Directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Review By David Carter


Released by ADNESS
Running Time: 130 minutes
Year of Release: 2005
Rating: NR
Color format: Color
Audio/Subtitles: Japanese Mono, English Subtitles
Region Code: 1, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.35:1
16:9 Enhanced?: Yes
Special Features: None
Trailer Online?: No

Director Kinji Fukasaku is probably best known to U.S. audiences for his controversial 2000 film BATTLE ROYALE. Fukasaku had a long and successful career prior to that film; which was one of his last. His body of work reflects the breadth of Japanese cinema. He dabbled in many genres including science fiction, yakuza films, drama, and horror. In 1978, he made SHOGUN'S SAMURAI, an epic tale of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The film was a massive historical drama centering on the power struggle to become the third Shogun. While Kukasaku's film deals with some of the most recognizable figures in Japanese history, the bulk of the story is fictional.

In 1624, the second Shogun of Tokugawa passed away suddenly. Immediately, rumors began running rampant about whether the Shogun had been poisoned or not (he had). Behind the plot was Yagyu, the Shogun's fencing instructor and aid to his son Iemitsu. Iemitsu was first born, but due to his birthmark and stutter, his younger brother Tadanaga was going to be chosen as heir. Yagyu would not stand for this, so he had the Shogun killed and orchestrated an elaborate plot to have Iemitsu installed as the third Shogun. The kingdom quickly divides as the two princes fight over control. Iemitsu has the evil Yagyu Clan side, however, so his victory is all but ensured.


SHOGUN'S SAMURAI is a tangled web of plots, all of which may or may not contribute to the overall story. I'd strongly recommend taking notes if you hope to keep up with the various personages that float in and out of the plot. This epic scope gives the film a sort of Japanese War and Peace feel. Some viewers are going to have a hard time with this film. Keeping up with the often multiple consecutive secret plots that are taking place can be difficult at times, but if you can stick it out until the end you'll be able to figure most of it out. Unfortunately, knowledge of Japanese history won't be any help, either. In the real world, Iemitsu was picked by his father to be his heir and ruled for many years, which is the exact opposite of what happens here.

One thing that SHOGUN'S SAMURAI deserves high praise for are the fight sequences. Fukasaku has a knack for beautifully shooting large battle sequences, making these some of the best seen in a samurai film. It doesn’t hurt that the film has such luminaries as Sonny Chiba, Etsuko Shihomi, and Toshiro Mifune. Not only are the characters well known, but many of the actors in the film are legends of Japanese cinema. Unfortunately, the DVD is produced by ADNESS, a company notorious for their lack of special features and poor sound presentation. The film quality is excellent, however.


SHOGUN'S SAMURAI may have an elaborate plot that gets muddled in spots, but it is still a worthwhile film that is quite entertaining. I would liken it to a samurai soap opera. For every breathtaking fight scene, there's 20 minutes of political intrigue involving dozens of characters to keep up with. Not everyone's cup of tea to be honest, but I enjoyed the film and I think that most fans of samurai films would as well. I wouldn't recommended getting it only to see stars like Chiba or Mifune, though, the film is so laden with actors that their roles can really only be considered cameos.