Set in the Meiji and Taish* eras, the kimono-clad yakuza hero of ninkyo films (personified by Koji Tsuruta and Ken Takakura) was always portrayed as a stoic honorable outlaw torn between the contradictory values of giri (duty) and ninjo (personal feelings). Sadao Yamane stated their willingness to fight and die to save someone or their boss was portrayed as ``something beautiful.'' In his book, Schilling cited Tadashi Sawashima's Jinsei Gekijo:
Schilling
Tadashi Sawashima