Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer

7.6

Based on the life of Shunkai Shibukawa (December 27, 1639-November 1, 1715), appointed as the first official astronomer in the Edo Period and would go on to create the Jokyo calendar at the imperial request.

Be a Man! Samurai School

6.1

Otokojuku is a private boys school where true men are made. First year students quickly indoctrinated into the school's idea of what it takes to be a real man by Drill Master Onihige's constant berating. Momotaro,…

Legend of the Eight Samurai

7.1

The story follows Shizu-hime, her family slain and on the run from her enemies. As she escapes, she is found by the vagabond Shinbei before being rescued from her pursuers by Dosetsu. He tells her the legend of a curse…

Oba: The Last Samurai

7.3

Based on the autobiographical novel "Oba, the Last Samurai" by U.S. soldier Don Jones. Set during the end of WWII, Captain Oba and his group of 47 soldiers on the isle of Saipan fights against the U.S. army long after…

Yamada: The Samurai of Ayothaya

7.2

Attacked and wounded by a group of traitorous Japanese who disguised themselves as the Hongsawadee soldiers, a mercenary samurai named Yamada Nagamasa is rescued and nursed back to health by a group of Siamese warriors…

Shogun's Samurai

7.4

At the death of the second Tokugawa Shogun,rivalry is born to know who'll succeed him. His eldest son, Iemitsu Tokugawa is ugly, stutters, and seems to lack of charisma to take his father's place. With the help of…

Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai

7.3

Toshizo Hijikata, the "Baragaki" of Bushu Tama, heads to Kyoto with Isami Kondo, Souji Okita, and other comrades, with the dream of becoming a samurai in his heart. Under the auspices of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he…

G.I. Samurai

6.9

G.I. Samurai is a 1979 Japanese feature-length film focusing on the adventures of a modern-day Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) team that accidentally travels back in time to the Warring States period. ~~ Adapted…

Sumodo - The Successors of Samurai

7.5

Although sumo is a cherished part of Japanese culture, few have managed to get a behind-the-scenes look at the sport. Director Eiji SAKATA had the opportunity to spend six months in close contact with two sumo stables.…

Three Outlaw Samurai

7.5

Shiba, a wandering ronin, encounters a band of peasants who have kidnapped the daughter of their dictatorial magistrate in hopes of coercing from him a reduction in taxes. Shiba takes up their fight, joined by two…

Shinoda Masahiro

Shinoda attended Waseda University, where he studied theater and also participated in the Hakone Ekiden long distance race. He joined the Shōchiku Studio in 1953 as an assistant director, where he worked on films by such directors as Yasujirō Ozu. He debuted as a director in 1960 with One-Way Ticket…

Ohkochi Denjiro

Ohkochi entered Shinkokugeki, training under Sawada Shojiro. Shinkokugeki was known for jidaigeki, the period drama genre, particularly for its realistic sword fights (tate) or swordplay (kengeki). With this background, Ohkochi entered the Nikkatsu studio in 1925 and soon came to fame in chanbara (sword-fighting)…

Ito Minoru

Frequent supporting actor across a number of genres, usually in minor roles. In special effects films he appears most frequently as a reporter. He had slightly more prominent roles in television, appearing in episodes of Ultra Q, Ultraman, and Ultra Seven. In 1952 (Showa 27), he signed an exclusive…

Hayasaka Fumio

Hayasaka Fumio is a Japanese composer born in the city of Sendai on the main Japanese island of Honshū. In 1918, Hayasaka and his family moved to Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaidō. In 1933, Hayasaka and Akira Ifukube organized the New Music League, which held a new music festival the year…

Tsushima Toshiaki

Tsushima Toshiaki was a Japanese composer born in Okayama, Japan. He graduated from Ehime Prefectural Imabari Technical High School, Electrical Engineering Department. He moved to Tokyo and attempted to enter the Tokyo Institute of Technology, but was unsuccessful. Instead, he enrolled in the Music…

Masuda Kiiton

Masuda Kiiton, born Kimura Hajime (木村一) in Aoyanagi, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan, was a Japanese actor and comedian, also known by the name Masuda Kiiton (益田キートン). His family, originally samurai from the Aizu domain, relocated to Hakodate after losing a battle in Niigata. They initially…

Mitsutake Kurando

Originally from Tokyo, Japan. Graduated with an MFA from California Institute of the Arts. A member of the Directors Guild of Japan and Screen Actors Guild. Mitsutake made his feature film directorial debut with MONSTERS DON’T GET TO CRY in 2004. In 2008, Mitsutake produced, wrote, and directed his…

Ichikawa Utaemon

Ichikawa Utaemon was a Japanese film actor famous for starring roles in jidaigeki from the 1920s to the 1960s. Trained in kabuki from childhood, he made his film debut in 1925 at Makino Film Productions under Makino Shozo. Quickly gaining popularity, he followed the example of Makino stars such as Bando…

Hirayama Hideyuki

Hirayama has sustained parallel careers as a proficient craftsman of big-budget commercial entertainments and as an artist realizing small-scale, offbeat, and imaginative projects. After a long freelance apprenticeship to such directors as Jūzō Itami and Kichitarō Negishi, he made his debut, a comic…

Fujiwara Kamatari

Fujiwara got his start in the Asakusa Opera Company at the age of 15 and continued pursuing music until the Great Kanto Earthquake. He transitioned into theater, performing in comedy with fellow actor Enomoto Kenichi. Fujiwara began appearing in comedies for PCL in the 30s; after the merger with Toho,…