The Sword of Doom

"The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword."

1966 2h 2m JA

🙌

7.8

BANGER

★7.8TMDB · 278

DramaCrimeAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Ryunosuke, a gifted swordsman plying his trade during the turbulent final days of Shogunate rule, has no moral code and kills without remorse. It’s a way of life that leads to madness.

“The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Tatsuya Nakadai
Ryunosuke Tsukue
Yūzō Kayama
Hyoma Utsuki
Michiyo Aratama
Ohama
Yōko Naitō
Omatsu
Toshirō Mifune
Toranosuke Shimada
Tadao Nakamaru
Isamu Kondo
Kei Satō
Kamo Serizawa
Kō Nishimura
Shichibei, Omatsu's 'uncle'

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kihachi Okamoto
Writers: Shinobu Hashimoto
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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

60 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kihachi Okamoto, shot by Hiroshi Murai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Tatsuya Nakadai and Yūzō Kayama and Michiyo Aratama carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0060277 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kihachi Okamoto directs. Hiroshi Murai behind the camera. Masaru Satō scores. Yoshitami Kuroiwa cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

160 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Kihachi Okamoto, shot by Hiroshi Murai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Masaru Satō. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Yoshitami Kuroiwa shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Tatsuya Nakadai and Yūzō Kayama and Michiyo Aratama carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword.".
7IMDB entry: tt0060277 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 12 themes, including "martial arts", "samurai", "based on novel or book", "swordplay".