I am not to sure why this movie isn't looked at more positively. I think it is one of Miike's best. Miike is good at making a movie that is serious but also looks like a manga (characters getting their faces bloodied up only to cover their wounds with band-aids).
The movie revolves around Koji Chihara's (1-ichi, 9 Souls) character who becomes the towns enforcer right after highschool. Protecting small business's and helping people if they get screwed out of their money. Out of stupidity he cheats on his perfect girlfriend with a girl he knew from his childhood, which becomes a big mistake. The hardest part about his new girlfriend is she doesn't want him to fight, but that is how he makes his living. This allows the people that he beat up in the past to come and beat him up without him defending himself. After taking a bad beating he begins to realize how great his girlfriend was, who used to look up too him when he got into fights.
This movie shows the struggle he has wanting to return to his old girlfriend, and how he realizes the mistake he made. The movie shows pictures of their past to give you the nostalgic feeling that the characters wish to return to but can't. It becomes very emotional until the Koji Chihara and his two friends go on a road trip which seems similer to the road trips you see in Beat Takeshi movies.
The movie is a perfect mix of violence, drama and comedy, as Miike does best. With great music throughout the movie and in the credits. I personally like this one better than it's sequel, "Young Thugs: Nostalgia", which is not what the majority seems to think.
