He made a loose sequel to "Branded to Kill" with "Pistol Opera" (2001). Makiko Esumi replaced Joe Shishido as the number 3 killer. This was followed by "Princess Raccoon" (2005), starring Zhang Ziyi, a musical love story. In a 2006 interview, he said that he had no plans to direct any further films, citing health concerns. He had been diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema and was permanently hooked up to a portable respirator. However, he attended the 2008 Tokyo Project Gathering, a venue serving film financing and international co-productions, and pitched a film titled "A Goldfish of the Flame".