本片导演是日本擅长拍摄武侠片及青楼暴力片的五社英雄，主角则启用了以大胆裸露见称的女星通口可南子，及性格型男星本木雅弘。故事在职业赌徒、黑社会匪徒、赌盘、复仇等之间展开，最后新仇旧恨都在押在瞬息万变的赌桌上了断。人间的成败得失，难道就如蒸腾的 热气，如幻似烟，转眼成空？杀人填命，又会否只会令罪孽更深更重？本片既有哀怨凄美的一面，又包含赌博较量、黑帮暴力等极富娱乐性元素；爱恨恩仇，共冶一炉，可谓雅俗共赏，是五社导演集大成的巅峰之作。

Jidai-geki period / folklore type stories that were comissioned by the Kumamoto prefacture of Kyushu island in 1996 and filmed over a period of three years. Kumamoto Monogatari is a 2002 omnibus which includes the three short films: Zuiketsu Genso: Tonkararin Yume Densetsu, Kikuchi-jo Monogatari: Sakimori-tachi no Uta, Onna Kunishuu Ikki.