도쿠가와 막부 4대 장군의 동생을 차기 장군으로 올려서 실권을 잡으려고 하는 막부의 대노 사카이 그룹에 몇몇 무사들은 불만을 품고, 사카이를 암살하려는 계획을 세운다.
영화는 막부 그룹과 반란 그룹 사이의 암투를 담담하게 묘사한다. 신선한 영상미와 대담한 연출이 빛나는 작품으로 핸드헬드로 찍은 최후의 결전 장면은 압도적인 인상을 남긴다. 1960년대 초반 토에이사는 이전까지의 형식적인 시대극에서 탈피하여 쉬운 형식의 시대극을 대거 양산하기 시작하였다. 이 작품도 그 중 하나이다.
Master swordsman, Tsukue Ryunosuke is confronted by the families of his victims. Will justice be served for the lost innocent lives? The conclusion of the famed Jidaigeki series is an amazing film, with a completely different perspective on the story from the later versions. While the international audience is more familiar with the “Sword of Doom” and “Satan’s Sword” versions of Daibosatsu Toge (The Great Bodhisattva Pass), the “Souls in the Moonlight” trilogy casts an entirely different light on Ryunosuke and his motives. Can this brutal killer be brought to justice, or is living his life as a blind wanderer a more terrible fate? His sword skills have not diminished, nor has his desire to kill!
A group of Japanese soldiers land in Chinese territory. They advance on a village ; one soldier, Norimoto, is killed in the attack, but the village is captured. Norimoto’s body is recovered and buried. Over the next two days, the soldiers advance inland. Two more soldiers, Naito and Takahashi, are injured. They remain behind to recover, but vow to catch up. Their comrades march on...
An early example of the Japanese war film, closer to documentary realism than the kind of propaganda produced at the height of the Pacific War. "A company commander calls on five men. They are to reconnoiter, but on their way they are attacked. Only four of them return. While his companions mourn the fifth straggles back. Soon after comes the order to move out for a general attack. The men know that this time there will be no returning." (Donald Richie)
A 1937 Japanese language film directed by Tomu Uchida, starring Ryo Akaboshi, Mitsuru Date and Hisao Furutani.
