Chôjûrô Kawarasaki

Frustrated with the bad behavior of his lord, Inaba Yajuro (Otomo) declares that he is leaving the clan and sets off on a journey that leads him into a small town besieged by a violent group of brigands. In a kind of homage to Kurosawa's 7 Samurai, the townspeople have been unable to defend themselves and Inaba sets out to teach them how to stand up for themselves. Meanwhile the vile Lord Yasumasa has sent the 4 finest swordsmen in the clan out to hunt Inaba down and kill him. Led by the magnificent Ichibei (Konoe), a master of weaponry in his own right, everything points to an ultimate showdown between the former friends in a battle to the death.

A story of an orphan boy who wanted the love of parents so badly, another orphan sincerely pitied him to the point he gives his secret birthright as an illegitimate son to a Shogun as a "gift of hope" to the sad boy. As the orphan boy grew up, his loving heart became bitter and he saw the opportunity to take advantage of this birthright with the help of a man who wanted to use this orphan's desire to be loved, for seizing power in the shogunate by using the imposter. Many obstacles to hurdle along the way of deception, however, will they succeed or will he be exposed?

Kabuki adaptation: A princess, a figure from the literary past who anticipates a modern woman, tempts a self righteous priest.

A period film about a peasant revolt in the region near Mount Fuji, occasioned by high officials' depriving the farmers of their water rights.

About the struggles of day labourers to achieve dignity and a standard of living above the starvation level. Utilising the Zenshinza theatrical troupe.

The first of five Musashi series, Shinobu and her brother Genichiro plead with the famous swordsman Musashi Miyamoto to teach them swordsmanship to avenge their father's death. The killers of their father see the sister and brother practicing with Miyamoto, and so enlist the help of another powerful swordsman, Kojiro Sasaki, which gives Sasaki an excuse to battle Miyamoto.

18세기 초, 막부정치가 안정되고, 산업이 발달해 도시가 성장하던 겐로쿠 시대. 쇼군의 명령에 따라 에도에 머물던 아코의 영주 아사노가 고관 기라와 대립해 싸움을 벌이고 만다. 평화의 시대, 성에서는 칼을 뽑지 못하게 한 법도를 어긴 아사노에게 할복하라는 명령이 떨어진다. 오오이시를 비롯한 아사노의 부하들은 주군을 잃고 절망에 빠진다.

The year is 1936. Ôhinata-mura was a very poor village between deep valleys. Soncho, the village head is trying to collect the village taxes from the villagers but he knows full well that no one can afford to pay the village tax which has been unpaid for years...

A jidaigeki film on Banzuiin Chōbei produced in 1940 and directed by Yasuki Chiba.

A forceful indictment of the devastating effects of war and nationalistic fanaticism on the average man, who, in the face of the absurdity of violence, is reduced to apathy or victimhood.

Set in the late Edo period of the assassination of Dairo Ii, the sword and emotional romance that depicts the murderous world. The turmoil of the end of the Edo period is depicted through the nameless Ichii people, centering on the main character of the Hatamoto collapse that is drunk by the waves of the end of the Edo period.

“Widely acclaimed as the first full-scale historical film epic in Japan, Kumagai’s adaptation of Ogai Mori’s celebrated novel is an indictment of the bushido tradition of saving face through harakiri. The 19 vassals of Lord Hosokawa ask permission to commit harakiri with him, as a demonstration of their loyalty. Only Yaichiemon Abe is refused permission, forced instead into the vassalage of his lord’s successor. Humiliated and derided, Yaichiemon eventually commits harakiri without permission. His eldest son is then punished for Yaichiemon’s suicide, and when he resists, is sentenced to death. The entire Abe clan rebels upon the son’s execution, and the clan is annihilated.” --Alan Poul, Japan Society

에도 시대의 도쿄 빈민가, 무사 계급이라 해도 돈이 없으면 하층민들 사이에서 겨우 입에 풀칠만 할 수밖에 없는 시대. 주인 없는 무사 마타주로는 아내가 집에서 싸구려 종이 풍선을 만드는 사이 일자리를 찾으러 다닌다. 한편, 어느 비 내리는 밤, 이발사 신자의 일당이 부유한 상인의 딸을 납치해 마타주로의 집에 숨긴다. 일당은 몸값을 요구하지만 일은 점점 꼬여만 가고, 마타주로 역시 곤경에 처한다. 자살로 시작된 영화는 자살로 막을 내리며, 봉건 제도 하의 일본에서 계급의 밑바닥을 살아가는 사람들의 삶이 얼마나 끔찍한지를 보여주는 야마나카의 비극적인 걸작. 야마나카가 그의 짧은 생애 동안 만든 작품 중 마지막 작품이자 현존하는 세 작품 중 하나. (2014 영화의 전당 미지의 일본 거장전 I : 시미즈 히로시 & 야마나카 사다오)

Story of a bandit king part 2.

Story of a bandit king.

야쿠자 밑에서 일하는 가네코는 한창 오늘치 자릿세 수금을 하고 있다. 그러나 그는 남몰래 사랑하고 있는 오나미가 일하는 술집만은 지나친다. 가네코와 오래 알고 지낸 기타무라가 마침 그를 발견해 오나미의 가게로 이끄는데, 정신이 빠진 사이 가네코는 목숨보다 소중한 단검을 잃어버리고 만다. 한편, 남을 위한 희생 따위는 모르는, 조직의 우두머리 고우치야마 소슌이 단검을 찾기 위해 동분서주하는 가네코의 일에 휘말리게 된다.

A tragic period film about a gangster who comes out of prison and finds it hard to find a place again in society.