Nemuri Kyōshirō
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

is a series of
jidaigeki is a genre of film, television, video game, and theatre in Japan. Literally meaning "period dramas", they are most often set during the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—''Portrait of Hel ...
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
s 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 ...
. The stories were originally serialized beginning in May 1956 in the ''Shūkan Shinchō''. The stories take place during the
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
under the
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
and the rules of
Tokugawa Ienari Tokugawa Ienari ( ja, 徳川 家斉, November 18, 1773 – March 22, 1841) was the eleventh and longest-serving ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan who held office from 1787 to 1837.Hall, John Whitney ''et al.'' (1991) ''Early Modern J ...
and his successor
Tokugawa Ieyoshi was the 12th ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.Hall, John Whitney ''et al.'' (1991) ''Early Modern Japan',' p. 21./ref> Biography Ieyoshi was born as the second son of the 11th ''shōgun'', Tokugawa Ienari and named Toshijirō (敏 ...
. They center on the title character, a sleepy-eyed ''
rōnin A ''rōnin'' ( ; ja, 浪人, , meaning 'drifter' or 'wanderer') was a samurai without a lord or master during the feudal period of Japan (1185–1868). A samurai became masterless upon the death of his master or after the loss of his master's ...
'', or outlaw swordsman, who is the son of a
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
mother (the daughter of a , who commits (see "Female Ritual Suicide" in ''
Seppuku , sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people ...
'') some time after Kyoshiro's birth) and a
foreign Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * Unit ...
father, and who was conceived during a Black Mass (resulting in his fierce hatred for what he considers the hypocrisy of Christianity).AnimEigo
, Series Introduction (December 28, 2007).

at e-budokai.com (December 28, 2006)


Novels

Seven full-length novels and eight short stories in the ''Nemuri Kyoshirō'' series were published in Japan.


Full-length novels

:''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Record of an Outlaw, The Complete Six-Volume Series'' :* #''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Walking Alone, Parts One and Two'' #* #''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Calligraphy Copybook for a Killer, Parts One and Two'' #* #''Nemuri Kyoshiro: The 53 Stations of the Orphaned Blade, Parts One and Two'' #* #''Nemuri Kyoshiro: The Empty Journal, Parts One and Two'' #* #''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Record of an Outlaw, Parts One and Two'' #* #''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Heretical Writings'' #*


Short stories

:''The False Avenger: Nemuri Kyoshiro Urban Legend'' :* :''Kind and Courteous Chronicles: Nemuri Kyoshiro Urban Legend'' :* :''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Kyoto Duel Book'' :* :''The Dangerous Vanishing Weapon'' :* :''The Bride's Neck'' :* :''Wicked Woman's Revenge'' :* :''The Fox, the Monk, and the Ronin'' :* :''Spy Gizmo'' :* :''New Compilation, Nemuri Kyoshiro: Kyoto Duel Book'' (collects short stories and essays) :*


Adaptations


Tsuruta Kōji series (1956–1958)

"Nemuri Kyoshiro" was first played by
Kōji Tsuruta , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor and singer. He appeared in almost 260 feature films and had a unique style of singing. His daughter, Sayaka Tsuruta, is an actress. Career Born in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Tsuruta was raised in ...
in three films released by
Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the producer an ...
: #''Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai Hikae'' (''Journal of an Outlaw'') (1956) #''Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai Hikae Dainibu'' (''Journal of an Outlaw Pt. 2 - Full Moon Cut'') (1957) #''Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai Hikae: Maken Jigoku'' (''The Spell of the Hidden Gold'') (1958)


Ichikawa Raizo series (1963–1969)

From 1963 to 1969,
Ichikawa Raizo may refer to: Places *Ichikawa, Chiba, a city in Chiba, Japan ** Ichikawa Gakuen (Ichikawa Junior and Senior High School), a large private boys and girls school in Moto-kita-kata, Ichikawa, Chiba * Ichikawa, Hyogo, a town in Hyōgo, Japan *Ichikaw ...
played "Nemuri Kyoshiro" in the series 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 ...
.
Animeigo AnimEigo is an American entertainment company that licenses and distributes anime, samurai films and Japanese cinema. Founded in 1988 by Robert Woodhead and Roe R. Adams III, the company was one of the first in North America dedicated to licensi ...
released the first six films of the Daiei series on VHS and the first five on laserdisc under the title of ''Sleepy Eyes of Death''.
Animeigo AnimEigo is an American entertainment company that licenses and distributes anime, samurai films and Japanese cinema. Founded in 1988 by Robert Woodhead and Roe R. Adams III, the company was one of the first in North America dedicated to licensi ...
later announced that it had renewed their licensing rights to the series and released a boxed set of the first four films on DVD in 2009. A second boxed set containing the next four films was released in summer 2010 (which marked the first official release on DVD in the United States of ''The Mask of the Princess'' and ''Sword of Villainy'' ). The third boxed set came out in 2013.


Sleepy Eyes of Death 1: The Chinese Jade (1963)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō Sappōchō (
Enter Kyōshirō Nemuri the Swordman is a 1963 Japanese Jidaigeki film directed by Tokuzō Tanaka. It was adapted from the novel ''Nemuri Kyōshirō Buraihikai'' written by Renzaburō Shibata. It is the first film of a classic Japanese samurai film series Nemuri Kyōshirō. Plot * ...
)'' ''Nemuri Kyōshirō Sappōchō'' Directed by
Tokuzō Tanaka was a Japanese film director. He is well known for directing Zatoichi series and Nemuri Kyōshirō series films. Biography Tanaka graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University. In 1948, he joined the Daiei Film, Daiei studio and started working as ...
Starring,
Tamao Nakamura (born July 12, 1939 in Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese actress. Her father is kabuki actor Nakamura Ganjirō II. She was scouted by director Teruo Ogiyama and made her film debut with ''Kageko to Yukie'' when she was a junior high school student. A ...
,
Tomisaburo Wakayama , born Masaru Okumura (奥村 勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling, 19th-century '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samura ...
, Katsuhiko Kobayashi


Sleepy Eyes of Death 2: Sword of Adventure (1964)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō Shōbu (Adventures of Kyōshirō Nemuri)'' 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,
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 ...
,
Miwa Takada is a Japanese film, TV and stage actress. She has starred in several Japanese movies that are today considered classics (especially in the '' Zatoichi saga'', and the ''Daimajin'' trilogy). Takada also worked as a singer, and the duet she reco ...
,
Yoshi Katō was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than 175 films between 1949 and 1988. He won the award for Best Actor at the 13th Moscow International Film Festival for his role in ''Hometown''. He married the actress Isuzu Yamada in 1950, but ...


Sleepy Eyes of Death 3: Full Circle Killing (1964)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō Engetsugiri (Exploits of Kyōshirō Nemuri)'' Directed by
Kimiyoshi Yasuda (born February 15, 1911 Tokyo, Japan, died July 26, 1983) was a Japanese film director from the 1930s to 1970s. He directed six films about Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman. He signed with Nikkatsu Kyoto studio as an assistant director and started w ...
Starring, Yuko Hamada, Taro Marui


Sleepy Eyes of Death 4: Sword of Seduction (1964)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Joyoken (Kyoshiro Nemuri at Bay)'' Directed by
Kazuo Ikehiro is a Japanese film director. He is known for directing Zatoichi series and the highly acclaimed Malay film Onna Gokuakuchō. In 1950, he joined the Daiei Film and started working as an assistant director under Kenji Mizoguchi etc. In 1960, h ...
Starring,
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 ...
,
Masumi Harukawa , born , is a Japanese actress. Filmography * 1963: ''The Insect Woman'' * 1964: '' Unholy Desire'' * 1964: ''Kunoichi Keshō'' * 1967: ''Zatoichi's Cane Sword'' * 1968: ''The Human Bullet'' * 1968: '' Curse of the Blood'' * 1974: '' Pastoral: T ...
,
Tomisaburo Wakayama , born Masaru Okumura (奥村 勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling, 19th-century '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samura ...


Sleepy Eyes of Death 5: Sword of Fire (1965)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Enjo-ken (The Swordsman and the Pirate)'' 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,
Tamao Nakamura (born July 12, 1939 in Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese actress. Her father is kabuki actor Nakamura Ganjirō II. She was scouted by director Teruo Ogiyama and made her film debut with ''Kageko to Yukie'' when she was a junior high school student. A ...
, Michiko Sugata,
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'' ( ...


Sleepy Eyes of Death 6: Sword of Satan (1965)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Masho-ken (The Mysterious Sword of Kyoshiro)'' Directed by
Kimiyoshi Yasuda (born February 15, 1911 Tokyo, Japan, died July 26, 1983) was a Japanese film director from the 1930s to 1970s. He directed six films about Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman. He signed with Nikkatsu Kyoto studio as an assistant director and started w ...
Starring, Michiko Saga, Fujio Suga, Machiko Hasegawa, Yoshio Inaba


Sleepy Eyes of Death: The Mask of the Princess (1966)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Tajo-ken (The Mask of the Princess)'' Directed by Akira Inoue Starring, Yaeko Mizutani,
Ichirō Nakatani was a Japanese actor. He attended Waseda University, but withdrew before completing his degree and joined the Haiyuza Theatre Company. In 1959, Nakatani won Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year. Nakatani was well known for his role as Ninja ...
, Ryutaro Gomi


Sleepy Eyes of Death 8: Sword of Villainy (1966)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Burai-ken (The Sword That Saved Edo)'' 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,
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 ...
,
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 ...
, Tatsuo Endo


Sleepy Eyes of Death 9: A Trail of Traps (1967)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Burai-Hikae masho no hada (The Trail of Traps)'' Directed by
Kazuo Ikehiro is a Japanese film director. He is known for directing Zatoichi series and the highly acclaimed Malay film Onna Gokuakuchō. In 1950, he joined the Daiei Film and started working as an assistant director under Kenji Mizoguchi etc. In 1960, h ...
Starring,
Mikio Narita was a Japanese actor. He was most famous for playing villains. He often worked with Kinji Fukasaku. Narita graduated from Haiyuza Theatre Company acting school and joined Daiei Film. His career as a screen actor started in 1963. His film debut ...
,
Nobuo Kaneko was a Japanese actor. His wife was actress Yatsuko Tanami. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1950 and 1993. Career Kaneko was a versatile character actor, playing roles ranging from comedic buffoons to hardened yakuza bosses. He is es ...
, Haruko Mabuchi


Sleepy Eyes of Death 10: Hell Is a Woman (1968)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Onna jigoku (The Ronin Called Nemuri)'' Directed by
Tokuzō Tanaka was a Japanese film director. He is well known for directing Zatoichi series and Nemuri Kyōshirō series films. Biography Tanaka graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University. In 1948, he joined the Daiei Film, Daiei studio and started working as ...
Starring, Miwa Takada,
Takahiro Tamura was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1954 and 2005. He and his younger brothers Masakazu and Ryō were known as the three Tamura brothers. They were sons of actor Tsumasaburo Bando. Biography Tamura graduated from Dosh ...
,
Yūnosuke Itō was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than ninety films from 1947 to 1979. Career Itō made his film debut at Toho in 1946, and although mostly a prominent supporting actor—playing memorable figures such as the novelist in Akira Ku ...
,
Eitaro Ozawa , also credited as Sakae Ozawa (小沢栄), was a Japanese actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1935 and 1988, directed by notable filmmakers such as Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita and Kaneto Shindō. Selected fi ...


Sleepy Eyes of Death 11: In the Spider's Lair (1968)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Hito hada kumo (The Human Tarantula)'' Directed by
Kimiyoshi Yasuda (born February 15, 1911 Tokyo, Japan, died July 26, 1983) was a Japanese film director from the 1930s to 1970s. He directed six films about Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman. He signed with Nikkatsu Kyoto studio as an assistant director and started w ...
Starring,
Mako Midori is a Japanese actress. Debuting on film in 1964, she won the Blue Ribbon Award for best new face for ''Nihiki no mesuinu''. Beyond appearing in over fifty Japanese language films in the 1960s and 1970s, she has also acted extensively on stage, ...
,
Yūsuke Kawazu was a Japanese actor. Life and career Kawazu was born in Tokyo on 12 May 1935. While still a student at Keio University, Kawazu signed with Shochiku in 1958 and debuted in Kinoshita's ''The Eternal Rainbow''. He became one of the studio's lead ...
,
Fumio Watanabe (October 31, 1929 – August 4, 2004) was a Japanese actor most known for his work with Japanese New Wave director Nagisa Oshima. He was born in Tokyo and graduated from the University of Tokyo before joining the Shōchiku studio in 1956. Sele ...
,
Minori Terada is a Japanese voice actor and actor. Life and career Terada was born in Tokyo, as first son of Masaaki Terada, a famous painter. In 1961, Terada begun to be an actor. Terada is known as a villain, such as Alien Metron in ''Ultraman Max'', an ...


Sleepy Eyes of Death 12: Castle Menagerie (1969)

*''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Akujo-gari (Castle Menagerie)'' Directed by
Kazuo Ikehiro is a Japanese film director. He is known for directing Zatoichi series and the highly acclaimed Malay film Onna Gokuakuchō. In 1950, he joined the Daiei Film and started working as an assistant director under Kenji Mizoguchi etc. In 1960, h ...
Starring,
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 ...
,
Kayo Matsuo is a Japanese actress. Partial filmography # '' Endless Desire'' (''Hateshinaki yokubo'', 1958) # '' My Second Brother'' (''Nianchan'', 1959) # '' Hikaru umi'' (1963) # '' Gate of Flesh'' (''Nikutai no mon'', 1964) # '' Story of a Prostitute'' ( ...
,
Shinjirō Ehara was a Japanese actor. Ehara joined Toei Company and began his acting career with"Nagurikomi Nijyuohachinin shu". In 1957, he won Elan d'or Award for Newcomer of the Year. He died on 27 September 2022, aged 85. Selected filmography Film *''Jun'a ...


Matsukata Hiroki series (1969)

After Ichikawa's death, the role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by
Matsukata Hiroki , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor. He was the son of '' jidaigeki'' actor Jūshirō Konoe and actress Yaeko Mizukawa and has a younger brother, Yūki Meguro, who is also an actor. With ex-wife actress Akiko Nishina he had tw ...
in two more Daiei films: #''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Engetsu Sappo'' (1969) (''The Full Moon Swordsman'') Directed by
Kazuo Mori , also known by his street name , was a Japanese film director who primarily worked in popular genres like the jidaigeki. Mori directed over 100 films in his life. Career Born in Ehime Prefecture, Mori graduated from Kyoto University before jo ...
#''
Nemuri Kyōshirō manji giri is a 1969 Japanese film directed by Kazuo Ikehiro. It is based on Renzaburō Shibata's novel series '' Nemuri Kyoshiro''. The lead star is Hiroki Matsukata. He played the role of Nemuri Kyoshiro as a replacement for Ichikawa Raizō. In this f ...
'' (1969) (''Fylfot Swordplay'') Directed by
Kazuo Ikehiro is a Japanese film director. He is known for directing Zatoichi series and the highly acclaimed Malay film Onna Gokuakuchō. In 1950, he joined the Daiei Film and started working as an assistant director under Kenji Mizoguchi etc. In 1960, h ...


Tamura Masakazu series

The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by
Masakazu Tamura was a Japanese film and theatre actor. Profile Masakazu Tamura was born 1 August 1943 in Kyoto, Japan to Japanese actor Tsumasaburō Bandō. Tsumasaburō Bandō died when Tamura was only nine years old. His brothers Takahiro and Ryō are also ...
in a
Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network Sys ...
series and later in five made-for-TV movie specials. Tamura also played the role on the stage in 1973 and 1981. #''
Nemuri Kyōshirō is a series of jidaigeki novels written by Renzaburō Shibata. The stories were originally serialized beginning in May 1956 in the ''Shūkan Shinchō''. The stories take place during the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate and the rules o ...
'' (1972–1973) a Kansai – Toei production, 26 episodes #''
Nemuri Kyōshirō is a series of jidaigeki novels written by Renzaburō Shibata. The stories were originally serialized beginning in May 1956 in the ''Shūkan Shinchō''. The stories take place during the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate and the rules o ...
'' (1989) Directed by
Tokuzō Tanaka was a Japanese film director. He is well known for directing Zatoichi series and Nemuri Kyōshirō series films. Biography Tanaka graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University. In 1948, he joined the Daiei Film, Daiei studio and started working as ...
#'' Nemuri Kyōshirō 2: Conspiracy in Edo Castle'' (1993) Directed by Akira Inoue #'' Nemuri Kyōshirō 3: The Man of No Tomorrow'' (1996) Directed by
Sadao Nakajima is a Japanese film director and screenwriter (born 8 August, 1934) known for his work in yakuza films and jidaigeki. Career Born in Chiba Prefecture, he attended Hibiya High School and then the University of Tokyo before joining the Tōei studi ...
#'' 'Nemuri Kyōshirō 4: The Woman Who Loved Kyoshiro'' (1998) Directed by Akira Inoue #'' Nemuri Kyōshirō: The Final'' (2018) Directed by Tomohiko Yamashita


On the stage

#''Nemuri Kyōshirō Buraihikae'' (1973) #''Nemuri Kyōshirō'' (1973) #''Nemuri Kyōshirō Curuz no Hahano Komoriuta'' (1981)


Kataoka Takao series (1982–1983)

The role of "Nemuri Kyoshiro" was then played by
Kataoka Takao Kataoka (written: 片岡) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Azusa Kataoka (born 1988), Japanese voice actress and singer * Chiezō Kataoka (1903–1983), Japanese actor *, Japanese golfer * Drue Kataoka, Japanese Amer ...
in two series of 50-minute episodes for TV Tokyo. The plotline of the first series takes place during the Tokugawa Ieyoshi shogunate with the
Satsuma Satsuma may refer to: * Satsuma (fruit), a citrus fruit * ''Satsuma'' (gastropod), a genus of land snails Places Japan * Satsuma, Kagoshima, a Japanese town * Satsuma District, Kagoshima, a district in Kagoshima Prefecture * Satsuma Domain, a sou ...
clan leading a conspiracy with 13 Western clans against the policies of Council Leader
Mizuno Tadakuni was a ''daimyō'' during late-Edo period Japan, who later served as chief senior councilor (''Rōjū'') in service to the Tokugawa shogunate. He is remembered for having instituted the Tenpō Reforms. Biography Mizuno Tadakuni was the second son ...
; when Satsuma clansmen, believing him to be working for Mizuno, murder his friends, Kyoshiro (who despises both the shogunate and the conspirators as equally corrupt) is unwillingly caught up in events and travels to Kyoto to face the leaders of the conspiracy, followed by and assisted upon occasion by O-ran (
Kayo Matsuo is a Japanese actress. Partial filmography # '' Endless Desire'' (''Hateshinaki yokubo'', 1958) # '' My Second Brother'' (''Nianchan'', 1959) # '' Hikaru umi'' (1963) # '' Gate of Flesh'' (''Nikutai no mon'', 1964) # '' Story of a Prostitute'' ( ...
), a female agent of Mizuno's, and Kinpachi (
Shōhei Hino is a Japanese actor and singer. Hino was born in Tokyo and raised in Osaka. Hino appeared in many jidaigeki television dramas. He is best known for his roles in the Hissatsu series. He began his acting career at the age of 13. In 1966, he made ...
), a ne'er-do-well and occasional pickpocket who's over-fond of gambling and women but with certain unusual skills. A second series, also starring Kataoka Takao, was broadcast in 1983; this series did not have an underlying plot but consisted of individual stories taking place after Kyoshiro has returned to Edo, using the Funasen boat-inn as a temporary residence. #''Nemuri Kyōshirō: Engetsu Sappô'' (1982) (''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Full Moon Swordsman'', aka ''Nemuri Kyoshiro: Son of the Black Mass'') – 20 episodes #''Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai refrain'' (1983) – 22 episodes


Other adaptations

#''Nemuri Kyōshirō Burai refrain'' (1957) a Nippon Television production, starring Wataru Emi (Shuntaro Emi) #''Nemuri Kyōshirō'' (1961) a Japan TV production, starring Wataru Emi (Shuntaro Emi) #''Nemuri Kyōshirō'' (1967) a Fuji TV production, starring Mikijirō Hira


Manga

A manga version of ''Nemuri Kyoshiro'' by Yoshihiro Yanagawa was serialized in the ''
Weekly Comic Bunch is a Japanese manga anthology marketed to a ''seinen'' audience that was edited by Coamix and published weekly by Shinchosha from 2001 throughout 2010 and became monthly since 2011. The collected editions of their titles are published under the ...
'' from the magazine's premier issue in 2001 to issue 43 of 2003. It was collected in ten ''
tankōbon is the Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' editions under the Bunch Comics imprint. Portions of the series were translated in the short lived English anthology ''
Raijin Comics ''Raijin Comics'' is a discontinued manga anthology published from 2002 until 2004 in North America by the now-defunct Gutsoon! Entertainment and largely backed by the Sega Corporation at its inception. The collected volumes of ''Raijin Comics'' t ...
''.


Nemuri X Gackt project

In late 2009 it was announced that Japanese singer-songwriter and actor
Gackt , better known by his mononymous stage name Gackt (stylized as GACKT), is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Born in Okinawa, Japan, to a Ryukyuan family, Gackt learned the piano at a young age and was raise ...
would lend his image to a new Nemuri Kyoshiro project, starring as the eponymous protagonist, beginning with
jidaigeki is a genre of film, television, video game, and theatre in Japan. Literally meaning "period dramas", they are most often set during the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—''Portrait of Hel ...
theatre stage play in May 2010, penned by
Kundō Koyama (born 1964) is a Japanese writer. He is best known for scripting the television series ''Iron Chef'' and the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film recipient '' Departures''. Koyama has also worked under the pen name Udon Kumayakko, ...
. The play ''Nemuri Kyoshiro Buraihikae'' started on 14 May 2010 at
Nissay Theatre The is a theatre in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is located in the Nissay Hibiya Building, designed by the architect Togo Murano. It was completed in 1963 and opened with a performance by the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Since then it has been used to sta ...
. The show ran for 120 performances in seven cities until February 27, 2011, with an estimated 150,000 spectators. Its music director and score composer was
Sugizo , born and better known by his stage name Sugizo, is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, composer and record producer. He is best known as the lead guitarist and violinist of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989. Sugizo started his solo care ...
. The original soundtrack was released on 14 May 2010 by Gordie Entertainment, while play's DVD recording in February 2011.


Legacy

*
Isao Takahata was a Japanese director, screenwriter and producer. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he earned international critical acclaim for his work as a director of Japanese animated feature films. Born in Ujiyamada, Mie Prefecture, Takahata joined Toei ...
said the warrior outfits in ''
Pom Poko Pom or POM may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Pom (comics) (1919–2014), a Belgian comic strip writer and artist * Baby Pom, a fictional character in the British television programme ''Fimbles'' * Pom, a character in the video game ''Them's F ...
'' were inspired by Nemuri Kyoshiro.http://www.animenewsservice.com/archives/takahata.htm *The ''
Blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Historic ...
'' anime has the character mimicking Nemuri Kyoshiro's sword technique at one point. *The titular character in the 2011 anime adaptation of ''
Dororon Enma-kun , also known as ''Satanikus!'', is a Japanese horror-comedy anime and manga series created by Go Nagai. It's one of Nagai's most famous works in Japan, although not very well known in the rest of the world. In 2006, it would ge ...
'' also pulls off the move in episode 12. *The character named Kyoshiro in the manga "One piece" is named after Nemuri Kyoshiro.


References


External links


Nemuri Kyoshiro at imdb.com

Series liner notes at AnimEigo
(covers first five films)
An introduction to Sleepy Eyes of Death series at WildGrounds

Official Nemuri X Gackt Project Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nemuri Kyoshiro Jidaigeki films Samurai films Japanese film series Fictional samurai Japanese novels Seinen manga Shinchosha manga Daiei Film films Films directed by Tokuzō Tanaka