Arrow Video USA busts out FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (review)

Meiko Kaji created her most memorable character Scorpion in Toei's FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION series, restored on Blu-ray by Arrow Video.  Set up by her narcotics officer boyfriend, Nami incurs the wrath of the warden by her constant escape attempts in FEMALE PRISONER #701: SCOPRION.  When she intervenes to prevent the prison's sadistic favorites from setting up another prisoner, the warden looses an eye and Nami is sentenced to back-breaking hard labor.  When her punished fellow prisoners start a riot, Nami finds herself facing danger from both sides.  In FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: JAILHOUSE 41, Nami faces more sadistic torment from the warden but manages to escape with five other prisoners and take a tourist bus hostage.  In FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: BEAST STABLE, Nami is on the run and finds herself entangled with an incestuous brother and sister and forced into prostitution by the yakuza.  In FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: GRUDGE SONG, Nami allows herself to trust and love another man, but their love is tested by the ruthless machinations of a relentless cop who wants to execute Nami with his bare hands.

REVIEW LINK: Arrow Video USA (US) Region AB Blu-rary/Region 1/2 NTSC DVD (DVD Drive-in)

FEMALE PRISONER SCORPION: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION Blu-ray/DVD combo:

• 2K restorations from low-contrast 35mm prints on Blu-ray in 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 2.35:1 widescreen and DVD in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen
• Japanese LPCM 1.0 mono (Blu-ray)
• Japanese Dolby Digital 1.0 mono (DVD)
• Optional English subtitles
• "Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion" extras:
• An Appreciation by Gareth Evans
• "Shuna Ito: Birth of an Outlaw"
• "Yutaka Kohira: Scorpion Old and New"
• Theatrical Trailers for all four films
• Credits
• "Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41" extras:
• An Appreciation by Kier-la Janisse
• Jasper Sharp on the career of Shunya Ito
• "Tadayuki Kuwana: Designing Scorpion"
• Theatrical Trailers for all four films
• Credits
• "Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable" extras:
• An Appreciation by Kat Ellinger
• "Shunya Ito: Directing Meiko Kaji"
• Unchained Melody: A visual Essay by Tom Mes
• Theatrical Trailers for all four films
• Credits
• "Female Prisoner Scorpion: Grudge Song" extras:
• An Appreciation by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
• "Yasuharu Hasebe: Finishing the Series"
• Jasper Sharp on Yasuharu Hasebe
• "They Call Her Scorpion" A Visual Essay by Tom Mes
• Theatrical Trailer
• Credits
• Limited to 4,000 copies.
• Comes with a double-sided fold out poster of two original artworks, reversible sleeves for all films featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ian MacEwan.  
• Booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Chuck Stephens, a brand new interview with Toru Shinohara, creator of the original Scorpion manga and an archive interview with Meiko Kaji by Chris D. illustrated with original stills.