SAMURAI movies to see
by argoentertainment | created - 06 Jan 2015 | updated - 2 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Great Killing (1964)
Not Rated | 118 min | Action, Drama
A Shogunate Elder connives to rule Japan by making his puppet, the Shogun's brother Tsunashige, the next Shogun. The best strategist in Japan, Yamaga, leads a plot to stop the Elder, but ... See full summary »
Director: Eiichi Kudô | Stars: Takayuki Akutagawa, Kôtarô Satomi, Chôichirô Kawarasaki, Mikijirô Hira
Votes: 395
2. After the Rain (1999)
91 min | Drama
During a downpour, a generous ronin and his supporting wife are stranded at a country inn. The ronin comes to the attention of a lord who wants to hire him as an instructor for his men, who treat the ronin with disrespect.
Director: Takashi Koizumi | Stars: Akira Terao, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Shirô Mifune, Fumi Dan
Votes: 4,464
3. I Want To (1979)
85 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A squadron of Japanese Self-Defense Force soldiers find themselves transported through time to their country's warring states era, when rival samurai clans were battling to become the ... See full summary »
Director: Kôsei Saitô | Stars: Shin'ichi Chiba, Jun Etô, Moeko Ezawa, Ryô Hayami
Votes: 1,120
4. Chushingura (1962)
207 min | Action, Drama, History
After their lord is tricked into committing ritual suicide, forty-seven samurai warriors await the chance to avenge their master and reclaim their honor.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Yûzô Kayama, Chûsha Ichikawa, Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Mihashi
Votes: 2,239
5. Samurai Fiction (1998)
111 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A noble young samurai searches for a thief who has stolen a precious treasure and killed one of his clansmen and meets an older samurai who tries to deter him from the violence of revenge.
Director: Hiroyuki Nakano | Stars: Morio Kazama, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tomoyasu Hotei, Tamaki Ogawa
Votes: 2,760
6. Sword of the Stranger (2007)
Not Rated | 103 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A swordsman from a strange land is caught in a struggle between morality, righteousness, and devotion as he reluctantly agrees to take a raggedy boy and his dog to a remote, Buddhist temple.
Director: Masahiro Andô | Stars: Tomoya Nagase, Yuri Chinen, Kôichi Yamadera, Akio Ôtsuka
Votes: 18,309
7. Taboo (1999)
Unrated | 100 min | Drama, History, Thriller
The new member of a samurai militia unit causes disruption as several of his colleagues fall in love with him, threatening to disturb the rigid code of their squad.
Director: Nagisa Ôshima | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Ryûhei Matsuda, Shinji Takeda, Tadanobu Asano
Votes: 8,076 | Gross: $0.05M
8. Red Beard (1965)
Not Rated | 185 min | Drama
In 19th-century Japan, a rough-tempered yet charitable town doctor trains a young intern.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yûzô Kayama, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Reiko Dan
Votes: 21,110
9. The Twilight Samurai (2002)
129 min | Drama, Romance
As the feudal Japan era draws to a close, a widower samurai experiences difficulty balancing clan loyalties, 2 young daughters, an aged mother, and the sudden reappearance of his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 25,517
10. Love and Honor (2006)
PG-13 | 122 min | Drama, History, Romance
A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai (Kimura) and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Takuya Kimura, Rei Dan, Mitsugorô Bandô, Takashi Sasano
Votes: 4,285 | Gross: $0.02M
11. Sword of Desperation (2010)
114 min | Action, History
A talented but troubled Edo Period swordsman, Kanemi Sanzaemon. Three years earlier, Kanemi killed a woman, Renko, the corrupt mistress of the powerful daimyo Tabu Ukyou. Unexpectedly, ... See full summary »
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama | Stars: Etsushi Toyokawa, Chizuru Ikewaki, Kôji Kikkawa, Tsumami Edamame
Votes: 851
12. Revenge (1964)
Not Rated | 104 min | Action, Drama
After killing a high-ranking officer in an illegal duel, a low-ranking samurai is declared insane and challenged to a fixed duel by the vengeful clan to which his dead opponent belonged to.
Director: Tadashi Imai | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Tetsurô Tanba, Yoshiko Mita, Takahiro Tamura
Votes: 519
13. Hitokiri (1969)
140 min | Action, Biography, Drama
A destitute ronin allies himself with an established clan, but its ruthless leader tries to turn him into a mindless killer.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yukio Mishima, Yûjirô Ishihara
Votes: 1,228
14. The 47 Ronin (1941)
241 min | Drama, History
The legendary Forty-seven ronin plot to avenge the death of their lord, Asano Naganori, by killing Kira Yoshinaka, a shogunate official responsible for Asano being forced to commit seppuku.
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi | Stars: Chôjûrô Kawarasaki, Yoshizaburo Arashi, Utaemon Ichikawa, Kan'emon Nakamura
Votes: 2,675
15. Tattooed Life (1965)
87 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After his own gang sets him up to kill a rival mobster, a hit man is forced to flee with his younger brother.
Director: Seijun Suzuki | Stars: Hideki Takahashi, Masako Izumi, Hiroko Itô, Kayo Matsuo
Votes: 1,044
16. Shogun Assassin (1980)
R | 85 min | Action, Adventure
When the wife of the Shogun's Decapitator is murdered and he is ordered to commit suicide by the paranoid Shogun, he and his four-year-old son escape and become assassins for hire, embarking on a journey of blood and violent death.
Directors: Robert Houston, Kenji Misumi | Stars: Tomisaburô Wakayama, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ôki, Shôgen Nitta
Votes: 11,244
17. Yagyu Clan Conspiracy (1978)
130 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
After the Tokugawa shogun's death by poisoning, his sons Iemitsu and Tadanaga compete for the shogunate, dividing the land into warring factions. Iemitsu's mentor, betrays all to secure Iemitsu's power, leading to widespread conflict.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Shin'ichi Chiba, Hiroki Matsukata, Teruhiko Saigô
Votes: 1,668
18. Miyamoto Musashi IV: Duel at Ichijyo-ji Temple (1964)
Not Rated | 128 min | Action, Drama
In the fourth installment, Musashi's potentially greatest opponent Kojiro jumps in and out of the story at the oddest and most coincidental moments. As his great love Otsu has succumbed to ... See full summary »
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Wakaba Irie, Isao Kimura, Chieko Naniwa
Votes: 206
19. The Loyal 47 Ronin (1958)
Not Rated | 166 min | Drama
Japan's timeless tale of honor and revenge, the Loyal 47 Ronin is the true story of group of samurai who became ronin (masterless samurai) after their Lord was forced to commit seppuku (... See full summary »
Director: Kunio Watanabe | Stars: Kazuo Hasegawa, Shintarô Katsu, Kôji Tsuruta, Raizô Ichikawa
Votes: 341
20. Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)
Not Rated | 108 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Young assassins Azumi and Nagara continue their mission to prevent a civil war. In their hunt for Masayuki Sanada, who is protected by both an army and a dangerous clan, they meet Ginkaku, ... See full summary »
Director: Shûsuke Kaneko | Stars: Aya Ueto, Yûma Ishigaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Shun Oguri
Votes: 5,715
21. Illusion of Blood (1965)
105 min | Fantasy, Horror
A samurai warrior is haunted by the spirit of his first wife.
Director: Shirô Toyoda | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Mariko Okada, Junko Ikeuchi, Mayumi Ôzora
Votes: 321
22. Shinsengumi shimatsuki (1963)
93 min | Action, Drama
As change sweep Japan, an honest man joins the Shinsengumi out of respect for their leader and because he wants to live and die as a samurai. However, as his involvement goes, reality and idealism come into deadly conflict.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Shiho Fujimura, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Shigeru Amachi
Votes: 209
23. Satan's Sword (1960)
106 min | Action, Drama
The story follows the life of Ryunosuke Tsukue, an amoral samurai and a master swordsman with an unorthodox style.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Kôjirô Hongô, Tamao Nakamura, Fujiko Yamamoto
Votes: 277
24. Satan's Sword II (1960)
90 min | Drama, Action
Ryunosuke awakens in the forest having no more idea what happened that previous night, as he'd been drunk & hallucinatory. He is surrounded by corpses & can surmise it's his own handiwork.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Kôjirô Hongô, Tamao Nakamura, Fujiko Yamamoto
Votes: 188
25. The Last Samurai (1974)
159 min | Action, Drama
Toranosuke Sugi, a brave and loyal Samurai, fights to practice and preserve his master's teachings amid a civil war. With friends on both side will he cave to temptation, or stand on principle and for freedom?
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Hideki Takahashi, Ken Ogata, Takahiro Tamura, Teruhiko Saigô
Votes: 393
26. Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Adventure (1964)
Not Rated | 83 min | Action, Drama
The orphan swordsman wanders into a town and stumbles upon the opportunity to do righteous deeds. He finds a larger plot is afoot with a corrupt court system, a well meaning public servant and lots of danger for all involved.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Kôichi Aihara, San'emon Arashi, Shinjirô Asano
Votes: 295
27. Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Fire (1965)
83 min | Action, Drama
This film of the sleepy-eyed ronin series has the red-haired swordsman on his way to the city of Edo when he comes across the scene of a woman in the midst of a knife fight with a man. When... See full summary »
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Tamao Nakamura, Michiko Sugata, Sanae Nakahara
Votes: 187
28. Devil's Temple (1969)
76 min | Drama
An abandoned temple in the mountains outside of the old capital city of Kyoto is the scene of a fated meeting between a traveling priest, two women, and a vicious killer.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Hideko Takamine, Michiyo Aratama, Kei Satô
Votes: 173
29. Satan's Sword 3: The Final Chapter (1961)
100 min | Action, Drama
Disguised as a beggar monk, Ryunosuke's harrassed along the road by the rowdy members of a country dojo or fencing school malingering outside their fencing hall.
Director: Kazuo Mori | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Tamao Nakamura, Katsuhiko Kobayashi, Kôjirô Hongô
Votes: 166
30. Sleepy Eyes of Death: The Chinese Jade (1963)
Not Rated | 82 min | Action, Drama
Nemuri Kyoshiro, a youthful and cynical ronin with unparalleled skill, is approached by both sides in a game of corruption, ambition, and double crosses. The leader of the Kaga clan, who ... See full summary »
Director: Tokuzô Tanaka | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Tamao Nakamura, Shinobu Araki, Saburô Date
Votes: 312
31. Sleepy Eyes of Death: Hell Is a Woman (1968)
82 min | Action, Drama
Two devious retainers are competing to take control of a fief when the current Lord dies, but involving Kyoshiro in the conflict against his will is a bad idea.
Director: Tokuzô Tanaka | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Miwa Takada, Yaeko Mizutani, Takahiro Tamura
Votes: 137
32. Sleepy Eyes of Death: A Trail of Traps (1967)
88 min | Action, Drama
This film of the sleepy-eyed ronin series has the hero talked into escorting a precious religious artifact to Kyoto, Japan. A sect of Christian swordsmen are lying in wait to steal the ... See full summary »
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Nobuo Kaneko, Toshio Kimura, Haruko Wanibuchi
Votes: 146
33. Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Satan (1965)
75 min | Action, Drama
Tsurumatsu, a young boy, is supposed to be a new Lord but he's not really interested, he would rather be a carpenter. So he gets kidnapped and it's up to Nemuri Kyoshiro to save him.
Director: Kimiyoshi Yasuda | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Michiko Saga, Machiko Hasegawa, Masako Aboshi
Votes: 157
34. Sleepy Eyes of Death: The Mask of the Princess (1966)
85 min | Action, Drama
Princess Kiku, Shogun's daughter, wants revenge on Nemuri Kyoshiro for embarrassing her.
Director: Akira Inoue | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Yaeko Mizutani, Ichirô Nakatani, Keiko Kayama
Votes: 148
35. Sleepy Eyes of Death: Sword of Villainy (1966)
79 min | Action, Drama
The hero avenges a band of samurai whose master was unceremoniously assassinated for seeking justice and better conditions for the citizens. The city shall burn for the elite's greed.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Shigeru Amachi, Shiho Fujimura, Kentarô Kudô
Votes: 147
36. Sleepy Eyes of Death: In the Spider's Lair (1968)
81 min | Action, Drama
Our anti-hero discovers locals who are oppressed, held captive against their will. For the swordsman to succeed, he first must wade through traps and assassins, and a few seductive maidens.
Director: Kimiyoshi Yasuda | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Mako Midori, Maka Sarijo, Yûsuke Kawazu
Votes: 128
37. Sleepy Eyes of Death: Castle Menagerie (1969)
82 min | Action, Drama
Just when you think Kyoshiro's life can't get any stranger, someone starts running around raping and murdering, and leaving notes proudly proclaiming that he did it. Tracking down the real ... See full summary »
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Naoko Kubo, Shiho Fujimura, Shinjirô Ebara
Votes: 136
38. Bushido (1963)
122 min | Action, Drama
After a salary-man's fiancée attempts suicide, he remembers his gruesome family history, which sees his ancestors sacrificing themselves for the sake of their cruel lords, and realizes that he's about to repeat their mistakes.
Director: Tadashi Imai | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Eijirô Tôno, Kyôko Kishida, Masayuki Mori
Votes: 506
39. Ugetsu (1953)
Not Rated | 96 min | Drama, Fantasy, War
A tale of ambition, family, love, and war set in the midst of the Japanese Civil Wars of the sixteenth century.
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi | Stars: Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyô, Kinuyo Tanaka, Mitsuko Mito
Votes: 25,825 | Gross: $0.01M
40. Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
Not Rated | 124 min | Drama
In medieval Japan, a compassionate governor is sent into exile. His wife and children try to join him, but are separated, and the children grow up amid suffering and oppression.
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi | Stars: Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyôko Kagawa, Eitarô Shindô
Votes: 18,238
41. A Story from Chikamatsu (1954)
Not Rated | 102 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
Ishun is a wealthy but unsympathetic master printer who has wrongly accused his wife and best employee of being lovers. To escape punishment, the accused run away together, but Ishun is certain to be ruined if word gets out.
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi | Stars: Kazuo Hasegawa, Kyôko Kagawa, Eitarô Shindô, Eitarô Ozawa
Votes: 4,949
42. I Went To (2000)
111 min | Action, Crime
New magistrate cleans up a corrupt town in his own comic Samurai way.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Koji Yakusho, Yûko Asano, Tsurutarô Kataoka, Ryûdô Uzaki
Votes: 565
43. Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji (1955)
Not Rated | 94 min | Adventure, Drama
A samurai travels to Edo with his two servants. On their way, they meet many people and encounter great injustice.
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Chiezô Kataoka, Ryûnosuke Tsukigata, Chizuru Kitagawa, Yuriko Tashiro
Votes: 956
44. Yôtô monogatari: hana no Yoshiwara hyakunin-giri (1960)
109 min | Action, Fantasy
A successful textile industrialist from the provinces, beloved by his employees for his kindness, cannot find a wife because of a disfiguring birthmark on his face. Even the courtesans in ... See full summary »
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Chiezô Kataoka, Yaeko Mizutani, Isao Kimura, Akiko Santô
Votes: 315
45. Miyamoto Musashi III: Birth of the Nito-ryu Style (1963)
Not Rated | 104 min | Drama
In the third installment of Yoshikawa's novel Musashi, things continue from the 2nd film at the end of battle, where Miyamoto continues on a mission of learning; with the introduction of ... See full summary »
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Wakaba Irie, Isao Kimura, Chieko Naniwa
Votes: 182
46. Miyamoto Musashi V: Duel at Ganryu Island (1965)
Not Rated | 121 min | Action, Drama
The fifth and final installment with the build up of the epic battle between Sasaki Kojiro and Miyamoto Musashi. With all the familiar characters making appearances: Otsu (Musashi's great ... See full summary »
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Ken Takakura, Wakaba Irie, Chieko Naniwa
Votes: 182
47. Miyamoto Musashi (1961)
Not Rated | 110 min | Action, Drama, History
The film begins when the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi is still named Shinmen Takezo. After being on the losing side of the Battle of Sekigahara, Takezo and his friend manage to escape and come across a young woman and her mother.
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Akiko Kazami, Wakaba Irie, Isao Kimura
Votes: 279
48. Miyamoto Musashi II: Duel at Hannya Hill (1962)
Not Rated | 107 min | Drama
The remake of Yoshikawa's novel continues with the second installment in which Takezo, soon to be Miyamoto Musashi, emerges from the Himeji Castle after three years of intense contemplation... See full summary »
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Wakaba Irie, Isao Kimura, Chieko Naniwa
Votes: 202
49. Miyamoto Musashi VI (1971)
Not Rated | 75 min | Action, Drama
In the retelling of the story of the legendary Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, the story takes the wanderer into a conflict with a chain and sickle wielding adversary who cannot be ... See full summary »
Director: Tomu Uchida | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Rentarô Mikuni, Teruo Matsuyama, Hideko Okiyama
Votes: 107
50. Shinobi No Mono 2: Vengeance (1963)
Not Rated | 93 min | Action, Drama
Confident that he has destroyed the Iga Ninja, the evil Oda Nobunaga continues his quest to conquer Japan. Meanwhile, Ishikawa Goemon (Ichikawa Raizo) has settled down with his wife and ... See full summary »
Director: Satsuo Yamamoto | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Sô Yamamura, Shiho Fujimura, Mikiko Tsubouchi
Votes: 369
51. Shinobi No Mono 4: Siege (1964)
Not Rated | 87 min | Drama
Tokugawa Ieyasu is the ruler of all Japan. But one last loose thread must be tied up before his domination is complete -- the destruction of the Toyotomi clan, now beseiged in Osaka castle.... See full summary »
Director: Tokuzô Tanaka | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Saburô Date, Midori Isomura, Ganjirô Nakamura
Votes: 233
52. Wicked Priest (1968)
90 min | Crime
During the Taisho Period (early 1920's) a monastery of warrior monks was split apart between two factions. One of these factions was led by the Chief Abbot and his protégé Shinkai. When ... See full summary »
Director: Kiyoshi Saeki | Stars: Tomisaburô Wakayama, Kenjirô Ishiyama, Tsu Ishiyama, Hôsei Komatsu
Votes: 96
53. Yôen dokufu-den: Han'nya no Ohyaku (1968)
90 min | Action, Adventure
A female acrobat and a thief plans to steal the gold from the mint. The evil manager have his own plans.
Director: Yoshihiro Ishikawa | Stars: Junko Miyazono, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Kunio Murai, Hôsei Komatsu
Votes: 280
54. Big Time Gambling Boss (1968)
95 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Tokyo, 1934. The boss of the clan that controls gambling agonizes and some of his followers propose to Nakai to take his place, but he refuses the offer and suggests they choose Matsuda, who is in prison.
Director: Kôsaku Yamashita | Stars: Kôji Tsuruta, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Hiroshi Nawa, Nobuo Kaneko
Votes: 360
55. Hibotan bakuto: Oinochi itadaki masu (1971)
93 min | Crime, Drama
Oryu meets villagers whose crops and livelihoods are being damaged by air pollution from a local factory.
Director: Tai Katô | Stars: Sumiko Fuji, Kôji Tsuruta, Katsutoshi Akiyama, Kanjûrô Arashi
Votes: 90
56. Destiny's Son (1962)
71 min | Action, Drama
A samurai seeks revenge and redemption after his family is executed by a rival clan.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Shiho Fujimura, Mayumi Nagisa, Masayo Banri
Votes: 524
57. Quick-draw Okatsu (1969)
89 min | Action, Crime
An innocent man gets killed for the debt accumulated by his gambler son. This sets Okatsu, a master with the sword and an adopted daughter of the victim, on a path of revenge.
Director: Nobuo Nakagawa | Stars: Junko Miyazono, Reiko Ônobuta, Kô Nishimura, Kenji Imai
Votes: 218
58. Yôen dokufu-den: Okatsu kyôjô tabi (1969)
84 min | Action, Adventure
Miyazono again plays a character named Okatsu in the final installment, Okatsu the Fugitive (1969), as the devoted daughter of parents who are put to death for refusing to release a document that could send a venal merchant to prison.
Director: Nobuo Nakagawa | Stars: Junko Miyazono, Reiko Ônobuta, Tôru Abe, Tatsuo Umemiya
Votes: 151
59. Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor (1969)
122 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Feudal Japan. Kamo Serizawa and Isami Kondo turn a collection of student fencers into a band of assassins known as the Shinsen Group, devoted to the Tokugawa shogunate and to an elegant ... See full summary »
Director: Tadashi Sawashima | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Kin'ya Kitaôji, Rentarô Mikuni
Votes: 466
60. The Fall of Ako Castle (1978)
159 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
This is the story of "The Forty-Seven Ronin." Based on historical events in 1701-2, the movie tells the tale of the Asano clan's downfall and the revenge of its former samurai on the perpetrator of the catastrophe.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Shin'ichi Chiba, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Tsunehiko Watase, Masaomi Kondô
Votes: 592
61. Gate of Hell (1953)
Not Rated | 89 min | Drama, History
A samurai pursues a married lady-in-waiting.
Director: Teinosuke Kinugasa | Stars: Machiko Kyô, Kazuo Hasegawa, Isao Yamagata, Yatarô Kurokawa
Votes: 4,280
62. Ninja, a Band of Assassins (1962)
Not Rated | 104 min | Action, Drama
A young ninja becomes embroiled in a plot to kill a tyrannical warlord. He journeys across feudal Japan, facing deceit, betrayal, and enemy ninja at every turn. Goemon must complete his mission, regain his honor, and survive.
Director: Satsuo Yamamoto | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Shiho Fujimura, Yûnosuke Itô, Katsuhiko Kobayashi
Votes: 936
63. Ninja Warriors (1980)
R | 117 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the middle of the 16th century, Hideyoshi, a power hungry warlord sets out to destroy the Momochi clan. He sends his war commander in search of the clan's hidden gold only to find that ... See full summary »
Director: Norifumi Suzuki | Stars: Shin'ichi Chiba, Hiroyuki Sanada, Etsuko Shihomi, Yuki Ninagawa
Votes: 772
64. Samurai Banners (1969)
165 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A shrewd 16th Century samurai helps a daimyo expand his realm.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yoshiko Sakuma, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Yûjirô Ishihara
Votes: 819
65. Yagyû bugeichô (1957)
106 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the Tokugawa Era, the clan of Lord Yagyu has hidden away three scrolls containing clan secrets which, if revealed, would cause revolution and disaster for the clan. The information is ... See full summary »
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yoshiko Kuga, Kyôko Kagawa, Mariko Okada
Votes: 155
66. Yagyû bugeichô: Sôryû hiken (1958)
105 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the Tokugawa Era, the clan of Lord Yagyu has hidden away three scrolls containing clan secrets which, if revealed, would cause revolution and disaster for the clan. The information is ... See full summary »
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Kôji Tsuruta, Toshirô Mifune, Nobuko Otowa, Yoshiko Kuga
Votes: 108
67. The Rickshaw Man (1958)
103 min | Drama
A poor rickshaw driver finds himself helping a young woman and her son after the woman's husband dies suddenly.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Hideko Takamine, Hiroshi Akutagawa, Chishû Ryû
Votes: 1,173
68. Shikonmado - Dai tatsumaki (1964)
108 min | Action, Adventure, History
After defeat at the Siege of Osaka several survivors attempt to deliver a young prince to safety.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Kôshirô Matsumoto, Yôsuke Natsuki, Makoto Satô, Yuriko Hoshi
Votes: 161
69. Rise Against the Sword (1966)
101 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
During the Age of Warring States in feudal Japan, Kaga's Seven Clans of peasants unite to rebel against the local samurai warlords who oppress them.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Nobuko Otowa, Makoto Satô, Ryô Tamura
Votes: 149
70. Kanketsu Sasaki Kojirô: Ganryû-jima kettô (1951)
98 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Master swordsman Kojiro Sasaki is not content with the knowledge of his own power and constantly seeks to impress it upon others. Another great samurai swordsman, Musashi Miyamoto, has ... See full summary »
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Tomoemon Otani, Toshirô Mifune, Hisako Yamane, Shin Tokudaiji
Votes: 57
71. Jû nana-ri no ninja (1963)
99 min | Action
In a time where highly skilled ninja organizations carry out secret missions, Iga Jigoza's group of seventeen ninja must find a way to infiltrate the enemy's stronghold and steal the pact from Negoro ninja Saiga Magokuro. A classic.
Director: Yasuto Hasegawa | Stars: Kôtarô Satomi, Jûshirô Konoe, Yuriko Mishima, Ryûtarô Ôtomo
Votes: 81
72. Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2 (1968)
Not Rated | 97 min | Crime
YAKUZA GANGSTER THRILLER
Director: Keiichi Ozawa | Stars: Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Ryôhei Uchida, Junko Maya
Votes: 209
73. Ninja hichô: Fukurô no shiro (1963)
91 min | Action, Drama
This is a classic early Japanese Ninja movie. The Iga ninjas are a dying breed as Toyotomis rule allows Japan to experience some peace. Juzo, an Iga ninja who had vowed revenge for the ... See full synopsis »
Director: Eiichi Kudô | Stars: Ryûtarô Ôtomo, Minoru Ôki, Hizuru Takachiho, Chiyoko Honma
Votes: 333
74. Meiji kyokyakuden - sandaime shumei (1965)
90 min | Action, Crime
A tale set in the late Meiji era - circa 1880s-1890 as opposed to the early Meiji which began in the 1860s.
Director: Tai Katô | Stars: Kôji Tsuruta, Sumiko Fuji, Tetsurô Tanba, Tôru Abe
Votes: 104
75. Nippon no akuryo (1970)
90 min | Crime, Drama
Murase is a bodyguard in a yakuza group. Ochiai is a police officer who once was a student activist. When they meet, they are surprised how identical they look. They decide to trade places with each other.
Director: Kazuo Kuroki | Stars: Yôsuke Enomoto, Tatsumi Hijikata, Eiko Horii, Hideo Kanze
Votes: 113
76. Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)
TV-MA | 134 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A former assassin who has resolved to never kill again has his vow sorely tested.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei, Yû Aoi, Munetaka Aoki
Votes: 29,021
77. Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983)
133 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Princess Shizu was born under a terrible curse. Only the eight legendary samurai, hailing from across Japan, can protect her from an ancient supernatural clan to fulfill their destinies as foretold by prophecy.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Hiroko Yakushimaru, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shin'ichi Chiba, Etsuko Shihomi
Votes: 1,311
78. Irezumi (1966)
86 min | Drama
A seductive woman gets kidnapped into prostitution. After getting a spider tattoo made on her back, she grows vengeful, leaving several men in her path.
Director: Yasuzô Masumura | Stars: Ayako Wakao, Akio Hasegawa, Gaku Yamamoto, Kei Satô
Votes: 1,349
79. Wandering Ginza Butterfly (1972)
86 min | Action, Drama
Nami is an ex-convict who becomes a hostess to support a sick woman who bailed her out. In doing so, she gets involved in a local gangster's scheme to take over the bar she works for.
Director: Kazuhiko Yamaguchi | Stars: Meiko Kaji, Tatsuo Umemiya, Tsunehiko Watase, Akiko Koyama
Votes: 321
80. Kage gari: Hoero taihô (1972)
89 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The second live-action film about the adventures of three ronin: Jubei, Sunlight, and Moonlight, who dedicate their lives to hunt down "shadows", the ninja spies of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Director: Toshio Masuda | Stars: Yûjirô Ishihara, Ryôhei Uchida, Mikio Narita, Tetsurô Tanba
Votes: 98
81. Slaughter in the Snow (1973)
Unrated | 83 min | Action
In feudal Japan, women are vulnerable, in need of protection, and capable of deception. Jokichi of Mikogami, a drifter, has not yet fully revenged the death of his wife and son. He searches... See full summary »
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro | Stars: Hajime Araki, Kai Atô, Takamori Gen, Yoshio Harada
Votes: 122
82. Demons (1971)
134 min | Drama, Horror
After being robbed by a geisha, a ronin warrior carves a bloody path to seek revenge.
Director: Toshio Matsumoto | Stars: Katsuo Nakamura, Jûrô Kara, Yasuko Sanjo, Masao Imafuku
Votes: 2,862
83. Samurai Saga (1959)
111 min | Action, Drama, Romance
Japanese version of 'Cyrano de Bergerac', a poet/swordsman with a huge nose who loves a woman who loves another. Ignoring his true feelings, he helps them get together.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yôko Tsukasa, Akira Takarada, Keiko Awaji
Votes: 448
84. At River's Edge (2011)
104 min | Drama
Set in the fictional Unasaka domain, the story involves a samurai who's obligated to follow an order that could destroy his relationship with his own younger sister.
Director: Tetsuo Shinohara | Stars: Noriyuki Higashiyama, Rinko Kikuchi, Mai Aso, Toshiki Ayata
Votes: 125
85. Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part I - The Final (2021)
TV-MA | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Kenshin's past catches up to him causing the destruction of Akabeko Restaurant, which was Kenshin's favorite place to eat. There, he finds a note with the word "Junchu" on it.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Mackenyu, Emi Takei, Yôsuke Eguchi
Votes: 10,676
86. Hitori okami (1968)
84 min | Action, Drama
Isazo is a traveling gambler and living legend in the world of Yakuza, known for his swordsmanship and bravery, his impeccable manners, and his brilliant talent in gambling.
Director: Kazuo Ikehiro | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Mayumi Ogawa, Kaneko Iwasaki, Isamu Nagato
Votes: 122
87. 47 Ronin (1994)
132 min | Action, Drama
A group of disgraced samurai plan a decade long revenge against a corrupt lord.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Ken Takakura, Kiichi Nakai, Rie Miyazawa, Kôichi Iwaki
Votes: 559
88. The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959)
76 min | Horror
The ghost of a samurai's wife takes revenge on her husband.
Director: Nobuo Nakagawa | Stars: Shigeru Amachi, Noriko Kitazawa, Katsuko Wakasugi, Shuntarô Emi
Votes: 1,818
89. Kibakichi: Bakko-yokaiden (2004)
R | 97 min | Action, Fantasy, Horror
A werewolf samurai walks the countryside, finding himself in the middle of a village of monsters who feed on human flesh.
Director: Tomoo Haraguchi | Stars: Ryûji Harada, Miki Tanaka, Mubu Nakayama, Masaki Katô
Votes: 503
90. The Hidden Blade (2004)
R | 132 min | Drama, History, Romance
A 19th Century samurai, held in low esteem due to an action by his late father, must resolve his history with a maid and with his close friend.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yukiyoshi Ozawa
Votes: 7,202 | Gross: $0.04M
91. Rurôni Kenshin: Sai shûshô - The Beginning (2021)
TV-MA | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Before becoming a protector, Kenshin is a fearsome assassin known as Battosai, but his story changes when he meets the gentle Tomoe Yukishiro.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Kasumi Arimura, Yôsuke Eguchi, Kazuki Kitamura
Votes: 10,802
92. Kage gari (1972)
90 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
In the late Tokugawa period, the Edo government is using Spies from Iga Province to cause the downfall of innocent provincial Daimyo. The Shogun needs to claim the assets of fallen clans in order to boost the failing economies of Edo.
Director: Toshio Masuda | Stars: Yûjirô Ishihara, Ruriko Asaoka, Ryôhei Uchida, Mikio Narita
Votes: 143
93. The Third Ninja (1964)
96 min
Kai Provence, 1572, the Warring States period, Takeda Shingen wants Oda Nobunaga's head. Nobunaga's Iga spies want the head of Takeda's most notorious spy, Chidoken.
Director: Toshikazu Kôno | Stars: Kôtarô Satomi, Kôji Nanbara, Tôru Abe, Mikijirô Hira
Votes: 29
94. Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai (2021)
148 min | Action, Drama, History
Set in the 19th century, "Moeyo Ken" follows the life of Toshizo Hijikata. He was the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi and fought against the Meiji Restoration.
Director: Masato Harada | Stars: Jun'ichi Okada, Kô Shibasaki, Ryohei Suzuki, Ryôsuke Yamada
Votes: 275
95. Unforgiven (2013)
R | 135 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Japanese-Korean filmmaker Sang-il Lee (Villain) has decided to reinterpret Eastwood's Oscar®-winning Unforgiven as a Japanese period film.
Director: Sang-il Lee | Stars: Ken Watanabe, Shioli Kutsuna, Jun Kunimura, Yûya Yagira
Votes: 2,794
96. Uzumasa Limelight (2014)
Not Rated | 104 min | Action, Drama
Seizo Fukumoto has reportedly died 50,000 times in a career that has spanned half a century. His work catches the eye of Satsuki, who requests that he mentor her into becoming as good a fighter as he.
Director: Ken Ochiai | Stars: Seizô Fukumoto, Chihiro Yamamoto, Masashi Gôda, Hirotarô Honda
Votes: 917
97. Samurai's Promise (2018)
111 min | Action, History, Romance
Driven away by a corruption scandal, a samurai returns years later, causing consternation among both the guilty and the innocent.
Director: Daisaku Kimura | Stars: Jun'ichi Okada, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Haru Kuroki, Sôsuke Ikematsu
Votes: 243
98. Inn of Evil (1971)
121 min | Crime, Drama
The story takes place in feudal Japan, when any commerce with the rest of the world was strictly prohibited. An idealist suddenly appears in an isolated inn (the one that the title refers ... See full summary »
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Komaki Kurihara, Wakako Sakai, Kan'emon Nakamura
Votes: 2,062
99. Shadow Warriors (1980)
133 min | Action
Upon the death of the third Shogun, his heir is kidnapped by a ninja group. Consequently, Hattori Hanzo fights the evil forces that threaten to destroy the nation.
Director: Eiichi Kudô | Stars: Teruhiko Saigô, Tsunehiko Watase, Sô Yamamura, Yoichi Miura
Votes: 169
100. Daimajin (1966)
Unrated | 84 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A giant stone statue comes to life to protect the residents of a small town against the depradations of an evil warlord.
Director: Kimiyoshi Yasuda | Stars: Miwa Takada, Yoshihiko Aoyama, Jun Fujimaki, Ryûtarô Gomi
Votes: 1,892
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