Japan The Last Samurai ranks #3 among 71 Japan films released between 1973–1975.
Synopsis
狼よ落日を斬れ
The film follows the story of Sugi Toranosuke, a ronin, who returns to his home town of Edo many years after his attempted suicide as a sickly child. Rescued and adopted by a master swordsman, he has grown into a master swordsman and a very kind gentleman. The time is around 1868 the year that the nails were finally put into the coffin containing the feudal system that nurtured and sustained the samurai. Sugi is confused and unsure about what is happening but his teacher wants him out of the chaos of the multiple power struggles between the various clans.
Other Titles From Shochiku
Drama + Action in Japan
444 Japan titles in our catalog blend the Drama and Action genres. Below: the top-rated of them (excluding The Last Samurai itself).
The 1973–1975 Japan Window
Among 71 Japan films we catalog from this window, The Last Samurai places #3 — near the top of its class.
The 1970s Japan Landscape
1974 was the decade’s peak output year for Japan — 27 titles released, including The Last Samurai. Bars below show how the 1970s stacked up year by year (197 total).
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 26 other Japan films in 1974.
The 429th Japan title from Japan we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1899).
Our Japan catalog contains 4,579 titles in total (2,908 films).
Audience Engagement
16 audience reviews — more than 28% of Japan films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 5th percentile among Japan films.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #861 of 4,579 Japan films indexed here (81st percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is +0.9 points above the Japan average of 6.9/10.
Among Japan Drama productions specifically: #360 of 1,933 (top 19%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Japanese |
| Production Companies | Shochiku |
| Runtime | 2h 39m |
| Release Date | September 20, 1974 |
| IMDb | tt0123129 |