Shiny katanas, skillful fighting techniques, unique code and strong-willed spirit explain why Japanese soldiers and their customs are of interest to many fans. Our selection of the best films about samurai perfectly reveals the flavor of these fighters. You have to plunge into the world of honor and courage, cold-blooded revenge and hot love, death in the name of masters and life for the sake of cherry blossoms!
1.33 killers (2010)
Naritsugu Matsudaira (Goro Inagaki) is strengthening his position in Japan, which could turn into a complete decline for the country. The master's advisor decides to rectify the situation and asks the samurai Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakushou) to kill the tyrant.
2. Zatoichi (2003)
Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano) is a blindfolded massage therapist traveling to small towns. Despite his blindness, the man masterfully owns melee weapons. But those around him do not know about this and often underestimate the hero.
3. The last samurai (2003)
Nathan Olgren (Tom Cruise) travels to Japan, where he will teach the martial arts of the imperial soldiers. The students turn out to be too unprepared, nevertheless, the leadership gives the captain the command to take them to the first deadly mission.
4. Flower (2006)
The unemployed samurai Aoki Sozaemon (Junichi Okada) must certainly find his father's killer and put an end to the criminal in order to restore justice and honor to the family. But the man has absolutely no battle skills or the desire to master them - he prefers to teach children, and not kill dangerous bandits. However, fate confronts Aoki with his enemy.
5. Mulan (2020)
The parents of Hua Mulan (Liu Yifei) dream of a successful marriage for their daughter, but the girl cares about completely different things. One day, news comes to their village: each family must send at least one relative to the war. Mulan has no brothers, so her elderly father is going on a hike. The heroine decides to replace him and secretly escapes to a military camp, disguised as a man.
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6. The path of the warrior (2010)
The great samurai Yang (Jang Dong Gong) had no equal in his field. He was offered the most dangerous murders, and he always coped, until one day a little girl became his task. Refusing to kill her, Young has lost his high status and is forced to flee from the fatal sentence.
7. Love and honor (2006)
Shinojo Mimura (Takuya Kimura) lives with his wife and dreams of opening a school for boys, in which he could teach children the art of sword fighting. However, as a result of an unfortunate mistake, a man loses his sight, and his life begins to change dramatically, not for the better.
8. Hidden Blade (2004)
The main character, the samurai Munedzo (Masatoshi Nagase), has to make a lot of difficult choices in the plot. Maintain a position in society or follow the call of a loving heart? Lose the honor of a samurai or kill your best friend? To stain your hands or pay with your own blood?
9. The last sword of the samurai (2003)
The power of the shoguns is noticeably weakening, the last of the samurai are walking on the ground. One of the key battles is to take place in Kyoto. Many fighters will have to choose between death and fighting on the side of the rebels.
10. Mistress Bloody Snow (1973)
The family of Sayo Kashima (Miyoko Akaza) is attacked: the woman has lost her husband, son and honor. The insulted heroine kills one of the offenders, but she is soon sent to prison. Here she gives birth to a girl who is destined for the fate of the avenger of the family.
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11. Samurai story (1998)
Kazamatsuri (Tomoyasu Hotei) steals an important relic - the sword of a clan that has long lost true samurai. The son of the head, along with his friends, goes after the kidnapper, and his father tries to prevent his son, knowing that the young man's fighting skills leave much to be desired.
12. Taboo (1999)
Young Kano Sozaburo (Ryuhei Matsuda) finds himself in an elite squad, called upon to fight the rebels.The guy is fluent in sword and martial arts, but he attracts colleagues for a completely different reason.
13.Both: The Last Samurai (2011)
World War II, Japan suffered heavy casualties. The leadership of the combat unit commits suicide, paying tribute to the old samurai traditions. But the captain and the small group of surviving soldiers do not want to surrender so easily.
14. Red Sun (1971)
A samurai and part-time Japanese ambassador Kuroda (Toshiro Mifune) travels on a diplomatic mission to America. Here he must present the president with an honorary sword decorated with gold. But on a journey, thieves attack a man and take the most valuable relic with them. Kuroda has a week to find the wrongdoers and take back his own.
15. Shadow of the Warrior (1980)
The caught thief is condemned to death, but at the last moment he is given a pardon. And all due to the fact that the man is incredibly similar to the murdered ruler. The death of the prince is kept secret, and the rescued Kagemusha (Tatsuya Nakadai) will have to take his place.
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16. Ryuzo and the Seven Fighters (2015)
An elderly yakuza Ryuzo (Tatsuya Fuji) decides to retire, but almost becomes a victim of swindlers. A man filled with anger seeks revenge on his offenders. To do this, he gathers a team of conservative "samurai" and forms a new clan.
17. Blade of the Immortal (2017)
Samurai Manji (Takuya Kimura) seeks death in battle, I feel guilty for the events of the past. A man tries his best to get into dangerous trouble, just to atone for his sins with blood. A meeting with a mysterious nun changes his plans.
18. Harakiri (2011)
Hansiro Tsugumo (Ebijou Ichikawa) seeks a sacred and honorable place to perform hara-kiri. In parallel, he meets people, in conversations with whom he reveals the details of his story.
19. Twilight Samurai (2002)
Seibei Iguchi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a very poor man, a samurai from the lower class, forced to spend all his strength to feed his family. One day he meets a childhood friend, whose appearance promises him serious changes.
20. Tramp Kenshin (2012)
Kenshin (Takeru Sato) was a formidable warrior in the past, but now he is a vagabond who does not want to harm anyone. However, he will soon have to remember his old skills in order to resist the opium baron.
