High & Low: Where do they rank?

[The Drunkard Kid]

I'd say that they rank both highly and lowly.

I want you to know that I am deeply ashamed of all of you that this thread went on for 3 pages without that joke being made.

3 pages!

[Sharpandpointies]

...It is actually ridiculous how much stuff the franchise has that still hasn't been known in the West.

I'm still desperate for the soundtrack.

I'd say that they rank both highly and lowly.

I want you to know that I am deeply ashamed of all of you that this thread went on for 3 pages without that joke being made.

3 pages!

.....

Gundam again.jpg

[Sharpandpointies]

One of my favorite Murayama scenes, this one with Hyuga (who, honestly, looks like he appreciates what Murayama is doing; his habitual sneer changes into a ghost of a smile).

[Murayama] Hyuga-chan...if I win, you'll join the SWORD alliance.

[Hyuga] And if you lose?

[Murayama] That...I'll think about when it happens.

Maaan, even as a kid Murayama was doing those jumping punches.

Edit: Have also added a video of Ice versus Hiroto in our discussion of 'Where does Ice sit?'

[Iron_Twister]

I don't think so. Here's the Hiroto vs Ice fight.



In the other fights against mostly mooks, Ice is honestly close to a lightning bruiser in which nobody really gets a hit on him and when he does, expect them to drop. Against Hiroto, they're pretty close but honestly inconclusive.

[Sharpandpointies]

I don't think so.

'Don't think so'? Not sure about what.

Ahh, I see. My bad. I wasn't clear.

What I meant, above, was 'I have added a video of Ice versus Hiroto in our discussion of "Where does Ice sit?"'

It's in the post about a page back.

Here's the Hiroto vs Ice fight.

Yeah, that's the one (or similar).

In the other fights against mostly mooks, Ice is honestly close to a lightning bruiser in which nobody really gets a hit on him and when he does, expect them to drop. Against Hiroto, they're pretty close but honestly inconclusive.

Yeah. Can't really SAY he's the equal of Kohaku or the Amamiyas because we don't see this one go to a finish, but he's at least good enough to fight with them one-on-one and not get steamrolled. Which, honestly, puts him above every one of the other main characters based on what I've seen so far.

I'm currently watching H&L Season II on a website.

[Iron_Twister]

If TV Tropes is to believed: "High&Low was enough of a success that it also spawned 5 movies (and counting), two manga (one by CLAMP), anime shorts, a theme park, and even a live concert to tie into the show."



...and I once thought Crows/Worst media was tough to find in the West.

[Sharpandpointies]

I need to find the manga. -_- And the Anime.

...and visit the theme park next time I go to Japan. ^_^

[Iron_Twister]

I need to find the manga. -_- And the Anime.

...and visit the theme park next time I go to Japan. ^_^

Yeah, been looking for them myself but damn is it tough.

I'm just happy the movies are available to watch now since I did know about the series a year back but finding any means to watch it in full was a spotty search.

[Sharpandpointies]

Yeah, been looking for them myself but damn is it tough.

I'm just happy the movies are available to watch now since I did know about the series a year back but finding any means to watch it in full was a spotty search.

For crying out loud, I just discovered that there's a DTC series, as well. -_- Comedy. Yet another thing I can't get.

[Guy1]

[Iron_Twister]

Ah Jesse, this series doesn't give you or your gang more to work with after this.

Honestly enjoying Cobra's overall fighting style.

[Sharpandpointies]

I'm now repurposing this post for feats from High & Low Season One.

Episode One:

So, about 100 dudes ('scrappers') from...I don't know, non-sword gangs? They all get together and basically invade Sannoh, looking for the Hoodlum Squad. Cobra and co. lure them into an abandoned subway station - it's a maze - and take them on. While Cobra has his non-name buddies with him (so Sannoh is...what, a dozen people maybe?) the vast majority of the fighting is done by Cobra, Yamato, DTC and Noboru, who just kind of shows up. Everyone of the named characters is shown consistently fighting against four, five, six people at a time and winning. All of them take hits from guys wielding the ubiquitous iron pipes. It doesn't stop them. As an additional note, they're all bruised up and cut up from an earlier fight.

Some notable feats:

1. Someone tries to block Yamato's arm with an iron pipe. He clubs through the pipe, bending it 90 degrees and still KOing the guy holding it.
2. Chiharu - little Chiharu - beats all hell out of large groups of people, but finally gets overwhelmed. They hit him with iron pipes. One of them - slow mo - baseball bats him right along the jaw, spinning him around, blood flying. You see him two minutes later beating all heck out of another group of people.
3. Cobra uses a red silk scarf to beat people with knives, tying them up, throwing them around, choking them out. Never seen him do that before.

Episode Two:

This is the famous 'Chiharu joins Sannoh' episode. Starts with him getting chased by Oya High fellows. Yamato saves him. During the fight, Yamato beats up Seki and a bunch of Oya High gang members. He takes the usual hits from wooden bats and iron bars without noticing. In a flashback, Chiharu punches Furuya - the Oya Truck Driver, and #2 - in the face, staggering him. This was before Chiharu had a lot of fight experience. Kid had talent.

We get a look at Cobra - as a middle school kid, at best - beat up some classmates. Young Noboru and Yamato cheer him on as he gets his name, Cobra. It's not a feat, but all three kids are cute as crap-all. ^_^

Murayama shows up at Sannoh looking for Chiharu. Yamato faces off against him, which is hilarious as Yamato makes two of Muryama. Nonetheless, it's Murayama who is totally unconcerned (surprise!). Yamato informs Murayama that he's responsible, not Sannoh, and Murayama should take anything out on him. Muryama...seems to get confused or frustrated with that (I think he wants to fight COBRA), and leaves, disgusted, swearing to return. Aaaandl, when the credits roll, confirms he wants Cobra to be there. Chiharu gets ambushed by Oya High students, but just as about eight of them are about to beat him up, someone shoulders between them while talking on their cell on the way to a drink machine. The Oya High students naturally object, grab the guy, and get their heads punched in by, surprise, Hiroto Amamiya. Yep, they're back.

This is the fight where Hiroto beats up a bunch of gang members while chatting on his phone with Misaki. He also punches someone so hard they revolve about 270 degrees in the air and land on their face.

Episode Three:

We see Murayama take his 100 punches to become the head of the school. Furuya gives him number 98, breaks a VERY heavy wooden stool over his head for 99, and gives him his best haymaker for 100. Murayama gets back up, claims the title, then states 'I can't just stand here and be hit', and proceeds to beat the **** out of the thirty or so guys who just gave him his 100 punches. At the same time.

...I have no idea how Cobra wins against this guy.

We find out why Kabuto goes berserk when he hears the word Kani (crab). No spoilers.

Chiharu goes to Oya to settle things. Furuya and about six guys beat all hell out of him. Yamato shows up, throws everyone off, grabs Furuya and the already beaten up Chiharu and tosses them in a room together. He bars the door against anyone who would interfere. Meanwhile, Cobra and the rest of Sannoh wander into Oya High.

Long story short - Cobra rescues Yamato (who basically holds everyone out of the room while allowing them to whale on him - he doesn't fight back). Meanwhile, Chiharu can't beat Furuya - he's getting killed - but he keeps getting up again, and Furuya is starting to feel kinda...I don't know, bad? Impressed, maybe?

Enter Muruyama. Him against Cobra. Cobra wins, no exceptional feats here other than two top leaders duking it out.

Episode Four

Enter the White Rascals. Their intro is...pretty awesome. It also reveals that Rocky is likely unbalanced - there's mention of insanity. Iron Twister would love the intro to this one.

Starting - The leader of the White Rascals, Rocky, solo beats down about seven guys (as always, they are armed with iron pipes™). They don't touch him, he one-shots each of them.

...it's not exactly a feat, but apparently Cobra is very appreciated by the ladies of the area.

Episode Five

The White Rascals basically terrorize Dan all through their territory, appearing out of nowhere, disappearing...creepy stealth stuff. Koo, the second in command, catches Dan and basically whips his legs with a tactical baton about five times. Dan still manages to run like hell after that.

Episode Six

Just going to start by saying, the Rude Boys are jacked to a ridiculous extent. Lots of fight sequences with the Rude Boys follow, with tons of Parkour, Smokey kicking around large groups of people, Takeshi taking on a dozen people at a time and doing just fine, etc.

This episode is also proof the series isn't above poking fun at it's own drama. Exhibit A: the scene starting at 20:30 or so with Cobra.

Episode Seven

Yamato, Dan, and Tetsu take on the Rude Boys. Yamato doesn't do so badly against non-name-level RB, but eats some kicks from Pi in the middle of their wolfpack-style attack. Tetsu goes up against Takeshi and seems confused by his fighting style; Takeshi, demonstrating why he's #2 in the RB, basicaly whallops the crap out of him (Tetsu eats the hits and keeps coming back for more). Dan basically gets mobbed by a load of RB.

Smokey takes on Yamato, casually avoids and deflects everything Yamato throws at him, and lands hits with impunity...hits that actually seem to debilitate Yamato, a guy who tanks shots from guys with iron pipes. He takes Yamato down, puts him in an armlock (Yamato is helpless), then has a coughing fit that allows Yamato get away.

End of fight, Tetsu looks like he got a couple of shots in on Takeshi, though we don't see that.

Episode Eight

Nice confrontation, nothing comes of it.

Masaki Amamiya again demonstrates that he, oddly enough, is one of the goofballs of the series.

Episode Nine

It's the big fight with Daruma. Everyone - all of the named characters in Sannoh - are kicking around normal gang members, knocking them into the air, as well as taking huge beatings with weapons. Nothing really special, other than Cobra staying on his feet after an extended, one-sided beating from Hyuga.

[Sharpandpointies]

For fun, started just poking through H&L season 2, subtitled. First four episodes are the story of Mugen, so I skipped them. Will go back. Am editing this post to make it my Season II Post.

RE: Season II: There is a CRAPTON of stuff that just isn't in Road To High&Low. Take, for example, the reason we don't see Noboru in 'The Movie', and why he says 'I just got back' in End of Sky. It's because the Iemura group ran him over when he returned (end of the Road To movie) and left him in a coma for a while (this seems to happen a lot).

Episode 1-3

Lots of fights, nothing special until Episode 3 where the Amamiya brothers show up and beat all tar out of everyone in Mugen.

Episode 4 - Tsukumo meets Kohaku and throws down with him. Kohaku, hands in pockets, simply evades every attack and then casually kicks Tsukumo around - it's a pretty decent display of skill from a guy who usually just tanks everything people throw at him. It takes Tsukumo about fifteen or so attacks before he manages to land a single hit, which actually staggers Kohaku...somewhat in keeping with a guy who can kick a car and make the front end spin around and knock people over.

Kohaku then punches him in the ribs and drops him.

Now, this is early on in Tsukumo's career, but please recall this is a guy who gets in car accidents while hanging half out of a window and isn't phased, and who has his car flip over, roll, and smash through walls whilst not wearing a seat belt, then just kick the door off to climb out of the car while looking a little beat up and annoyed.

They race, accident happens, Tsukumo slams into piled up cargo containers and a couple of wooden pallets fall about 30'. Kohaku leaps to protect Tsukumo, they both end up squooshed and in the hospital. This is one of the biggest loads of BS in the show, as given their other durability feats they both should have walked it off. *shrugs* PIS.

Later on, Kohaku picks up a guy with one hand and throws him through the air.

Episode 5

About a dozen members of Doubt - armed with metal pipes - versus Kizzy and Kaito, two name-level White Rascals. Kizzy and Kaito - bare-handed - absolutely obliterate them, and find the whole thing amusing. To top it off, there are at least two sequences in the fight where one of them kicks a Doubt member and sends them flying 8-10'. And these are just name-level White Rascals (albeit strong ones, like Torodoki of Oya). Name-level < Gang Leaders << Amamiyas/Kohaku.

We see a little of Ice in a montage, taking on people in an underground fight. He absolutely levels a group of guys, casually. Punches people so they loft two feet up in the air, flipping over as they do. Certainly he's looking at least a credible threat for the Amamiyas.

Episode 6

Pre-White Rascals, Rocky gets into a fight with Kizzy and Kaito before they left Doubt (it's a little weird seeing them all wearing black). Rocky...pretty much eats one shot from Kizzy (who was kicking people 8-10' in Ep 5) without effort, then beats Kizzy down pretty easily (Kizzy being part of a two-person team that casually crushes groups of a dozen people with iron pipes). Rocky STOPS beating up Kizzy when he realizes Kizzy is a woman (I'm thinking Kizzy is actually a trans woman, and kudos to the show).

Next scene, Kizzy confirmed trans woman - apparently the reason they've only returned to the White Rascals now is because they went abroad for Kizzy to get her surgery.

Episode 7

Enter Torodoki. After enduring some puns about his name regarding the Kanji for 'cars', he beats up a class of Oya High thugs, replicating Hiroto's feat of punching someone so hard they flip 270 degrees (though without it being completely casual like Hiroto). He then beats up a couple of semi-name-level characters. I would say based on what I'm seeing, Torodoki is a more technically skilled fighter than Murayama, but is lacking Murayama's soak, his power, his experience fighting, and, frankly, his lunacy.

One of Ichigo Milk falls for Murayama. Hilarity ensues.

Something happens. I am now totally convinced that Cobra and Murayama have a slow-burn romance going. ^_^

Episode 8

The slow burn romance continues. Seriously, Murayama has a thing for Cobra. Sadly, Cobra is a bit of a dick to him.

Fight between Torodoki and Murayama. I take it back, Murayama shows some impressive technical skill. Torodoki does a standing knee on him that sends him flying about 8' to then crash into a fridge or something like that. Murayama then allows Torodoki to hit him smack in the jaw with his strongest punch - recall Torodoki's feats, above - eats it, and then flattens Torodoki despite having taken a perfect shot in the jaw from him.

[Sharpandpointies]

Am currently realizing there is a ton of more subtle things happening between characters in the movies, based on stuff that happens in the series.

For example, Chiharu and Furuya. Furuya picks on Chiharu in the series. Chiharu eventually gets help from Yamato, setting up a situation where Chiharu fights Furuya one on one. Contrary to Hollywood, Chiharu doesn't win, but Furuya is somewhat stunned that Chiharu keeps getting beaten down and gets up again, trying to fight him. There's a scene where he's saying 'Why don't you just stay down?' while hitting him.

Cut to High&Low The Movie. Big fight scene with all five SWORD gangs against Doubt and the Mighty Warriors. Chiharu is getting beat up. Koo saves him (this is ANOTHER call-back to the series, where Koo and Chiharu are on different 'sides'). Then Chiharu is in trouble against about four guys of Doubt. Out of nowhere, Furuya steps in and takes a serious hit for him, protecting him. Fururya says 'Are you getting psyched up Chiharu?', who answers in the affirmative, and both of them beat all crap out of their opponents. Clearly Furuya is right there with Chiharu, having been impressed with him before.

There;s a lot of consistency and growth in the relationships, is what I'm saying.

[Iron_Twister]

Well, since there is a lot being said of the series...Just gonna throw a random gang focused amv.



Why Daruma Ikka? Other than the kickass theme like the rest of the gangs, I find personally a soft spot on the way Hyuga rides into battle (laid back on the hood of a moving stylish convertible...Dammmnnnnn).

...But yeah, the theme song is awesome. >_>