1. Seven Samurai (1954)

Not only the best samurai movies, but one of the best movies ever made. 207 minutes and there is not one dull second in the whole thing. It is an action movie, but is also so much more than that. In the first two hours there is very little sword play, but there is a great look at the lives of the ronin and the farmers and what their role was, and should be in Japanese society.
The story takes place in the 16th century and opens in a village that has been victimized by periodic raids from a gang of bandits. The farmers, lead by Rikichi decide that they must do something to improve their lives, and decide to go in to the town and hire some samurai, who will hopefully work for food. At this time there were many ronin (masterless samurai) around, brought about by economic and political conditions. The villagers ultimately find one sympathetic samurai, Kambei (Takashi Shimura), and with his help soon recruit five more. There is also one more samurai, Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) who follows the group back to the village.
The movie is divided up in to three parts. the early village scenes and the recruiting of the samurai, the preparations of the samurai and the villagers for the fore-coming bandits attack and the attack itself.
There have been many movies, including quite a few by Akira Kurosawa, that have examined the relationship between the samurai and their masters. Should the samurai totally subjugate their own desires and wishes on the whims of their masters? Japanese culture said yes. The individual should do what is best for society, and the sharply defined classes decided who would ultimately make those decisions.
In this movie Kurosawa was really looking at was the relationship between the samurai and the villagers. These are classes that normally would not interact. But the economic times had thrown them together. And in to this mix we have, Kikuchiyo, a farmer who is pretending to be a samurai with a made up pedigree. Should an individual be allowed to move out of his class and make a new life for himself? This was a question that many in 1954 postwar Japan were beginning to ask, and Kurosawa was one of the ones leading the way.
When the samurai's find out about Kikuchiyo lowly origins, they still accept him, but with reservations. When they make up their banner, there are six circles and one triangle. Kikuchiyo is a man without a class. The triangle can represent the different groups he was, or wanted to be, a part of.
The movie also looks at this situation with the developing romance between young, naive samurai Katsushiro and and village girl. Should this romance be allowed? What is more important: the wishes and happiness of individuals or the rules and conventions of society? Before the World War, Katsushiro may have been considered a traitor to his class, but at this time in history, Kurosawa could be begin to explore the dynamics of society's rules and individuals desires.
In the third part of the movie, the harvest is in, and the bandits will be returning. The samurai organize the farmers so they can defend themselves. The bandits are back and the samurai are ready. They kill two scouts and capture another who is soon killed by the farmers. Three of the samurai then go off to the bandits' camp to help even the odds. One of the samurai is shot, and now they are down to six. Then the bandits attack.
There are some of the best battle sequences ever filmed as the samurai and the farmers fight off the bandits. When the battle is over the division between the farmers and samurai appears again. A group united by war is divided again when the war ends and it is left to the few remaining samurai to decide if it was all worth it.
A wonderful movie that works on so many levels. It was a great action adventure movie and a great character study. It was also a very powerful examination and indictment of the class system in Japanese society. Coming off the tragedy of World War II it was a very powerful exploration of how Japan got in to the situation it which it found itself in 1954, and a questioning of where Japanese society should go from there.

2. Samurai Rebellion (1967)

"The mats? A custom at these times so our feet won't slip in the blood."

Set in 1725, the movie is an indictment of the samurai system. This was my favorite role of the great Toshiro Mifune. I think it is an interesting commentary on the loyalty to a system that had been so engrained in Japanese society. Isaburo decides that family is more important than the samurai code. In the petition that Isaburo and his son Yogoro write "It is the cruelest form of tyranny. It runs counter to the laws of humanity and cannot be condoned."
The movie makes the point that the clan, or the state, is not always right. The Laws of Humanity must come before the laws of man. Director Masaki Kobayashi is making a very strong point that it is a man's duty to rebel and fight against tyranny.
In the scene where the clan demanded Isaburo and Yogoro to commit seppuku, Isaburo replies "We want something before we die. Bring us three heads! Lord Matsudaira, ruler of the Aizu Clan! Chamberlain Yanase! Stewart Takahashi! Bring me the heads of these villains who stole my son's wife." The fight is on, and Isaburo is not going out quietly. Isaburo has been backing up his whole life. He is trapped in a loveless, arranged marriage. He has always done what he was supposed to do. But now he has been pushed too far, and now, like in his fighting style, after backing up he attacks. Isaburo said he feels free for the first time in his life. Isaburo rebels against all the chains that have held him his whole life.
In the end Isaburo must duel his friend and rival, Tatewaki, to leave for Edo with his grand-daughter, Tomei. What follows is some of the best dialogues in samurai cinema.
Isaburo : "Don't cry even if I don't return. For he will become your foster father and raise you. Well then"
Tatewaki :"You lose. Let me remain. It's better so."
Isaburo : "What?"
Tatewaki : "Isaburo, lose to me for Tomei's sake."
Isaburo :"No. No matter how strong you are, how perfect your defense, I'll defeat you and go to Edo with Tomei."
Isaburo then goes on to show why he might be the best samurai in all of the samurai movies. As he lies dying, Isaburo tells his infant grand-daughter to grow up to be just like her mother. A great film by Masaki Kobayashi .

3. Ran (1985)

Akira Kurosawa takes on King Lear with samurais. The story about greed, power, betrayal and revenge between a father and his sons holds up great in feudal Japan.
The Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (played by Tatsuya Nakadai), who is getting on in years, decides to step aside and let his three sons, Taro, Jiro, and Saburo take over his kingdom. He decides that his oldest son, Taro, will become the new Great Lord, while the two younger sons will live in Castle 2 and Castle 3, and support Taro in his rule. When the youngest son, Saburo warns his father that his plan is flawed, an enraged Hidetora banishes him.
Sure enough, power and lust for power immediately corrupts the two oldest sons who conspire and turn against their father. It doesn't help matters that Ichimonji had originally captured two of the castles from the fathers of his two sons' wives, Lady Sue and Lady Kaede. Lady Kaede, in particular has been waiting for revenge. While Hidetora had been planning to live out his life, with his title and prestige intact, taking turns spending time at each of his sons' castles, he soon finds he is not welcome at any of them. A battle soon takes place and all of Hidetora's men are killed by his two older sons' men who have joined together. Hidetora's world falls apart as even his women retainers kill themselves.
Once the castle is taken, brother turns on brother. Now that the father is out of the way, the two older sons will break their truce and fight it out for supreme power. Taro is slain by one of Jiro's men as arrows and gunsmoke fill the air. But Hidetora doesn't commit seppuku as expected. When he walks out of the burning buildings, in a daze over what has just happened, the troops part and let the former Great Lord walk through and out the gate.
Hidetora's remaining two men take him to a house, that belongs to Lady Sue's brother Tsurumaru, who was just a boy when his father's castle was burned down by Hidetora. As the price of letting him live, Hidetora gouged out his eyes. At this point in the movie you begin to feel that Hidetora has got what was coming to him.
Meanwhile Jiro, wearing the slain Taro's armor appears before Lady Kaede, who he knows can be a big help to him. Later, when alone, Lady Kaede pulls a knife and holds it to Jiro's throat saying she is going to avenge her husband. But her real plan, to get her father's castle back and move out Lady Sue, comes to fruition as the two join together. Lady Kaede convinces Jiro to kill his wife, Lady Sue but Jiro's advisor Kurogane refuses to carry out the plan. Kurogane warns Lady Sue and she escapes.
Saburo, the only loyal son, comes looking for Hidetora and finds him. Jiro forms his troops to fight Saburo, who also has two other former vassals supporting him. Saburo's men form in the wood with their muskets and slaughter Jiro's superior forces. When Saburo is shot and killed, Hidetora is devastated. He has not had time to ask forgiveness.
Ran is an epic in every sense of the word. It is beautifully filmed with one beautiful scene after another. It might be the best version of any of Shakespeare's works committed to film. It doesn't use the language of the source material, and that is probably a plus for non-Shakepeareans who won't have to fight their way through the language. A great, great movie.

4. Ugetsu Monogatari (1953)

In 16th century Japan a potter and a farmer journey to the city seeking to seek their fortune. Ambition and greed brings tragedy to them and their families.

5. Rashomon (1950)

Not a lot of sword fighting in this one. Classic Kurosawa movie with a great story.

6. Kagemusha (1980)

I really enjoyed this movie. Although in the same vein as a movie I liked, The Man in the Iron Mask, this was much, much better.

7. Throne of Blood (1957)

Akira Kurosawa's retelling of "Macbeth" in feudal Japan. The beautifully filmed movie does justice to the source material.

8. The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Two peasants meet up with a general and a princess. There are so many great scenes in this movie including the duel and the dance scene. Kurosawa and Mifune make another great movie. It is said that this movie was an inspiration for Star Wars.

9. The Twilight Samurai (2002)

I really love this movie. Once again stressing the importance of the family.

10. Chusingura (1962)

Set in 1701, this movie is a one of the most popular of all Japanese stories. The movie is based on a historical incident in which the shogun placed Asano in charge of a reception of envoys from the royal court. Kira, a protocol official, was in charge of showing Kira what to do. For some reason Asano drew his sword on Kira, and was then ordered to commit seppuku. Asano's lands were confiscated and his samurais became ronin.
Two years later 47 (or 46) of the ronin avenged their master and took Kira's head. They were then ordered to commit seppuku.
This version of the movie is often called the Japanese Gone with the Wind. It is 207 minutes long and is beautifully filmed. The movie is a little hard to follow as characters enter and leave very often. The samurai, who took a blood oath, wait two years to avenge their master. In the meantime they are considered cowards and traitors to their master's memory. But, they bide their time and wait until they know they can carry out their plans successfully.
A really good movie that probably needs to be seen five or six times to appreciate it fully.

11. Gate of Hell (1953)

In 12th century Japan, a samurai wants a reward that his lord cannot give him. His hubris will lead to his destruction. Probably the most beautifully filmed of all the samurai movies.

12. Sword of Doom (1966)

Samurai Noir. Dark movie about a samurai without a conscience.

13. Samurai 3 - Duel on Ganryu Island (1956)

A great conclusion to the trilogy. Musashi finally gets enlightenment. May have been a critique of Japan's world view before WWII. Although it is still a little hard figuring out the love story the ultimate duel is coming up. Much like a Western where the 2 fastest guns have to face off before movie ends.

14. Harakiri (Seppuku) (1962)

Set in 1630, Harakiri, directed by Masaki Kobayashi who also directed Samurai Rebellion, is an exploration of the samurai code and feudal system vs. individual freedom. Starring Tatsuya Nakadai, the movie questions whether the samurai code is more important than an individual's rights.

Times are bad and ronin are being let go, it is a peaceful time. Ronin are showing up at feudal houses and saying that because of the lack of work, they want to commit hari-kari. The houses are giving the ronin something small and sending them on their way. One house decides that they will put a stop to this extortion. They force a young samurai to go through with the seppuku. It is particularly brutal since he had already sold his swords and just had ones made of bamboo.

Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) then shows up at the house to commit seppuku. One of the retainers there tells him the brutal story of the young samurai. Hanshiro insists on going through with it, but at the ceremony insists on telling the story of his son-in-law, Motome, whose baby was dying because of a lack of money to buy medicine which forced him to come to this house. He also tells them how the baby died and then his daughter died. Hanshiro then shows all the members of the clan the three top knots he has taken from their three best swordsmen.

The movie is a little slow, and not for all tastes. There is no sword fighting until the end, and then it veers towards the absurd. But it is an early fascinating exploration of the changing view of Japanese cinema towards the rights of the individual vs. one's duty to society. Tatsuya's comments in the movie that the samurai code is a facade very well might have been targeting the Japanese world view before WWII. The movie ends with a nod to John Ford as the people in charge make sure to "print the legend."

15. Samurai 1 - Miyamoto Musashi (1954)

I liked this movie better the second time I saw it. Beautiful colors and great pageantry. The music alone tells you that they are trying to make an epic and I think the first chapter succeeded.
It established a very interesting character, played by Toshirô Mifune, who had a very violent path, but with the help of a priest is on the road to self discovery.
It may very well be the director's take on the imperial hubris that brought Japan into WWII and the disaster that befell them because of it. The path that Musashi is taking might be the path that the director feels Japan also needs to take (in 1954).

16. The 47 Loyal Ronin (1941)

What can be considered a propaganda war film for the Japanese right before WWII. It stresses duty and loyalty over family. The samurai actually laugh and make fun of a person who puts his family before his samurai code. There is also a discussion about how the samurai code and loyalty is more important than the teaching of sages. "We are not Chinese!". This movie is particularly interesting in view of the post WWII movies where some samurais are projected as seeing family and individual rights as more important than the samurai code and loyalty.

17. Shogun (1980)

Not really a movie, but one of the best mini-series of all times, It has a running time of almost ten hours. The story is based on the life of English navigator, William Adams.

Pilot John Blackthorne, an English pilot working on a Dutch ship, is on a shipwreck on the Japanese coast in 1600. The Protestant Blackthorne must deal with the Portuguese traders and Jesuit priests who already have a foothold in Japan. Lord Toranaga, played by Toshiro Mifune, becomes Blackthorne's patron and Blackthorne eventually becomes a samurai.

Blackthorne falls in love with, his interpreter, Lady Mariko, the wife of another samurai. The romance between these two is one of the major subplots in the movie. The movie also follows the political intrigues as Toranaga tries to become the shogun (military ruler) of all Japan.

This movie is very well done. The attention to period detail and the production values are great. The movie uses mostly Japanese dialogue, but with translations for Blackthorne by Mariko, the Jesuits and the Portuguese and a few well placed voice-overs by Orson Welles, it is very easy to follow the story. The ten hours are a good mix of soap opera and historical drama. It never seems to drag.

This movie shows the duality of barbarism and sophisticated culture that was Samurai Japan. That duality in the culture continued right through World War II, and is one of the things that makes Japanese culture such a fascinating subject.

18. Yojimbo (1961)

Masterless samurai Sanjuro , played by Toshirô Mifune, plays two groups in a village sides against each other in this dark comedy set in 1860. The feudal system is falling and the merchant class is beginning to take control. Unosuke, played by Tatsuya Nakadai carries a gun. Everyone, even Sanjuro, seems to just be after money. The movie has a great finale, and the real Sanjuro steps up.

19. Sanjuro (1962)

Akira Kurosawa's sequel to Yojimbo is also a dark comedy. Sanjuro, played again by Toshiro Mifune, may not be the most noble character but he is fun to watch. He doesn't have much regard for the established society. He judges men for who they are. He respects and likes Hanbei Muroto (Tatsuya Nakadai ) even though Muroto admits to being bad. The comedic elements are mostly brought about by the musical score, as Sanjuro's followers stumble their way through the movie.

20. Zatoichi monogatari (1962)

The first one in the Zatoichi series, this is the Tale of Zatoichi. More like a Western than a samurai movie, Zatoichi is hired to go up against a ringer brought in by another gang.

21. When the Last Sword is Drawn (2003)

Set in the years from 1863 to 1899, the movie begins as a flashback when man sees a picture in the doctor's office of "his greatest enemy" who was with him in the ronin samurai group 'The Wolves of Mibu' back in 1863 when the Shogun's power was falling. The newly chosen group, the Sinsengumi, was formed that year. The group functioned as a police like group keeping the peace.
The movie opens with a duel and the different sword styles are put on display. Kanichiro, who looks out of place, more than holds his own with a sword and quickly becomes an instructor. Kanichiro acts humble, and comes off as something of a hick, but put a sword in his hand and he is anyone's equal.
Kanichiro was a samurai and family man who could no longer support his wife and children on the low pay he received from his small town clan. He left his happy family and headed to the city to get a higher paying position. Kanichiro joined the Shinsengumi where he is soon viewed as a samurai who will do anything for money, but he just wants the money to send to his family.
Kanichiro is a strange man, He acts very strangely when it comes to money and he comes off as a clown. Does he do this on purpose?
As the Shogun and Emperor split, so does the Sinsengumi. The members are forced to choose sides. Kanichiro having already left his clan, feels he must now stay loyal to the Shogun. When the Shogun's forces are defeated he heads back to his clan to heal and they reluctantly take him in.
An interesting movie chronicling the period when the power of the Emperor rose and the power of the Shogun fell. This movie is a great look at the period through the eyes of one man. The movie is beautifully filmed in the tradition of Ran, Throne of Blood, and Gates of Hell. A little long, a little talky, and a little dragged out, but still, overall, a very good movie.

22. Sword of the Beast (1965)

A samurai who thinks he is doing his job is betrayed by those in power. Great title.

23. Samurai Assassin (1965)

Set in 1860, inside Edo castle a group of assassins wait by the Gate to kill a Lord from the House of Ii who is trying to name the next Shogun. When the Lord doesn't show up as planned the group suspects there is a traitor in their midst.
Is it Niiro (Toshiro Mifune), an impoverished ronin who dreams of becoming a samurai and likes to drink and womanize? Or is it Kurihara, a former high ranking samurai, now a scholar, who befriends Niiro? They have one thing in common. They are both excellent swordsmen.
When the assassins find out that it is Kurihara who is the traitor, they want Niiro to kill him. Niiro decides that he is going to have to go through with it, the alternative is being thrown of the group. In a quick duel Niiro kills Kurihara but Niiro later learns he was not the traitor and he is devastated.
When the assassins find out that Lord is really Niiro's father, he becomes the next target, even though he does not know the truth. Nine men are sent for him but he handles them easily. Niiro then rushed to join in the assassination not knowing that it was his co-conspirators that had just set him up.
The action finally heats up when they attack the Lord's guard. After a vicious battle Niiro finally breaks through and kills the Lord, and then carries his head off on his sword.
Talky and a little slow, it is still a very good movie with an excellent performance by Toshiro Mifune.

24. Samurai 2: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)

As Musashi tries to find the path to be a true samurai, he wanders around the country fighting duels. It was hard to identify with him in any kind of heroic way. Most of the fight scenes were filmed in the dark.

25. Love and Honor (2006)

Third movie in the trilogy by director Yoji Yamada, follows The Twilight Samurai and The Hidden Blade. A story of love and honor and revenge.

26. Bushido : The Cruel Code of the Samurai (1963)

A very early look at the cruelties inherent in the Japanese feudal system. Although the samurai were not on the bottom rung of society, their lifestyle was often not as glamorous as it was portrayed in the other samurai movies.

This movie begins in modern day with a man who is called to the hospital because his girlfriend has attempted suicide. He then begins to think back on the seven generations of samurai that he is descended from. The story of the family has been preserved at a local temple.

The story begins with a ronin who was finally given a position with a clan. As a requirement of Bushido, he and all the generations to follow must give their loyalty to their Lord and their clan. Each generation goes through horrors as they seek to serve. One samurai is raped and then castrated by his master. Another has his young daughter given away as a gift. Another is forced to commit hari-kari because of a mistake that was made. Another has his head sawed off in public when he dares to present a petition during a famine, to his Lord requesting aid for the farmers. A wife is "borrowed" by a Lord because she is good looking and commits suicide rather than submit to him. A father is tricked into executing his daughter, and then he kills himself.

The movie shows a young boy being brain washed. "The lives of samurai do not belong to the samurai. They belong to their Lord." Later in modern times, loyalty is seen as being transferred from the Lord to the Emperor. The latest relative is now a kamikaze pilot in World War II.

As the movie moves back to present day, we return to the last link in the Ikura clan chain. Now the loyalty has been transferred to the company. The boss wants the man's fiance to get some information about her company's bidding on a contract to help in a deal that is going down. When she brings home the information, the boss then asks to delay the wedding a couple of years so no one will figure out what happened. The girl feels used and then tries to kill herself.

Bushido is a very brave film. It is not just saying that there was a particular evil master. It is saying that the whole system, like American slavery, was cruel, corrupt and morally bankrupt. Power corrupts, and the Lords came to treat their vassals as non-humans. This was a very strong indictment of a past which many Japanese honored and glorified.

The movie was ultimately an indictment of the Japanese involvement in World War II, in which they became involved because of their blind obedience to the bushido code of loyalty. The movie also serves as a warning that this cycle of blind loyalty to a bushido code should be broke. A really good movie, which is well worth seeing.

27. The Hidden Blade (2004)

Not as good as the The Twilight Samurai, which was by the same director but still pretty good.

28. Lone Wolf and Cub : Baby Cart in Peril (1972)

This was the first movie that I saw in the Lone Wolf Series. I enjoyed it and thought it was very well done.

29. 13 Assassins(2010)

A remake of a 1963 movie, 13 Assassins is a story of abuse of power and rebellion.

The movie starts with a man committing seppuku in protest of the behavior of the evil Lord Naritsugu, who is the younger brother of the Shogun. Naritsugu responds by tying up the man's family and then shooting them all with a bow and arrow. In his world, it is a vassal's duty to just obey his lord.

The first half of the movie shows the atrocities by Lord Naritsuga and the planning of a response by a group of samurai led by Shinza Shimada. The second half of the movie is a great battle sequence as Lord Naritsuga and his entorage of hundreds, is trapped in a village by the 13 assassins.

The movie is a homage to Seven Samurai, but has elements of Seppuku and Samurai Rebellion. It is beautifully filmed and has some very graphic violence.

30. The Last Samurai (2003)

Captain Nathan Algren, played by Tom Cruise, is hired to go to Japan and help modernize their army. He is haunted by nightmares from massacres that he took part in against Native Americans. In Japan he is expected to lead the governments troops in putting down a rebellion by samurai, who are being forced to give up their ancient ways.
The film's plot was inspired by the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion led by Saigō Takamori, and was also based on the stories of Jules Brunet, a French army captain who fought alongside Enomoto Takeaki in the earlier Boshin War and Frederick Townsend Ward, an American mercenary who helped Westernize the Chinese army by forming the Ever Victorious Army. In this movie European advisors are mostly replaced by Americans.
This is a beautifully filmed and thoughtful movie, but it falls victim to Hollywood. Tom Cruise has to be the hero. In a country where fighting with a sword is part of the culture, Tom quickly shows that he is able to compete with anyone with a sword or any other weapon. In the first battle scene he takes down four or five samurai with his sword and then holds off four others with a flag stick. He then manages to kill a samurai while lying on his back as the samurai moves in to execute him.
The samurai forces are led by Katsumoto, who is the last samurai. As his captive Nathan gets to know him and his loyalties change to the samurai cause. The story focuses on Nathan regaining his life and his honor as he begins to adapt the samurai code.
Things do get a little ludicrous, as super Tom learns kendo, and in a few months is able to battle samurai warriors who have practicing their whole lives, to a draw. Super Tom also is able to pick up Japanese very quickly to the amazement of everyone. The wife of the samurai he killed also falls for super Tom, she just can't help herself.
There is a great scene where ninjas attack Katsumoto's mountain village and attempt to assassinate him. Unfortunately, the scene is ruined by super Tom's defeating about ten of these professional killers, with his bare hands, a table, a knife and then with a sword. It couldn't have gotten any more absurd in a Disney cartoon.
Later in the movie four samurai attempt to assassinate super Tom, who is without a weapon. But super Tom, in a scene more that seems to be inspired by The Matrix, quickly dispenses with all four of them. At this point we know that the story of Katsumoto, the last samurai, has been subjugated to the story of super Tom, the super samurai.
I think it is interesting that some Japanese historians felt that the movie tended to make the samurais, who they feel were more corrupt and selfish, heroic at the expense of the modernizing forces of the government.
I still enjoyed this movie even with the Disney like heroics of super Tom. Hopefully a more realistic version will be made in the future.

31. Ronin Gai (1990)

A different tone from most samurai movies. The ronin were presented as regular people. The story was a little hard to follow.

32. Samurai Banners (1969)

This was sort of a Japanese Gone With the Wind. It was beautifully filmed and it had a soap opera love story playing out in the foreground while huge historical events were developing all around the main characters. I don't think it was as successful as GWTW because I never really identified with the main characters' desires and ambitions. Also, not being too familiar with the historical events taking place, it was kind of confusing.
It was long, slow at points and hard to figure out who to identify with. Usually in a Toshiro Mifune movie I immediately start cheering for his character, but here, it was not so easy.

33. 47 Samurai (1969)

The great director, Kon Ichikawa takes a shot at the famous Japanese story set in 1701. The movie is beautifully filmed and contains some wonderful scenes. However, the movie but doesn't really bring anything new to the table. It is slow and tends to skip over details as it is presenting a story that the intended audience knew almost by heart.
The 1962 version Chusingura and the 1941 version by Kenji Mizoguchi are still the ones that I would pick to see first, but the Ichikawa version is still really good.

34. Incident at Blood Pass (1970)

The story was a little confusing but it is great to see Toshirô Mifune and Shintaro Katsu together.

35. Heaven and Earth (1990)

A beautifully filmed movie set in 16th century Japan. Two warlords, with different outlooks on their world, fight battles and must meet in a final showdown.

36. The Samurai That I Loved (2005)

In the same style as the Twilight Samurai and the Hidden Blade, the story was really more of a love story than a samurai story. There was some sword play, but samurai skills took a back seat to the romance. Slow, but beautifully filmed and scored.

37. Gohatto (Taboo) (1990)

This was an interesting, twisting gay murder mystery. There were some great kendo scenes. The first time I saw it I had no idea what happened at the end.

38. Kwaidan (1964)

Four ghost stories, three of which involve samurai. Not a lot of sword fighting, but very well done. Beautifully filmed.

39. The Sea is Watching (2002)

The trials and tribulations of prostitutes and samurai in 19th century Japan. Not your typical samurai movie. It's sort of a behind the scenes look at their lives. Written by the great Akira Kurosawa.

40. Goyokin (1969)

A confusing story line wastes the great Tatsuya Nakadai, who just stares off in the distance for most of the movie. Assorted characters pop in and out and it's hard to figure out who they are.

41. The Secret of the Urn (1966)

Directed by Hideo Gosha, following his Sword of the Beast, this movie has loyal clan samurai Tange Samanosuke, who is attacked and mutilated as a result of betrayal, losing his right eye and right arm. Now, he starts to live as a nihilistic ronin, using the pseudonym Tange Sazen (a character famous in Japanese pop literature and film). He comes to possess the 'Earless Monkey Urn', worth a million ryo, which everyone seems to be after, including the Shogun, for the secret that it holds. Someone pretending to be Tange is killing off members of his clan.
When Tange loses the urn, he then tries to get it back. When he does get back, he has saved his clan. The story is a little confusing, but the Sazen character is interesting. Bitter, cynical and not much of a hero, but down deep he is still a samurai. At the end Sazen wanders off, banished from Edo.

42. Samurai Spy (1965)

It's hard to figure out what team everyone is on in this samurai/ninja movie. There are some good ninja fighting scenes but the plot should have been easier to follow.