Ichi the Killer (2001)

Takashi Miike goodness

Another Takashi Miike masterpiece, less violence and more psychological terror. The ending packs a huge punch though, be prepared!

Both are about assassins trying to get back their lives. Also, they similarly condense the boundaries between the concept of hero and villain within the protagonist. However, Ichi the Killer is much more violent and explicit.

Both have same vibes however very different stories.
Cold fish is more of drama and Ichi has action sequences.
Anyways both compete in the aspect of bloodbath scenes.

Ichi 1: Origin is the origin story of Ichi from Ichi The Killer. Ichi is played by the same actor in both films.

Besides the fact that both films have the same male lead, their stories and cinematography are also remarkably similar. They are both experimental, ironic, and punk-ish takes on violence and crime.

Ichi the Killer is a much more intense and doesn't come with the comforting "good guys" redeeming element that Ikebukuru West Gate Park does. However they're both very eccentric stories that feature gang violence and revolve around trying to understand who and why someone was murdered with plot twists related to mental health. They also both feature manipulative antagonists and homoerotic tension. Be warned: Ichi the Killer is fucked up.