Movie Review: Samurai Fiction

Samurai Fiction (Esu Efu Samurai Fikushon)
Starring:  Morio Kazama, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tomoyasu Hotei, Tamaki Ogawa, Mari Natsuki, Taketoshi Naitô, Kei Tani, Fumiya Fujii, Naoyuki Fujii, Ken Osawa, Hiroshi Kanbe, Ryôichi Yuki, Akiko Monô, Taro Maruse, Ramo Nakajima, Ryô Iwamatsu, Shôgo Suzuki, Piêru Taki 

Director: Hiroyuki Nakano 

Pony Canyon Inc., Jungle, Digital Garage, Future Pirates Inc. Peacedelic Studio, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Rentrak Japan Co. Ltd., Japan, 1998. 

In 1696 Feudal Japan Heishiro Inukai (Mitsuru Fukikoshi) is a son of samurai. Samurai Kazamatsuri (Tomoyasu Hotei) is given duty to guard a sword given to Nagashima clan by Shogun Tokugawa. Kazamatsuri steals the sword. Heishiro's father Kanzen (Taketoshi Naitô), who is one of the clan's leaders, does not think Heishiro is not yet ready to be a samurai because he is short tempered. Heishiro goes after Kazamatsuri against his father's wishes. 

Heishiro Inukai

Kazamatsuri

Kanzen Inukai

When Heishiro leaves with two friends Tadasuke Kurosawa (Ken Osawa) and Shintarô Suzuki (Naoyuki Fujii), father sends two ninjas to protect him. They cause more harm than help and Heishiro is badly wounded by Kazamatsuri. Old samurai Hanbei Mizoguchi (Morio Kazama) and his daughter Koharu (Tamaki Ogawa) heal him. Meanwhile Kazamatsuri visits Lady Okatsu's (Mari Natsuki) gambling house. Heishiro recovers and trains with a wooden sword. There is a budding romance between Heishiro and Koharu, which causes manga-style nosebleed jokes. This middle part looks like an old samurai-movie with soundtrack changing to more traditional style tunes. At this point the film has loses its pace before returning to the main story. 

Lady Okatsu

Hanbei Mizoguchiand Koharu

Heishiro and Koharu

The film pays homage to the style of the old black & white samurai classics, but with Tomoyasu Hotei's surf rock soundtrack. And this was one of the films that Tarantino took ideas for Kill Bill- movies, most recognisable  are the battle scenes behind colourful screens. The sword-fights are not bloody, but the screen flashes red when someone is killed. 

Tomoyasu Hotei is Toshiro Mifune- style cool anti-hero. Morio Kazama is overly polite sword-master. There are funny supporting chatracters such as way-too-too old ninja Kagemaru (Kei Tani). Also Mari Natsuki makes a good performance as a leader of dimwit Yakuza-clan. 

Kagemaru

There are some Zatoichi references and the stolen sword was from Toshiro Mifune's collection. Heishiro's friends are named Tadasuke Kurosawa (Ken Osawa) and Shintarô Suzuki (Naoyuki Fujii), possibly referencing to Akira Kurosawa, Shintaro Katsu and Seijun Suzuki. Old samurai's name Hanbei Mizoguchi refers to Kenji Mizoguchi. Ninja Akakage refers to 60s ninja-series "Kamen no Ninja Akakage" and Ninja Hayabusa possibly to "Ninja Gaiden" video games and Ninja Kagemaru to movie "Iga no Kagemaru". 

Ninjas!

Zatoichi doppelganger

Although the movie starts well and has good cinematography throughout, it still has the flaws of many modern Japanese action films: dragging middle part where not much interesting happens.

Rating: Good