The Life and Adventures of Mishka Yaponchik (Once in Odessa)(2011)

The Life and Adventures of Mishka Yaponchik is a historical drama series set in early 20th-century Odessa, following the rise of a legendary Jewish gangster who commanded thousands of criminals with an unconventional moral code. Born Moisei Vinnitsky and known as Yaponchik ("the Japanese"), the protagonist was an eccentric figure who inspired Isaak Babel's iconic character Benia Krik in The Odessa Tales. Unlike typical crime bosses, Yaponchik forbade his gang from robbing the poor or working professionals, positioning himself as a Robin Hood figure in the underworld. The series explores how this charismatic criminal became a folk hero in Odessa's streets, balancing ruthlessness with a personal code of honor that set him apart from his contemporaries.