The Blazing Sword (1966) Moeyo-ken | Region-Free (Blu-Ray)

Title: The Blazing Sword (1966)

Alternate Title: Moeyo-ken

Genre: Action, Drama, History

Plot Synopsis:
Set during the final days of the Tokugawa (Edo) Period, The Blazing Sword chronicles the journey of Hijikata Toshizo and the Shinsengumi. Eager to prove his mettle, Hijikata, a samurai, seeks his first kill. His dojo, practicing the Tennen Rishin style, instructs farmers and is dismissed by other dojos as not being true samurai. This perception leads to a challenge from a rival dojo, the Kogen Itto style, culminating in a duel between Hijikata and Sohaku Rokusha. The outcome ignites a lasting animosity between them.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Hirokazu Ichimura
• Writers:
  • Toshiro Hasebe
  • Tai Katô
  • Azuma Morisaki
• Cast:
  • Asahi Kurizuka as Hijikata Toshizo
  • Shun’ya Wazaki as Sohaku Rokusha
  • Tetsuko Kobayashi
  • Hidehiko Ishikura
  • Keiji Takamiya

IMDb Link:
The Blazing Sword (1966)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Molokidan – ★★★☆☆
   “Relatively short and filled with a lot of cheesy one-liners, so I enjoyed it. It’s definitely not a good adaptation of the source material (Moeyo Ken by Shiba Ryotaro), and tries to cover way too much ground in only 90 minutes. The way the love story is depicted is just beyond silly. Average sword fighting scenes.”

Meta Description:
The Blazing Sword (1966), also known as Moeyo-ken, is a Japanese action-drama directed by Hirokazu Ichimura. The film portrays Hijikata Toshizo’s quest to establish his prowess during the waning days of the Tokugawa Period, highlighting the challenges faced by the Shinsengumi and the rivalries that ensue.