"Withthesecondfilmintheseries–TheStairwaytotheDistantPast–itbecomesclearthatHayashiisnotcontenttorideonhispastsuccesses,isnotwillingtolethischaracterstagnate.TherearesomemajortonalshiftsinthisfilmthatmaysurprisethosewhosimplywantedmoreofwhatTheMostTerribleTimeservedup,mostnotablythemoveawayfromblackandwhiteandintocolorphotographyandageneralabsenceoftheplayfulmoodofthefirst.Thisonebecomesmuchmoreseriousinveryshortorder.GangtensionsareagainrunninghighinYokohama.Hama’sbusinessisbad,hiscarhasbeenrepossessedand–mosttroubling–hislongabsentmotherhasreturnedtotown,threateningtoupsetthelifeHamahasbuiltforhimselfandtheyoungersisterhehasraisedsincetheywereabandonedinchildhood.WhenacrookedcopleansonHamatoinvestigateaseriesofrobberiesontheriverfront–anarearuledwithanironfistbythemysteriousManInWhite–Hamahasnochoicebuttocooperateandtakeonthedangerousjob.Afterall,ifthecopsshuthimdownwhowilltakecareofhissister?Andit’snotlikehecanaffordtopaythebillswiththelostpetjobshe’sbeentaking,anyway…"-TwitchReview
