Raizô Ichikawa

A Buddhist priest becomes also a magician, dedicating himself to the protection of life wherever it’s needed, whereupon he finds himself in direct service of the Queen. Political intrigue tightens around him as it is increasingly assumed that he harbors ulterior motives. Set in Japan’s Nara Era (710 – 794 A.D.), the story is loosely based on Mikado (Empress) Koken-Shotoku and Dokyo, a Yamabushi (mountain warrior monk who practices a rugged, intense form of Vajrayana Buddhism founded by his master, Do-en).Read More »

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The disturbing story of a physician who conducted the first operation with general anaesthetic, and the women in his life who are both so determined to win his love that they volunteer as subjects for his experimentsRead More »

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It was 230 years after the foundation of the temple that a woman killed a pilgrim monk in Dojoji. The accident was recorded in a literature in 11th century and revised into a couple of picture scrolls “Dojoji Engi” in 15th century. Since then, the preachers in Dojoji have repeated ‘etoki’ or picture sermon with an aid of long picturesque scrolls.
The accident became one of the most well-known folklore in Japan. Let’s see the story accordhing to the picture scrolls called “Dojoji Engi”.Read More »

Tokogawa Ieyasu is the ruler of Japan. But one last loose thread must be tied up before his domination is complete — the destruction of the Toyotomi clan, now besieged in Osaka castle. Ieyasu’s ninjas are the only ones who can penetrate the fortress, but unfortunately for Ieyasu, Kirigakure Saizo (Raizo Ichikawa) and his fellow Toyotomi ninja can just as easily get out. As armies of samurai maneuver for battle, the fate of the nation will be decided by a desperate struggle in the dark.Read More »

The second part of the ‘Sword’ trilogy by Kenji Misumi is an interesting story about a young man obsessed by kendo. Kokubu is a university student and has just been made captain of the kendo team, just ahead of Kagawa. Kokubu doesn’t think of anything other than kendo, this kind of upsets his fellow students, especially those that look up to him. Kagawa is the worst. He, having just lost the place for captain, gets obsessed by becoming a better kendo swordsman then Kokubu. Around his back, Kagawa is stirring up the anti-Kokubu sentiments in the group. He even charters his sister to seduce him. When the team goes into a trainingcamp led by Kokubu, things go awry…Read More »

PLOT: A samurai seeks revenge and redemption after his family is executed by a rival clan.Read More »

The shogun’s vassal Harima Aoyama and a chamber maid are in love with each other, but they cannot be together due to a difference of their status. Soon, an offer of marriage is brought to Harima. Trying to test his love, Okiku breaks one of the plates of the family treasure of the Aoyama family, but Harima doesn’t notice. However, someone surrounding her witnesses the moment Okiku breaks the plate on purpose.Read More »

Fascinated with women from an early age, Yonosuke (Ichikawa Raizo) had his first sexual encounter at the age of seven. From that day on, he recklessly and forwardly pursues women, feeding his fascination and experience. As Yonosuke’s salacious behavior brings much cause for shame to the family, his father eventually breaks relations with him. Expelled from the family, 19-year-old Yonosuke embarks on a pilgrimage of lust, traveling far and wide to acquaint himself with women of all walks.Read More »

PLOT: A young man struggles to come to terms with his true identity in a remote caste-based village in early 20th century Japan.Read More »