Samurai III - Duel at Ganryu Island

(1956) - Color - 114 min
Starring - Toshirô Mifune as Takezo (Musashi Miyamoto), Koji Tsuruta as Kojiro Sasaki, Kaoru Yachigusa as Otsu, Mariko Okada as Akemi, Kichijiro Ueda as Priest Ogon, Michiko Saga as Otmitsu, Daisuke Katô as Toji Gion, Takamaru Sasaki as Otmitsu's father, Haruo Tanaka as Kumagoro the horse thief.
Directed by - Hiroshi Inagaki

The incredible Samurai trilogy from Hiroshi Inagaki continues - with part three... Duel At Ganryu Island. This epic drama of Japan's legendary samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi, played by Toshirô Mifune. We suggest you watch Samurai Part I and Samurai Part II before viewing the third movie in this epic masterpiece of understated elegance.

In the final chapter - Toshirô Mifune will face the the ever ambitous young Samurai master swordsman - Kojiro Sasaki (played by Koji Tsuruta) who has challenged Musashi to a duel - a duel between the hero Musashi, and a young kid, blessed with skill who wants to prove he's the best.

Samurai II - Duel at Ichijoji

(1955) - Color - 100 min

Starring - Toshirô Mifune as Takezo (Musashi Miyamoto), Rentaro Mikuni as Honiden Matahachi, Kaoru Yachigusa as Otsu, Mariko Okada as Akemi, Mitsuko Mito as Oku, Matahachi's wife, Kuroemon Onoe as Takuan Osho (the priest), Koji Tsuruta as Kojiro Sasaki, Eijirô Tono as Baiken Shishido, Michiyo Kogure as Dayu Yoshino,
Directed by - Hiroshi Inagaki

The incredible Samurai trilogy from Hiroshi Inagaki continues - with part two... Duel At Ichijoji Temple. Compared to part one, which didn't offer much in the way of martial arts action - part two is chocked full of saber rattling, Samurai swashbucklers! The final scene were Musashi takes on eighty guys is one of the greatest fight scenes ever shot on film.

And let's us not forget the conflict facing Musashi, as he battles his ambition to be the greatest Samurai warrior with his love for the faithful Otsu, who has pined for him for many years. Will she go for the Sinead O'Connor look, shave her head and become a nun... or will she remain faithful in her love for Musashi?

Samurai I - Musashi Miyamoto

(1954) - Color - 93 min

Starring - Toshirô Mifune as Takezo (Musashi Miyamoto), Rentaro Mikuni as Honiden Matahachi, Kaoru Yachigusa as Otsu, Mariko Okada as Akemi, Mitsuko Mito as Oku, Matahachi's wife, Kuroemon Onoe as Takuan Osho (the priest), Akihiko Hirata as Seijuro Yoshioka, Kusuo Abe as Temma Tsujikaze, Akira Tani as Kawarano-Gonroku,
Directed by - Hiroshi Inagaki

Samurai 1, also known as Musashi Miyamoto, is the first part in the epic trilogy by legendary Japanese film director Hiroshi Inagaki. The village wild man, Takezo grows up and learns the way of the Samurai and eventually becomes - Musashi Miyamoto, the greatest Samurai warrior in Japan. Meanwhile, Takezo's best friend, Matahachi makes some bad decisions that ruin his life. At one time he was betrothed to the lovely Otsu, but he ends up marrying a nasty witch named Oko and his life becomes hell.

Toshiro Mifune, best known for his lead roles in countless films by the great Akira Kurosawa, plays Takezo (Musashi Miyamoto). He is simply awesome in his role, and his character develops from the wild young Takezo, to the mature and wise Musashi. His romance with Otsu is also wonderful - make sure you check out the rest of this 5 hour trilogy as it becomes available. This is a great epic saga - of the life of Japan's greatest samurai warrior - Musashi Miyamoto.