Samurai movies have always been a major fascination for people all over the world. Samurai cinema is one of the best entertainment in Japan as it provides thrilling action and adventure, heartbreaking drama, and heartfelt love stories, which make an everlasting impression in the viewers’ minds.
The mythic characters of the Japanese samurai films have a unique charm and aura which is so interesting to experience in our daily lives. Movies such as Samurai Trilogy, The Last Samurai, Seven Samurai, The Twilight Samurai, and Samurai Rebellion are popular among the younger generation. The samurai genre is forever ready to hold our hands and take us on a roller coaster ride filled with excitement and adventure. Here is a list of the movies that will make you instantly fall for this intriguing genre.
20 of the most legendary samurai movies
20. Blade of the Immortal (2017)
- Cast: Takuya Kimura
- IMDb Rating: 6.7
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
This action-drama movie follows the life of a samurai named Manji, who is unexpectedly cursed with the state of living an immortal life by an 800-year-old nun. He later helps a young girl who vows to avenge the death of her murdered father. This movie has been adapted from the same name manga by Hiroaki Samura. This is one of the best Samurai Japanese movies of all time.
19. Rurouni Kenshin: Origins (2012)
- Cast: Takeru Satoh; Emi Takei; Kōji Kikkawa; Yū Aoi; Munetaka Aoki; Gō Ayano; Eiji Okuda; Yōsuke Eguchi; Teruyuki Kagawa
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
This Samurai film will surely make you cry a river because of the moving storyline. Rurouni Kenshin is a story of an ex-assassin who has vowed never to kill again after the merciless Bakumatsu war. He later gets his principles painfully tested. This is a Japanese movie that tells you how advanced Japanese cinema has been. This Samurai film is eye-candy to all the adventure lovers out there.
18. Shogun Assassin (1980)
- Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kayo Mautso, Akiji Kobayashi
- IMDb Rating: 7.3
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Shogun Assassin is one of those samurai movies which enlightens you about the importance of compassion towards your family members. Based on the life of Lone Wolf, a medieval samurai who is determined to take revenge on the people who ruthlessly killed his wife.
17. Chushingura (1962)
- Cast: Matsumoto Kōshirō, Yūzō Kayama, Setsuko Hara, Tatsuya Mihashi, Yoko Tsukasa, Akira Takarada, Reiko Dan, Michiyo Aratama, Keiju Kobayashi
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This period drama film is one of the best Samurai films ever delivered by the Japanese film industry. The film revolves around a group of forty-seven samurais who try to avenge the death of their master after he is conned to commit ritual suicide. This is one of the most amazing Samurai movies to entertain you thoroughly.
16. The Last Samurai (2003)
- Cast: Tom Cruise; Timothy Spall; Ken Watanabe; Billy Connolly; Tony Goldwyn; Hiroyuki Sanada; Koyuki
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Last Samurai is a movie that revolves around captain Nathan Algren who is assigned the job of training the Japanese army to combat the samurai rebellion. However, he gets fascinated by the samurai culture and dedicates himself to this intriguing culture after being captured in a battle.
15. The Hidden Blade (2004)
- Cast: Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Yukiyoshi Ozawa
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Hidden Blade follows a samurai from a lower-class background who falls in love with his maid. He must hunt his close friend down and kill him to protect the government’s interest. This is one of the best movies in Japanese history.
14. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
- Cast: Takeshi Kitano; Tadanobu Asano; Yui Natsukawa
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This movie follows the life of a blind samurai who is an expert in sword fighting. He comes to a village that is controlled by dangerous gangs. He helps the villagers in tackling these outrageous gangs.
13. The Hidden Fortress (1958)
- Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This action-adventure Japanese movie revolves around two greedy peasants who unknowingly agree to accompany the princess and her general in the greed of getting gold in return. The sword-fighting sequences in the movie are a must-watch by all the action lovers out there.
11. The Sword of Doom
- Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Yūzō Kayama, Michiyo Aratama, Toshiro Mifune
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Sword of Doom is a brilliant samurai film that follows a psychopath Samurai who mercilessly kills people. He is a scary person to be with as he leaves a bloodbath wherever he goes. You must check out this Japanese film if you are a fan of crazy violence.
10. Samurai Rebellion (1967)
- Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Yoko Tsukasa, Go Kato, Tatsuya Nakadai
- IMDb Rating: 8.3
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Samurai Rebellion is a classic movie that follows a samurai named Samurai Isaburo Sasahara, who has to deal with the anger of the clan when he refuses to follow the right path. When his son is forced to marry his unwanted mistress, they fall in love, making things difficult for Sasahara. This is one of the greatest Samurai movies that will surely make you a fan of Japanese cinema.
9. Kagemusha (1980)
- Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Streaming Platform: Disney Plus
Kagemusha is a stunning movie that follows a petty thief who looks similar to the samurai warlord. Taking advantage of the situation, he is assigned the job of the lord’s double. This Samurai film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980.
8. Sanjuro (1962)
- Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiju Kobayashi, Yūzō Kayama
- IMDb Rating: 8
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Sanjuro is a popular Japanese movie directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa. The movie follows a samurai who helps a young man save his uncle. His uncle has been falsely accused and imprisoned by an evil superintendent.
7. The Twilight Samurai (2002)
- Cast: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Twilight Samurai is a Japanese action drama movie that follows the life of a Samurai who is having difficulty managing a clan, two daughters, and an elderly mother at the same time as the era of feudal Japan comes to an end. Things take a strange turn when his childhood sweetheart makes an unexpected entry into his life. This is one of the greatest gems in the history of movies.
6. Harakiri (1962)
- Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai; Shima Iwashita; Akira Ishihama; Tetsurō Tamba; Rentarō Mikuni
- IMDb Rating: 8.6
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Harakiri is a popular Samurai film that revolves around an aged samurai named Hanshiro who requests to commit suicide on a local feudal lord. Things take an unexpected turn when the feudal lords ask about the young Samurai named Chijiiwa. This is one of the most popular Samurai movies streaming on various platforms.
5. Throne of Blood (1957)
- Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Throne of Blood is a classic tale about a samurai warrior named Washizu who is encouraged by his wife to fulfill a prophecy allowing him to become the leader of Spider’s Web Castle. The director Akira Kurosawa was highly praised for his strong direction. If you wish to explore the Samurai genre more deeply, this is one of the perfect Samurai movies.
4. 13 Assassins (2010)
- Cast: Kōji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yūsuke Iseya, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Hiroki Matsukata
- IMDb Rating: 7.5
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This film follows a Samurai named Shinzaemon, who gathers 12 assassins and a hunter to kill an evil lord named Matsudaira Naritsugu. Akira Kurosawa has a knack for creating iconic movies, and 13 Assassins is one of them. 13 Assassins will surely give you a thrilling ride leaving you amazed every single time.
3. Ran (1985)
- Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai; Akira Terao; Jinpachi Nezu; Daisuke Ryu; Mieko Harada; Peter; Hisashi Igawa; Yoshiko Miyazaki
- IMDb Rating: 8.2
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The premise of this period of historical-drama film is set in medieval Japan, where an aged warlord retires, passing control of the empire to his sons. However, greed for power leads to corrupt actions filled with ill motives, turning them against each other. This is one of the best Samurai movies to stream when you are up for watching some serious drama.
2. Yojimbo (1961)
- Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katō
- IMDb Rating: 8.2
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Yojimbo is an interesting movie that follows a masterless samurai who comes to a small town where different crime lords compete for supremacy. The most powerful gang bosses assigned his bodyguard duties. This is one of the major movies that will entertain the audience for decades.
1. Seven Samurai
- Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima, Isao Kimura, Daisuke Katō, Seiji Miyaguchi
- IMDb Rating: 8.6
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai is by far the best Samurai movie. This movie follows a determined young Samurai who selects an army of seven masterless Samurai to protect the village from the ruthless bandits. Seven Samurai is regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of cinema history.
