Intense drama and thrilling battles await viewers who became hooked on samurai stories through Shogun.
Honestly, this list could be made up ofonlyKurosawa films.
If youre going to pick just one movie on this list to watch, make itRan.
Hiroyuki Sanada won a Golden Globe in 2025 for playing Lord Toranaga inShogun. In 2003 he won a Japan Academy Film Prize for his role as Seibei Igushi inThe Twilight Samurai.
Yojimbo (1961)
We couldnt help but put another Kurosawa film in the list.
However,Yojimbois a very different bang out of samurai film.
The Twilight Samuraiwon 13 awards at the 2003 Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony. It was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2004 Academy Awards. (pictured: Rie Miyazawa and Hiroyuki Sanada)
The Last Samuraiwas nominated for four Academy Awards in 2004, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Ken Watanabe.
Randraws significant inspiration from Shakespeare’sKing Lear.
Kurosawa’s filmmaking style incorporated many elements of Western cinema.
Taboo(Gohattoin Japanese) was the final film of famed director Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses,Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence). (pictured: Ryuhei Matsuda inTaboo)
Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samuraiis a remake of the 1962 filmHarakiri(which you should also watch).
