If you've never encountered the character of Hanzo the Razor then be prepared for your socio-political sensibilities to take a bit of a bruising. Made at a time when views on gender equality were not quite as enlightened as they are now, the Hanzo the Razor series were a blend of samurai action and Japanese 'pinku' cinema, a type of porn cinema unique to its country of origin, while Hanzo himself is a hero whose methods of interrogation and training regime really do have to be seen to be believed.

Shintarō Katsu (best known as the blind swordsman in the original Zatōichi) stars as Hanzo, a rebellious yet obsessively moral samurai police officer who slashes his way through the backbone of crime, uncovers corruption at higher levels, and tortures relentlessly using his own unique techniques. Shocking audiences even today, the hardest man in Edo regularly unleashes his special weapon in the form of his oversized penis, which he uses to 'interrogate'female suspects into pleasured compliance. Despite the knuckle‑biting, graphic violence there is an underlying social commentary, testifying to the noble honour of the samurai and emphasising Hanzo's status as the people's champion.

In Sword of Justice, Hanzo overturns his own gutless superiors; in The Snare, he breaks into a temple used by local magistrates for the sadistic torture of young girls: in Who's Got the Gold? the shogunate treasury is being looted by its own officials.

Previously released bacjk in 2007 by Eureka as a box set containing all three films, the set is to be re-released on 6th April 2009, again by Eureka, at the RRP of just £12.99. You won't find much in the way of extras, but the 2.35:1 anamorphic transfers are immaculate.

You can read our review of the original release here.