Description:

Meito Bijomaru - "The Famous Sword Bijomaru" was made by Mizoguchi Kenji during World War II under the watchful eye of the Japanese government.

Set in the later period of the Tokugawa era, Kiyone Sakurai, an apprentice sword maker seeks to impress Sasae, a lady of higher rank, by forging a sword for her celebrated Samurai father Sir Kozaemon Onoda. While the father seems pleased with the end product, it breaks in two upon its very first confrontation with enemy steel, causing infinite embarrassment to Sir Onoda – including being shunned by the Lord and put under house arrest!

Approached by Sir Naito, a devious fellow Samurai who promises to intercede on Onoda’s behalf with the Lord, but only if Sasae’s hand is given to him in marriage – Onoda is appalled and flatly refuses him. Impulsively, Naito slays Sir Onoda and flees into the night.

The sword maker is heart-broken by the sadness his incompetence has caused to his beloved Sasae and attempts hara-kiri but is stopped from carrying it out by Sasae herself who impels him to create a formidable sword, the perfect sword, a sword with soul, one with which she herself will avenge the death of her father…

DIRECTED BY: MIZOGUCHI KENJI

STARRING: Shotaro Hanayagi, Kan Ishii, Eijiro Yanagi, Ichijiro Oya, Isuzu Yamada

1945 – JAPANESE with OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES – B&W – FULL SCREEN - 66 MINUTES