Kagemusha

Kagemusha 1980

7.81

Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.

1980

Millennium Actress

Millennium Actress 2002

7.82

Documentary filmmaker Genya Tachibana has tracked down the legendary actress Chiyoko Fujiwara, who mysteriously vanished at the height of her career. When he presents her with a key she had lost and thought was gone forever, the filmmaker could not have imagined that it would not only unlock the long-held secrets of Chiyoko’s life... but also his own.

2002

Yojimbo

Yojimbo 1961

8.10

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

1961

Miss Hokusai

Miss Hokusai 2015

6.74

A daughter is constantly overshadowed by her famous father, but she is determined to make her own mark in the world.

2015

Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto 1954

7.13

Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Miyamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior.

1954

When the Last Sword Is Drawn

When the Last Sword Is Drawn 2003

7.50

Kanichiro Yoshimura is a Samurai and Family man who can no longer support his wife and children on the the low pay he receives from his small town clan, he is forced by the love for his family to leave for the city in search of higher pay to support them.

2003

Samurai Rebellion

Samurai Rebellion 1967

8.19

The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.

1967

Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful: The Shogun and the 21 Core Medals

Kamen Rider OOO Wonderful: The Shogun and the 21 Core Medals 2011

5.70

Leading an expedition in Germany, Kougami unseals the resting place of one of the alchemists that created the Core Medals in an effort to retrieve a set of lost Medals. However, upon the seal being undone, millions of Cell Medals erupt into a tower while creating a magical barrier that causes parts of Japan to flip over. As the alchemist reveals her plans to become a new OOO, Eiji and his friends are thrown into the past and must find their way back home and stop the alchemist before she destroys the world!

2011

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island 1956

7.20

A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in a year's time but rejects Shogun's patronage, choosing instead to live on the edge of a village, raising vegetables. He's followed there by Otsu and later by Akemi, both in love with him. The year ends as Takezo assists the villagers against a band of brigands. He seeks Otsu's forgiveness and accepts her love, then sets off across the water to Ganryu Island for his final contest.

1956

The Tale of Zatoichi

The Tale of Zatoichi 1962

7.30

The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur and master swordsman. Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighbouring town's smaller gang is brewing.

1962

Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?

Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold? 1974

5.92

Hanzo extracts a confession from a ghost using his assaulting methods, foils thieves, connects with Heisuke Takei a friend from his youth, offers protection to a forward-thinking physician Genan Sugino who has defamed his ruler, discovers a pleasure ring of young wives and a blind music teacher, and cuckolds a corrupt official under his very nose.

1974

Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice

Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice 1972

6.30

Fearless Edo-period police inspector Hanzo Itami, nicknamed The Razor, has developed his own unique way of extracting information for his inquiries. His first adventure sees him investigating his superior officer's mistress, whom he suspects of having ties with a reputed criminal on the loose.

1972

The Oil-Hell Murder

The Oil-Hell Murder 1992

5.80

The indolent son of an oil vendor becomes a regular customer of a prostitute, racks up a mountain of debt, and is disowned by his parents.

1992

The Lower Depths

The Lower Depths 1957

7.09

Residents of a rundown boardinghouse in 19th-century Japan, including a mysterious old man and an aging actor, get drawn into a love triangle that turns violent. When amoral thief Sutekichi breaks off his affair with landlady Osugi to romance her younger sister, Okayo, Osugi extracts her revenge by revealing her infidelity to her jealous husband.

1957

Kamen Rider Den-O The Movie: I’m Born!

Kamen Rider Den-O The Movie: I’m Born! 2007

7.00

With Gaoh having stolen the DenLiner and trapping the Imagins onboard, Ryotaro and Hana find themselves trapped in the year 2000 where they meet Ryotaro’s younger self, but Ryotaro is slowly forgetting everything having to do with Den-O! As Gaoh gets closer to his target, the only hope lies with Yuuto’s complex plans and a little bit of luck, or else time itself could fall victim to Gaoh’s evil desires!

2007

Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple

Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple 1955

7.20

After years on the road establishing his reputation as Japan's greatest fencer, Takezo returns to Kyoto. Otsu waits for him, yet he has come not for her but to challenge the leader of the region's finest school of fencing. To prove his valor and skill, he walks deliberately into ambushes set up by the school's followers. While Otsu waits, Akemi also seeks him, expressing her desires directly. Meanwhile, Takezo is observed by Sasaki Kojiro, a brilliant young fighter, confident he can dethrone Takezo. After leaving Kyoto in triumph, Takezo declares his love for Otsu, but in a way that dishonors her and shames him. Once again, he leaves alone.

1955

Hanzo the Razor: The Snare

Hanzo the Razor: The Snare 1973

6.27

Against the backdrop of the Edo treasury devaluing currency and driving many into poverty, Hanzo Itami enforces the law without regard to status. He shows inadequate respect to the treasurer, who wants him dead.

1973

Farewell Kamen Rider Den-O: Final Countdown

Farewell Kamen Rider Den-O: Final Countdown 2008

7.30

When the Imagin and Kohana take a trip to visit Ryotaro and Airi, they are attacked by the legendary Ghost Train, and onboard are two Imagin and the evil Kamen Rider Yuuki, who is none other than Ryotaro! But when all hope seems lost, a blue DenLiner appears, delivering someone claiming to be Kamen Rider New Den-O! Just who is he, and can he help everyone save Ryotaro and save time once again?

2008

Samurai Vendetta

Samurai Vendetta 1959

7.20

Two amiable samurai wind up on opposite sides of the vendetta between Lord Asano's retainers and the family of Lord Kira that led to the famous revenge of the 47 Ronin.

1959

Samurai Marathon

Samurai Marathon 2019

6.00

When feudal lord Itakura Katsuakira decides to prepare his samurai troops for the onslaught of modernization by having them compete in a marathon, his independent-minded daughter Yuki secretly joins the race.

2019

Hell's Paradise

Hell's Paradise 2023

8.18

Gabimaru reigns as the strongest and most ruthless assassin in his village. But now finds himself on death row—with only one way out: retrieve the Elixir of Life from a sinister island. Longing for freedom, he accepts the challenge. But with fellow convicts vying for the same prize and demonic beasts lurking, how will Gabimaru survive this harrowing quest?

2023

Onihei Hankachō

Onihei Hankachō 1989

8.17

Hasegawa is a chief police of big heart who leads a band of samurai police and cultivates reformed criminals as informants to solve difficult crimes.

1989

BLUE EYE SAMURAI

BLUE EYE SAMURAI 2023

8.59

Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.

2023

Segodon

Segodon 2018

8.20

Saigo Takamori, the hero of the Meiji Restoration, was born to a poor, low-ranking samurai family in the Satsuma domain (present day Kagoshima Prefecture). His simple honesty caught the attention of its charismatic feudal lord of Satsuma, Shimazu Nariakira. Nariakira’s assertion that the love of people is what will enrich and strengthen the nation captivated Saigo who took on Nariakira’s secret mission and eventually became a key person for Satsuma. Not a portrait of him survives today and much of his life is a mystery. He is a man who was twice exiled and thrice married. He overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate with exceptional bravery and action. Although he accomplished the restoration, he lost his life in a fight with the new Meiji government.

2018

What Will You Do, Ieyasu?

What Will You Do, Ieyasu? 2023

7.40

The drama series depicts the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu (January 31, 1543 – June 1, 1616). Takechiyo (who later becomes Tokugawa Ieyasu) was born as the son of a poor and powerless daimyo. Takechiyo lost his father during a war. He grew up lonely and away from his mother. Takechiyo didn't have a clue about what his future would hold. He then has a dramatic meeting with the young Oda Nobunaga.

2023

Manyu Scroll

Manyu Scroll 2011

8.00

It is currently the Taiheimeji era, during the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. In this era, breasts mean everything. If you have breasts, you are guaranteed wealth and popularity, but if you lack them, you are rarely considered human. Inside the shogunate, there is a group of warriors that support the government—the Manyuu Clan, which helps raise the future big breasts. Written on a secret scroll possessed by the clan, there are said to be various techniques on how to grow big and beautiful breasts. Chifusa is the heir of the clan. However, she takes the secret scroll and runs away with it, hoping to fight against the cruel world that the Manyuu Clan has created…

2011

Burning Flower

Burning Flower 2015

7.67

Fumi becomes Genzui Kusaka’s wife. During the turbulent times of the closing days for the Tokugawa shogunate, she lives positively and tries to keep up Shoin Yoshida's will. Shoin Yoshida is her older brother and intellectual.

2015

Yae's Sakura

Yae's Sakura 2013

7.70

Yae no Sakura is a 2013 Japanese television series. It is the 52nd NHK taiga drama. The story focuses on Niijima Yae, who is portrayed by Haruka Ayase.

2013

Atsuhime

Atsuhime 2008

9.20

The 47th NHK Taiga Drama is a life story of Princess Atsu, who was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, then called Satsuma, and became the wife of Tokugawa Iesada, the 13th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. She accedes to the highest rank in Ooku, the inner palace of the Edo castle where women related to the reigning shogun resided. Iesada dies soon after their marriage and Atsuhime assumes the name Tenshoin at the age of 23. She exerts herself for the Tokugawa clan and for the nation during the upheaval in the Meiji Restoration, headed by those from Satsuma.

2008

Intrigue in the Bakumatsu – Irohanihoheto

Intrigue in the Bakumatsu – Irohanihoheto 2006

5.83

The Shogunate is in its final years, and war is fast approaching. When Yojiro Akizuki, a dark and mysterious mercenary, nears something supernatural with some kind of importance to him, the ornament on the end of his sword hilt waves in its direction, his eyes glow mysteriously, and he is driven to go after it. He comes across a traveling theater group who is out for revenge for the killing of the parents of the group's leader, and whose mysterious playwright likes to secretly help along events of history. Yojiro joins them to lend them his skill against their enemies, while dark conspiracy continues to follow behind him.

2006

Ooku: The Inner Chambers

Ooku: The Inner Chambers 2023

7.80

In an alternative feudal Japan, a strange disease that only affects males caused a massive population reduction, leaving females to fill the vacant jobs, therefore changing the social structure. Now, 80 years after the initial outbreak with a 1:4 male:female ratio, Japan is a completely matriarchal society. Females hold all important political positions, and males are their consorts. Only the most powerful female—head of Tokugawa shogunate—may keep a harem of handsome and unproductive males, known as "Ōoku".

2023

Kumokiri Nizaemon

Kumokiri Nizaemon 2013

7.30

During the Kyoho period in the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, there is a gang of thieves active not just in Edo but also the Tokaido and the Nakasendo, and all across the Kansai region, stealing large sums of money with skillful techniques. They only target the very wealthy and never kill or injure people. They appear with the clouds and disappear like the mist. On the night that the beautiful Ochiyo is to become the bride of a dry goods dealer, a large amount of money hidden inside the shop is stolen. The gang disappears without injuring anyone. It was a two-year plan to marry Ochiyo off so that she could bring them in. The leader of this gang is Kumokiri Nizaemon, the greatest bandit of all time. He keeps a rein on his highly-skilled and notorious followers Nanabake no Ochiyo, Kinezumi no Kichigoro, Subashiri no Kumagoro, Ingakozo Rokunosuke and others.

2013

Mission To Kill

Mission To Kill 2009

7.00

Continuation of the popular series of films about the assassins in Edo. This show marks the return of the jidaigeki series "Hissatsu Shigotonin," which has had several seasons between the 1970s and the 1990s. The franchise came back in 2007 with a one-shot special, but this is its first full season since 1992. Makoto Fujita returns as the protagonist Nakamura Mondo, one of the "shigotonin," a team of hired assassins.

2009

Musashi

Musashi 2003

8.33

Orphaned when he was not yet ten, Musashi grows up skilled in the martial arts. During the Battle of Sekigahara, he fights on the side of the losing Toyotomi forces, but eludes the enemy as they hunt down the vanquished soldiers. He then spends years wandering the countryside mastering the sword. As his fame spreads throughout the nation, men seek him out to test their skills against him--most notably Sasaki Kojiro who faces Musashi in the ultimate duel at Ganryujima.

2003

Genroku Ryoran

Genroku Ryoran 1999

7.00

The 38th NHK Taiga Drama is Genroku Ryoran. The "Forty-seven Loyal Samurai" is one of the most enduring and best loved stories of Japan's history. Generations have grown up hearing the stirring tale of Oishi Kuranosuke, chief councillor of the Ako clan who leads his men through suffering and hardship to ultimately avenge their lord after he is unjustly forced to commit harakiri. NHK's 38th Taiga Drama "Genroku Ryoran" is the ambitious remake of this classic epic and boasts a cast that reads like a Who's Who in Japanese entertainment.

1999

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers 2023

7.70

In an alternate history where the male population is nearly decimated, eligible men serve as concubines to the woman shogun inside the walls of the Ooku.

2023

Gintama

Gintama 2006

8.10

In an era where aliens have invaded and taken over feudal Tokyo, an unemployed samurai finds work however he can.

2006

Ooka Echizen

Ooka Echizen 2013

7.00

The reign of the eighth shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune in the Edo period, was notable for the “Ooka Sabaki” which supported the Kyoho Reforms that Yoshimune advanced. Yoshimune goes beyond status and the position he has been thrust in, to join with Edo magistrate Ooka Tadasuke and the Western medicine doctor Sakakibara Iori in order to promote the creation of a world for the common people of Edo. These three men deepen exchanges with the magistrate’s office and the townsfolk, uphold justice and struggle to keep order in Edo…

2013

Yagyu Jubei Secret Quest

Yagyu Jubei Secret Quest 1982

10.00

The sequel to The Yagyu Conspiracy picks up when Yagyu Jubei (Sonny Chiba) has a falling out with the Shogun, and sets out on his own as a wanted man. Featuring the martial art skills of Sue Shiomi (Sister Streetfighter) as she is on official patrol with Jubei watching over her, making sure that he gets to fight in each episode as well. This is one of the best and most exciting television series to ever hit the airwaves.

1982