is a 1962 Japanese
chambara
, also commonly spelled "''chambara''", meaning "sword fighting" films,Hill (2002). denotes the Japanese film genre called samurai cinema in English and is roughly equivalent to Western and swashbuckler films. ''Chanbara'' is a sub-category of '' ...
film directed by
Kenji Misumi
(2 March 1921 – 24 September 1975) was a Japanese film director. He created film series such as ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' and the initial film in the long-running ''Zatoichi'' series, and also directed ''Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice'', starri ...
starring
Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo or Raizō is a Japanese-origin masculine given name. It is uncommon as a surname. People with the name or its variants include:
* Raizo Ichikawa, Japanese film and kabuki actor
* Raizo Matsuno (松野頼三 Matsuno Raizō; 1917 - 2006), Jap ...
and written by
Kaneto Shindo
was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, film producer, and writer, who directed 48 films and wrote scripts for 238. His best known films as a director include ''Children of Hiroshima'', ''The Naked Island'', '' Onibaba'', ''Kuroneko'' and ' ...
, released by
Daiei Film
Daiei Film Co. Ltd. ( Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ''Daiei Eiga Kabushiki Kaisha'') was a Japanese film studio. Founded in 1942 as Dai Nippon Film Co., Ltd., it was one of the major studios during the postwar Golden Age of Japanese cinema, producing ...
. The film is based on one of the novels in the series of
Nemuri Kyoshirō, written by
Renzaburō Shibata
was a Japanese author and Sinologist. He graduated from Keio university. He wrote a number of historical novels, and published a new Japanese translation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms in 1959. In 1951,he won Naoki Prize. He is famous for his ...
.
Plot
The film opens with
Shiho Fujimura
Shiho Fujimura (藤村 志保 ''Fujimura Shiho'', born 3 January 1939 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actress. She was given a Special Prize for her career at the 2008 Yokohama Film Festival.
Filmography
Films
*''Shino ...
as a female
assassin
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or VIP, important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not ha ...
, seeking to kill her lord's mistress for what she sees as the good of her clan. She succeeds, but is punished for her act, sentenced to death, but it is her husband (
Shigeru Amachi
was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1953 to 1984.
Career
Amachi joined the Shintoho studio as one of its "New Face" actors of 1951 and established himself in action and jidaigeki films. He gained fame for the nihilist ...
) who executes her. Attempting to deal with the guilt of his action, he becomes a
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
and sends his son to be fostered by another family. The rest of the film follows the young boy as he grows to become a skilled
swordsman
Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to a ...
(
Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo or Raizō is a Japanese-origin masculine given name. It is uncommon as a surname. People with the name or its variants include:
* Raizo Ichikawa, Japanese film and kabuki actor
* Raizo Matsuno (松野頼三 Matsuno Raizō; 1917 - 2006), Jap ...
).
Not knowing much of his true past, he sets out on a three-year journey at the age of 20 as a means of self-discovery. At the end of his journey, he returns home with an incredibly defined and near unbeatable sword style and develops an intimidating presence. He gains notoriety for his skills, but this spurs jealousy and betrayal and his foster family is wiped out by assassins. Before his foster father dies, he passes on the information about his birth. The swordsman then sets off to find his father the monk who killed his mother.
Cast
*
Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo or Raizō is a Japanese-origin masculine given name. It is uncommon as a surname. People with the name or its variants include:
* Raizo Ichikawa, Japanese film and kabuki actor
* Raizo Matsuno (松野頼三 Matsuno Raizō; 1917 - 2006), Jap ...
as Takakura Shingo
*
Masayo Banri
*
Junichiro Narita
*
Shiho Fujimura
Shiho Fujimura (藤村 志保 ''Fujimura Shiho'', born 3 January 1939 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actress. She was given a Special Prize for her career at the 2008 Yokohama Film Festival.
Filmography
Films
*''Shino ...
*
Shigeru Amachi
was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 120 films from 1953 to 1984.
Career
Amachi joined the Shintoho studio as one of its "New Face" actors of 1951 and established himself in action and jidaigeki films. He gained fame for the nihilist ...
*
Mayumi Nagisa
*
Matasaburo Tanba
*
Teru Tomota
*
Eijirō Yanagi
(16 September 1895 – 24 April 1984) was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 160 films from 1940 to 1975.
Career
Starting out in shingeki theater, Yanagi moved to shinpa
(also rendered ''shimpa'') is a form of theater in Japan, ...
Production
Kenji Misumi
(2 March 1921 – 24 September 1975) was a Japanese film director. He created film series such as ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' and the initial film in the long-running ''Zatoichi'' series, and also directed ''Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice'', starri ...
- Director
Kaneto Shindo
was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, film producer, and writer, who directed 48 films and wrote scripts for 238. His best known films as a director include ''Children of Hiroshima'', ''The Naked Island'', '' Onibaba'', ''Kuroneko'' and ' ...
- Writer
Film festivals
''Destiny's Son'' has been part of a number of
film festival
A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upon ...
s celebrating the Chambara genre, and also the careers of
Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo or Raizō is a Japanese-origin masculine given name. It is uncommon as a surname. People with the name or its variants include:
* Raizo Ichikawa, Japanese film and kabuki actor
* Raizo Matsuno (松野頼三 Matsuno Raizō; 1917 - 2006), Jap ...
and
Kenji Misumi
(2 March 1921 – 24 September 1975) was a Japanese film director. He created film series such as ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' and the initial film in the long-running ''Zatoichi'' series, and also directed ''Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice'', starri ...
in the last decade.
References
External links
*
*
Films directed by Kenji Misumi
Japanese drama films
1962 films
Daiei Film films
1960s Japanese films
{{1960s-Japan-film-stub