YMMV / Bunraku

• Complete Monster:
  • Nicola "the Woodcutter" is a ruthless gang lord who uses philosophical musings to undercut his sadistic love for fighting and killing. Nicola clawed his way to become the "most powerful man East of the Atlantic" by slaughtering all of his rivals and decimating any rebellions against his rule, which plunged his realm into a Wretched Hive. Using his elite guard known as the "Killers"—particularly Number 2—Nicola oversees routine murder, extortion and forced prostitution of dozens of women, all while encouraging his Killers to backstab and murder one another for his favor. Having forced Alexandra into being his concubine under threat of murdering her lover, Nicola plans to force her to bear him an heir lest he kill her. Nicola is also revealed to be the murderer of the Drifter's father, and when he's finally confronted by the Drifter, Nicola turns their fight into a torture session while proclaiming that the only thing that matters in life is power and cruelty.
  • The sinister Killer No. 2 is the head of Nicola's Nine Killers, as well as the man running the day-to-day affairs of the Red Suits, the card-carrying mafia that runs the entire city. On his order, innocents are forced to sign contracts in their own blood, or snatched off the streets for unspeakable fates, all while No. 2 personally slaughters anyone who could pose a threat to the Woodcutter's rule by the dozens. All the while, No. 2 kills his own men left and right for any reason he can think of, slitting their throats and gouging out their eyes just for inconveniencing him. At one point, No. 2 murders the uncle of one of the film's heroes, then orders the man's daughter held captive for his later pleasure.
• Critical Dissonance: Critics considered this film a worthless mess, but audiences considered it entertaining at the worst.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Momoko starts out with her hair in a feathered bob with one dyed red forelock.
• Narm Charm: The entire freaking thing is built over this.

---