Constructed in the late nineteenth century to house political prisoners, Japans infamous Abashiri Prison served as the inspiration for a popular and prolific run of yakuza movies released between 1965 and 1972. The Masters of Cinemaseries is proud to present the first three entries in this landmark series, directed by theKing of CultTeruo Ishii (Shoguns Joy of Torture) and starring a titan of Japanese genre cinema, Ken Takakura (The Bullet Train).Abashiri Prison, Takakura stars as Shinichi Tachibana, a yakuza sent to Abashiri as punishment for an attack on a rival gangster. He intends to serve his time as a model prisoner until he is shackled to the bullish Gonzo Gonda (Kji Nanbara), unwittingly roped into an escape attempt orchestrated by Heizo Yoda (Tru Abe) and forced to face the frozen wilderness of Hokkaid. In Another Abashiri Prison Story, Tachibana has just been released when he stumbles across a stash of diamonds recently stolen in a heistand attracts unwanted atten