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The concept of action movies starring female protagonists was quite prevalent in East Asian cinema during the 70s and 80s but toned significantly down after that. However, lately, and as the epicenter of action movies moved towards Asean countries, it surfaced once more, as the fact that women can also can add an element of sex appeal to the action worked for a number of filmmakers. At the same time, the concept was not restricted to action movies, but also extended to art ones, as a couple of the movies in the following list will eloquently highlight.

Without further ado, here are 40 Asian movies where the action mostly derives from women, in chronological order.

1. Come Drink With Me

That also comes from the story storyline. Co-written by director Hu and Ting Shan-hsi, ‘Come Drink’ includes poignant drama into the mix as well as the action. Each of the characters has...

In an interview Teruo Ishii gave to Chris D. he mentioned about “The Blind Woman’s Curse”: As far as being coherent, I feel the movie was nonsensical. It is in this phrase that both the aesthetics and the narrative of the film are synopsized, in a title that combines yakuza, ghost story (Nikkatsu actually ordered Ishii to include ghost elements after he started shooting), ero-guro and exploitation elements. Furthermore, it was Meiko Kaji’s first starring role and also the first time she performed the title song, “Lullaby of Honour”.

Akemi Tachibana, the daughter of a now deceased yakuza leader that fosters a huge dragon tattoo in her back, is the leader of the Tachibana clan. As the movie begins, in a rather impressive gang sword fight, she and her henchmen attack a rival group. They emerge victorious, and Akemi kills the opponent boss, but in her effort,...

Equal parts yakuza revenge picture, sexualized exploitation romp, bakeneko (or ghost cat horror flick), and absurd comedy, Teruo Ishii’s bizarro Blind Woman’s Curse refuses to settle into categorization. Following on the heels of his much talked about Joys of Torture series which ran 1968-69, Ishii made this in addition to three other features in 1970. Sporting an inexhaustible work ethic and a taste for both the violent and absurd, one might say he is the direct predecessor of modern ludicrous Japanese cinema, Takashi Miike. It’s telling then that Arrow Films, an upscale UK home release distro who specialize in genre films, are just now making their way to Us soil with releases (amongst others) of both Ishii’s ghost cat/yakuza mash-up film and Miike’s completely insane murder musical The Happiness of the Katakuris.

Before going on to silver screen immortality in Lady Snowblood and Female Convict Scorpion,...

(The following review pertains to the UK release of the film on Region B/2 formats)

By Howard Hughes

The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo

Following on from its release of ‘Lady Snowblood’ and ‘Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance’ in 2012, UK company Arrow Films has released another Japanese cult classic in ‘Blind Woman’s Curse’, a film which mixes swordplay, horror and the supernatural into a bloody vengeance scenario.

Also known as ‘Kaidan nobori ryû’, ‘The Tattooed Swordswoman’ and ‘Black Cat’s Revenge’, this is unusual action fare from director Teruo Ishii. Meiko Kaji, who went on to star as Lady Snowblood, cuts her teeth – and several villains’ major arteries – as Akemi, the head of the Tachibana Clan. In the opening rain swept swordfight, she accidentally blind’s Aiko (Hoki Tokuda), the younger sister of Yakuza clan leader Boss Goda. After a three-year stretch in prison, Akemi returns to her role as Tachibana leader,...