If you’ve spent any time in the chaotic, leather-jacket-filled world of the High & Low franchise, you know it’s not just about the fight choreography. It’s about the lore. Specifically, the lore of the Amamiya Brothers. When High & Low The Red Rain hit theaters, it shifted the gears of a series known for massive gang brawls into something much more intimate, gritty, and—honestly—pretty tragic.
Most people come for the action. They stay for the rain-soaked drama of Masaki and Hiroto searching for their eldest brother, Takeru.
It’s a weird entry in the EXILE TRIBE cinematic universe. While the main series feels like a colorful, over-the-top live-action anime, The Red Rain feels more like a hard-boiled noir film. It’s got a different texture. It’s sweatier. It’s bloodier. And if you aren't paying attention to the specific political undercurrents involving the Kuryu Group, you're gonna miss why this movie actually matters for the rest of the S.W.O.R.D. timeline.
Why High and Low The Red Rain Isn't Just Another Spin-off
For the uninitiated, the High & Low project is a massive cross-media beast created by LDH Japan. It spans albums, concerts, shows, and movies. But High and Low The Red Rain occupies a unique space. It’s the second theatrical film, but it functions as a standalone character study of the Amamiya trio.
You’ve got TAKAHIRO (playing Masaki) and Hiroomi Tosaka (playing Hiroto). These guys are icons in the J-pop world, but here, they’re just two brothers with a chip on their shoulders and a very fast pair of motorcycles.
The story picks up with the brothers still haunted by the disappearance of Takeru, played by Takumi Saitoh. Takeru is the legendary figure who taught them how to fight. He’s the reason they are the way they are. When they cross paths with a girl named Aika who has information on Takeru’s whereabouts—and a mysterious USB drive that every criminal organization in Japan wants—the movie stops being a family drama and turns into a high-stakes chase.
The Takeru Mystery
Takeru Amamiya is the "missing link." In the previous films, he was just a name, a shadow. The Red Rain brings him front and center, but not in the way you’d expect. He isn't some superhero. He’s a man who got in too deep with the Kuryu Group's "Deep Green" project.
The movie basically explores the idea of sacrifice. Takeru didn't just leave; he went undercover to protect his siblings and expose the corruption that destroyed their family years prior. It’s a classic trope, sure, but the execution is surprisingly heavy for a franchise that usually prioritizes "cool" over "sad."
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The Action: Zero Range Combat
Let's talk about the fighting. This isn't the wide-angle, fifty-on-fifty brawling you see in the S.W.O.R.D. district. High and Low The Red Rain utilizes something called "Zero Range Combat."
This is a real-world martial arts philosophy popularized in Japanese cinema by fight choreographer Yoshitaka Tanase (who worked on the Re:Born film). It’s about extreme close-quarters efficiency. Think lots of elbow strikes, bone-breaking locks, and using the opponent's momentum against them in a space no bigger than a telephone booth.
Masaki uses a more acrobatic, kick-heavy style. Hiroto is the boxer, the brawler. But when they fight together? It’s a synchronized dance of violence that feels way more dangerous than the stylized gang wars of the main series.
There’s a specific scene at the shipping containers—classic High & Low location—where the brothers take on an entire squad of Kuryu hitmen. It’s not just about winning the fight; it’s about the desperation in their movements. You can feel that they’re fighting for their brother’s legacy.
The Emotional Core: More Than Just Leather Jackets
Honestly, the "Red Rain" of the title isn't just a cool-sounding name. It refers to a specific, heartbreaking moment in the film’s climax that I won't spoil here, but let’s just say it redefines what it means to be an Amamiya.
The brothers have this mantra: "Be like the sun."
It’s a bit cheesy when you write it down, but in the context of their trauma, it works. Their parents committed suicide when they were young because of the Kuryu Group's debt-trapping and land-grabbing. Takeru took care of them. He told them that even when things are dark, you have to burn bright.
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This film is where the "Wall of S.W.O.R.D." concept starts to feel real. You realize that these aren't just kids playing at being gangsters. They are survivors of a systemic corporate evil that uses gangs as pawns.
Why the USB Drive Matters
The plot revolves around a USB drive containing data on the "Kuryu Group’s hidden assets" and their ties to government officials. This is the MacGuffin that drives the entire High & Low series forward into Final Mission. Without the events of The Red Rain, the S.W.O.R.D. leaders would never have had the leverage they needed to eventually take down the elders.
It’s the bridge between the "street level" fights and the "global conspiracy" stakes.
The Music and Style
You can't talk about High and Low The Red Rain without the soundtrack. "The Red Rain" by EXILE TAKAHIRO featuring Hiroomi Tosaka is a power ballad that basically defines the 2010s Japanese action-drama aesthetic. It’s soaring, it’s dramatic, and it plays at the exact moment you need to feel the feels.
The fashion shifted too.
We moved away from the more "costume" looks of the White Rascals or Rude Boys. In this film, it’s all about minimalist biker gear. High-quality leather, heavy boots, and those iconic motorcycles. It grounded the franchise in a way that made the stakes feel higher. If Hiroto gets hit, it looks like it actually hurts.
Common Misconceptions About the Movie
- "You need to watch the TV show first." Actually, you don't. While it helps to know who the Amamiya Brothers are, The Red Rain works surprisingly well as a standalone action-thriller. It explains the backstory through tight flashbacks.
- "It’s just a long music video." People say this about LDH projects a lot. It’s a bit unfair. While the style is polished, the narrative structure of The Red Rain is much tighter than The Movie 1. It has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- "Takeru is the villain." There was a lot of fan theory before the release that Takeru had turned evil. He didn't. He’s the hero of the story, just one who operates in the shadows.
How to Watch High and Low The Red Rain Today
If you’re trying to catch up, the franchise is a bit scattered across streaming platforms depending on your region. Netflix had the rights in many territories for a while, but licenses shift.
The best way to experience it is:
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- High & Low Season 1 & 2 (The setup)
- High & Low The Movie (The big battle)
- High and Low The Red Rain (The emotional core)
- High & Low The Movie 2: End of Sky
- High & Low The Movie 3: Final Mission
If you skip The Red Rain, the beginning of Final Mission won't make any sense. You’ll be wondering why everyone is so obsessed with a piece of digital data and why the Amamiya brothers look like they haven't slept in three weeks.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Newcomers
If you're diving into this world or re-watching it for the third time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
Pay attention to the color grading. The film uses a much cooler, bluer palette than the rest of the series. This is intentional. It represents the "rain" and the isolation the brothers feel without Takeru. When they are together and fighting, the colors tend to warm up. It’s subtle cinematography that tells the story of their bond.
Listen for the "Time" motif. Takeru is obsessed with time—specifically, not wasting it. This becomes a major plot point regarding how he chose to spend his final years. It’s a recurring theme that pays off in the final scene.
Look at the bike details. The motorcycles aren't just props; they are extensions of the characters. Hiroto’s bike is aggressive and modern; Masaki’s is a bit more classic. It mirrors their fighting styles and personalities perfectly.
Check the "Zero Range" behind-the-scenes. If you can find the making-of footage, watch how Takumi Saitoh trained for the combat scenes. He’s not a martial artist by trade, but he committed to the "Wave" movement (a specific torso rotation used in Zero Range Combat) to make the hits look authentic.
High and Low The Red Rain remains the high-water mark for character development in the franchise. It proved that you could take a series about gangs and turn it into a legitimate, heart-wrenching story about brothers who just wanted to find their way home.
The next step is simple. Go watch the container terminal fight scene again. Notice how the choreography changes when the brothers finally sync up. That isn't just action—that's storytelling. Once you've finished the film, move immediately into End of Sky to see how the fallout from Takeru’s mission changes the S.W.O.R.D. district forever.