SHIELD OF STRAW (WARA NO TATE)

Synopsis Shield of Straw (Wara no tate) (2013) After killing a 7-year-old girl, psychopath Kunihide Kyomaru turns himself in to the police. Since his victim was the daughter of one of the country's richest men, terminally ill billionaire Ninagawa, who buys ads in all the major papers offering a hefty reward for anyone who kills Kunihide. There are a few caveats, including a clause that the execution must be authorized by the government, but the consequences are clear: It's open season on Kunihide, who has nothing but five dedicated cops to protect him, led by security police lieutenant Kazuki Mekari. ??anonymous Awards: 5 nominations Worldwide Gross: $17,876,628 Soundtrack: North of Eden (performed by Kyosuke Himuro)