Deeply scarred by what he witnessed on battlefields across Asia, a young war photographer (Yusaku Matsuda, Yokohama BJ Blues) returns to the bustling streets of Tokyo, plotting a series of brutal murders and robberies that are mere warmups for an unprecedented bank heist. Searching for an accomplice, he finds the short-fused and equally disenfranchised Tetsuo (Takeshi Kaga, Death Note).

Directed by Toru Murakawa (The Game Trilogy) from a venomous script by Shoichi Maruyama (Yokohama BJ Blues), this unsettling dark thriller was Yusaku Matsuda’s farewell to his 1970s action hero persona.

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Video Quality

The Beast to Die debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films with a 4K restoration conducted by Kadokawa which looks pretty spectacular. This new release offers an impressive presentation that ranks among the best we have seen from the label. The transfer avoids any semblance of filtering and DNR which allows it to thrive with an exceptional organic appearance. The natural film grain resolves well without any notable spikes in the grain field. The transfer offers deep color saturation with complex hues filling the screen. This is most apparent in the lighting, some elements of the outdoor vegetation, and certain articles of clothing that are visually striking. Fine detail does not come up short as you take in intricate facets of the outfits and production design without issue. This transfer showcases virtually nothing in the way of wear and tear, and the film does not exhibit any notable instances of compression artifacts. Radiance Films has delivered a first-rate visual experience with this one.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with an LPCM 2.0 stereo track in the original Japanese with optional English subtitles. The track deftly handles environmental elements such as rainfall and gunfire for a sonically precise experience. Dialogue is likewise clear and easily distinguishable throughout the film. The soundscape does not consist of wall-to-wall action, but it wakes up when it needs to provide a bit of heft to the overall mix. One of the most valuable elements of this film is the score, which maintains a stable fidelity with no real instances of age-related wear and tear. There are no moments that appear overly bright or show signs of unwanted wear and tear. Radiance Films has done a fine job of presenting this film in the best quality possible.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of The Beast to Die includes a booklet featuring new writing by Tatsuya Masuto and an archival essay by Tom Mes. These provide a great exploration of the talent involved and the themes. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Toru Murakawa: A new 21-minute interview with the director in which he discusses his collaboration with Yusaku Matsuda, how they approached their last collaboration, why it is the most important film of his life, how he got involved with the project, how his version differs from previous adaptations, and more.

Shoichi Maruyama: A new 23-minute interview with the screenwriter in which he discusses his career, his work with Yusaku Matsuda, his approach to adapting The Beast to Die, the motivations of the character, and more.

Jordan Harper A new 12-minute appreciation piece from the author that delves into the place of film noir in Japanese cinema, why Japan is ripe to explore this genre, the layers of the characters in the story, and more.

Final Thoughts

The Beast to Die is a heavy exploration of trauma and the unexpected ways it can manifest. While it is technically a bank robbery film, there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface within our troubled main character. The story is quite bleak and a tad overlong, yet you would be hard-pressed to find it anything less than compelling. Yusaku Matsuda is terrific at playing a character just barely holding on to sanity, and Toru Murakawa captures this perilous journey with an assured hand. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and some strong special features. Recommended

The Beast to Die will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on July 22, 2025.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Radiance Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.