Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

Eiji Yoshikawa is probably one of the most well-known Japanese historical novelists and his Musashi novel is widely considered as Japan’s Gone with the Wind. It is an epic account of the life of Miyamoto Musashi, one of Japan’s most renowned swordsmen. The Samurai Trilogy, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, is a film adaptation of Musashi and Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is the first film in the series.

Comparisons to Gone with the Wind are more than valid, as the chaotic backdrop of the story is couched in civil war and devastation. The Battle of Sekigahara sets the backdrop for Samurai I, putting us in the year 1600 during a three day fight in which some 70,000 people lost their lives. It is true that the real Musashi Miyamoto took part in the Battle of Sekigahara and it is true that his heroism created a sort of legend around his actions.

When a larger-than-life hero is put to screen in Japan, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Toshirō Mifune taking the lead. Mifune embodies Miyamoto, called Takezo, wonderfully. When we meet Takezo for the first time, he is a wild man and is fighting on the losing side with his friend Matahachi (Rentaro Mikuni). Instead of achieving a grand victory, Takezo and Matahachi are defeated warriors and they find themselves fugitives.

They seek shelter with a widow and her daughter, but find themselves torn apart by false accusations. Takezo is on the run again and Matahachi sides with the women, neglecting the existence of his bride-to-be Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) back at home. Takezo heads back to his village to inform Matahachi’s mother and bride-to-be of the situation, but a trap is set and he’s on the run again. He eventually comes into contact with a priest (Kuroemon Onoe) and begins his way to becoming a samurai.

The beauty of Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto lies in its exploration of Takezo and the spiritual journey he undergoes as a wild man. He cannot be tamed by the lusty ways of women or by nature itself, but it seems that the priest has some success when he forces the warrior to look inwards. In many ways, that is the ultimate core of the entire trilogy. It is about looking within for continuity and peace in the midst of chaos. Power and strength are not sufficient.

The sheer scope of Inagaki’s trilogy is almost hard to imagine. The battle sequences are breathtaking and raw, with beautiful colours and camerawork from Jun Yasumoto. The movie more than deserves its Oscar for Best Foreign Film and it resonates deeply even today by its amazing volume and mass.

At the end of the day, though, a film becomes great because it also showcases smaller moments. Inagaki’s Samurai I explores spirituality and the smallness of humanity with such beauty and poise that it’s hard not to consider this one of the best pieces of samurai cinema ever made. The sequence in which Takezo is tied up in a tree, for instance, remains one of the explorations of patience and its contrast with eager and youthful love I’ve seen.

Ten years passed before many Americans were able to see the follow-up pictures to Samurai I, but I can assure you that I won’t be waiting a decade to watch and review the remaining pictures in this remarkable and striking trilogy. A compelling introduction that sets up its characters impeccably, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is the standard for big, epic adventure tales and stands as one of the boldest films of this explosive genre.

Trailer (Japanese, No Subs):