Bodyguard Kiba 2 (4 Stars)

"Bodyguard Kiba 2" was released in October 1973, only six months after the original film. Those were the good old days. They didn't waste time, they brought out sequels before the public had time to forget the original films.

The Tesshin School wins a karate tournament. A rival school disputes the tournament and issues a challenge. The school's master (whose name I've forgotten, sorry) refuses to accept the challenge, but Kiba is hot-headed and engages in a fight to the death. After he kills his opponent he's arrested and imprisoned. It's not said how long, but I assume it was a relatively short sentence. After his release he says he's retired as a bodyguard, but he's hired by a nightclub owner called Akamatsu.

Once more, the noble man Kiba is working for an evil boss. Akamatsu bought the nightclub with money that he stole from ambushing an American military transport. Kiba comes into personal conflict when Nanjo, one of his prison friends, is released. Nanjo also participated in stealing from the Americans, but he was the only one arrested. He threatens to kill Akamatsu if he doesn't give him his share of the money. Kiba says that he'll kill Nanjo if he tries. It's his job.

The sequel isn't as trashy as the original film, but I'd still label it as Japsploitation. The fights are very stylised. What I mean is, before opponents begin a fight they stand with their arms raised in a fighting pose watching one another. When the fights begin, there are only a few strikes before one of them falls over.