Digital Analysis of Yankii Subculture Representation in High & Low: The Worst X

This study seeks to examine how the Japanese subculture known as Yankii is represented in the film High & Low: The Worst X. The methodology used digital humanities approaches, including digital scene annotation, analysis mapping, and frequency distribution. This study looks into how the Yankii identity is represented through narrative structure, hierarchical roles, and visual elements. In this study, most dominant behavioral value is group solidarity and loyalty to each other, which far outweighs individual priority. In the annotations, group members frequently appeared as the most significant element, highlighting that Yankii identity is shown as a group that goes against the typical image of the lone rebel. This group dynamic is driven by Shudan Ishiki (group consciousness) and Kizuna (emotional bonds), which transform group support into real, meaningful actions. In this subculture, physical violence serves as a strategic social responsibility to maintain internal harmony, rather than as meaningless behavior. A comparative analysis of two contrasting alliance structures: the Oya-Suzuran alliance, which is built on trust, remains a reliable figure during conflict crises, while the transactional Senomon alliance ends in betrayal. Moreover, a semiotic reading of territorial markers, modified uniforms, symbols of power, and hairstyles shows how the physical world and the surrounding environment can express resistance. This study indicates that the use of visual annotation provides a workable framework for analyzing how media messages are communicated.