Regular readers of this site will be well aware not only that we have a number of major of fans of Takashi Miike in the house - myself among them - but also that I personally consider Miike's recent hit Crows Zero to rank among the very best work of his career and certainly as the best of his recent output. And so we've been greatly anticipating the arrival of the clumsily titled sequel, Crows Zero II. All the young thugs from the first film are back this time around with a rival gang pushing into their turf. Violence, of course, will ensue.

The thing that makes the first Crows Zero - indeed, all of Miike's youth films, particularly the Young Thugs titles - is not just the violence but the energy, a sort of nostalgic look back on the raw vitality of youth. Miike loves these kids and captures them with so much zeal and energy that it's impossible not to love them, too. And so we've been waiting for a chance to see a first glimpse of what he's got in store for these characters this time. He's taunted so far, releasing an early teaser to announce the film that was made up of nothing but footage from the first film, but now he's produced the first real goods: a brand new teaser that, while short, includes a number of significant shots from the new film. And, yes, for those who remember the casting call looking for hundreds of youth willing to shave their heads, the skin heads are in it.

Check it out below the break.