Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice

1972 1h 34m JA

😐

6.2

MID

⭐

6.5

IMDB

★6.2TMDB · 56★6.5IMDB · 2,095

ActionDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Fearless Edo-period police inspector Hanzo Itami, nicknamed The Razor, has developed his own unique way of extracting information for his inquiries. His first adventure sees him investigating his superior officer's mistress, whom he suspects of having ties with a reputed criminal on the loose.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Shintarō Katsu
Hanzo 'The Razor' Itami
Yukiji Asaoka
Omino
Mari Atsumi
Kō Nishimura
Magobei 'Snake' Onishi
Akira Yamanouchi
Kamatari Fujiwara
Akiji Kobayashi
Zenpei Saga

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kenji Misumi
Writers: Kazuo Koike, Kazuo Koike, Takeshi Kanda
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

54 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Hanzo the Razor Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kenji Misumi, shot by Chikashi Makiura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Kunihiko Murai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Yoshiharu Hayashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Shintarō Katsu and Yukiji Asaoka and Mari Atsumi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0068650 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 56 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kenji Misumi directs. Chikashi Makiura behind the camera. Kunihiko Murai scores. Yoshiharu Hayashi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

154 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Part of the "Hanzo the Razor Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Kenji Misumi, shot by Chikashi Makiura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Kunihiko Murai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Yoshiharu Hayashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Shintarō Katsu and Yukiji Asaoka and Mari Atsumi carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0068650 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 56 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 11 themes, including "japan", "samurai", "corruption", "investigation".