@celeste_writes
A patient, formally daring work — the cinematography lingers on empty rooms longer than most audiences will tolerate, but those who stay are rewarded with the most haunting final act of the year.
Ryunosuke, a gifted swordsman plying his trade during the turbulent final days of Shogunate rule, has no moral code and kills without remorse. It’s a way of life that leads to madness.
Quick Stats
7.7
TMDB Rating
268
Votes
2h 2m
Runtime
—
Budget
—
Box Office
—
Return
Key Crew
DirectorKihachi Okamoto
WriterShinobu Hashimoto
CinematographyHiroshi Murai
ComposerMasaru Satō
EditorYoshitami Kuroiwa
Production DesignTakashi Matsuyama
Produced by
Takarazuka Eiga Company Ltd.TOHO
Where to Watch
Streaming
Netflix
HBO MaxBuy
Apple iTunesSee more on TMDB → JustWatch
Critics & Reviews
3 featured@jhalberg
I walked in expecting another genre exercise and walked out feeling like I'd been eavesdropping on a confession. The lead performance is genuinely singular — a career-defining turn.
@priya_a
A few too many scenes feel borrowed from a better film, but the soundtrack and the production design carry the rest. Solid recommendation for fans of slow-burn European thrillers.
Cast
Tatsuya Nakadai
Ryunosuke Tsukue
Yūzō Kayama
Hyoma Utsuki
Michiyo Aratama
Ohama
Yōko Naitō
Omatsu
Toshirō Mifune
Toranosuke Shimada
Tadao Nakamaru
Isamu Kondo
Kei Satō
Kamo Serizawa
Kō Nishimura
Shichibei, Omatsu's 'uncle'
Ichirō Nakatani
Bunnojo Utsuki
Kunie Tanaka
Senkichi
Takamaru Sasaki
Ishinsai Nakamura
Ryōsuke Kagawa
Dansho Tsukue
Kamatari Fujiwara
Omatsu's grandfather
Hideyo Amamoto
Shuzen Kamio
A
Akio Miyabe
Toshizo Ogata
