By Much like how Westerns have gradually faded away from modern Hollywood cinema, samurai films have mostly fallen out of favor with modern Japanese audiences. They still pop up now and then and we even recently saw FX achieve immense success with its TV adaptation of Shogun, but it’s safe to say that samurai movies are not super common anymore. When they do crop up, it feels special, and special is the perfect word to describe Bushido.
Bushido (its original Japanese title is Gobangiri) follows the story of a once proud samurai who will go to extreme lengths to clear his name. In the process, he risks losing everything and potentially proving his naysayers correct about their false assumptions. There’s also a heaping of “Go” thrown in to really lay the metaphors on thick.
Maybe it’s not super original in premise or even execution, but Bushido truly feels like a lost classic waiting to be rediscovered.
Bushido
Director: Kazuya Shiraishi
Release Date: May 17, 2024 (Japan), July 23, 2024 (NYAFF)
Country: Japan
Bushido starts in media res following the life of Kakunoshin Yanagida (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi). Having moved to the Edo region of Japan following an unspecified event, he lives a rather subdued and quiet life with his daughter, Okinu (Kaya Kiyohara), in a somewhat ramshackle tenement complex. Yanagida may have fallen on hard times, but he has never abandoned the way of the samurai or the principles he was raised in.
Once an avid player of Go, Yanagida takes up a challenge offered by Genbei Yorozuya (Jun Kunimura), a greedy and maligned businessman in Edo. With Genbei very clearly on the ropes, Yanagida surrenders and walks away, puzzling everyone in the bar and utterly stumping Genbei. Genbei soon follows up with Yanagida, learns the reason why he abandoned their match, and commits to reshaping his philosophy not only on life but on business.
Everything is going swimmingly and Okinu has even started to fall for Genbei’s assistant, Yakichi (Taishi Nakagawa). During another game of Go, a figure from Yanagida’s past comes to reveal an ugly truth about his reason for moving to Edo, which also happens to coincide with Genbei misplacing some rather important funds and casting doubt on Yanagida’s credibility. Wishing to seek vengeance not only for his name, but his honor, Yanagida sets off on a quest that could potentially cost him everything he has.
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Now, that’s a lot of setup for a review, but I felt it was important to lay the groundwork for anyone interested. In true samurai film fashion, Bushido can be a slow-moving affair. Running at 129 minutes, the film takes its time establishing its characters, themes, and setting before pulling the rug out from under the audience. In some way, you could compare this to Full Metal Jacket in that its two halves feel like distinct films in their own right. Once Yanagida is on the path of vengeance, the film becomes a lot bleaker and more introspective.
If you do get sucked in, Bushido never feels like it drags. Under the careful direction of Kazuya Shiraishi and DOP Jun Fukumoto, the film is beautiful to simply look at. There’s a hazy effect in each scene that creates a dreamlike atmosphere in the earlier segments. Some beautiful piano music (composed by Umitaro Abe) underscores the intensity of each Go match and the acting is absolutely top-tier. It’s a wonderful movie to just vibe with.
Where everything starts to get truly under your skin is with its philosophical musings. Being trained as a samurai, Yanagida never raises his fists in anger. He has ultimate control of his mental state and can carefully imbue his outlook on life to those around him. He’s an extremely likable character and it becomes devastating when the film throws a gigantic curveball in his direction.
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While Okinu doesn’t truly become a secondary protagonist, even her arc is engaging. She follows her father to Edo unaware of what happened back home and is dutiful in helping him. She initially shows no interest in finding love as she wants to ensure her father’s safety. Still, when he manages to completely reverse Genbei’s business practices, she starts to open her heart a bit. Things go sour and her dedication to her father gets put to the ultimate test, giving the second half of Bushido a ticking clock that is constantly present.
I don’t want to spoil anything about this film, but it’s very interesting how the truth of Yanagida’s past parallels the struggle he is currently facing. I love the circular nature of Bushido and how its ending works almost like a double conclusion for its main character. The ebb and flow of its plot slowly builds to a climactic finale that is very reminiscent of Kihachi Okamoto’s The Sword of Doom, especially with the level of violence on display.
There isn’t much in the way of action in Bushido, but you could say that every Go match acts like an exhibition between warriors. There is obviously a metaphor for how Go mirrors swordplay and while the film isn’t shy about how it wants you to view Go, it never stops the plot to explain the nuances. This is a layered movie that trusts the audience to figure out what it all means, enticing you to dig deeper into its subtleties.
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Now, none of this is particularly original, but that’s really the only negative I can think of. Bushido isn’t a perfect movie and it certainly won’t be for everyone, but you won’t leave the theater feeling as if you’ve experienced the next evolution of cinema. This is just a finely crafted story that hits all the right beats while never lingering on any of its flaws.
I suppose if I had to point to anything else, it would be that some of the side characters don’t feel particularly fleshed out. There’s a core set of figures that Bushido hangs its plot on and that’s really it. There are tertiary characters who pepper the background to give the setting of Edo a lived-in feeling, but that’s really it. Even the second half of the movie, which takes place in Hikone, doesn’t have truly extensive character development for anyone other than its starring players. Seeing as how I’ve made it over 1,000 words now and can barely come up with any faults should tell you how great this movie is.
I don’t know if Bushido will wind up being my favorite movie of 2024, but it’s definitely a highlight thus far. It tells a compelling story, has beautiful cinematography, and features highly considered acting and editing. Even if you’re not a fan of samurai films, Bushido may just win you over with how well-executed it is.
