Shogun's Samurai (1978): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1978, Shogun's Samurai is an action, drama and adventure film directed by Kinji Fukasaku, running about 130 minutes.

What it’s about. Following the death of the second Tokugawa shogun, it is revealed that he was poisoned by retainers of his son Iemitsu in hopes of gaining him the shogunate despite the stammer and birthmark which undermine his respect. Iemitsu and his brother Tadanaga become bitter rivals for the shogunate, and the land is split into factions, eventually erupting into warfare. Iemitsu's mentor, his fencing instructor Yagyu, is fixated upon securing Iemitsu the shogunate and ends up betraying everyone, even his own family, in pursuit of the goal.

Who’s in it. Shogun's Samurai stars Kinnosuke Nakamura as Yagyu Tajima, Sonny Chiba as Jûbê Yagyû, Hiroki Matsukata as Iemitsu Tokugawa (Older Prince) and Teruhiko Saigō as Tadanaga Tokugawa (Younger Prince), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.1/10, Shogun's Samurai has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on YouTube TV, Midnight Pulp, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel and Cineverse Amazon Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Shogun's Samurai page.

If you liked it. Fans of Shogun's Samurai tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.