List of Famous & Classic Samurai Movies [Updated]

Samurai, katanas, and Japanese culture influence many of the tv shows and movies we enjoy today. Some of the most iconic films of the last several decades include at least references to samurai culture.

Characters we know and love possess samurai traits like honor, loyalty, and bravery. 

What may come as a surprise is the amount of influence classic Japanese samurai films have had on seemingly unrelated Western genres like the spaghetti western and space fiction. 

While you may have already seen The Last Samurai or Kill Bill, for a full appreciation of the samurai or chanbara movie genre, you must check out the following classic samurai films made in the mid 20th century.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of classic Japanese samurai films. It is a great place to start if you are new to the genre or Japanese movies in general. 

1) The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail 

(1945)

The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail was made in 1945 and released in 1952. It was the first of many samurai films created by director Akira Kurosawa. 

The movie was created in the aftermath of World War II and is a great early example of the samurai genre. At 60 minutes long, this short and easily digestible movie is the perfect introduction to Kurosawa’s later work and samurai movies in general. 

The movie is set in 1185 at the very beginning of the shogunate political system. It tells the story of the brother of the shogun and his escape from assassination. 

The shogun threatens to have him arrested and killed, so the brother and his band of loyal samurai disguise themselves as Buddhist monks and attempt to get around the shogun’s guards. 

Although a simple premise, it nicely showcases Kurosawa’s cinematography choices. In fact, many of the features that made Kurosawa famous can be found in this early film. 

The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail is a must-watch for fans of Akira Kurosawa or those interested in watching his movies in order of production. 

2) Gate of Hell 

(1953)

Teinosuke Kinugasa directed one of the first Japanese color films, Gate of Hell. This movie tells the story of a samurai who falls in love with a married woman. He forces her to assist him in plotting the death of her husband. 

The movie is an exploration of the idea of samurai goodness and honor. In the movie, the samurai ends up being amoral, while the husband proves himself loyal and true. 

If you are interested in Kinugasa’s portrayals of virtue and manhood, this is a great film to start with. Its deep and timeless story is sure to be intriguing whether you are a major fan of samurai or not. 

3) Seven Samurai 

(1954)

Perhaps the most famous film on our list, Seven Samurai is Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece. It starts Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo and is a classic story of underdogs becoming heroes. 

Fans of underdog movies have Kurosawa to thank, as his story inspired hundreds of other well-loved films.

The 207 minute movie truly set the stage for other samurai films and major franchises in Western genres. If you can only watch one movie on this list, make it Seven Samurai. 

4) Throne of Blood 

(1957)

Akira Kurosawa’s 1957 film Throne of Blood stars Toshiro Mifune again. Kurosawa and Mifune worked together on many of the best samurai films of the 1950s. 

The storyline is a rendition of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It follows the character Washizu and his ambition, which ends up driving him to ruin. 

Fans of Shakespeare will of course be able to follow the storyline quite easily and will appreciate the Japanese flair of the movie. Throne of Blood incorporates some of the best features of Japanese theatrics like dramatic facial expressions and gestures. 

The blend of Western and Japanese influences make this film a unique yet instant classic. Whether you are watching for the Shakespearean influence or the samurai fight scenes, you are sure to enjoy Throne of Blood. 

5) The Hidden Fortress 

(1958)

Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 movie The Hidden Fortress is best known for inspiring the original Star Wars trilogy and subsequent films. At first it may seem crazy that a Japanese samurai film from the 50s could have impacted Western science fiction filmmaking, but it certainly did. 

The Hidden Fortress features a brave and noble samurai general as well as a disguised princess fighting a seemingly undefeatable army. These characters may sound familiar to Star Wars fans. We can assume light saber duels were also inspired by the action scenes of The Hidden Fortress and other films of its genre.

Besides being inspiration for George Lucas, The Hidden Fortress is well worth watching for its engaging plot and excellent camera work. 

6) Yojimbo 

(1961)

Yojimbo is another famous samurai movie directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune. Fans of the samurai genre will find the more lighthearted plot of this movie refreshing. Besides the overall mood of the film, Yojimbo is also known for its excellent fight scenes and powerful score. 

Mifune stars as a ronin samurai named Kuwabatake Sanjuro who gets caught in the middle of a conflict between two opposing gangs. As an antihero character, he plays off both sides. His contradicting traits make Sanjuro a memorable character. As a samurai, viewers expect Sanjuro to be chivalrous at all times, but he can also have ambiguous motivations. 

The character Sanjuro and the overall plot of Yojimbo set the stage for the spaghetti western genre in America. The movie also inspired many of the antihero movies of the later 20th and 21st centuries. 

7) Chūshingura 

(1962)

Rounding off the list is the 1962 film Chūshingura, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. The movie is a retelling of the famous “47 Ronin” story. 

After a samurai lord is killed, his 47 samurai retainers become ronin (wandering samurai) rather than committing seppuku (suicide). Only after tracking down their lord’s murderer and killing him themselves do they commit seppuku as was custom. 

This film is a classic example of Japanese cinematography, making it a good choice for fans of Japanese culture in general. 

Besides its riveting storyline, Chūshingura also has one of the best casts out of all Japanese samurai films.