Review for Yojimbo

The story takes place during the fall of the tokugawa shogunate in the 1860s, when samurai are reduced in status and forced to wander from town to town making a living as YOJIMBO (” goons/bodyguards “). Mifuna succeeds in playing this awkward role. Although kurosawa uses a lot of comedy elements (music, action, etc.), there is a subtle, but not negligible, side to the witty tone that underlies a bitter elegy for the decline of the samurai spirit. Japanese film scientist Donald Ritchie sees YOJIMBO as a rebellion against traditional samurai films. We know that forms the core of the Japanese samurai spirit is “Loyal, Brave, Justice,” one of the most important is “Loyal”, which means loyal to the master, and loyal to the samurai responsibility. “Brave” and “Righteousness” is in the service of the faithful, three ships as warrior can completely does not depend on the highest standards of the samurai “loyalty”, he is nothing, women and money is worthless in his eyes, he came to the village is unconstrained, completely opening threw a stick as a guide, deft manoeuvre between two groups in wrestling. After the end of what is not worried about, just said “this place is back to peace” and then set foot on the vagabonding journey, bushido spirit was dispelled only “brave” and “righteousness”, warriors also more human attributes, this seems like our country liang shan hero. The gun-toting warrior played by nakaida has a deeper historical context. The traditional warriors with cold weapons in the face of the invincible pistol seems to be overshadowed, even three ship’s face also looming a few lines of concern, which can not be said to be the decline of the samurai era another portrayal. At the end of the film, there is a scene that makes people feel very shocked. Mitsuaki hands over the pistol to nakagata. He doesn’t know there are no bullets at that time. When Nakagata use the pistiol to aim Mitsuaki, he does not scared. YOJIMBO has undoubtedly become a classic of the genre, with even Ritchie saying that a group of samurai warriors can turn into a group of gunners, and that rural ancient Japan can turn into the American west. Akira kurosawa actually borrowed from western movies to make this classic.