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The Sword Of Doom
''The Sword of Doom'', known in Japan as , is a 1966 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and starring Tatsuya Nakadai. It is based on the serial novel of the same title by Kaizan Nakazato. Plot The story follows the life of Ryunosuke Tsukue (Tatsuya Nakadai), an amoral samurai and a master swordsman with an unorthodox style. Ryunosuke is first seen when he kills an elderly Buddhist pilgrim who he finds praying for death. He appears to have no feeling. Later, he kills an opponent in self-defense in a fencing competition that was intended to be non-lethal, but became a duel after he raped his opponents wife in exchange for throwing the match and allowing her husband to win. His opponent finds out about the rape prior to the match, and is shown giving his wife a notice of divorce. His rage at Ryunosuke during the match causes him to take an illegal lunging attack after the judge proclaims a draw, and Ryunosuke, the better swordsman, parries and kills him with one st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kihachi Okamoto
was a Japanese film director who worked in several different genres. Career Born in Yonago, Okamoto attended Meiji University, but was drafted into the Air Force 1943 and entered World War II, an experience that had a profound effect on his later film work, one third of which dealt with war. Finally graduating after the war, he entered the Toho studies in 1947 and worked as an assistant under such directors as Mikio Naruse, Masahiro Makino, Ishirō Honda, and Senkichi Taniguchi. He made his debut as a director in 1958 with '' All About Marriage''. Okamoto directed almost 40 films and wrote the scripts for at least 24, in a career that spanned almost six decades. He worked in a variety of genres, but most memorably in action genres such as the jidaigeki and war films. He was known for making films with a twist. Inspired to become a filmmaker after watching John Ford's ''Stagecoach'', he would insert elements of the Western in war films like '' Desperado Outpost'' (1959) and ''West ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oiran
is a collective term for the highest-ranking courtesans in Japanese history, who were considered to be above common prostitution, prostitutes (known as ) for their more refined entertainment skills and training in the traditional arts. Divided into a number of ranks within this category, the highest rank of were the , who were considered to be set apart from other due to their intensive training in the traditional arts. Though by definition also engaged in prostitution, higher-ranking had a degree of choice in which customers they took; , in contrast, did not engage in sex work at all. The term originated in Yoshiwara, the Yūkaku, red light district of Edo in the 1750s, and is applied to all ranks of high level courtesans in historical Japan. The services of were well known for being exclusive and expensive, with typically only entertaining the upper classes of society, gaining the nickname for their perceived ability to steal the hearts and match the wits of upper-cl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Meiji
, also called or , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 13 February 1867 to his death, he was the first monarch of the Empire of Japan and presided over the Meiji era. He was the figurehead of the Meiji Restoration, a series of rapid changes that witnessed Japan's transformation from an isolationist, feudal state to an industrialized world power. At the time of Emperor Meiji's birth in 1852, Japan was a feudal pre-industrial country dominated by the isolationist Tokugawa shogunate and the ''daimyō'' subject to it, who ruled over the country's 270 decentralized domains. By the time of his death, Japan had undergone an extensive political, economic, and social revolution and emerged as one of the great powers on the world stage. ''The New York Times'' summarized this transformation at the emperor's funeral in 1912: "the contrast between that which preceded the funeral car and that which followed it was striking indeed. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kinnosuke Takamatsu
was a Japanese actor. Career Born in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Takamatsu acted in shinpa theater before joining Makino Film Productions in 1924. He left the studio in 1926 and joined director Teinosuke Kinugasa in the independent production of the avant-garde film ''A Page of Madness'', playing the crucial role of the bearded inmate. He later joined Ryunosuke Tsukigata's independent production company before moving to Shochiku. During World War II, he left the film business and focused on theater, but he returned to film in 1946 in Kenji Mizoguchi's ''Utamaro and His Five Women''. He finished his career appearing in many Toei Company jidaigeki. He performed in over 200 films in his lifetime. Selected filmography *''A Page of Madness'' (1926) *''The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums'' (1939) *''Utamaro and His Five Women'' (1946) *''Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji'' (1955) *'' 13 Assassins'' (1963) *''Oshidori kenkagasa'' (1957) *''The Mad Fox'' (1962) *''The Sword of Doom ''The Sword of Do ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kunie Tanaka
was a Japanese actor. Tanaka first made a name for himself as the lecherous antagonist of the ''Wakadaishō'' series (1961–1981) of films. He is also well-known for his roles in Kinji Fukasaku's yakuza films, namely the ''Battles Without Honor and Humanity'' series (1973–1974), and for starring in the ''Kita no Kuni Kara'' (1981–2002) television series. Tanaka was nominated for five Japanese Academy Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for ''Gakko'' in 1993. He also won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Nogare no Machi'' and ''Izakaya Chōji'' in 1983, and the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor for '' Uhohho Tankentai'' in 1986. For his contributions to the arts, the Japanese government decorated Tanaka with the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1999 and the Order of the Rising Sun in 2006. Life and career Tanaka was born on November 23, 1932 in Toki District, Gifu to a family of Mino ware potters. After graduating from Reitaku Junior College, he became a sub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ryosuke Kagawa
was a Japanese actor. His son was child actor Sō Shuntarō. He appeared in more than 400 films between 1928 and 1986. His final film role was in the 1986 film ''Dixieland Daimyō'' directed by Kihachi Okamoto. Selected filmography * ''Story of a Beloved Wife'' (1951) * ''Dedication of the Great Buddha'' (1952) * '' Gate of Hell'' (1953) * ''Ugetsu'' (1953) * ''Sansho the Bailiff'' (1954) * '' The Second Son'' (1955) * ''The Renyasai Yagyu Hidden Story'' (1956) * '' Suzakumon'' (1957) * ''Enjō'' (1958) * ''The Loyal 47 Ronin'' (1958) * '' Nichiren: A Man of Many Miracles'' (1958) as Hōjō Sanemasa * ''Samurai Vendetta'' (1959) * ''Scar Yosaburo'' (1960) * ''The Story of Osaka Castle'' (1961) as Michiiku Itamiya * '' Akō Rōshi'' (1961) as Matsumae Izunokami * ''Hangyakuji'' (1961) as Ōkubo Tadayo * ''Love Under the Crucifix'' (1962) * '' 13 Assassins'' (1963) as Rōjū * ''Bushido, Samurai Saga'' (1963) as Kōzuki Genza * '' Kojiki Taishō'' (1964) * ''Zatoichi's Flashing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kamatari Fujiwara
was a Japanese actor. Fujiwara worked regularly and extensively with Akira Kurosawa, and was known for both being adept at comic acting, as well as being able to take on serious roles. Early life and career Early life Fujiwara was born on January 15, 1905, in Tokyo, Japan. Fujiwara's parents ran a printing business. The business did not go well, so at the age of 10, Fujiwara started working at a local confectionery store. By the age of 14 he had started selling timber for building and manufacturing in Shizuoka prefecture. A year later he returned to Tokyo to study as a pharmacist. Asakusa Opera Movement The Movement was started in 1916, and was part of the mass culture of the time. By the 1920s it had become very popular. His early life focused initially focussed on music, before he was known as a comic actor Perhaps inspired by this, Fujiwara enrolled at the Takinoga actor/martial arts school. Following graduation, he approached actor Kenzo Kuroki at Asakisa's kinrukan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hideyo Amamoto
was a prolific Japanese actor from the Wakamatsu ward of Kitakyūshū best known for portraying Dr. Shinigami in the original '' Kamen Rider'' series as well as many other characters in tokusatsu films and the ''Godzilla'' series. Amamoto also used the pseudonym of Eisei Amamoto for most of his career, Eisei being a misreading of the kanji in his real name, Hideyo. He died on March 23, 2003 of complication from pneumonia at the age of 77. Film and television credits 1950 *''Nijushi no hitomi'' (1954) as Hisako's husband *''The Garden of Women'' (1954) as Professor (uncredited) *''Twenty-Four Eyes'' (1954) as Ôishi Sensei no Otto *''Ai wa furu hoshi no kanata ni'' (1956) as Chen LongCheng *''Yûwaku'' (1957) as Kyôzô Ikegami *''Kunin no shikeishû'' (1957) as Takao Nakamura *''Yatsu ga satsujinsha da'' (1958) *''Mikkokusha wa dare ka'' (1958) as Nakao *''Jinsei gekijô - Seishun hen'' (1958) * (1959) *'' Songoku: The Road to the West'' (1959) *''Aru kengo no shogai'' (1959) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kō Nishimura
was a Japanese actor who appeared in supporting roles in such films as Akira Kurosawa's ''The Bad Sleep Well'' and '' Yojimbo'', Kihachi Okamoto's ''Sword of Doom'', Yoshitaro Nomura's ''Zero Focus'', and Kon Ichikawa's '' The Burmese Harp'' (where he was credited as Akira Nishimura). Nishimura made his film debut in the Shin Saburi film ''Fusetsu Nijyunen'' in 1951. He won the Blue Ribbon Awards for best supporting actor in 1964 for Unholy Desire directed by Shohei Imamura. In 1982, he won the Best Actor award in the Mainichi Film Awards for his performances in ''Matagi''. In Japan, Nishimura is well known for playing the role of the title character in the long-running television jidaigeki series Mito Kōmon from 1983 to 1992. He also portrayed the voice of the "Mamo/Howard Lockewood" in the original Japanese version of anime film ''The Mystery of Mamo'' in 1978. Filmography Film *'' The Burmese Harp'' (1956) *'' Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate'' (1957) *'' Umi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hijikata Toshizō
was a Japanese warrior. As of the ''Shinsengumi'', he resisted the Meiji Restoration and fought to his end. Background was born on May 31, 1835, in the Ishida village, Tama region of Musashi Province (present day Ishida, Hino, Tokyo), Japan. He was the youngest of ten children and his father Hijikata Yoshiatsu (Hayato), a well-to-do farmer, died a few months before his birth. His eldest brother Tamejiro, was born blind and as a result, could not inherit the family property. His third older brother Daisaku (later Kasuya Ryojin), was adopted to another family and would later become a physician. His eldest sister Shuu died when he was about three years old and his mother Etsu also died when he was six years old, and he was therefore raised by his second older brother Kiroku and sister-in-law. He was apparently tall compared to the average Japanese men of the period, and it is said that he was very handsome. He was said to be spoiled at an early age and was alleged to be mean ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kondō Isami
was a Japanese swordsman and official of the late Edo period. He was the fourth generation master of Tennen Rishin-ryū and was famed for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi. Background He was born Miyagawa Katsugorō to a farmer Miyagawa Hisajirō and his wife Miyo in Kami-Ishihara village in Musashi Province (present city of Chōfu, Tokyo, Chōfu) in Western Tokyo on November 9, 1834. He had two older brothers, Otojirō (音次郎; later known as Otogorō 音五郎) and Kumezō (粂蔵; later known as Sōbei 惣兵衛) and an older sister Rie (リエ), who died two years before he was born. Katsugorō began training at the Shieikan (the main dojo of the Tennen Rishin-ryū) in 1848. As a young man he was said to be an avid reader, and especially liked the stories of the ''Forty-seven rōnin'' and the ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''. His renown as a scholar and his fame at having defeated a group of thieves who tried to break into his family home was great, and caught ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Serizawa Kamo
Serizawa Kamo (芹沢 鴨; September 2, 1826 – October 30, 1863) was a samurai known for being the original lead commander of the Shinsengumi. He trained in and received a licence in the Shindō Munen-ryū. "Kamo" means goose or duck in Japanese which was an odd name to call oneself at the time. His full name was ''Serizawa Kamo Taira no Mitsumoto''. Background The Serizawa family were upper-seat Goshi rank samurai in Serizawa village in Mito which is now the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. Kamo was born as the youngest son and his childhood name was Genta. He had two older brothers and an older sister. He was educated with the Sonnō jōi ideals (meaning revere the Tenno (emperor) and expel the foreigners) and swordsmanship since childhood at Kodoukan which was a state school in Mito. Mito is a sub-branch of the Tokugawa family and it was considered the motherland of the Sonnō Jōi ideology and was a center of support for the Tennō and the Imperial court, which helped ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
