If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if a box of neon crayons exploded inside a 19th-century Japanese brothel, Mika Ninagawa has the answer. Stepping away from her camera lens and into the director’s chair for the first time, Ninagawa turns the legendary Yoshiwara red-light district into a fever dream of hyper-saturated reds, golds, and teals. This isn’t your grandmother’s stiff, polite period piece; this is a rock ‘n’ roll riot in a kimono.

Based on the manga by Moyoco Anno (a powerhouse in the josei — comics for adult women — world; she’s married to Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno), the film stars the eternally cool Anna Tsuchiya (Kamikaze Girls) as Kiyoha. Sold into the Yoshiwara at eight years old, Kiyoha doesn’t exactly have a compliant personality. She screams, she kicks, and she tries to run away constantly, usually right toward the blooming cherry blossoms that represent a freedom she can’t quite reach.

As she grows into the Oiran (top-tier courtesan) known as Higurashi, the film tracks her ascent through a world that is equal parts high-art elegance and cutthroat survival. Between dodging the jealous schemes of rival girls and navigating the hearts of powerful men, Kiyoha has to decide if love is a trap or an exit strategy.

Ninagawa’s background as a world-class photographer is everywhere. Every frame is a postcard from a punk-rock Edo. The colors are so loud they practically ring your ears, bolstered by a killer, anachronistic score by J-Pop icon Shiina Ringo. The music blends traditional jazz, big band, and rock, perfectly mirroring Kiyoha’s defiant spirit.

This release from 88 Films includes extras such as audio commentary by Josh Slater-Williams, an introduction by Amber T., a stills gallery and trailers, as well as a booklet with essays by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp. It all comes wrapped in a gorgeous package with art by Luke Insect. You can get it from MVD.