Seven years ago was my first exhibition.
The reviews of my work were almost entirely raves.
This work was my 15 minutes of fame...
... and I was going to enjoy every second of it.
Things can change so quickly in one's life.
So quickly that the past slips away like a dream.
I went back.
Part of me wanted to look the other way.
But another part wanted to look further.
There was no connection between me and this man, but he looked straight at me.
A dead man's eyes are a curse to those who behold them.
I wanted to see into that darkness.
I wanted to know it.
What had I stumbled into?
The picture showed the two killers I'd seen in the gallery.
They were torturing someone...
... a man whose body was covered with a magnificent tattoo.
I couldn't have known then what that tattoo would mean to me.
I decided to go home immediately.
I would mail the film to the police from the airport.
Kill. Kill!
You will kill on command.
I was back in my hotel room.
My neck hurt like hell.
But what had happened?
Why had I been kidnapped?
Had I been kidnapped?
All I knew was that I wanted to get back home as fast as possible.
- Hello? - Kill. You will kill on command.
Open your suitcase.
Now!
His name is Antonio Rossi.
Antonio Rossi can smell the gun on a man.
So you must kill him with the knife.
You must kill him with the knife.
Hold on, cowboy. Where do you think you're going?
These flowers are for the lady.
You do what you have to do...
...but don't come back to me unless you have that cocksucker's finger in a bag.
Mr. Rossi.
Flowers. For Kari.
Carlo, let me get back to you.
Who the fuck you got sending you flowers?
Be nice if you sent me flowers sometime.
The rock on your finger ain't nice enough?
You two-time me, bitch, I'll have those fake titties shipped back to the surgeon.
Who sent these flowers?
The Dragons.
Kill. You will kill on command
We did not expect you to survive.
And it seems you walk with the Dragon!
You have the gift...
...the dark gift of the death walker.
The killer who cries.
Your tears... are your honor, Dragon.
You have become your faith.
No!
The witch had visited me in the night.
She'd put a mark on my body.
There was nothing I could do to erase it.
The Dragon tattoo.
I would be so marked forever.
The Dragon's taken you.
Your mind. Your body.
His image marks you, Freeman.
It is the image of your soul.
The longing for freedom.
There is no freedom on earth.
True freedom is in the spirit...
...in the skies, where the Dragon soars.
Let the dream of soaring to the skies sustain you.
I am Koh.
Your guide.
You serve the Sons of the Dragons...
...the guardians of the Chinese people.
Those who trespass against our race... must die.
You will obey us...
...our laws, our rules, our demands.
For we own you now.
You were born a killer.
It is a power that belongs to you.
I will shape it, I will make you stronger...
...I will make you faster, I will make you deadly.
Our enemies will feel the Dragon's claws pierce... their dead hearts.
Come now.
You are reborn.
You are...
...the Freeman!
And your tears?
I don't know.
They say all Freemen carry a special curse.
Perhaps they are mine.
But don't you understand?
Koh told you to kill me.
You didn't.
You fought them.
And you won.
It's so peaceful here.
Yes, Koh?
We have been attacked.
The Dragon is angry.
In here.
Ryuji Hanada has sent us a challenge.
Look.
- They're setting you up. - They want you dead.
Whoever kills the Freeman becomes the Yakuza leader.
Get ready. We must leave.
- Now. - No! You don't have to go.
He is the Freeman. He serves the Sons of the Dragons.
- He is obliged to come with me. - Emu...
16 people died, Emu.
They had families, children.
Ryuji killed them and will continue to kill unless I go to him.
Ryuji can identify the Freeman.
Anyone who can identify the Freeman must be eliminated.
That is the law of the Sons of the Dragons.
We must go to Tokyo.
Ryuji will be at Shimazaki's funeral.
- Dogaki wants to speak to you, boss. - Where the hell is he?
It's Ryuji. What's up?
I'm having some problems, so I won't be able to attend the funeral.
I'm sending two of my men instead.
Then, you can let them work for you. They're good men.
Thanks, but I don't need them.
Ryuji, be reasonable, it's a good offer.
- You're the new boss. - But I'm not the leader of the Hakushin yet.
I will accept your offer.
Thank you.
Leave her.
She knows the laws of the underworld.
You are getting soft, Freeman.
I'm a friend of Shimazaki's.
It's good to be the new leader. Dogaki's sending a present.
Two men.
Hey, you should knock on the door.
If I could, Ryuji, I would knock your head off.
You've gone too far.
Someone has to pay for the massacre of those 16 Chinese in the soya factory.
So, you will find someone. That's your job.
But... you are my number one suspect.
And in order to do my job, I've gotta be gum on your shoe.
So... Chairman Blade...
...what are we having for dinner tonight?
A little insincere, that. Hm?
After all, it was you who sent Shimazaki's son to San Francisco.
And there are... a lot of people who would be very interested in knowing that.
Come here.
My lady.
Will you introduce me to your friend?
Netah... let me introduce you to my wife.
This is... Netah.
The cop.
Have we met, madam?
Why are you here, Mr. Netah?
Is there any problem?
Police business and... some personal business.
Netah thinks he's going to steal the Freeman from me.
But why you wait for him to come to us?
An animal on the hunt is that much more deadly.
- At home, he just dozes in his lair. - Meaning?
We obtained a list of passengers departing Vancouver...
...the day Emu O'Hara left the hospital.
No, she wasn't on any of those flights.
Miss O'Hara was not...
...but a young woman was on the flight for Tokyo.
Alone, no luggage.
Fake passport.
Miss O'Hara...
...is in Japan, Netah.
We have her photograph all over the country.
Everyone is looking for her.
She is with the Freeman.
She is his mate.
You remember what I said, Ryuji.
Madam, I...
I wish I... I'll see you again.
Of course we shall, Mr. Netah.
Japan is a small country.
And our family is... very large.
Netah-san.
It seems you are the kind of man who follows a woman.
Only when she wishes to be followed.
And you did want me to follow you, didn't you?
I don't want the society members to see me talking to you.
Come here. I have some important information to give you.
And I don't want to talk too loud.
You bitch!
To rape the wife of a Yakuza Boss is a very serious crime.
They would kill you for it.
You see, Mr. Netah, your fumbling attempt at blackmail has come to nothing.
If I'm to be lost, I shall take my prize.
I am Nomura, from the Dogaki clan.
Have a seat.
Our condolences to the death of Shimazaki.
Dogaki has asked us to stay and work for you.
- I don't recognize you. - I just got out of prison.
- How long where you in there? - Six years.
- Who did you kill? - Mitsuru Sasakibara.
You killed Mitsuru?
Let's drink saké!
You know, Mr. Netah...
...you could be a great asset to us, if you wanted to be.
How could you? How could you?
- How could you? - You take what you want, Mr. Netah.
And... I take what I want... all the time.
But it's not Ryuji at all, it's you.
It's you. You planned it all.
You wanna be the Chairman, a woman chairman.
Did you know, Mr. Netah...
...an American lives on Hokkaido?
Perhaps...
Perhaps we shall pay her a visit.
You are the Freeman!
The man is a devil.
- Let's move. - Go ahead. I'll take care of Ryuji.
Tell Satan I said hello.
Now you die, Freeman.
It was my job... to serve and watch over you.
It was my job... to kill you.
You broke the law, my friend.
You should have killed her.
She turned you from us.
Yo returned in the middle of the night.
He kept himself hidden, but I knew he was there.
I could feel his eyes.
Our enemies were coming for us.
He said I had nothing to fear...
... I was not alone.
May I help you?
- You are Emu O'Hara? - I am.
You know what's good for you, you cooperate with us.
We just might let you live.
I've got you, Freeman!
Kill him!
If you remove the knife, you will bleed to death.
You will report...
...that it was Yo the potter...
...who killed Shuru Shimazaki...
...President of the Hakushin Society.
The motive...
...was some past dispute.
Today, he fought against the men...
...of the Hakushin Society.
And after fighting bravely...
...he died.
You want me to...
...help you in your deception?
We will vanish and you will forget us.
The Freeman... is dead.
Emu O'Hara... is dead.
You...
...are my... enemy!
Live honorably... or die miserably.
Decide now.
On my...
...honor!
- No! - I didn't give my word.
But I did.
Our enemies are many.
Even if we destroy all trace of ourselves...
... even then, they will keep searching for us.
The code of honor demands it.
The fires will not burn that away.
I have never been afraid of death.
And whether we live, or die...
... we will be free.