A Beginner's Guide To Samurai Movies

[@MrDancingNemo]

As a Japanese person, I'm just happy that you are introducing non-Japanese viewers to Japanese films. Since I'm not so knowledgeable about samurai films, I'm learning a lot from you!

[@bushidoblues9302]

You saying that means alot! Thank you!

[@ferallion3546]

Really liked the films you suggested. One that always liked was Sanjuro. It has one of the most intense and amazing duels I've seen in Samurai film. Anyone who watches Yojimbo there may be some elements of the confrontation in front of a bar establishment that may remind one of another fight in a land far far away.

[@stantheman5163]

Nicely done recap of some timeless movies! I am nearly 70, part-Japanese, and grew up on these movies in Hawaii. I just wanted to give a shout out to the ¨Obake¨ (oh-bah-kay) movies as a sub-genre of samurai movies. They´re the ones involving the supernatural and usually show witches in white face make-up, wild hair and blacked out teeth. Really scarey for a little kid at the movies.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you! Obake are some of my favorites! Particularly Onibaba and Kureneko. I wish I saw them as a kid, they would have scared me a lot, haha!

[@bryanalbert447]

Great video man

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks!

[@ubervocal8777]

I've introduced my sister via "Zatoichi and the Chess Master". There's some comedy, mystery, a woman in trouble, a kid. Those are all good elements for someone who doesn't want to watch 2 hours of drama, battles and bloody swordplay. I went with "Samurai Fiction" with my nephew, which is definitely "off-center" but funny and interesting. You have a good list, but there's not much humor. For example, "Sanjuro" is my entry point for Kurosawa with several friends.

[@TheShogunate]

Fantastic Video, I completely understand how hard it can be to get people into samurai films, so this video hits close to home. I also 100% agree with you regarding Harakiri (1962) absolute masterpiece!

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you! Yeah it's like that thing that we know is great and want everyone else to see how great it is, but not many will get it. Yeah Harakiri is a film everyone should see at some point in life.

[@jcrashmore]

I wanted to drop a quick note and say thank you for producing videos like this and the channel in general. I've long been a film fan but only recently began deep-diving into this genre. Your channel has been a tremendous help both in getting started, and in my continued exploration of these films. It's one thing to hear people remark on how influential these films have been; watching them firsthand and seeing it for yourself is altogether different and incredibly rewarding.

[@bushidoblues9302]

I'm glad I was of some help, and you were open enough to give the genre a chance!

[@Schlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff]

Thanks to TV show like Kaiketsu Lion-Maru, fighting games like Samurai Shodown, Ninja Masters, The Last Blade, every Hiroshi Hirata's manga, I became a big fan of (mostly classic black and white) samurai movies. I also enjoy your channel.

[@bullrunner5646]

Great list for beginners. You nailed it. Keep up the great work!

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you!

[@Sardarkhan69]

Another great video by you about Japanese films!!

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you!

[@inpersonaDK]

Seven Samurai and especially Haraki are epic. Absolutely masterpieces.

[@bigbri4090]

I commend you on this channel from which I have extracted much value as of late, Bushido Blues. I rediscovered the Samurai movie genre just a couple of weeks ago when I stumbled upon 13 Assassins' on Prime. The movie is truly fantastic, and I've re-watched it 3 times since.

[@_Pauper_]

1st time watching one of your videos and almost just chuckled and moved on when you started with Last Samurai but all the other selections were great and you gave very convincing reasons to watch to them. well done man and thanks, i'm looking forward to seeing what else you have

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you! And thanks for watching it through. I'll make another list for advanced samurai cinephiles.

[@mingyuhuang8944]

Amazing video mate, keep doing what you do. I just randomly watched seven samurai at some lonely night and it turned out to blow my head, it is my favourite film now I've started to not only binge Kurosawas movies, but also pretty much all samurai cinema. This genre is not only a hidden gem but incredibly incredibly influential. I also watched the hidden fortress and I had so much fun with it, funny and engaging and one of the best adventure films I've seen.

[@thomastheawesome4822]

Ghost of Tsushima absolutely propelled me into the genre. I'm absolutely thrilled to get into this more

[@phillip_rogers]

Ever since season one of The Mandalorian, I’ve been immersing myself in the Japanese Samurai movies. I have the Lone Wolf and Cub box set, Lady Snowblood, Seven Samurai and this weekend my gorgeous copy of the Zatoichi box set arrived. There are still a few more flicks I need to watch: Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, Harikiri and the Samurai trilogy. Luckily, the Criterion Collection has them all :)

[@bushidoblues9302]

All great dvds! That Zatoichi boxset is gorgeous!

[@sirfroggusfellow9980]

Check out Sword Of Doom. It's slept on. Also available in the Criterion series. 🤙🏽

[@phillip_rogersjr]

@@sirfroggusfellow9980 I’ll put it on the list!

[@falconuruguay4588]

Sanjuro, in my honest opinion, should have been on the list, if only for the final, and most famous scene in film history...but overall, the movie is a masterpiece that holds up well, even for today's audiences.

[@bushidoblues9302]

We think it's a masterpiece, but unfortunately modern audiences would complain that it's too boring. It's a real shame.

[@adrikklassen]

That's a well thought list, very accessible for newcomers. Keep on with the good work!

[@KSan-kv7is]

Thank you! Just started watching Seven Samurai w/ my girlfriend, and while I don't know if she'll continue with the genre, it's good to see these good beginner movies!!!

[@helpdeskjnp]

Good luck man…. My girlfriend is so shallow she couldn’t watch a good samurai movie if it was painted on her eyelids…

[@glenmoss02]

With it's beautiful colors, wonderful acting by a great cast, and the impressive score puts Ran #1 on my list of samurai films. Shintaro Katsu's Zatoichi series is a great way to learn about samurai/yakuza culture. (Except #24 Zatoichi in Desperation...absolutely horrible!) Since you mentioned Rashomon, I would also recommend Throne of Blood for a little supernatural flavor. Another possible entry to introduce people to samurai culture, that worked for me back in 1971, is the spaghetti western Red Sun. Charles Bronson and Toshiro Mifune team up against a bunch of bandits that stole a samurai sword. Think of this film as "baby steps" for those who want to gradually explore samurai cinema.

[@MrVvulf]

Great list. The only modification I would make is to add "Twilight Samurai". Like "Harakiri" it's an awesome story by itself, regardless of genre, so ideal for people who aren't yet fans of samurai films.

[@bushidoblues9302]

I should add the entire Yoji Yamada samurai trilogy. All excellent but unfortunately modern audiences may find it too slow.

[@josephpetrick4520]

I think this video came out superb! I believe you covered all the bases rather well and the fact you actually take time to read and add in recommendations is MOST benevolent and honorable. I'm also surprised that you used as many classics as you did, as it can be hard to get people to sit down for just one of them. Now you need to make a video for people more advanced! But overall, I'd say this was a good piece for beginners.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks for your recommendations! Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah some people are just hopeless but maybe they'll find atleast one on this list that they can enjoy!

[@Lsazeh]

So happy you put Ghost Dog in the list

[@ardypangihutan3653]

I love watching Jidaigeki movies, and Harakiri is my top pick, not only my face in the genre itself, but also amongst movies across all genres. It is mindblowing

[@johnberry5296]

Great job, I’m just starting out on my journey

[@bushidoblues9302]

You have an exciting journey ahead of you!

[@corc1992]

RAN is my all time fave Samurai film by far. I think what also helped catapult it that high is seeing a 4K blu-ray transfer of it which really highlights the beautiful cinematic aspects of it. It has to be the most gorgeous film of the 20 century. You can freeze frame damn near any part of the movie and hang it on a museum wall. That's only the visuals. If you take a look at the acting, the story and the way it's told, it adds several layers of depth to this cinematic masterpiece.

[@bushidoblues9302]

I actually had a problem with the 4k or just 4ks of old movies. They always come out too dark on my TV.

[@corc1992]

@@bushidoblues9302 I watched the movie on a regular 1080p blu-ray whose picture quality is from a 4K restoration. I've heard of those brightness problems with 4K blu-rays. It may be because of the HDR settings.

[@ClassofEighty2]

Just discovered your channel. Brilliant, This IS a good list for beginners. Perhaps "Samurai Rebellion" (1967) should be on here, however I couldn't figure out which one to remove in its place.

[@MakerBoyOldBoy]

Thank you for your continuing presentation of Chanbara films. I am seeking the title of a B &W film about the duel on Ganryu Shima between Musashi and Kojiro. The duel had only one oar stroke which felled Kojiro. This unique film is the only one to illustrate Musashi's philosophy of striking at the correct moment. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Domo Arigato.

[@grifscustomlightsabers3925]

I'm fairly new to your channel and you might of already covered this movie. The hidden blade. Had a good plot. Showed daily life of a lowly samurai. Worth a watch. Free on tubi if you don't mind commercials.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yes I have a video on it. It's a great film and I love the ending. My favorite in that unofficial trilogy is Love and Honor.

[@soundone1502]

I think Ninja scroll is also great for beginners

[@BarbEricNinja]

Interesting that the seven samurai converted you into the genre for me I was introduced by old samurai films with seeing "Shinobi No Mono" great taste in samurai culture

[@aragmarverilian8238]

Sword of the stranger is perhaps the best samurai anime I ever watched.

[@luckyrockmore2796]

Some of the slower more dramatic and less violent Samurai films (Hidden Blade, Twilight Samurai etc) should definitely be seen with subtitles. 👍👍

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yeah they would be terrible dubbed

[@Grandmastergav86]

Personally, I'd suggest something like Sword Of Doom for a casual rather than an epic like Seven Samurai, I'd also suggest the Hanzo the Razor trilogy over some of the other Kurosawa films - Hidden Fortress, Rashomon, Ran & Yojimbo. Shintaro Katsu is a naturally loveable rogue and he injects a real sense of fun into the movies in which he features. I can understand why you chose the Zatoichi reboot and I do think the originals might be a bit much for newbies but personally I think Beat dropped the ball with that one, I thought it was terrible (maybe I'm too biased). I adore Akira Kurosawa's work but it's quite demanding of the audience especially if you're taking into consideration people who'd typically watch Marvel/DC tripe. Having said that, if I really were to pick one Samurai Era film of Kurosawa's that I'd consider approachable for a newbie, it's actually Kagemusha. I'd also suggest some of the old Sonny Chiba TV series any action fans you're trying to appeal to. Overall it's a solid list and thank God you didn't include Kill Bill as an option. The Last Samurai is a guilty pleasure for me, it's a bit shite but very watchable shite. Also, I can't watch a film with someone who's pissing about with their phone lmao You should be brave and hide that on movie nights ;)

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yeah phones have ruined movies. The good thing about the theater is you are forced not to be on your phone. I agree that sword of doom is excellent but I can see the middle not having enough action to keep casuals invested. Hanzo the razor is one I have yet to see. I keep hearing about how good it is. Kurosawa films are probably the best old films for beginners because he knew how to show action. In fact Kurosawa is probably the original pioneer of the summer blockbuster pacing. With that said Kagemusha is better if you know Japanese history as it doesn't explain it to you it just assumes you already know it.

[@glenmoss02]

One other film I forgot to suggest is Kurosawa's 1945 classic "The Men Who Tread On The Tiger's Tale". It stars Takashi Shimura and Denjiro Okouchi. Only an hour long but the plot is wonderful and easy to follow.

[@bushidoblues9302]

It reminded me of a precursor to the Hidden Fortress. Kind of like a demo.

[@roaminronin7818]

Thanks for the video. Chanbara is my fav genre & reignited my passion for movies about 4 years ago... I can def see you cast a wide net here, but the 2nd 1/2 of the vid brought some of the big guns. I think my entry points were Seven Samurai>Hidden Fortress>Yojimbo & Ran.. by the time I got to Harakiri & Zatoichi (the 60s films), I was hooked

[@bushidoblues9302]

Sometimes it takes people longer. Seven Samurai hooked me and I just wanted more of that afterwards. Made me realize Kurosawa was special but also that there were other enjoyable films out there.

[@tristanlanphere7736]

Seven Samurai is so good it got remade TWICE

[@tylerdordon99]

Have u seen The Sword of Doom? With Tatsuya Nakkadai? Nakkadai also did alot of films with a Hideo Gosha (best action director in samurai films) i especially recommed Goyokin, Hitokiri, Three Outlaw Samurai and Bandits Vs Samurai Squadron.

[@normanthedoorman205]

You should’ve mentioned the Kurosawa mode in Ghost of Tsushima. Great video

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks yeah i should have mentioned it. Kurosawa mode is more than just a filter and they did a great job with it paying homage to movies.

[@birgittnlilli9726]

A great list! Yojimbo is a very fine film and a must- see but I liked Sanjuro better, it is a bit more easy-going and I would consider it okay for beginners. Also: Samurai Champloo, a great Anime-series.

[@tylerdordon99]

Oh yeah just remembered a movie that you NEEED to check out. I'm recommending another Hong Kong movie but have patience because Duel to Death has the best Chinese Swordsman pitted against The best Japanese Samurai (played by the Hong Konger) it has some of the most spectacular badass OTT sword fights and also the best Ninja action scenes you will ever see.

[@necros8715]

Great job Sir! Seen a few of those but still have to catch up on some. For me it is the opposite of what you described with older Films. I seem to have a hard time to watch the newer Movies in that genre for me it is all about the movies from the 50s,60s and especially the 70s. Have yet to find and watch some of the 80s, well there is Ran and a few of the Zatoichis, but further nothing springs to mind. Anyways the past 2010 optics dont communicate too me as well as those earlier films but will put 13 asassians on the List. Whoever is up for some politcally uncotrect Fun must also Check out the Hanzo The Razor trilogy - has to be seen to be believed. 😅

[@bushidoblues9302]

Good timing with this comment because I just made a video about the best Samurai films of the 21st century and you'd be surprised by how good they are. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4DchIyVhtSobas As for Hanzo the razor, everyone keeps recommending it to me so I'm excited to finally watch them.

[@necros8715]

@@bushidoblues9302 Cheers man will defo check it out. Hanzo is great Fun. Give it a go.

[@necros8715]

Working myself through the Battles without honour and humanity series. Is the yakuza genre something ab that interests you? There are some great movies in there as well. And it seems almost like the extension of some themes of the Samurai movies. Lots of Yakuzas in some of them as well .

[@silversamurai5104]

Bushido Blues can you please go over which Ninja or Samurai Figures on all toy lines that you like? Or do you collect? If so... I would Love to see a video on your take, on whatever toy lines that you've liked throughout the years that have made ninjas and samurais that appeal to you.

[@bushidoblues9302]

I mainly collect mainly SH Figuarts figures. Do you know of any good ones?

[@randomhero88]

I'm a big geek myself. I love film. I try to get my girlfriend to watch good movies. But she only cares for comedy or horror! Plus she can't pay attention either! So that wife comment got me! lol I get how you put The Last Samurai as your first beginner movie. I couldn't agree more! I got into anime around that time in early 2000's when I was in middle/high school. I never really liked Tom Cruise as a person or actor. But that movie helped open up doors to the rest of Japanese culture to me. Still a very well done movie that I look past the main star for it. I LOVE Rurouni Kenshin!!!! It's my favorite manga/anime! I waited YEARS for Ghost of Tsushima to come out. I was sold that first E3 trailer long ago...Bought the collector's edition the moment it went on sale! My Mom LOVES Shogun. She's a big Richard Chamberlain fan. I tried watching it in my early teen's. But couldn't really get into it. I didn't fully appreciate it until later on in life when I bought the series for her again on Blu-ray. I was able to watch Ran on Amazon one time. I was very amazed by it. I did watch your video beforehand awhile back. It is very much eye candy as it is an amazing take on Shakespeare. Most of these movies are on HBO Max. And I will try to watch these when I have extra time for sure!

[@42kellys]

I feel that although deservedly American audiences only know about Kurosawa and not about the amazing and exceptionel Kobayashi, Okamoto and Inagaki, all of whom made amazing samurai films.

[@tylerdordon99]

I agree wholeheartedly on Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri it is one of the greatest of all time in my personal top 10 for sure however there's another Kobayashi movie that is always overshadowed by it and that is Samurai Rebellion what do you think of that movie?

[@raikey2176]

You forgot to mention: the 3 Outlaw Samurai, Sword of the Beast, Sword of Doom/Satan, Nemuri Kyoshiro series, Hanzo the Razor trilogy and the Yakuza boss Jirocho and his subordinate Ishimatsu series. I also enjoyed the TV series Falconers of Edo and the mute samurai Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Those are all great, but this video was more so geared towards beginners to the genre.

[@jtilton5]

One I just thought of to add is Princess Mononoke. Not a true Chambara film, but a good way to dip your toe into Japanese culture

[@Eliel7230]

Three Outlaw Samurai is also a good one. B&W. 1964.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yeah I've seen it years ago but remember very little. I bought a copy so I should do a video on it soon.

[@dokerbohm9209]

one movie i come across lately is "samurai 's promise " i ithink a review by you would be order -- i think its a fine story lined picture in the same vain as twlight samurai /when the snow falls on the blade/etc very small picture maybe not as good as those but worth a watch

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yes I already have a review for it. I thought it was Excellent. I love the ending.

[@chrisberatis2612]

I highly recommend you check out Trek which is a samurai short film based on the video game Trek to Yomi it was created by a KZbin channel called Lazer Bot I’ve watched it multiple times and it’s fantastic!

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks Chris. I'm working on a video that will have the best samurai short films on KZbin. Can you name anymore?

[@chrisberatis2612]

@@bushidoblues9302 You’re currently working on a video featuring some of the best samurai short films? That’s awesome!

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@chrisberatis2612 yes. Any you know of? Zatoichi vs predator can be one

[@chrisberatis2612]

@@bushidoblues9302 I highly recommend you check out the time displaced samurai short film Samurai Swordfish which stars Hiroki Ijima, Maito Fujioka, and Hiroshi Fujioka, I’ve watched it twice on KZbin and it’s really good.

[@asianfilmfan1]

Don’t forget Hanzo the Razor trilogy starring shintaro katsu.

[@maxpereiro2331]

Thanks for your efforts to bring these lovely art from Japan!! check out "Hishiken" (2010)

[@kelbenblack1190]

You missed out on the lone blind samurai yakuza

[@Tifa_Batcheller]

You forgot Sanjuro, The Throne of Blood and Kagemusha both by Akira Kurosawa. 🤔 Kagemusha was the Kurosawa movie I saw and it’s also one of my favorite Samurai movies. Also, you left out the many different adaptations of Chushingura (The 47 Ronin). 🤔

[@bushidoblues9302]

Too advanced for beginners. However I love those films.

[@Tifa_Batcheller]

@@bushidoblues9302 How about The Twilight Samurai? That’s also a favorite of mine. 😉

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@Tifa_Batcheller amazing film, but too slow for casuals in my opinion.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@Tifa_Batcheller the average moviegoer isn't into deep films like us unfortunately. They don't have that attention span.

[@brianfinlay756]

Have you any recommendations of realistic, historically accurate Samurai films. No magic, no back flips and no surviving being stabbed 5 times. Moves that show what it was really like?

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yes try the Yôji Yamada trilogy: twilight samurai, the Hidden Blade and love and honor. Also I highly recommend At River's Edge and After the Rain. You won't find any fakeness in any of these films. Very grounded in reality.

[@lilosnitch3247]

I think u should mention samurai jack. I know its a cartoon and fantasy. But the setting and tone gives u the feel of really appreciating the visuals more. Not alot of talk, just good sound and visual design

[@falconuruguay4588]

Also, Samurai Jack made references to other samurai movies, including Lone Wolf and Cub, which was an amazing thing to see when it came out!

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yeah I should have! I love samurai jack! There's alot of Kurosawa references and an episode that's clearly seven samurai. Lot's of creative style too.

[@lilosnitch3247]

@@bushidoblues9302 maybe u could do a rundown of samurai jack? Id like to see your thoughts on the cartoon from a kenshin movie lover

[@StuartLoria]

Seven Samurai is the best movie I have ever watched

[@bushidoblues9302]

Same. It's a true work of art.

[@danielspencer6174]

Zatoichi there should do sequel zatoichi 2 he should come with more action?

[@Turkmen2005]

Quick question, where can I buy Samurai films, most of them are pretty hard to find.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Samuraidvd.com Use the discount code BUSHIDO BLUES They have the best selection of hard to find ones.

[@Teleflexx]

While I appreciate your attempts to reach out to people who appreciate Samurai Cinema you must at your core realize that the mindsets of a majority of people who are so entertained by today's modern movies (Marvel and the rest) basically lack the ability I feel to comprehend Samurai Cinema. Really, just think about the many colors and tones and sublime textures that are inbedd in Samurai films...the look of a foot in a sandal can convey more than any dialogue in the right setting. Samurai films are for people who like to think....who engage with the film not only with their eyes....but with their minds. I too can recall my friends all to often complain of not liking subtitles while watching Samurai films and the complaint of not "understanding what this film is about" Sadly I stopped trying to share my thoughts and Joy's of watching Samurai and Japanese films with the people around me. The world sadly is dumbing down....and people really hate to think when watching film these days. I admire your drive to get more people to invest their minds in Samurai films, but for me I see Samurai film...as a acquired taste.

[@bushidoblues9302]

The main thing I see lacking now is an attention span. The moment there's not explosions on screen, they go right on their phones or zone out. I'm the opposite, I zone out during the cgi filled battles, especially in marvel films.

[@shhs1227]

Something being an acquired taste is no reason not to help someone acquire that taste. And ignorance is no reason not to teach. Dispelling ignorance is the whole point of attempting to teach the ignorant.

[@TheStandardBearer]

I loath live action adaptions of anime, manga, cartoons, comic books, video games, etc. 99% of those types of movies are garbage. Rurouni Kenshin happens to be one of my favorite classic animes, you gave a solid thumbs up to the live action movie, hmmm. I just might watch it. I'm waiting until I purchase a PS5 to play Ghost of Tsushima, but I wanted to play it the moment I watched the first trailer for it.

[@danvol3835]

Wait, no "Twilight Samurai/Tasogare Seibei?" Shows the myth of samurai honor as it succumbs to stagnation, bureaucracy, and social and technological upheaval. Must see if you profess to be a samurai flick fan. Glad you mentioned Zatoichi, but I wouldn't rate Takeshi's version above the Katsu films--Takeshi ends up making a joke of the character, which just didn't sit well with me....

[@awesomedallastours]

The first samurai film I ever saw was Yojimbo. In my opinion, Ran is one of the finest films ever made. Lastly, your wife sounds like my ex-wife, uncurious, bored by anything deep and meaningful and very shallow. Samurai films aren't meant to be all things to all people. That's why you have a KZbin channel.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Well maybe it's just that most women don't like deep films, but that's a discussion for another time lol.

[@AffyisAffy]

I was let down by Last Samurai after I had other samurai movies under my belt. Somewhere around the second half it turned into Pocahontas.

[@TheStandardBearer]

I loath live action adaptions of anime, manga, cartoons, comic books, video games, etc. 99% of those types of movies are garbage. Rurouni Kenshin happens to be one of my favorite classic animes, you gave a solid thumbs up to the live action movie, hmmm. I just might watch it.

[@sleuthentertainment5872]

Please, you are a person with good taste for this kind of cinema, so if you talk about samurai movies, don't recommend foreigner productions. There are dozen of japanese titles that you could say before any foreigner (especially american)...

[@bushidoblues9302]

Well the point of the video is to get foreigners invested in Japanese Samurai films. If they start off with something like Harakiri they'll get bored and turn it off. They need to be slowly introduced in order to appreciate it.

[@sumantimsina5872]

rashomon is not a samurai movie......its philosophical

[@bushidoblues9302]

A philosophical samurai film.

[@jandodonna8576]

thanks bro but onibaba is not a good movie Edit: the last samurai? seriously?

[@bushidoblues9302]

It's a beginner's guide, bud.. I think Onibaba is great but I've had casual viewers tell me it was too slow.

[@ridlaridlidouzou]

You need to control your wife 😉