Movielogr

The Trail of Blood (1972)

Directed by Kazuo Ikehiro

Action | Drama

Overview

Can a sinful man change and find peace? It’s unlikely in gang-plagued Japan. Jokichi of Mikogami, a drifter (and hired sword), goes straight after protecting a woman in distress: they marry, have a son, and Jokichi pursues his father’s craft. After three years, the gangs he embarrassed when he saved his wife find the family and leave Jokichi in grief, vowing revenge. To parry his terrible swift sword, rival gangs join forces, hiring a prostitute to pose as a woman needing help and breaking the code of honor to double cross the drifter. He finds unlikely allies: a thief who aids him for fun and a one-eyed swordsman who may be Jokichi’s equal in skill and honor.

Length 87 minutes

Actors

Yoshio Harada | Katsuo Nakamura | Tôru Minegishi | Etsuko Ichihara | Kôji Nanbara | Kayo Matsuo | Sanae Kitabayashi | Maki Mizuhara | Kaoru Kusuda | Ryoko Nakano | Rakoji Nanbara | Saburo Date | Atsuo Nakamura | Ryôhei Uchida | Kantarô Suga | Tokue Hanazawa | Gen Shimizu | Shiro Kuno | Hisao Toake | Koichi Uenoyama | Ikio Sawamura | Chikara Hashimoto | Kôji Tsutsui | Hideo Nakamura | Takeo Kamura | Kai Atô | Saho Sasazawa

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Date ViewedDeviceFormatSourceRating
08/16/2015TVDVDRented7 stars
 

Viewing Notes

First film in Kazuo Ikehiro’s Mikogami trilogy about a ronin seeking revenge for the death of his wife and child against the evil yakuza bosses who committed the crime. Pretty good flick with a lead character that keeps getting dumped on repeatedly but is persistent in his journey to enact revenge. Lots of colorful characters show up along the way including one that I’m sure is meant to be Jubei, or an homage to him.

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