Hanzo the Razor

Infobox Film
name = Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice


image_size =
caption =
director = Misumi Kenji
producer = Shintaro Katsu
Hiroyoshi Nishioka
writer = Kazuo Koike
Kazuo Koike (story)
Takeshi Kanda (story)
narrator =
starring = Shintaro Katsu
Yukiji Asaoka
Mari Atsumi
Takahiro Tamura
Ko Nishimura
music = Kunihiko Murai
cinematography = Chishi Makiura
editing = Yoshiharu Hayashi
distributor = Toho
released = flagicon|Japan December 30, 1972
runtime = 108 min
country = Japan
language = Japanese
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by = "Hanzo the Razor:
The Snare"
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0068650

Hanzo the Razor ("Kamisori Hanzō" - かみそり半蔵) is a fictional character featured in the trilogy of Japanese jidaigeki films of the same name. The films star Shintaro Katsu (best known for his role as Zatoichi) as the title character. He also produced the trilogy through his own Katsu Productions. The story is based on the manga "Goyōkiba" (御用牙) by Kazuo Koike, whose "Lone Wolf and Cub" manga was also adapted as a film series by Katsu, this time starring his brother, Tomisaburo Wakayama. Lead actresses differ in each film; they include Yukiji Asaoka playing the character Omino in "Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice".

"Hanzo the Razor" trilogy, titles in English:

:1972: "Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice" (御用牙 "Goyōkiba"):1973: "Hanzo the Razor: The Snare" (御用牙　かみそり半蔵地獄責め "Goyōkiba: Kamisori Hanzō jigoku zeme"):1974: "Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?" (御用牙　鬼の半蔵やわ肌小判 "Goyōkiba: Oni no Hanzō yawahada koban")

Each plot details Hanzo Itami's foiling a plot by corrupt officials in Edo period Japan. Distinguishing characteristics of these films include:

* Hanzo vilifies elitism and corruption, consistently railing against the powers-that-be who continue to threaten Hanzo with hara-kiri for his insolence;
* Hanzo continuously mocks his superior officer, Magobei Onishi, whom Hanzo dubs "Hebi no Magobei" ("Snake Magobei") due to Onishi's penchant for bribes and beautiful women;
* Hanzo is a constable who normally carries a short 2-pronged dagger (jitte) rather than a sword; this jitte has a hidden, weighted chain within it, which Hanzo uses to block against sword attacks or ensnare fleeing criminals;
* Hanzo consistently utilizes torture (both on himself and on others) as a means of interrogation and self-purification;
* Hanzo ritualistically flagellates his huge penis so as to make it stronger; this exercise is always followed up by Hanzo's having intercourse with a bale of rice;
* Hanzo's home is filled with exotic traps and weapons to defeat assassins, such as a hidden wall of weapons near his o-furo (Japanese bath) and spears that descend from the ceiling;
* Hanzo interrogates female suspects by raping them; later, he drinks sake with them in his o-furo and they immediately become infatuated with him, but primarily due to his sexual prowess;

External links

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Infobox Film
name = Hanzo the Razor: The Snare


image_size =
caption =
director = Yasuzo Masumura
producer = Shintaro Katsu
Hiroyoshi Nishioka
writer = Yasuzo Masumura
Kazuo Koike (creator)
narrator =
starring = Shintaro Katsu
music = Isao Tomita
cinematography = Kazuo Miyagawa
editing = Toshio Taniguchi
distributor = Toho
released = flagicon|Japan August 11, 1973
runtime = 89 min
country = Japan
language = Japanese
budget =
preceded_by = "Hanzo the Razor:
Sword of Justice"
followed_by = "Hanzo the Razor:
Who's Got the Gold?"
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0174707Infobox Film
name = Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?


image_size =
caption =
director = Yoshio Inoue
producer = Shintaro Katsu
Hiroyoshi Nishioka
writer = Yasuzo Masumura
Takeshi Kanda (story)
Kazuo Koike (creator)
narrator =
starring = Shintaro Katsu
music = Hideaki Sakurai
cinematography = Chishi Makiura
editing =
distributor = Toho
released = flagicon|Japan February 9, 1974
runtime = 84 min
country = Japan
language = Japanese
budget =
preceded_by = "Hanzo the Razor:
The Snare"
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0174708