Masahiro Takase

Documentary made by Toho for the Masterworks reissue of all of its Kurosawa films. This one focuses on "The Hidden Fortress" (1958).

The Saika clan, that had succeeded in battle against the large armies of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, had in the Tokugawa era of Ieyasu, been driven into the mountains 7 generations later, forced into subsistence hunting. A man comes to them offering revenge: to assassinate current Tokugawa Shogun Yoshimune. (Made-for-TV movie)

Lord Tokugawa Tsunatoyo, bound for Edo to be sworn in as the next shogun, is the target of merciless ninja assassins hired by corrupt officials hoping to put their own candidate in his place. His only hope is the “Oniwaban,” the shogunate’s secret ninja force, sworn to throw their lives down recklessly to prevent this coup. But will they stand a chance of getting the lord to his ceremony in time? A perilous chase, betrayal after betrayal, and a final bloodbath await them as ninja battle ninja in one last, desperate struggle.

Lord Tokugawa Tsunatoyo, bound for Edo to be sworn in as the next shogun, is the target of merciless ninja assassins hired by corrupt officials hoping to put their own candidate in his place. His only hope is the “Oniwaban,” the shogunate’s secret ninja force, sworn to throw their lives down recklessly to prevent this coup. But will they stand a chance of getting the lord to his ceremony in time? A perilous chase, betrayal after betrayal, and a final bloodbath await them as ninja battle ninja in one last, desperate struggle.

Isozoemon (Go Kato) was a ronin (masterless samurai) and broke, who lived in a Choya (cheap apartment) in Okazakijoka town with his sick wife, Sugie (Ai Kanzaki). He was also a good swordsman who had taught swordsmanship in Akita a long time ago. He takes such good care of his wife that he is called a wife-loving man. He got involved in a conflict for succession because he pretended to become an officer to please her wife.

Priests from a temple solving problems caused by yakuza, taiwanese mafia and hitmen with their fists.

The federal lord of Kofu, Tunatoyo (Tsutomu Isobe), was elected to be the next General. On his way on a trip to Edo for the ceremony, his scapegoat was shot. Oometsuke ordered an Oniwaban, Shinnosuke Takusyoku (Mikijiro Hira) to take Tsunatoyo to Edo safely. However, the enemy turned out to be his younger brother and the federal lord of Tatebayashi Kiyotake (Yoshihiro Kobayashi). On top of that, the Oniwaban sent by Kiyotake to assassinate Tsunatoyo was Shinsuke's father-in-law, Genshin Uno (Shigeru Kamiyuama).

Everyone has the potential to become a millionaire! A super success story based on a true story! Childhood friends Tetsuya (Yakumaru), Akio (Sakaue) and Kazumi (Ikuta). Tetsuya marries Saori (Watanabe), the daughter of a wealthy family, in order to realise his big ambition of becoming a billionaire. His successes and achievements are actually guided by Saori's lover, the tycoon financier Sendo (Takarada). Sendo crushes every attempt by Tetsuya to break up with Saori and make a fresh start. Devastated, Tetsuya attempts suicide...