Samurai films are arguably their own genre of film, often referred to as Chanbara in Japan, a subcategory of the jidaigeki genre, which translates to “period dramas”. Samurai cinema saw a surge in the 1960s after the release of the legendary samurai film Seven Samurai.

Director Akira Kurosawa is a pioneer in the Chanbara genre, directing around one film a year for two decades and contributing a great deal of work to the genre. Due to the over-saturation of samurai films during the 1970s and the aging of the stars in said films, interest in Chanbara faltered, bringing the overall production of samurai films to a halt. While samurai cinema has seen a bit of a resurgence with films like the Rurouni Kenshin franchise, the best samurai cinema comes from when the genre was at its peak.

Related: Akira Kurosawa: The Best Films From His Middle Period

Updated on July 31st, 2023 by Yosra Ben lagha: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

20 Le Samouraï

Costume Design from Le Samouraï
Filmel

Le Samouraï, or “The Samurai” in English, is director Jean-Pierre Melville’s screen adaptation of Joan McLeod’s novel, The Ronin. The 1968 neo-noir French language flick is a moody, laconic, and fatalistic picture that contains a career-defining display from the central protagonist, Alain Delon.

The trench-coat and trilby-wearing, super-cool professional hitman, Jef Costello, finds himself in more than just a spot of bother, when several people bear witness to him killing a nightclub owner, and is subsequently pursued by law enforcement and those in-the-know. A film that draws upon the traditional quips of samurai stories, and embodies the thoughts, actions, and prejudices of those protagonists.

19 Kill Bill

Uma Thurman holding a sword in Kill Bill Volume 1
Miramax Films

Some may argue that Quentin Tarantino is a culture vulture, while others will view his movies as simply culturally influenced. It is no secret that the Inglourious Basterds creator has been a great admirer of Asian cinema, and has brought some of its key elements to the West, and the eyes of Hollywood.

Adapted from the iconic Lady Snowblood, Kill Bill tells the story of The Bride (Uma Thurman) who is left comatose by her ruthless boss, Bill. After surviving, she goes on the ultimate journey of retribution. Including one of the most memorable action sequences of the 2010s, the unmistakable action thriller is a heavily-stylized, typical Tarantino delight

18 13 Assassins (2010)

Still from 13 Assassins
Toho

While remakes rarely equal their predecessors, in the case of 1963’s 13 Assassins, the 2010 adaptation beats the original to this entry. With a score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, the Japanese film depicts the tale of Shinzaemon.

The legendary warrior Shinzaemon recruits his nephew and 11 samurais together with one objective. They unite to overthrow a corrupt, murderous, psychopathically bloodthirsty overlord during a moment of vulnerability.

17 Kagemusha (1980)

Akira Kurosawa
Toho

Akira Kurosawa was the godfather of the samurai adventure. A filmmaking pioneer, whose cinematic techniques, and penchant for riveting storytelling have transcended his era of classic cinema. The Ikiru director’s 1980 samurai picture, Kagemusha, which would subsequently be his penultimate samurai flick, follows the story of a career criminal, and petty thief, who shares an uncanny resemblance to an infamous samurai warlord.

When the said warlord dies, Takeda Nobukado (Tsutomu Yamazaki) is enlisted to pose as him in order to circumvent almost definite reprisals from neighboring gangs. An epic not just in length, but also in production scale, and beautifully poetic narrative.

16 The Twilight Samurai (2002)

The Twilight Samurai
Shochiku

Samurai Seibei is forced to work as a bookkeeper rather than fulfill his duty as a warrior after the death of his wife. When Seibei’s childhood love Tomoe arrives in town, his spirits are lifted. Despite his feelings for Tomoe still remaining strong, Seibei is hindered by his responsibilities as a father and his social standing in society.

One of the more recent films on this list, The Twilight Samurai has a great level of emotion and action throughout to keep the audience interested. Directed by Yôji Yamada, The Twilight Samurai has made a name for itself, now being considered one of the greatest samurai films of all time.

Related: Best Martial Arts Movies of the '90s, Ranked

15 Yojimbo (1961)

Samurai stands alone in the mist.
Kurosawa Production

Yojimbo, directed by Akira Kurosawa and released in 1961, is a classic samurai movie that tells the story of a masterless samurai, or ronin, named Sanjuro, who wanders into a small town that is being torn apart by rival factions vying for control. The most memorable aspect of Yojimbo is its lead character, played by the legendary actor Toshiro Mifune.

Sanjuro is a complex and multifaceted hero, who is just as likely to crack a joke as he is to draw his sword. Mifune's performance is magnetic, and he imbues the character with a sense of humor and charm that makes him a joy to watch (even in its delightful sequel, Sanjuro). This film is also noteworthy for inspiring Sergio Leone's spaghetti western, A Fistful of Dollars.

14 The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Princess Yuki and General Rokurota in The Hidden Fortress
Toho

When peasants Matashichi and Tahei try to make a profit from a tribal war and ultimately fail, they stumble upon a man and woman hiding in the fortress. While Matashichi and Tahei believe the people to simply be tribe members, they are in fact General Rokurota and Princess Yuki. After offering payment, the peasants agree to accompany the duo to safety. T

heir journey is treacherous, and the general must protect Princess Yuki without revealing his identity. One of many Kurosawa films on this list, The Hidden Fortress won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director and was subject to a great deal of praise. George Lucas has even spoken about the influence of this film on the original plot outline for the very first Star Wars film.

13 Throne of Blood (1957)

Toshiro Mifune screams as arrows are shot next to him in Throne of Blood
Toho

Samurai warriors Washizu and Miki return to their lord’s castle but, on their way, are met by a spirit who predicts their futures. While initially dismissing this spirit, when the first part of the prophecy comes true, Washizu’s wife Asaji insists that he speed up the process by murdering his lord.

Throne of Blood is essentially a Samurai retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth set in feudal Japan, directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune. The film won two Mainichi Film Awards, one for Best Actor for Mifune and another for Best Art Direction. Throne of Blood is said to be the best film adaptation of the Shakespearean play to date.

12 Lady Snowblood (1973)

Scene from Lady Snowblood
Toho

One of the few films on this list with a female protagonist is Lady Snowblood. The film revolves around young Yuki raised by a priest after her mother is sexually assaulted, and her entire family is brutally murdered. On her 20th birthday, Yuki seeks revenge on the men who took her family from her.

Lady Snowblood is a critically acclaimed masterpiece that even managed to earn a sequel, Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance. The film was a major inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series. Tarantino felt so strongly about Lady Snowblood that Tarantino made the cast and crew of Kill Bill watch Lady Snowblood.

11 Samurai Rebellion (1967)

Scene from Samurai Rebellion
Toho

Samurai Rebellion features Mifune as Isaburo Sasahara, a man who must face the harsh discipline of his clan when he disobeys in favor of what is right. As his punishment, Isaburo’s son Ichi is forced to marry the daimyo’s unwanted mistress Yogoro; the two wind up falling in love.

When the ruler requests that Ichi and Yogoro return, the couple is far from pleased but is tricked into returning. Isaburo steps in, unwilling to see his son and daughter-in-law separated, and is willing to fight for their love as long as he is able. Samurai Rebellion has become one of the best samurai films ever made, even earning Best Film of the Year by Mainichi Film Concours.

Related: Best Japanese Movies of the 2010s, Ranked

10 Sanjuro (1962)

Scene from Sanjuro
Toho

Kurosawa and Mifune collaborate once more on Sanjuro. Sanjuro tells the story of experienced samurai master Sanjuro Tsubaki, who teaches young samurai the skills they need before they go to war for their lords. Sanjuro is less serious than most films in the samurai genre, but the balance between comedy and action is enough to satisfy any movie-goer.

The movie is a sequel to Yojimbo, featuring the same main character, though Sanjuro has almost no resemblance to the Western genre of film, unlike its predecessor. Sanjuro was influential enough to receive a remake by Yoshimitsu Morita called Tsubaki Sanjuro.

9 Ran (1985)

Scene from Ran
Toho

Based on Shakespeare's play King Lear, Akira Kurosawa's Ran tells the story of an aging warlord who decides to divide his kingdom among his three sons. With its grand scale and sweeping cinematography, Ran is probably the most visually impressive film on this list.

Its battle scenes are bloody, vibrant, and masterfully staged. In terms of grandiosity, no other Kurosawa film can compare to Ran. Its themes of family, loyalty, and the dangers of ambition are timeless and helped to earn the film near-universal acclaim from critics. Today, it's considered Kurosawa's late masterpiece.

8 Harakiri (1962)

Scene from Harakiri
Shochiku

Harakiri gets its name from the act of hara-kiri, better known as seppuku, the act of ritual suicide by disembowelment. Harakiri follows the story of an aging Hanshiro Tsugumo who arrives at the home of Kageyu Saito. After Hanshiro asks to commit seppuku on the property, Saito refuses, thinking it to be a plot to gain a job from Saito.

Saito tells the story of Chijiwa who threatened suicide to gain what he wanted only to be forced to follow through. In a turn of events, Tsugumo reveals that Chijiwa was his son-in-law, setting the two up for an epic conflict. Harakiri was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival but received the Special Jury Award instead.

7 The Sword of Doom

Sword of Doom movie
Toho

The Sword of Doom is arguably the most underrated samurai film ever made. The 1966 classic from director Kihachi Okamoto is a grim, nihilistic portrait of a man who destroys everything in his wake in order to fulfill his ambition and be the greatest.

The film chronicles his descent into insanity as his ego and maniacal plans take over everything good and decent around him. With astounding cinematography and realistic violence, not to mention one of the most haunting endings in cinematic history, Sword of Doom is a masterpiece.

6 Seven Samurai (1954)

Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa
Toho

Considered one of the best movies of all time, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai is well-known to film buffs far and wide. When samurai Kikuchiyo answers a village’s request for protection from bandits, he must gather assistance from six other samurai.

The samurai work together to teach the citizens of the village how to defend themselves from the bandits. The film was so popular that it was re-made into a Spaghetti Western-style film titled The Magnificent Seven. Seven Samurai has had a sweeping influence on filmmakers globally, making numerous lists of the greatest films, and earning its spot as the best samurai film of all time.

Related: These Are Some of the Best Early Akira Kurosawa Movies

5 47 Ronin (2013)

Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin
Netflix, Universal Pictures

In his directorial debut, Carl Rinsch made a beautiful gift to the world of Samurai cinema by making the action movie and masterpiece, 47 Ronin, which is also based on a true story. The story is known as the account of the forty-seven rōnin, a group of Samurai who put their swords together to avenge the murder of their leader.

This incredibly famous event in Japanese history, which happened exactly on 31 January 1703, is beautifully documented in Rinsch's movie which brings to life the emotion of the Lordless Group, as it is often called, their scheme and its spectacular execution. It stars the famous and talented Keanu Reeves, who plays Kai, a half-Japanese, half-English, and half-breed who led Lord Asano's ronin.

4 The Hidden Blade (2004)

The cast of The Hidden Blade
 Well Go USA Entertainment

The Hidden Blade tells a moving love story interrupted by duty, honor, and a strict code of tradition. Katagiri, a young brave, low-ranking samurai falls in love with his household servant Kie, however, a series of events drive them apart as Katagiri is called to carry the semi-impossible task of finding and killing Yaichiro, his old friend whose swordsmanship is mercilessly brilliant.

Katagiri asks for help and starts a thrilling adventure of learning to master Western military strategies, especially the art of artillery. The movie, directed by Yoji Yamada, is a unique blend of drama, romance, and action; one that is worth every minute of its screen time.

3 Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021)

Tomoe and Kenshin in Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021) 
Netflix

Directed by Keishi Ohtomo Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning is another reason to keep watching Samurai movies. This Japanese action movie is based on a manga series of the same name and the final sequel to the movie series Rurouni Kenshin. The story centers around a fearsome warrior named Himura Kenshin, and also called Battosai the killer.

In this fifth and final installment, the focus is particularly directed on Himura's past life and the events that led to his transformation into a peaceful protector instead of a chaotic killer. The influence of his love story with Tomoe is tangible in his transformation journey. The movie simply shows a side to the warrior that is open to evolution and change which is one of the most interesting things to see onscreen.

2 The Last Samurai

Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai
Warner Bros.

The Last Samurai is one of the most underrated movies of Tom Cruise. The plot, cinematography, and amazing acting skills can make this movie an honorable competitor to the actor's Mission Impossible film series.

Directed by Edward Zwick, the movie is an interesting blend of American and Japanese cultures in which an American military officer called Capt. Nathan Algren, is appointed by the emperor of Japan to train the country's army in modern warfare and eradicate the samurai class of warriors. However, the Captain's few interactions with the Samurai have enough impact on him that makes it complicated for him to choose a side.

1 When the Last Sword Is Drawn (2002)

The cast of When The Last Sword Is Drawn
Shochiku

When The Last Sword Is Drawn is a fascinating Samurai story that is more drama than it is action. Told from a non-linear perspective (mostly in flashbacks), the story reveals a long-lasting enmity between Koichi Sato and his fellow samurai, Kiichi Nakai.

With the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate as a background, the story delves into the theme of the conflicting loyalty that most samurai warriors undergo, to their families, and their clans. The challenge of keeping one's family safe is the main force that drives the plot. With the focus always being on the fighting part of the Samurai life, this movie serves as a peek into the intricacies of life with swords facing down.