Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

1954 1h 34m JA

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 217

DramaActionAdventure

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Miyamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Toshirō Mifune
Musashi Miyamoto a.k.a. Takezo
Rentaro Mikuni
Matahachi
Mariko Okada
Akemi
Kurôemon Onoe
Takuan
Kaoru Yachigusa
Otsu
Mitsuko Mito
Oko
Eiko Miyoshi
Osugi
Akihiko Hirata
Seijuro Yoshioka

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
Writers: Tokuhei Wakao, Hiroshi Inagaki
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

72 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

CINEMA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, shot by Jun Yasumoto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Toshirō Mifune and Rentaro Mikuni and Mariko Okada carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0047444 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Hiroshi Inagaki directs. Jun Yasumoto behind the camera. Ikuma Dan scores. Eiji Ooi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

172 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Part of the "Samurai Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, shot by Jun Yasumoto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Ikuma Dan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Eiji Ooi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Toshirō Mifune and Rentaro Mikuni and Mariko Okada carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0047444 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jun Yasumoto
Original score: Ikuma Dan
Editing: Eiji Ooi
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)

Awards

Academy Honorary Award

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

Samurai Collection

A historical adventure spanning three films, adapted from the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. They follow the development of the famous author and warrior, Musashi Miyamoto.