Bushido, Samurai Saga
Tadashi ImaiCast
Kinnosuke Nakamura Eiji Funakoshi 
Isao Kimura
Plot
Seven episodes spread across four hundred years follow the descendants of a samurai family, each facing a conflict between loyalty to their lord and their own humanity. Beginning in the Muromachi period and ending in modern times, the stories show how the code of the warrior damages those who obey it. Tadashi Imai's 1963 film, with Kinnosuke Nakamura in all the lead roles, is a critique of feudal values and won the Golden Bear in Berlin.
Sinekatalog’s take
Tadashi Imai's film traces seven generations of a samurai family across four centuries, each facing the clash between loyalty to the lord and human feeling. Kinnosuke Nakamura plays every descendant in a powerful, bitter critique of feudal code.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.
Ratings
IMDb: 7.4 / 10 (678 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.
If you liked this
Picked by director, genre, era and shared cast. Titles only, no spoilers.
- Seven Samurai 1954 · Akira Kurosawa · IMDb 8.6 · Same movement
- Harakiri 1962 · Masaki Kobayashi · IMDb 8.6 · Viewers also liked
- 13 Assassins 2010 · Takashi Miike · IMDb 7.5 · Viewers also liked
- Night Drum 1958 · Tadashi Imai · IMDb 7.3 · Same director
- Zatoichi 2003 · Takeshi Kitano · IMDb 7.4 · Viewers also liked
- Yojimbo 1961 · Akira Kurosawa · IMDb 8.2 · Same movement