Kozure Ôkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma (1972)

Director:

Kenji Misumi

Writers:

Kazuo Koike (story) and
Goseki Kojima (story) ...

Release Date:

June 1972 (Japan)

Genre:

Action

Plot:

In the second film of the Lone Wolf and Cub series, Ogami Itto battles a group of female ninja in the...

Plot Keywords:

Good Versus Evil | Violence | Martial Arts | Sequel | Radish

Cast

Tomisaburo Wakayama	...	Ogami Itto
Kayo Matsuo	...	Yagyu Sayaka
Akiji Kobayashi	...	Benma Hidari, Master of Death #1
Minoru Ohki	...	Tenma Hidari, Master of Death #2
Shin Kishida	...	Kuruma Hidari, Master of Death #3
Shogen Nitta	...	Sayaka Assasin
Kanji Ehata	...	Sayaka Assasin (as Kanji Ebata)
Katsuhei Matsumoto
Akihiro Tomikawa	...	Daigoro
Izumi Ayukawa	...	Ozunu
Kôji Kobayashi	...	Narrator
Maki Mizuhara	...	Hirano Ichirobel
Ima Masaki	...	Ninja
Reiko Kasahara	...	Azani
Yuriko Nishima

Also Known As:

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (USA)
Lone Wolf and Cub: Perambulator of the River of Sanzu (literal English title)
Sword of Vengeance, Part II

Runtime:

USA:81 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18 | Australia:MA

Quotes:

Ogami Itto: You Yagyu's tactics are despicable!

Movie Connections:

Features Kozure ôkami: Ko wo kashi ude kashi tsukamatsuru (1972)

Best of the series.

I love the entire 6 part series, but this one is my personal favorite with it's grand collection of action, emotion and gory dismemberment.

Time has passed since the Yagyu clan framed Ogami Itto as a traitor and murdered his wife, but the wandering assassin is as determined as ever. The Yagyu clan is active as well in seeking to eliminate the former Shogun executioner; they enlist the aid of one of the clans sects, the Asuki Yagyu women, to kill Itto and his son. At the same time, Ogami has just accepted a job to assassinate dye maker.

Arguably the bloodiest of the series, but also the most methodical. Story elements are presented in slow, stiff dialogue exchanges, only to be off-set by quick, bloody bursts of violence. Much of the film is silent as well, there is very little talking for the whole picture. Once swords are drawn, however, the movie becomes a whole other beast entirely; the action is fast, it's gory, and it's ever so fun to watch.

Story wise, this one doesn't do much for the overlapping plot of the series. Despite clashing yet again with the Yagyu clan very little is resolved on that front. It ends pretty much were it started, but while the story lacks a grander scale, it makes up for it with interesting characters and a well told (if ultimately unimportant) side story involving the dye maker hit. Inparticular, the three 'Gods of Death' are a nice addition; Ogami's fight with them is the best of the series in my opinion.

Nothing much to say on the technical front, it's no better or worse then any other film in the sub-genre. Sound, lighting, direction, acting are all sufficient enough to get the job done.

A classic of samurai film and another hardy addition to a great series.

9/10