Professional Killers (1972): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1972, Professional Killers is a drama, crime and action & adventure series.

What it’s about. A shikakenin was an under-the-cover trade that undertook killing in Edo. Hanemon of Otowa, an agency that introduced laborers and maids, was also one of these. Katsugoro Iseya was a timber dealer who had come in as a client. His target was the constructions magistrate Hanno, and the Tatsumiya who sipped on the benefits. Hanemon who had a stong code towards killing, where he would only kill those who do no good to be in the world, accepts this request. Baian Fujieda, a needle doctor would carry out the killing. However, the professional killer Baian fails to bring down Tatsumiya. Hanemon then looks to another shikakenin, the ronin Sanai Nishimura for the role. Although Sanai's ability with the sword is good, he lives poorly in a tenement, and accepts this commission on the condition that it is kept a secret from his wife and child. Here, they close in on Hanno and Tatsumiya again...

Who’s in it. Professional Killers stars Ken Ogata as Baian Fujieda, Yoichi Hayashi as Sanai Nishimura, So Yamamura as Hanemon Otowaya and Yumiko Nogawa as Gin, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, Professional Killers sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

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

If you liked it. Fans of Professional Killers tend to enjoy Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Attack on Titan.