''Shogun's Samurai'', known in Japan as , is a

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...

period film A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...

directed and co-written by

Kinji Fukasaku was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Known for his "broad range and innovative filmmaking", Fukasaku worked in many different genres and styles, but was best known for his gritty Yakuza film, yakuza films, typified by the Battles With ...

. The film is the first of two unrelated Fukasaku films to star Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba as Jūbei Mitsuyoshi Yagyū, the other being ''

Samurai Reincarnation is a 1981 Japanese dark fantasy film written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starring Sonny Chiba, Kenji Sawada, and Hiroyuki Sanada. It is based on the novel of the same name by Futaro Yamada. The film was nominated for three Awards of ...

''. The film was adapted into a 39-episode TV series, ''

The Yagyu Conspiracy is a Japanese television jidaigeki (period drama) that was broadcast from 1978 to 1979. It is adapted from the 1978 film ''Shogun's Samurai'' starring Sonny Chiba, who reprises his role in the series. Plot After the death of Tokugawa Hidetada, h ...

'' (1978–1979), and two TV film remakes were released in 2008 and 2020.

Plot

In 1624, shogun

Tokugawa Hidetada was the second ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Early life (1579–1593) Tokugawa Hidetada was born to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Lady Saigō on May ...

dies suddenly. His

food taster A food taster is a person who ingests food that was prepared for someone else, to confirm it is safe to eat. One who tests drinks in this way is known as a cupbearer. The person to whom the food is to be served is usually an important person, s ...

kills himself, leading to a suspicion of poisoning. Hidetada's first son,

Iemitsu was the third ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada with Oeyo, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Lady Kasuga was his wet nurse, who acted as his political adviser and was at the forefront of shogu ...

, was heir but his father, disliking his large facial birthmark and stammer, had favoured his popular second son, Tadanaga. Hidetada's widow is influencing ministers such as Lord Owari and Chief Chamberlain Doi, to back Tadanaga; Chamberlain Matsudaira and Lady Kasuga, leader of the harem, back Iemitsu. Scheming nobles Sanjo Saneeda and Ayamaro Karasumasu see an opportunity to overthrow the shogunate.

Ninja A , or was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. The functions of a ninja included siege and infiltration, ambush, reconnaissance, espionage, deception, and later bodyguarding.Kawakami, pp. 21–22 Antecedents may have existed as ear ...

s hired by Doi remove Hidetada's heart to test for poison, but lose it to a group including Akane, daughter of Yagyu, Iemitsu's fencing instructor. Yagyu determines Hidetada was poisoned and confronts Kasuga and Matsudaira who admit to the crime, telling the innocent Iemitsu it was necessary to ensure his succession. Yagyu summons his son, Jubei, who has lived with the Negoro clan. Hayate and Mon become Negoro fighters seeking to recover their

Yamato Province was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Yamato" in . It was also called . Yamato consists of two characters, 大 "great", and 和 " Wa". At first, th ...

lands, lost twenty years earlier. Their leader, Sagenta, agrees to Yagyu's appeal for help, sensing an opportunity; Jubei arrives as they kill Doi's

Koga Koga may refer to: Places Japan * Koga, Ibaraki (古河) * Koga, Fukuoka (古賀) * Koga Domain Elsewhere * Koga, a town in Tanzania * Koga (crater) on Mars Other uses * Koga (surname) * Kōga-ryū, a school of ninjutsu * Koga clan, Jap ...

ninja spies. Doi tells Tadanaga his father was poisoned by Iemitsu's retainers; they deny it and Iemitsu forbids a post mortem or any discussion. Tadanaga invites his mother to live with him. Yagyu promises the Negoro the return of their land in exchange for their promised help, asking if Mon will work for him. Doi resigns to side with Tadanaga. Iemitsu makes Matsudaira Chief Chamberlain and Yagyu Inspector General and prepares to fight his brother. The court blocks Iemitsu's succession, hoping uncommitted lords will restore imperial power. Tadanaga refuses Iemitsu's offer of land if he withdraws and dismisses his mistress, Okuni, as he mobilises. Bekki Shōzaemon, his commander, drives off the Negoro, despite their false friendliness. Doi secures Lord Date's support for Tadanaga and recruits fighter Ogasawara Genshinsai who offers help in exchange for becoming fencing instructor and vows to kill Yagyu. As ronin gather in support, Doi promises to recruit other lords. The Yagyu siblings, together with some Negoro, ambush Doi's party, but Karasumasu kills Samon, one of Yagyu's sons; they retreat when reinforcements arrive. Yagyu sends Mon to Kasuga's harem to guard Iemitsu. Genshinsai challenges Yagyu to a duel, but he declines the invitation on the grounds that he is the fencing instructor. When Genshinsai draws his sword, Jubei severs his left hand through the wall. After wounding Jubei, Genshinsai manages to escape. Genshinsai persuades his old swordfighting apprentice Yukinojo, who performs

kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...

, to dress as a handmaiden and attack Iemitsu. Mon intervenes and is injured. Yagyu kills Yukinojo. Hayate brings Mon medicine. The Yagyu siblings and Negoro attack Doi's party again. Doi, Akane and Segenta are killed. Yagyu sends Jubei to intimidate the nobles and he kills Karasumasu. The nobles abandon their plot and Saneeda visits Yagyu to disown it. Iemitsu sets off with Saneeda for Kyoto, while Tadanaga tries to reach the emperor first. The Negoro provide guns to the ronin supporting Tadanaga to attack Iemitsu en route, but they are slaughtered by concealed riflemen. It is a trick by Yagyu. Imperial envoy Saneeda is killed by a ronin. Yagyu kills every surviving ronin to hide his role. Realizing he will be blamed, Tadanaga turns back. Lords abandon Tadanaga due to Saneeda's killing. Iemitsu orders Lord Ando to occupy Tadanaga's

Sunpu Castle is a Japanese castle in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. The sobriquet of this feudal fortress was the "Castle of the Floating Isle".Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)Shizuoka It was also referred to as or . Hist ...

. Tadanaga surrenders to avoid bloodshed; Shōzaemon refuses, charges and is killed. Tadanaga is exiled to

Takasaki is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as th ...

. Jubei abandons his father and becomes a ronin. Genshinsai challenges Yagyu again but is killed. Okuni visits Lord Owari at

Nagoya Castle is a Japanese castle located in Nagoya, Japan. Nagoya Castle was constructed by the Owari Domain in 1612 during the Edo period on the site of an earlier castle of the Oda clan in the Sengoku period. Nagoya Castle was the heart of one of the ...

to dance, accompanied by the blinded Sanza, who denounces Yagyu's trick attack. To forestall an inquiry, Iemitsu has Yagyu order Tadanaga to perform

seppuku , also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...

. Sanza kills Okuni at her request. To cover his tracks, Yagju has the Negoro massacred. Yubei finds the bodies, including his children. Survivors Hayate and Mon tell him the attack was led by Yagyu's men. Iemitsu becomes shogun, tells his dead father he has no regrets and reassures Yagyu that his Yagyu Shikage school will continue. Jubei arrives and beheads Iemitsu, then severs Yagyu's right hand. Holding the head, Yagyu tells the panicked court "it's all a dream."

Cast

Release

In May 2022,

Discotek Media Discotek Media is an American entertainment company based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, focused on distribution and licensing Japanese anime, films, and television series. History Formed in 2005, Discotek primarily focuses on licensing retr ...

announced they licensed the film in North America under their new Nihon Nights imprint. They released it on Blu-ray on September 27, 2022 as ''Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy''.

Accolades

The film received five Japan Academy Prize nominations, including best actor (Kinnosuke Yorozuya), best art direction (Norimichi Ikawa), best film, best screenplay (Kinji Fukasaku, Tatsuo Nogami, Hirō Matsuda), and best supporting actor (Shinichi Chiba).

Adaptations

The film was adapted into a teleplay called ''

'' which was broadcast by

Kansai Telecasting Corporation JODX-DTV (channel 8), branded as or , is the Kansai region key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS), owned-and-operated by the . Its studios and headquarters are located in Osaka and the broadcaster is an affil ...

for 39 one-hour TV episodes from 1978 to 1979. A TV movie remake starring

Takaya Kamikawa is a Japanese stage, film, and television actor. Biography Kamikawa was born in Hachioji, Tokyo in 1965. He graduated from Hachioji-Kita high school in Tokyo. While studying economics in Chuo University, he acted in a minor theatrical group whi ...

as Jūbei and

Hiroki Matsukata , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor. He was the son of ''jidaigeki'' actor Jūshirō Konoe and actress Yaeko Mizukawa and has a younger brother, Yūki Meguro, who is also an actor. With ex-wife actress Akiko Nishina he had ...

as Munenori aired on

TV Asahi JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as , and better known as , is a Japanese television station serving the Kanto region as the flagship station of the All-Nippon News Network. It is owned-and-operated by the a subsidiary of , itself controlled by ...

on September 28, 2008. A second TV movie remake starring Kōtarō Yoshida as Munenori and

Junpei Mizobata is a Japanese actor, best known as Kudo Shinichi in '' Detective Conan: Kudo Shinichi e no Chousenjou'' and Saga Kazuma in '' Hanazakari no Kimitachi e''. He also appears in the drama '' Akai Ito'' as Atsushi Nishino (or Akkun). Personal life J ...

as Jūbei aired on

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

BS Premium on April 11, 2020.

References

External links

* * {{Kinji Fukasaku 1978 films Films about assassinations Films directed by Kinji Fukasaku Films set in 1624 Films set in Edo Films set in the Edo period Films set in Kyoto Films set in Nara Prefecture Films set in Shizuoka Prefecture 1970s Japanese-language films Jidaigeki films 1970s samurai films Cultural depictions of Yagyū clan Cultural depictions of Tokugawa Iemitsu 1970s Japanese films Films scored by Toshiaki Tsushima