Hakkenden (2024): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2024, Hakkenden is a drama, fantasy and war film directed by Fumihiko Sori, running about 149 minutes.

What it’s about. Takizawa Bakin, a popular Edo period author, begins to recount a story he is planning in front of his friend, the artist Katsushika Hokusai. The story is about eight warriors who, each carrying a jewel, gather together as if guided by fate and embark on a harsh journey to fight the curse of the Satomi family. Hokusai is drawn into the story that Bakin is telling, and visits Bakin on various occasions to hear the rest of the story, and a strange relationship between the two begins. The serialization becomes Bakin's life's work, with the idea of ​​"rewarding good and punishing evil in a world where evil is rampant," but after 28 years, as the story finally approaches its climax, Bakin begins to lose his sight. With the completion of the story in doubt, he receives an unexpected proposal from his daughter-in-law. Will the story ever be completed?

Who’s in it. Hakkenden stars Koji Yakusho as Bakin Takizawa, Seiyo Uchino as Hokusai Katsushika, Tao Tsuchiya as Fusehime and Keisuke Watanabe as Shino Inuzuka, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.4/10, Hakkenden has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hakkenden page.

If you liked it. Fans of Hakkenden tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.