Samurai Films

Deep in the mountains of feudal Japan, a group of children endure cruel and unorthodox training in order to become the Shogunate's most secret and deadly weapons - the Demon Spies! Note: this title is now out-of-print.

Koheita Mochizuki (Koji Yakusho of Shall We Dance, The Eel), has such a bad reputation that he's earned the nickname Dora-Heita, or “alley cat” (meaning “playboy”). So it's a real shock when he's named magistrate of the most disreputable town in all of Japan!

Two of Japan's greatest stars collide when Mifune Toshiro ("Yojimbo", "Samurai Banners") butts heads with Katsu Shintaro ("The Razor", "Zatoichi"). In his final portrayal of the Yojimbo character, Mifune is hired to perform a mission so mysterious, he isn't even told what it is!

A timeless tale of honor and revenge, the 47 Ronin is the true story of group of samurai who became ronin (masterless samurai) after their Lord was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official, Kira Yoshinaka, who had insulted him. After patiently waiting and planning for over a year, they executed a daring assault on Lord Kira's estate, and exacted their revenge, in the full knowledge that they would themselves be forced to commit seppuku to atone for their crime.

One of the classic Samurai revenge stories, a homage to Lady Snowblood appears in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Vol 1.

He was Itto Ogami, a man who held himself to the harsh code of Bushido, entrusted by the Shogun with the gravest of responsibilities, that of official executioner. His flashing blade brought swift release to those ordered to commit Seppuku, ritual suicide - be they man, woman, or even child.

When Jokichi, a famed wandering yakuza soldier, tries to go straight, he quickly learns that you only leave the Underworld by getting sent to Hell! After his fellow mobsters murder his entire family, he's got only one reason to keep on living... to ensure they keep on dying!

An epic 5-film series that chronicles the life of Japan's most famous swordsman, Miyamoto Mushashi, founder of the Niten-ryu school of swordsmanship, and author of The Book of Five Rings, the world-famous book on strategy, tactics and philosophy. Set against the backdrop of Japan’s tumultuous warring-states period, this five-film saga chronicles the rise of Miyamoto Musashi as he evolves from untamed warrior to become Japan’s most famous swordsman.

Art imitates Death when one man's obsession with artistic freedom results in Hell on Earth. A troubled artist is commissioned by a despotic ruler to paint a picture of paradise, only to find that he can only depict the evils that surround him.

When winds of change sweep Japan, overthrowing three centuries of Shogunate Rule, Gonzo, a peasant, enlists in the Imperial Restoration Force, which promises to abolish the oppressive practices of the past. When the advance guard approaches his old hometown, he convinces his commander to let him ride ahead and prepare the locals for the advent of the New World Order.

Kasuo Hasegawa stars as Yukinojo, a talented kabuki actor who specializes in playing female roles (women were not allowed on the stage during the period of the film). But his success on the stage is but a means to an end; his true goal is to visit vengeance upon the three ruthless and powerful men who destroyed his family's business and drove his parents to commit suicide.

On March 3rd, 1860, a group of 32 men assembled at the Sakurada Gates of the Edo Castle, and waited for Shogunate Elder li Naosuke to arrive. Their mission - ASSASSINATION! Legendary actor Mifune Toshiro, in one of his greatest and most complex roles, stars as Niiro Tsuruchiyo, a ronin who has joined the conspiracy in the hopes that taking Elder li's head will win him enough renown that one of the greatest Samurai houses will offer him a position.

Based on best-selling historical novel, Samurai Banners (Fuurin Kazan) is the story of Yamamoto Kansuke (Mifune Toshiro), a warrior who has achieved high rank in Warlord Takeda Shingen's army by any means necessary, even if they're dishonorable.

A simple task becomes deadly when three assassins are hired to ensure that a vital deed is safely delivered to Edo. Along the way, ninja, double-agents, and sexy female assassins will team up to deliver a deed of their own - a dirty deed of death to the Shadow Hunters! Note: these titles are now out-of-print.

ISHIKAWA Goemon (ICHIKAWA Raizo), a talented young ninja, becomes ensnared in a twisted scheme to assassinate ODA Nobunaga, an evil warlord bent on ruling feudal Japan with an iron fist. Deceit, treachery, and entire gangs of enemy ninja lurk around every corner as Goemon travels the countryside to complete his task, win back his honor, and save his skin!

It is 1863. The arrival of Commander Perry's Black Ships have forced the already-feeble Shogunate to open Japan to western trade. Rebellious Daimyo, seeing a chance to seize power, are campaigning for the restoration of Emperor to a position of actual power (with them, of course, providing “guidance”).

The tender tale of a mighty swordsman trying to balance his career as an assassin with the problems of being a single dad while being stalked by legions of extremely hypertensive ninjas. In other words, if they actually let the plot get in the way of the gratuitous bloodletting, it'd be one serious chick-flick!

He is a mysterious stranger, the samurai with the strange, sleepy eyes. His mother Japanese; his father a foreigner; he has no past, he wants no future. He calls himself Nemuri Kyoshiro, but those who challenge him face... The Sleepy Eyes of Death!

Before he portrayed the legendary blind swordsman, Zatoichi, Shintaro Katsu played Suganoichi, a blind court masseur with a dark side. An outcast since birth, he learned from a young age that the only way to get ahead was to take advantage of others. Now an expert con-artist with a heart of coal, Suganoichi is on a vile quest for power, and everyone else will suffer along the way!

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 (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official, Kira Yoshinaka, who had insulted him. After patiently waiting and planning for over a year, they executed a daring assault on Lord Kira's estate, and exacted their revenge, in the full knowledge that they would themselves be forced to commit seppuku to atone for their crime.

Haunted by memories of his lost childhood love, a young samurai (Somegoro ICHIKAWA) strives to transcend his troubled past, but ends up ensnared by the same conspirators who cost his father his life -- and ordered to kill the child of the woman he loves, but can never hold.

The perfect gift for the Samurai film enthusiast, the Toshiro Mifune collection contains 5 magnificent films in an extremely honorable box set -- Samurai Assassin, Red Lion, Samurai Banners, and Zatoichi meets Yojimbo!