Harakiri

Harakiri

What befalls others today, may be your own fate tomorrow.

NR 1962 · 135 min · ★ 8.5 (1K) · Action, Drama, History

Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin’s resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi · Written by Shinobu Hashimoto

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Cast

Tatsuya Nakadai Hanshiro Tsugumo
Akira Ishihama Motome Chijiiwa
Shima Iwashita Miho Tsugumo
Tetsuro Tamba Hikokuro Omodaka
Masao Mishima Tango Inaba
Ichirō Nakatani Hayato Yazaki
Kei Satō Masakazu
Yoshio Inaba Jinai Chijiiwa
Hisashi Igawa Retainer
Toru Takeuchi Retainer
Yoshirō Aoki
Tatsuo Matsumura

Make it a double feature

5h 25m together

Harakiri

The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer

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