Shogun’s Shadow (1989) Shôgun Iemitsu no ranshin – Gekitotsu | Region-Free (Blu-Ray)

Title: Shogun’s Shadow (1989)

Alternate Title: Shôgun Iemitsu no ranshin – Gekitotsu

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History

Plot Synopsis:
In feudal Japan, Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu despises his eldest son, Takechiyo, favoring his younger son, Tokumatsu. When Iemitsu orders Takechiyo to an initiation rite in Yedo (modern-day Tokyo), the young heir becomes the target of multiple assassination attempts orchestrated by his own father. A group of seven loyal samurai, led by Igo Gyobu, is tasked with escorting and protecting Takechiyo on his perilous journey, facing relentless attacks and political intrigue.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Yasuo Furuhata
• Cast:
  • Ken Ogata as Igo Gyobu
  • Sonny Chiba as Tōbe Saheiji
  • Hiroki Matsukata as Hotta Masamori
  • Miyuki Kanô as Yajima Tsubone
  • Sayoko Ninomiya as Orin

IMDb Link:
Shogun’s Shadow (1989)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. FakeVoorhees – ★★★½
   “A small group of samurai tasked with transporting the Shogun’s son must protect him from frequent assassination attempts. This is a fun, fast-paced samurai adventure with a lot of fight scenes. The fights feature exaggerated sound effects, rock music, and a horse that explodes when set on fire. Very stylized in some ways but, aside from a couple moments, this is largely bloodless despite lots of sword slashing. This movie was begging for some over-the-top arterial blood spray.”
2. nertchen – ★★★½
   “Some good old Jidaigeki/Chanbara craziness all around. Really couldn’t believe my ears when the rock soundtrack kicked in; had a big-ass grin on my face the whole time.”
3. kevinjgraves – ★★★★
   “An amazing samurai film where a group of dudes with particular skills and weapons protect a shogun’s son in a wild adventure. This has a crazy amount of different set pieces and some absolutely insane stunts. Great, fast-paced and well-choreographed action. Some fantastical elements. Many explosions and other destructive joys for the eyes to feast upon. Also nicely executes the melodrama between action beats. The music is also killer with a good mix of dramatic and western-tinged numbers along with a mind-blowing modern rock opera song in the middle.”

Meta Description:
Shogun’s Shadow (1989), also known as Shôgun Iemitsu no ranshin – Gekitotsu, is a Japanese action-adventure film directed by Yasuo Furuhata. The story follows seven samurai, led by Igo Gyobu (Ken Ogata), as they escort and protect the Shogun’s eldest son, Takechiyo, from assassination attempts orchestrated by his own father, Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. The film features intense sword fights, political intrigue, and a unique rock-infused soundtrack.