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Movies like Scars and Codes (2018)

The best movies like Scars and Codes (2018) are Crying Freeman (1995), Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) and Tokyo Drifter (1966). If Scars and Codes hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Crying Freeman (1995)

    A lethal assassin for a secret Chinese organisation, who sheds tears of regret each time he kills, is seen swiftly and mercilessly executing three Yakuza gangsters by a beautiful artist. She is captivated by the grace of his kill and later falls in love with him. An intense power struggle for the leadership of the Yakuza Clans ensues as they seek vengeance for the death of their leader.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  2. Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981)

    A high-school girl inherits a declining yakuza organization, which seeks to repair its fortunes under her leadership.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. Tokyo Drifter (1966)

    After yakuza boss Kurata dissolves his own criminal empire, a rival kingpin offers a position to Kurata's top operative, Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo. When the fiercely loyal Tetsu declines, Otsuka taps unstoppable Tatsuzo the "Viper", a ruthless gun-for-hire, to assassinate him. As the Viper trails his target through the countryside, the agile Phoenix Tetsu grows concerned that one of his former associates has betrayed him.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  4. Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)

    In Japan, gonzo filmmakers hatch a three-pronged plan to save an actress's career, end a yakuza war and make a hit movie.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  5. Zatoichi Meets the One-Armed Swordsman (1971)

    Zatoichi is a blind massage therapist and swordsman who finds out that something troubling is taking place on the outskirts of town. After discovering who the guilty parties are -- an accomplished Chinese martial artist named Wang Kang and his youthful attendant -- Zatoichi finds them and discovers that the pair's mixed up with a dangerous bunch of terrorist samurai who murdered the boy's parents. Now, Zatoichi must step in to save the day.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  6. American Yakuza (1993)

    When Nick Davis leaves prison after one year in solitairy, he is hired to operate a forklift in a warehouse in the harbor owned by the Japanese Yakuza patriarch Isshin Tendo. The place is assaulted by the Italian Mafia lead by Dino Campanela and Nick rescues and saves the life of Shuji Sawamoto, who is the representative of Yakuza interests in America. Shuji hires Nick to work for Yakuza and becomes his godfather in the family after his oath to join Yakuza. However, Nick is a lonely FBI undercover agent assigned to penetrate the criminal organization. When the FBI discovers that Campanela is organizing a massive attack to destroy the Yakuza, Nick's boss Littman calls off the operation to leave the dirty work to the Italian Mafia. But the connection of Nick with Shuji and his goddaughter Yuko forces him to help his Japanese family.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

  7. The Outsider (2018)

    A former American G.I. joins a yakuza family after his release from prison in post-World War II Osaka.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  8. Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima (1973)

    Repeatedly beat to a pulp by gamblers, cops, and gangsters, lone wolf Shoji Yamanaka finally finds a home as a Muraoka family hitman and falls in love with boss Muraoka's niece. Meanwhile, the ambitions of mad dog Katsutoshi Otomo draws our series' hero, Shozo Hirono, and the other yakuza into a new round of bloodshed.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. Drunken Angel (1948)

    In postwar Tokyo, a blunt, alcohol-soaked doctor diagnoses a swaggering young yakuza with tuberculosis, forging an uneasy bond that’s tested when the gangster’s ruthless former boss returns and drags him back toward the swampy underworld he can’t escape.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  10. Tekkonkinkreet (2006)

    Two penniless orphans, Black and White, struggle to survive on the mean streets of Treasure Town. When a megacorporation threatens to tear down the town to build an amusement park, Black and White engage in the fight of their life.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  11. Yakuza Apocalypse (2015)

    When young protege Akira Kageyama is bitten by his dying vampire boss, Genyo Kamiura, he must get used to his new powers before seeking revenge.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  12. Street Fighter Alpha: Generations (2005)

    When Ryu returns to pay homage to his deceased mentor, Gouken, he is tormented by disturbing memories of his master's killer (Gouki). In a quest to become a true martial arts master, he sets out to hone his street fighting skills and deliver himself from the haunting legacy of the dark hadou.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  13. Hachiko (1987)

    The tragic, true story about Hachikō, an Akita dog who was loyal to his master, Professor Ueno, even after Ueno's death.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  14. Black Rain (1989)

    Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game—the Japanese way.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  15. Crows Zero (2007)

    The students of Suzuran High compete for the King of School title. An ex-graduate yakuza is sent to kill the son of a criminal group, but he can't make himself do it as he reminds him of his youth.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  16. Beyond Outrage (2012)

    As the police launch a full-scale crackdown on organized crime, it ignites a national yakuza struggle between the Sanno of the East and Hanabishi of the West. What started as an internal strife in Outrage has now become a nationwide war in Outrage Beyond.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  17. Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (1966)

    Zatoichi's trek through 88 temples to atone for his violent past is interrupted as he stumbles into a village terrorized by a violent yakuza boss.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. Persona3 THE MOVIE #3 Falling Down (2015)

    The season turns to autumn and the fight of Makoto and his group S.E.E.S. with the strange monsters known as ‘Shadows’ is getting closer to the end. Makoto and his allies engage in life-or-death battles with Shadows in order to end the Dark Hour. Through the battles, some must face the deaths of friends and family, some must notice what precious things must be protected, and some must find meaning in the battles that have occurred. In front of Makoto, the mysterious transfer student Ryoji Mochizuki appears. When the group greets a new morning, the gears of fate begin to turn. A fight revolving around each of the heroes' bonds begins...

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  19. Zatoichi the Outlaw (1967)

    When a local gambling house kidnaps some peasants because they failed to pay their debts, a rival gambling house pays their debts and sets them free.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. Graveyard of Honor (1975)

    A self-destructive man becomes a powerful member of the yakuza but quickly loses his self-control. Based on the true story of Rikio Ishikawa.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this

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Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Scars and Codes?

The closest matches to Scars and Codes are Crying Freeman (1995), Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) and Tokyo Drifter (1966). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Scars and Codes?

Start with Crying Freeman (1995), the closest match to Scars and Codes.

What is the highest-rated movie like Scars and Codes?

Hachiko (1987), rated 7.8/10 by 206 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Scars and Codes?

The Outsider (2018) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there Japanese movies like Scars and Codes?

Yes: Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981), Tokyo Drifter (1966) and Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013).

How are movies similar to Scars and Codes chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Scars and Codes, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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