Top 10 Underrated Samurai Films

[@nyantaro-momo2]

I am Japanese. You said, "I like this actor," which you introduced last. The actor is Noriyuki Higashiyama, who came forward to be the person in charge of closing the agency and dealing with the deep darkness of the agency's scandal, and declared that he would completely retire from acting. He was a member of the agency, but due to a scandal involving the agency's president, who has already passed away, there was no person in charge, and as he was the actor who had been there the longest, he was forced to take responsibility for the agency's scandal instead, and retired from acting. He is now working behind the scenes at a new production company. I also think that he has very good qualities as an actor. He was especially needed for period dramas. He played the role of Nakamura Mondo in the TV drama "Hissatsu Shigotonin." This is also a great period drama, so please watch it. I'm so glad that you like period dramas so much. Thank you.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you. I appreciate the information. It seems like Higashiyama is as honorable as the samurai he plays in films. He took the blame. It's a shame because he's an excellent actor. I'll check out your recommendations.

[@nimbat997]

I love Japanese period dramas, also ❤

[@ClassofEighty2]

Thank you for your fine channel. I needed this list as ive only seen three or four on this list

[@antw3114]

Totally agree with you about after the rain being a comfort movie. It’s one of my go to’s for the same reason.

[@m.a7473]

12:28 That 'get killed' guy is the 'Bob' from Last Sumurai.

[@arun2995]

I have only seen Sword of Desperation and its definitely one of my favorite samurai movie so I am so excited to search out and watch the rest of it. For that I have subscribe to your channel and to me that is the highest compliment.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@arun2995 thank you! Much appreciated! Yes, Sword of Desperation is so good! I'm surprised it's not talked about more.

[@chrisberatis2612]

Excellent list Bushido Blues I absolutely enjoyed your picks.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks Chris!

[@gvines]

First time to your channel. I like your reviews and I will try to watch these movies. I own 13 assassins and I like that movie.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@gvines thank you! Yes 13 assassins is pretty perfect.

[@thimble288]

One of my favorite KZbin videos I've seen in a while. Thanks for the help

[@Godzilla00X]

5:41 that dog is absolutely loving life

[@bushidoblues9302]

Hahaha

[@Godzilla00X]

Fact, bushido blues has never gave a bad movie recommendation

[@bushidoblues9302]

I try not to haha! Thanks

[@obryn]

When you mentioned After the Rain, I knew I can trust your list haha. Subscribed and will look at the others you mentioned and haven't watched.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you! I appreciate that! If you like After the Rain then I want you subscribed!

[@seanwolcottmusic]

Great list, thank you! One I would highly recommend is Kenji Misumi's stone-cold masterpiece "Sword Devil" 剣鬼, (1965). Visually striking with an interesting premise, beautiful, mellow, but with intense climax battles like so many of the greats.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Sounds like something I'd like! I'll have to track it down

[@pradyumn2692]

The last fight scene in Sword of desperation is a meditation.

[@TheNerdyRonin]

Brilliant list, great video!🎉

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks man!!

[@asianfilmfan1]

Bohachi bushido Code of the forgotten eight is one of my favorites. As always thanks for reviewing!!

[@ТеоМарков-ц1л]

By the way, there's an 8-episode samurai miniseries called "The seven swords fights of Mondonosuke Tsuchiia" . You can find it here on KZbin in the SAMURAI VS NINJA channel. It's kinda good and the message is also very useful for interpersonal relations: don't be a bad person and if someone treats you wrong don't avenge." It's cinematography is also very beautiful.

[@brigittethierens928]

I looked to "after the rain" some years ago, it was available in my town's library, and the clark told me "you're the one who asked for it". I do appreciate this movie, a great movie indeed. Since I watched it several times, and it's always a huge pleasure to watch it...

[@Balla1527]

Thanks for the list bro. A few on there ive not heard of.

[@terrorofmechagodzilla4944]

This was a good list. I have seen 9 out of 10 of these with the exception of After The Rain which I will check out now. Another lesser known contemporary Samurai film that could be on this list is Shundo released in 2013. The movie stars Hira Takehiro (Hira Mikijiro's son) who is a very capable actor.

[@markgreene1162]

Hey are you going to review the bounty hunter trilogy movies sometime since radiance films just released them. It has are boy Tomisaburo Wakayama in them. Thanks.

[@Lambert06Pasquale06]

Anyone who has watched an appreciated Twilight Samurai is worthy of giving recommendations. Kudos.

[@tobiasofverberg2189]

the ending of Limelight made me cry. a lot of emotions in that movie.

[@CinefreekProductions]

Honorable mention goes to Samurai Wolf. One of the most underrated samurai films from the Golden era. A great example of a director working with a small budget but pushing him to be creative.

[@bushidoblues9302]

I keep hearing about Samurai Wolf but unfortunately haven't seen it yet. What's it like?

[@CinefreekProductions]

@bushidoblues9302 it's about a ronin samurai that wanders into a town run by bandits. It feels like Yojimbo with a smaller budget, but it is dripping with style. Hideo Gosha directed this film and made a sequel, Samurai Wolf II, a year after. It's available on Blu-ray, and I think for streaming as well.

[@petercollinson8039]

@@bushidoblues9302 Stripped down black and white, sparse, spare masterpiece. Almost feels like a Yojimbo sequel in look and feeling. Has a straight up world class duel, too. Both Wolf and its sequel are directed by Gosha, so it's an honest surprise to me that you haven't already seen them. Don't hesitate.

[@kpjetsfishing]

@@CinefreekProductions samurai wolf is definitely a hidden gem!

[@juanalegrearnau62]

The assassinstion of Ryoma by Kazuo Kuroki. Very interesting to see a revisionist samurai film with a historic figure as main character.

[@OitaOscar]

Higashiyama Noriyuki, the star of On River's Edge, is an interesting character who deserves a biopic made about him. He started his career as a teen idol who inserted backflips and summersaults into his dance routine at a very young age. He was scouted by the infamous Johnny Kitagawa (who was such a powerful figure in Japanese show business that his Harvey Weinstein style misbehavior with young boys in his production company did not become public until after his death). He went from singer to TV actor to news caster, excelling in every role. After Johnny Kitagawa's scandal broke, Higashiyama was also accused of sexual harassment. There was also speculation that he was one of Kitagawa's numerous victims. Rumors were inevitable since he had worked silently under Kitagawa since childhood. He was eventually picked to run the company that Kitagawa left behind.

[@petertrezise4545]

In the early 60’s, in Australia, we had the Samurai tv series. It was extremely popular.

[@joeyartk]

Don't forget Hanzo the Razor for some heavy weaponry. 😉

[@bushidoblues9302]

Lmao! I know the context, but I still have yet to watch it. I can’t find a copy anywhere.

[@joeyartk]

@@bushidoblues9302 It's a series of 3 movies. I believe some are on KZbin.

[@deanzaZZR]

@@bushidoblues9302 Interesting. I have the series and I believe I purchased it from Samurai DVD but that has to be over a decade ago. Definitely get your hands on at least the first film. It's a must for fans of Katsu Shintaro.

[@leonevelake]

@@bushidoblues9302 hbo max and criterion both had it on streaming for a while... not that i particularly recommend the series except maybe to laugh

[@TJ-jx6dx]

Man do you read!? Would love to hear what your Samurai book recommendations are!

[@bushidoblues9302]

I have a video on the best samurai books. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think.

[@jonlannister345]

When I watch any modern popular western film I realise these Japanese historical dramas aren't slow, and neither was 1950s Hollywood. It's the correct pace. Modern films feel like watching a trailer. Instead of a good amount of masterful shots they use many many inferior shots and have them be too short to be analyzed; like a magician's sleight of hand.

[@VanBurenPhilips]

Oh that film about Mishima is by Paul Schrader right? That's been on my watchlist for yyyyeeeeaarss! 😭 I don't know anything about him or why he was controversial - is Schrader's film a good place to start?

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@VanBurenPhilips I'd watch the film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters if you are interested in Mishima because it's about his life.

[@leonevelake]

Honestly, I really disliked sword of Desperation, some cool bits but none of the execution landed for me. Granted I had higher expectations than average after the Hidden Blade, twilight samurai, love and honor and the Samurai I loved.... but still. Ronin Gai needs more love, glad to see it hone here. I would buy a 4k of it in a heartbeat .... if criterion bothered to release it that way. Was hoping to see When the Last Sword is Drawn on the list since no one I have talked to has even known of it and even after having watched samurai movies for 30 years now it still stands out as the best.

[@andresbarajas5851]

after the rain.....so deep, beautiful and powerful, my favorite of all time.

[@PartTimeJedi]

Buraki unbroken is my fav hidden gem. Love that movie.

[@totoroutes5389]

Next topics: Samurai Cop (1991). Mamma Mia (2008)

[@jasonmaclean719]

Not exactly related, but I looked through your videos and didn't see anything about Blue Eyed Samurai. I could be mistaken on this though. If not, any chance it may be reviewed?

[@bushidoblues9302]

I've seen it and wanted to cover it but kept getting sidetracked.

[@jasonmaclean719]

@@bushidoblues9302 Shigurui is another I've always loved. Slow burn but great payoffs. Super graphic as well if you don't mind that.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@jasonmaclean719 great anime!

[@helpdeskjnp]

Link in the description is dead…. Needs an update from im sure

[@jefffromchicago6321]

Skip Keanu? I didn't see Rinko Kikuchi in your recommendation. One time I went to Shinagawa station to catch the shinkansen for a castle trip but the line was shutdown further down because of a typhoon. I google mapped-places of interest and ended up walking over to the graves of The 47 Ronin.

[@bushidoblues9302]

I'd love to visit the grave site too.

[@justiceforall6412]

Sword of Desperation is an excellent film

[@frankmartinez4856]

Beautiful choices 🎉❤😬

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thank you!

[@gotonin]

Old Nemuri Kyoshiro was the best.

[@weesky5222]

sorry but this new shogun is ridiculous :/ but your list is quite nice, after the rain and hitokiri are to watch

[@dornravlin]

Fucking love your channel dude thank you

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@dornravlin haha thank you!!

[@Paul_Martin_The_Japanese_Sword]

Tatsuya Nakadai is amazing! As are most of the actors in those movies. Japanese actors don't really get the worldwide acknowledgement they deserve, probably because of the language barrier.

[@sean1728]

I tend to enjoy films like the ones listed here PRECISELY because of the slow-burn. As a viewer, I’m allowed to invest time in the characters- their faults, their ticks, their relationships, etc…and when the action DOES hit, it feels more organic than not. Drawing one’s sword should be a matter of grave consequence, and I personally think much of that gravity is lost when we see indiscriminate and frequent draws like some unintentional parody of the American Old West. Good list! 🙇‍♂️👍🍻

[@bushidoblues9302]

Thanks, and I couldn't agree more. They very much resemble westerns, which I also really like. Definitely watch Shuhei Fujisawa adaptations.

[@alexpopescu8137]

The fall of Ako castle is not on that website?! WTH?

[@eastsaxon7079]

Neither is Ronin Gai

[@スプリットビーバー]

まさか「必死剣　鳥刺し」が入ってるとは思わなかった。豊川さん　吉川さんの　正義　対　正義の闘い！ その後　悪が正義を倒す　珍しい作品。

[@Poisonemperor]

14:36 この画像の映画はティーン向けの漫画原作の恋愛小説です(笑)

[@timothyross3977]

I always enjoy and appreciate your Samurai Film Reviews. Have you seen "The Legend and The Butterfly" 2023? I liked it and view as a Samurai Love Drama. Also I'm not impressed with the new Shogun and I've read the book and and seen the old TV series a few times and think they are better than this new adaptation. Sanada as a Samurai actor is nothing compared to the likes of Mifune, Nakadai. or even Yakiuho. Yes I've seen Twlight Samurai. I only saw 3 Shogun episodes on FX before I cancelled out. I wasn't going to pay to watch it any further. Also you need to work on your Japanese Language pronunciation some. Try to watch " Cherry Tree On The Hill" that I bought by mistake instead of At The Rivers Edge. TR

[@nont18411]

Junichi Okada seems to show up A LOT in modern samurai media

[@bushidoblues9302]

He's a brilliant actor.

[@nont18411]

@@bushidoblues9302 with very intimidating presence

[@dogman0711]

There was a Japanese TV show titled Please Hire Me, and that's After The Rain was loosely based off of. The movie was beautiful,but the TV series was annoying...lol

[@bushidoblues9302]

Lol I'll skip it then

[@steveetienne]

The Twilight Samurai should be on this list.

[@kpjetsfishing]

Ronin gai is criminally underrated I feel!!

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@kpjetsfishing it really is!

[@kpjetsfishing]

@bushidoblues9302 also love you're inclusion of sword of desperation. I remember when I found your channel you hadn't seen it yet and then not too long after you had your review of it......final duel is breath taking.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@kpjetsfishing yeah i think you were the one that mentioned why I hadn't seen sword of Desperation. Wow what a movie and an ending. I don't understand why it isn't mentioned more.

[@kpjetsfishing]

@@bushidoblues9302 I know we talked about about it! But it was definitely one of my favorites for a "newer" samurai film. At rivers edge is up there too.

[@scratch90]

Thanks. Samuraidvd has blind swordswoman.

[@iadestruction1260]

when commenting discourages watching video

[@bushidoblues9302]

Why? It looks like everyone likes my list.

[@VidaCultural17]

Taboo is a great one too

[@bushidoblues9302]

Yeah that was a very memorable one. The atmosphere was so haunting.

[@taktktk5240]

燃えよ剣は邦画でも海外で通用する作りだった。フランス軍人主役にしたらREALラストサムライでヒット間違いなし。

[@mattrozdoba5660]

Thanks Hidden blade When the last sword is drawn

[@CrayonMechant]

I nominate "Ame Agaru"

[@bushidoblues9302]

Great film!

[@Thor13332]

I recommend Goyokin 1969

[@wretched17]

Surprised 13 assasins wasn't on this list

[@bushidoblues9302]

Because it's on everyone's list lol. Great film though.

[@wretched17]

@bushidoblues9302 haven't seen any other lists so I'll have to take your word for it

[@Balla1527]

​@@wretched17it's on domestic streaming in UK, meaning everyone can watch it. It's hardly a hidden gem. Great film though.

[@wretched17]

@Balla1527 north American over here. Soon won't be allowed to have thoughts without permission >.>

[@SamboBeast]

yoo are the man!

[@ТакэсимаэтоЯпония]

❤❤❤

[@kpjetsfishing]

Anyone here seen heaven and earth? (1990)

[@bushidoblues9302]

@kpjetsfishing yes and i have a video of that one too!

[@kpjetsfishing]

@bushidoblues9302 I watched your review last night and decided watch heaven and earth this morning....upon rewatching it I agree with you about it being kinda of a not as good version of Ran...and I wish they spent some extra time building up takedas character so when the showdown happens we can have even more weight to a pretty epic finally war scene.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@kpjetsfishing yeah apparently it was heavily edited down for Western audiences. I'd love to see the full version.

[@kpjetsfishing]

@@bushidoblues9302 I would too. Explains the time jumps and English speaking narrator

[@ubuntuber1619]

You forgot Samurai Jack.

[@bushidoblues9302]

Excellent show. Expect a full review on it!

[@ubuntuber1619]

@@bushidoblues9302 cool...also the fact that it was made by Russians and not the Anime world.. makes it standout even more...

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@ubuntuber1619 it's very unique. There's nothing else like it.

[@ubuntuber1619]

@@bushidoblues9302 Yes if John Wick was a Samurai.

[@gregstewart5081]

Ten to Chi to

[@bushidoblues9302]

Oh Heaven and Earth? I haven't seen it yet. I'll check it out.

[@gregstewart5081]

@@bushidoblues9302 its on youtube

[@zachgeorge98]

how do we access yer discord cos i need a place to talk about this stuff an learn and i guess unlearn all my misconceptions

[@bushidoblues9302]

discord.com/invite/dvvSzKkQ

[@zachgeorge98]

@@bushidoblues9302 the invite went invalid please resend

[@zachgeorge98]

@@bushidoblues9302 thanks so much i'd love to talk in a vc sometime cos that's easier then typing for me

[@政丸-g4d]

超高速参勤交代😊

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

Thanx for no Zatoichi.

[@Dillingham-]

Mada da yo

[@bushidoblues9302]

Not yet

[@Dillingham-]

@@bushidoblues9302 No swords, but Kurosawa's finest samurai soul 🙂

[@bushidoblues9302]

@Dillingham- yeah it was a fitting end to an outstanding filmmaking career. The ending always gets me.

[@kuroneko7022]

Just like a Westerner wanting to watch all slash and blood instead of appreciating the beauty and culture of Japan and the respect of Bushido in its history. The gorgeous scenery of Japan and the beautiful costumes are enough to watch these movies. That’s what Westerners just don’t get about Japanese culture and the samurai. I’d never watch the current Shogun movie just as I didn’t watch The Last Samurai (which is disgusting to even be named a samurai film) because whenever Westerners are into these films it’s never as good or authentic because they make sure to give Westerners prime screen time and leading roles. You’d be angry if a Japanese drama based on American or British history gave a Japanese a starring role. Ridiculous!

[@giooodaplug7988]

You’re a westerner or at least a weaboo, literally do you know how many Japanese love the last samurai??

[@De_liebste_un_beste_Mensch]

Can you please just pronounce Shogun correctly?

[@bushidoblues9302]

How do you say it?

[@De_liebste_un_beste_Mensch]

@@bushidoblues9302 It's more kinda like "shogoon" instead of a "gun"... Hope that sums it up for ya... It's just an issue about the vocals, you pronounce it just like an American 'cause you are one in fact... But it's a bit annoying