Daibosatsu toge

Based on a 40-part novel series about the gifted yet nihilistic samurai swordsman Ryunosuke Tsukue, a cold-hearted killer who is banished from society and seeks his revenge. A frequently adapted story throughout Japanese film history, Misumi’s version—the first part in a trilogy—adapts the novel for the first time in widescreen format and in color. Raizo Ichikawa, the star of Misumi’s sword film trilogy, shines again in the lead role of this action-packed, masterfully shot genre film. 

Kenji Misumi (1921–75) was one of the most prominent directors of the Daiei studio, where he primarily made jidaigeki (period dramas) and became especially well known for his chanbara (“sword fighting” or samurai films). A visual virtuoso with a brilliant stylistic eye, his genre films bear a uniquely Misumi mark. His best films combine magnificent visuals with a feel for the psychological life of his characters. Misumi’s sword-fighting films received little international recognition during his lifetime, as they were regarded as mere spectacle.