriously lurid, heroically hard-rocking, glamorously girl-frugging gang banger!

[Weirdling_Wolf · 9/10 · 5 August 2022]

Revered Grindhouse Maestro Yasaharu Hasebe's dynamically delirious, dizzyingly delicious, street fighting fillies fun-a-thon 'Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter' is yet another fiendishly fascinating, darkly downbeat, luxuriously lurid, freakishly freewheeling, thug-trashing thrill-spiller from The Nikkatsu Corporation. As always, the breathtakingly beautiful, exquisitely elegant, sartorially sublime sin-siren Meiko Kaji demonstratively makes for one of the most mesmerizingly magnificent mistresses of midnight mayhem that ever sultrily stalked the silver screen! Watch agog as these super-sexy, knife-sharp savages, led by slinky switch-blade sister supreme Meiko Kaji stridently slash their sweetly sinuous way into psychotronic celluloid history! With its fabulously furry fuzz-tones, kaleidoscopically crazy visuals, eye-poppingly hyperbolic mise-en-scene, and gut-punchingly stark conclusion, 'Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter' is a luxuriously lurid, heroically hard-rocking, glamorously girl-frugging gang banger that you won't want to miss!