Samurai films are arguably their own genre of film, often referred to as Chanbara in Japan, a subcategory of the jidaigeki genre, which translates to “period dramas”. Samurai cinema saw a surge in the 1960s after the release of the legendary samurai film Seven Samurai. Director Akira Kurosawa is a pioneer in the Chanbara genre, directing around one film a year for two decades and contributing a great deal of work to the genre.
Updated: January 2023: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Dylan Reber.
Due to the over-saturation of samurai films during the 1970s and the aging of the stars in said films, interest in Chanbara faltered, bringing the overall production of samurai films to a halt. While samurai cinema has seen a bit of a resurgence with films like the Rurouni Kenshin franchise, the best samurai cinema comes from when the genre was at its peak. These are the best samurai movies of all time, ranked.
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10 The Twilight Samurai (2002)
Shochiku
Samurai Seibei is forced to work as a bookkeeper rather than fulfill his duty as a warrior after the death of his wife. When Seibei’s childhood love Tomoe arrives in town, his spirits are lifted. Despite his feelings for Tomoe still remaining strong, Seibei is hindered by his responsibilities as a father and his social standing in society. One of the more recent films on this list, The Twilight Samurai has a great level of emotion and action throughout to keep the audience interested. Directed by Yôji Yamada, The Twilight Samurai has made a name for itself, now being considered one of the greatest samurai films of all time.
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9 Yojimbo (1961)
Kurosawa Production
Yojimbo, directed by Akira Kurosawa and released in 1961, is a classic samurai movie that tells the story of a masterless samurai, or Ronin, named Sanjuro, who wanders into a small town that is being torn apart by rival factions vying for control. The most memorable aspect of Yojimbo is its lead character, played by the legendary actor Toshiro Mifune. Sanjuro is a complex and multifaceted hero, who is just as likely to crack a joke as he is to draw his sword. Mifune’s performance is magnetic, and he imbues the character with a sense of humor and charm that makes him a joy to watch. This film is also noteworthy for inspiring Segio Leone’s spaghetti western A Fistful of Dollars.
8 The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Toho
When peasants Matashichi and Tahei try to make a profit from a tribal war and ultimately fail, they stumble upon a man and woman hiding in the fortress. While Matashichi and Tahei believe the people to simply be tribe members, they are in fact General Rokurota and Princess Yuki. After offering payment, the peasants agree to accompany the duo to safety. Their journey is treacherous, and the general must protect Princess Yuki without revealing his identity. One of many Kurosawa films on this list, The Hidden Fortress won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director and was subject to a great deal of praise. George Lucas has even spoken about the influence of this film on the original plot outline for the very first Star Wars film.
7 Throne of Blood (1957)
Samurai warriors Washizu and Miki return to their lord’s castle but, on their way, are met by a spirit who predicts their futures. While initially dismissing this spirit, when the first part of the prophecy comes true, Washizu’s wife Asaji insists that he speed the process by murdering his lord. Throne of Blood is essentially a Samurai retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth set in feudal Japan, directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune. The film won two Mainichi Film Awards, one for Best Actor for Mifune and another for Best Art Direction. Throne of Blood is said to be the best film adaptation of the Shakespearean play to date.
6 Lady Snowblood (1973)
One of the only films on this list with a female protagonist is Lady Snowblood. The film revolves around young Yuki raised by a priest after her mother is sexually assaulted, and her entire family is brutally murdered. On her 20th birthday, Yuki seeks revenge on the men who took her family from her. Lady Snowblood is a critically acclaimed masterpiece that even managed to earn a sequel, Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance. The film was a major inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series. Tarantino felt so strongly about Lady Snowblood that Tarantino made the cast and crew of Kill Bill watch Lady Snowblood.
5 Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Samurai Rebellion features Mifune as Isaburo Sasahara, a man who must face the harsh discipline of his clan when he disobeys in favor of what is right. As his punishment, Isaburo’s son Ichi is forced to marry the daimyo’s unwanted mistress Yogoro; the two wind up falling in love. When the ruler requests that Ichi and Yogoro return, the couple is far from pleased, but is tricked into returning. Isaburo steps in, unwilling to see his son and daughter-in-law separated, and is willing to fight for their love as long as he is able. Samurai Rebellion has become one of the best samurai films ever made, even earning Best Film of the Year by Mainichi Film Concours.
4 Sanjuro (1962)
Kurosawa and Mifune collaborate once more on Sanjuro. Sanjuro tells the story of experienced samurai master Sanjuro Tsubaki, who teaches young samurai the skills they need before they go to war for their lords. Sanjuro is less serious than most films in the samurai genre, but the balance between comedy and action is enough to satisfy any movie-goer. The movie is a sequel to Yojimbo, featuring the same main character, though Sanjuro has almost no resemblance to the Western genre of film, unlike its predecessor. Sanjuro was influential enough to receive a remake by Yoshimitsu Morita called Tsubaki Sanjuro.
3 Ran (1985)
Based on Shakespeare’s play King Lear, Akira Kurosawa’s Ran tells the story of an aging warlord who decides to divide his kingdom among his three sons. With its grand scale and sweeping cinematography, Ran is probably the most visually impressive film on this list. Its battle-scenes are bloody, vibrant, and masterfully staged. In terms of grandiosity, no other Kurosawa film can compare to Ran. Its themes of family, loyalty, and the dangers of ambition are timeless, and helped to earn the film near-universal acclaim from critics. Today, it’s considered Kurosawa’s late masterpiece.
2 Harakiri (1962)
Harakiri gets its name from the act of hara-kiri, better known as seppuku, the act of ritual suicide by disembowelment. Harakiri follows the story of an aging Hanshiro Tsugumo who arrives at the home of Kageyu Saito. After Hanshiro asks to commit seppuku on the property, Saito refuses, thinking it to be a plot to gain a job from Saito. Saito tells the story of Chijiwa who threatened suicide to gain what he wanted only to be forced to follow through. In a turn of events, Tsugumo reveals that Chijiwa was his son-in-law, setting the two up for an epic conflict. Harakiri was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, but received the Special Jury Award instead.
1 Seven Samurai (1954)
Considered one of the best movies of all time, Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai is well-known to film buffs far and wide. When samurai Kikuchiyo answers a village’s request for protection from bandits, he must gather assistance from six other samurai. The samurai work together to teach the citizens of the village how to defend themselves from the bandits. The film was so popular that it was re-made into a Spaghetti Western-style film titled The Magnificent Seven. Seven Samurai has had a sweeping influence on filmmakers globally, making numerous lists of the greatest films, earning its spot as the best samurai film of all time.
