Youth of the Beast (1963)

Original Title: Yajû no seishun

Directed by: Seijun Suzuki

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Jôji ‘Jo’ Mizuno (Jô Shishido) looks for the truth behind a friend’s suspicious suicide and ends up pitting two Yakuza gangs against each other.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Jo is invited into a gang and meets the leader Tatsuo Nomoto (Akiji Kobayashi). Nomoto is holding a very large longhair white cat with black markings.

Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings in conference room

When Jo enters the room, Nomoto turns, still holding the cat, and throws a knife at Jo and the man who led him in.

Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi turning to throw knives while holding large longhair white cat with black markings in conference room
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi turning to throw knives at Jo Jô Shishido while holding large longhair white cat with black markings in conference room animated gif

Not knowing this is the big boss, Jo says he must be a killer and asks if he’s fast with guns. Nomoto explains he dislikes such unreliable weapons and prefers to feel the results with his own hands. He pulls out a knife and then rubs it against the cat’s fur.

Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding knife and large longhair white cat with black markings
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi polishing knife on large longhair white cat with black markings

When Jo says he wants to meet the boss, Nomoto explains he is the boss and then slams his hand on the big conference table, telling his subordinates they should be more respectful. The cat barely blinks during this.

Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings in conference room

The cat only appears twice more, once when the gang enters to find Nomoto kissing his cat. They don’t seem too surprised by this, but the cat is licking Nomoto’s lips and it’s highly awkward, to say the least!

Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi kissing large longhair white cat with black markings
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi kissing large longhair white cat with black markings with gang behind
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi walking while holding large longhair white cat with black markings

Finally Nomoto is holding the cat again when Jo calls him on the phone. The cat never plays any direct part in the story.

Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings at desk
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings at desk
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings at desk
Youth of the Beast - Tatsuo Nomoto Akiji Kobayashi holding large longhair white cat with black markings at desk

Final Mewsings: Please don’t use a cat to polish your knives.

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