The Assassination of Ryoma (1974) Ryoma ansatsu Kazuo Kuroki | Region-Free (DVD) | English Subtitles

**DISC ONLY**

Japanese w/ English Subtitles.

DVD Source.

Title: The Assassination of Ryoma (1974)

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Plot Synopsis:
The film portrays the final three days in the life of Sakamoto Ryoma, an imperial loyalist who sought to unite the Choshu and Satsuma clans, paving the way for the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Ryoma, a low-ranking samurai, led a non-violent revolution against the Shogunate, challenging the traditional samurai bravado while struggling with the political turmoil surrounding his assassination.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Kazuo Kuroki
• Writers: Kunio Shimizu, Yasushi Tanabe
• Cast:
  • Yoshio Harada as Sakamoto Ryoma
  • Renji Ishibashi as Shintarō Nakaoka
  • Rie Nakagawa as Chō
  • Yūsaku Matsuda as Yūta
  • Kaori Momoi as Tae

IMDb Link:
The Assassination of Ryoma (1974)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Bob McQueen – ★★★★
   “A wonderful monochrome-looking movie, some sweet grain on top, fun little jingle of a score—it’s kinda like bros hanging out but they’re killers. It’s got a dry sense of humor, which I dug. Matsuda in a mostly non-speaking role. It’s a fun time.”

2. SimBelm – ★★★½
   “Kazuo Kuroki’s The Assassination of Ryoma tells the tale of Sakamoto Ryoma, possibly the most legendary figure in Japanese history. Rather than weaving a complex tale like Masahiro Shinoda’s Assassination, Kuroki seems more interested in deconstructing the bravado image of samurai left behind by films like Yojimbo. Ryoma may carry a revolver, but he is a far cry from the crooked gangster antagonist Tatsuya Nakadai plays in Yojimbo.”

3. Chevalier – ★★★
   “Reminds me a lot of Toshio Matsumoto’s Shura, which also had a very particular black-and-white photography style and a tone that felt at times even theatrical. Both are moral plays.”

Meta Description:
A historical drama, The Assassination of Ryoma (1974) explores the final days of Sakamoto Ryoma, a key figure in the Meiji Restoration. Directed by Kazuo Kuroki, the film blends political intrigue with subtle humor, offering a deconstructed look at samurai ideals.