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Yojimbo

Yojimbo

Drama · Thriller · 1961

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

Movie details

Yojimbo

“Kill one or a hundred... you only hang once”

1961 Drama · Thriller 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

8.1 / 10

Community rating

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Yojimbo?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Akira Kurosawa

Written by

Ryuzo Kikushima · Akira Kurosawa

Toshirō Mifune

Toshirō Mifune

Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai

Tatsuya Nakadai

Tatsuya Nakadai

Unosuke, gunfighter

Yōko Tsukasa

Yōko Tsukasa

Nui

Isuzu Yamada

Isuzu Yamada

Orin

Daisuke Katō

Daisuke Katō

Inokichi

Seizaburō Kawazu

Seizaburō Kawazu

Seibê - brothel operator

Takashi Shimura

Takashi Shimura

Tokuemon, sake brewer

Court is in session

Put Yojimbo on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.