Kiru

KIRU is based on a screenplay by Kaneto Shindo. Shortly before his father’s death, the young Shingo learns the truth about his tragic origins: Because his mother murdered the mistress of her feudal lord, she was sentenced to death and executed by her own lover—Shingo’s father. Now a master swordsman, Shingo enlists to serve a hapless clan lord. Beautiful imagery and an evocative soundtrack carry the story of Shingo’s fateful life, whose pure heart and good intentions can’t keep him from slowly realizing the futility of his actions. The starring role is played by Raizo Ichikawa, one of Japan’s biggest film stars of the time and also the lead in KEN and KENKI, which together with KIRU form an unofficial trilogy.

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.