THREE PRETTY DEVILS (1970, Japan) DVD - 3.5/5

Junko Natsu arrives in town and hooks up with some bad girls in Reiko Ohara and Yoko Ichiji in this early sukeban film. Cautionary tales of misspent youth and all of that, but extremely light on what would follow in the genre. Mainly just ripping off horny old guys, shoplifting, and drinking. 

But like most of these movies, they eventually rip off the WRONG people and get into trouble. 

The direction and story flow nicely and it’s easy to watch and even the quiet scenes where Reiko Ohara and Tsunehiko Watase fall in love (they’d marry in real life a few years later) while his mind struggles with his Yakuza given orders before giving in to her are actually pretty well done. It doesn’t work out good for him though.

Natsu and Ohara are the female stars here but Ichiji absolutely steals the show as the one of them who actually LIKES to follow through and have sex with her target and is constantly snacking on something and up for any kind of adventure. Doing some research I found out she was Sonny Chiba’s annoying sidekick in 1974’s ‘Return of the Street Fight’! Small world, Daddy-o.

The fashion, the discos, the music, the cool 70’s Japanese cars and scenery… it’s just a fun movie.

The finale chase and ending is a little bizarre but I found myself laughing through it and really it just fits the theme.

Yumiko Katayama has a brief appearance as one of the background gang members and Akiko Wada makes a hilarious brief appearances where she beats up and scares off some yakuza (and a brief second appearance where she sings a little and proclaims she likes ‘boys sometimes too’, but doesn’t know what to say to them!

Cross dressing ‘Peter’ makes two brief singing appearances, one on TV and another in the bar, and has a short funny scene ordering a drink.