is a 2001 Japanese samurai film directed by

Hiroyuki Nakano is a Japanese film director. Filmography * ''Watching People'' (1989) * ''Spiritual Earth: Aloha Wave'' (1995) * ''Samurai Fiction is a 1998 comedy-samurai film directed by Hiroyuki Nakano. It is almost entirely black-and-white, and follows ...

. The film stars

Masanobu Andō is a Japanese actor. Ando has appeared in films such as Takeshi Kitano's ''Kids Return'' (1996), Kinji Fukasaku's '' Battle Royale'' (2000), Takashi Miike's ''Sukiyaki Western Django'' (2007), and Chen Kaige's ''Forever Enthralled'' (2008). He a ...

in the title role and features a guest star appearance of

Tomoyasu Hotei , also known simply as Hotei ( ), is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, composer, record producer and actor. With a career spanning more than 35 years, Hotei claims record sales of over 40 million copies and has collaborated with acclaimed a ...

returning from the 1998 spin-off and virtual prequel ''

Samurai Fiction is a 1998 comedy-samurai film directed by Hiroyuki Nakano. It is almost entirely black-and-white, and follows a fairly standard plotline for a comedy and ''jidaigeki'' samurai film, but the presence of Tomoyasu Hotei's rock-and-roll soundtrack se ...

''. The film is loosely based on the 1960s manga

Akakage is a Japanese superhero ninja featured in several manga and anime, as well as live-action movies and TV shows. Akakage first appeared in the 1967 TV series, ''Kamen no Ninja Akakage'' which was produced by Toei Company Ltd. Characte ...

Plot

in 1545, the world was in the Warring States period. The servants surpassed the lord and defeated them frequently, and the Sengoku daimyo repeated fierce battles and were devoted to trade-in. Among the ninjas who served them was a group of ninjas called the "Kage Clan". They serve the Sengoku daimyo Hidenobu Togo, and while faithfully performing all missions to unify the world, they make weapons and armor with metal that is stronger than any substance called "invincible steel" and meet mysterious ninjutsu. However, after a long time, the "invincible steel" dissipates and the number of people who can use the technique gradually decreases, and the legitimate successors of the Kage clan are the three people, Akakage, Aokage, and Asuka, who remain under the white shadow who is the leader. It was only leaving the young man. And I felt a big gap with the lesson passed down from generation to generation to the clan, "Working as a shadow for a peaceful world with light" to Togo, and the minds of Akakage and others began to get lost.

Cast

- Akakage *

Megumi Okina is a Japanese people, Japanese actress and singer. Born in Hiroshima and raised in Tokyo, she made her J-Pop debut on 19 August 1995. She starred in the Japanese original of ''Ju-on: The Grudge, The Grudge''. She married Susumu Fujita in Januar ...

- Koto-Hime *

Kumiko Asō , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress. She is also a model and has participated in several commercials. Career In 1995, Asō made her film debut in ''Bad Guy Beach''. With her role in the 1998 film ''Dr. Akagi'', she received ...

- Asuka *

Jun Murakami is a Japanese actor. He is not to be confused with Japanese stunt actor Jun Murakami. Career Murakami starred in Sho Miyake's ''Playback'' (2012). He co-starred in Sion Sono's '' The Land of Hope'' (2012) with Megumi Kagurazaka. He has also a ...

- Aokage *

Naoto Takenaka is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. He is also known as the voice of Samuel L. Jac ...

- Shirokage *

Fumiya Fujii is a Japanese musician, actor and former lead singer of The Checkers born in Kurume. His younger brother is Naoyuki Fujii, a musician and former sax player for The Checkers. His eldest son is Fuji TV announcer Kōki Fujii. He formerly belonged t ...

- Ranmaru *Shuhei Mainoumi - Rikimaru *

Kei Tani (born Yasuo Watanabe (渡部泰雄, Watanabe Yasuo) ; 22 February 1932 – 11 September 2010) was a Japanese comedian, actor and musician. Born in Tokyo, he learned to play the trombone and, while a student at Chuo University, began playing in ...

- Roushi *

Ryoko Shinohara Ryōko or Ryouko is a Japanese female given name. The meanings of Ryoko vary depending on which Kanji is used to write the name. Possible writings * 涼子 – "refreshing, child" * 亮子 – "helpful, child" * 良子 – "good, child" * 諒子 ...

- O-Rin *

Kitarō , born (February 4, 1953), is a Japanese recording artist, composer, record producer, and arranger noted for his electronic music, electronic-instrumental music, instrumental music, and is often associated with and regarded as one of the most p ...

- Roushi, Mura no chourou *

Denden is a Japanese actor and former comedian.http://japancinema.net/2012/05/29/creative-spotlight-episode-126-denden He has appeared in more than 100 films since 1981. Selected filmography Film Television References External links * { ...

- Bonnobei *

Masahiko Tsugawa , born Masahiko Katō (加藤雅彦 ''Katō Masahiko''; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018) was a Japanese actor and director. Career Tsugawa was born January 2, 1940, in Kyoto, Japan. After acting as a child, he made his major debut at the age o ...

- Tougou Hidenobu, Sengoku Daimyou *

Yutaka Matsushige is a Japanese actor. Career Matsushige has appeared in the films such as ''EM Embalming'', ''Adrenaline Drive'', ''Last Life in the Universe'', and ''Outrage Beyond''. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 31st Yokohama Film Festiv ...

- Kamijou Takatora *

Alina Kabaeva Alina Maratovna Kabaeva or Kabayeva (russian: Алина Маратовна Кабаева, ; tt-Cyrl, Әлинә Марат кызы Кабаева; born 12 May 1983) is a Russian politician, media manager and retired individual rhythmic gym ...

- Olga, Circus no shoujo

Reception

Mark Schilling Mark Schilling (born 1949) is an American film critic, journalist, translator, and author based in Tokyo, Japan. He has written for ''The Japan Times'', ''Variety'', and ''Screen International''. Biography Schilling began working for ''The Japan ...

of ''

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'' stated that "There is not a dull moment in the film." but also that there was "unfortunately, not much in the way of real thrills or laughs, which ''

The Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese Epic film, epic Samurai cinema, samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of desper ...

'' and ''

Yojimbo is a 1961 Japanese samurai film co-written, produced, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film stars Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katō, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara, and Atsushi Watanabe. ...

'' manage to have, despite the lack of cool computer graphics", and that "One day, maybe, Nakano will get around to filming a movie".

References

External links

* 2001 films Japanese comedy films 2000s Japanese-language films Ninja films Samurai films 2000s Japanese films {{2000s-comedy-drama-film-stub