NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Eureka Blu-ray (July 2023): Eureka have transferred Jun'ya Satô's Golgo 13 to Blu-ray. It is cited as being "from a 2K restoration of the original film elements". Discotek Media came out with a US Blu-ray edition earlier this year, HERE, but we don't own it to compare. This 1080P image quality is quite thick, but reasonably consistent. Softness appears inherent in the production. It's not glossy, crisp and had depth but it looked authentic to me. Eureka have housed this on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate.  

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Eureka use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese language (mostly DUB'ed actors outside of Takakura.) Effects exist with gunfire in abundance. There is also a whipping torture sequence. Golgo 13 has quite a bit of intensity supported via the score by Chûji Kinoshita (The Human Condition, The Mad Fox, Twenty-Four Eyes) that adds some 70's flavor with some 'cool' subtlety. Eureka offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Eureka Blu-ray offers a new commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder (editor of 100% Jackie Chan: The Essential Companion) and Arne Venema. We have heard Leeder and Venema via excellent commentaries on Eureka's Blu-rays of Odd Couple, Mr. Vampire III and IV, and The Shaolin Plot - plus 88 Films Blu-rays of The Fearless Hyena, Dragon's Forever plus Vinegar Syndrome's Righting Wrongs. They compliment each other's knowledge well and share details of the production, Ken Takakura, the manga series variations - and who they are targeted towards - and much more. Running 1/4 hour is Lucky 13: Junya Sato’s biographers on Golgo 13 - a new interview with film writer Tatsuya Masuto and film critic Masaaki Nomura. I recall they also had a conversation on Eureka's Blu-ray of The Bullet Train. It is in Japanese with optional English subtitles. Lastly is a trailer and the package has a limited edition collectors booklet featuring new writing on the film by Tom Mes (Japanese Film and the Challenge of Video.)

Jun'ya Satô's Golgo 13 was the first live-action movie based on the long-running Japanese manga series of the same name by Takao Saito since 1968. Details on our protagonist are sketchy to say the least:

“Name: Duke Togo Nickname Golgo 13
Nationality: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown

Hair: Black

Eyes: Black
Occupation: Sniper”.

Golgo 13 is contracted to kill worldwide crime syndicate leader Boss Goa, lynchpin of an organization trafficking in drugs, weapons... and murder. It has a bit of James Bond in it with a super-evil villain type. The character, Golgo 13, has neo-noirish anti-hero tropes. Somebody has to take out the trash - may as well be the world's greatest assassin. There is a nostalgia component here in Golgo 13. Gritty 70's crime stories striving for rough-hewed realism and it could be viewed as campy. I enjoyed Eureka's Blu-ray; the film - although it took a while to get established - informative commentary, interview and booklet. I think I'll be watching this again.

Gary Tooze