Return of the Vagabond

1960 1h 19m JA

😐

5.0

MID

★5.0TMDB · 3

MusicAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The 3rd film of the famous "Wataridori" (The Rambler) series from Nikkatsu. The young rambler, Shinji Taki (Akira Kobayashi), with his guitar arrives in Sadogashima Island, Niigata, Japan. Of course, Shinji meets yet another beautiful girl named Noriko, who closely resembles the famous actress Ruriko Asaoka again. Of course, Noriko is in trouble. Of course, Shinji's yet another skilled rival named "Tetsu, the Gunman" comes to Sado shortly. Of course, the villain tries to kill Shinji and Tetsu. Of course, Shinji solves the problem and leaves Sado suddenly.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Akira Kobayashi
Ruriko Asaoka
Joe Shishido
Tamio Kawachi
Sanae Nakahara
Ryōhei Uchida
Yūko Kusunoki
Saburo Hiromatsu

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Buichi Saitō
Writers: Kenzaburo Hara, Gan Yamazaki, Hisao Ohkawa
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

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

66 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Rambler Series" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Buichi Saitō, shot by Kuratarō Takamura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Akira Kobayashi and Ruriko Asaoka and Joe Shishido carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Buichi Saitō directs. Kuratarō Takamura behind the camera. Taichiro Kosugi scores. Mitsuo Kondō cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
266 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "The Rambler Series" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Buichi Saitō, shot by Kuratarō Takamura. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Taichiro Kosugi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Mitsuo Kondō shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Akira Kobayashi and Ruriko Asaoka and Joe Shishido carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt3228246 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.