PROOF OF THE MAN (1977) - Limited Edition Blu-ray Japanese Crime Drama Starring George Kennedy & Mariko Okada

Proof Of The Man 1977 New On Bluray Limited Edition

Product Description: Proof of the Man is a compelling exploration of racial identity and the trauma of the postwar occupation period framed in the form of a whodunnit. Movie mogul Haruki Kadokawa changed the landscape of Japanese cinema for good when he introduced the concept of the blockbuster to the country with this gripping crime drama featuring an all-star cast.

When mixed-raced Johnny Hayward (Flower Travellin' Band vocalist Joe Yamanaka) heads from his Harlem home to Tokyo, he becomes the victim of a brutal stabbing in the elevator of a plush hotel hosting a catwalk show by elite fashion designer Kyoko (Mariko Okada). That same night, Kyoko's son with her powerful politician husband Yohei (Toshiro Mifune) is involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident and flees the country. Suspecting the incidents may be linked, Detective Munesue (Yusaku Matsuda, The Game Trilogy) heads to New York to investigate Johnny's background. Here he is partnered with local detective Ken Shuftan (George Kennedy, Airport), whose own links to Japan dredge up painful memories from Munesue's childhood.

Adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Seiichi Morimura by director Junya Sato (The Bullet Train, Manhunt) and screenwriter Zenzo Matsuyama (The Human Condition trilogy), and shot on location in Japan and New York by veteran cinematographer Shinsaku Himeda (Pigs and Battleships, Vengeance is Mine), Proof of the Man is a compelling exploration of racial identity and the trauma of the postwar occupation period framed in the form of a whodunnit. Arrow Video is proud to present the film for the very first time outside Japan for the home-video market in a brand new transfer sourced from a new 4K restoration by Kadokawa.

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Movie Details

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Video

Audio

Subtitles

Special Features & Extras

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MOVIE DETAILS

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Director: Jun'ya Satô

Starring: George Kennedy, Mariko Okada, Yusaku Matsuda

Genre: Crime, Drama

Runtime: 100 min

Rating: Not Rated

Language: Japanese

Studio: Arrow

Home Video Release Date: September 9, 2025

AVAILABLE FORMATS (Amazon):

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Blu-ray

VIDEO

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Blu-ray

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Region: Region A/1

AUDIO

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Dubbed:

Blu-ray: None

Audio Formats:

Blu-ray: LPCM Mono

SUBTITLES

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Blu-ray: English SDH, English

SPECIAL FEATURES & EXTRAS

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Optional newly translated English subtitles
Brand new audio commentary with Asian American film scholar Rob Buscher and DJ Skeme Richards
Taking the Big Apple, a brand new video introduction by Asian film scholar Earl Jackson
A Japanese Blockbuster, a brand new filmed discussion with critics and Junya Sato biographers Tatsuya Masuto and Masaaki Nomura
Original theatrical trailers
Image gallery
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella
Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critic Michelle Kisner and scholar Alexander Zahlten