Girl Power takes on a whole new meaning in Japan’s all-female gang known as the Sukeban. Sukeban translates to “female boss,” and the gang of schoolgirls can be vicious.

The gangs became popular in Japan in the 1960s and were similar to male gangs called Bancho gangs. Initially, the schoolgirl gangs consisted of small groups of girls who decorated their school uniforms to display their gang pride and snuck cigarettes into school. With time, the Sukeban gangs became larger and engaged in more serious criminal acts.

Recently in Japan, there has been a rise in popularity of the Sukeban gangs. The girls wear sexualized school-girl costumes and carry around concealed razor blades that they use either in fights or as punishment if a member of the gang steps out of line. Sukeban gangs are also a popular subject in Japanese manga and film.