It is a remake of Kinji Fukasaku's Battles Without Honor and Humanity series from the 1970s, which were adapted from a series of newspaper articles by journalist Kōichi Iiboshi,[1] that were rewrites of a manuscript originally written by real-life yakuza Kōzō Minō while he was in prison.

Rock musician Tomoyasu Hotei, who plays Tochino Masatatsu, wrote the soundtrack to the film.

Its title piece would be reworked and retitled "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" and go on to become a hit both in Japan and internationally.

Set in Osaka, it focuses on former childhood friends Kadoya Kaneo (Etsushi Toyokawa) and Tochino Masatatsu (Tomoyasu Hotei) as their lives cross paths again.

[4] The first track is the theme of the original 1970's series, composed by Toshiaki Tsushima, while the second is Hotei's version of the same song, which would later be re-titled "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" and become internationally known.