Chuji's Travel Diary: The Chuji Patrol Episode

Chuji Kunisada, a legendary bakuto gambler and precursor to the modern yakuza, defies the rigid social order of Edo Japan. His wanderings transform into a rebellion when he attempts to rescue the geisha Oshina from the system's grip. This surviving segment of Ito's original four-hour trilogy vibrates with a spirit of insurrection, blending personal sacrifice with class struggle. Framed as Japan's answer to Jesse James penny dreadfuls, the film is a passionate artifact of early cinema, its socialist undertones giving a unique gloss to a folk-hero tale.