- Destiny's Son
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Destiny's Son Directed by Kenji Misumi Starring Raizo Ichikawa Release date(s) 1962 Country Japan Language Japanese Destiny's Son (斬る or 'Kiru') is a 1962 Japanese Chambara film directed by Kenji Misumi starring Raizo Ichikawa and written by Kaneto Shindo (famous for directing Onibaba two years later), originally released by the Daiei Motion Picture Company (now known as Kadokawa Pictures). The film is based on one of the novels in the series of Nemuri Kyoshirō, written by Shibata Renzaburo.
Contents
Plot
The film opens with Shiho Fujimura as a female assassin, seeking to kill her lord's mistress for what she sees as the good of her clan. She succeeds, but is punished for her act , sentenced to death, but it is her husband who executes her(Shigeru Amachi). Attempting to deal with the guilt of his action, he becomes a monk and sends his son to be fostered by another family. The rest of the film follows the young boy as he grows to become a skilled swordsman (Raizo Ichikawa).
Not knowing much of his true past, he sets out on a three year journey at the age of 20 as a means of self discovery. At the end of his journey, he returns home with an incredibly defined and near unbeatable sword style and develops an intimidating presence. He gains notoriety for his skills, but this spurs jealousy and betrayal and his foster family is wiped out by assassins. Before his foster father dies, he passes on the information about his birth. The swordsman then sets off to find his father the monk who killed his mother.
Cast
Raizo Ichikawa as Takakura Shingo
Masayo Banri
Junichiro Narita
Shiho Fujimura
Shigeru Amachi
Mayumi Nagisa
Matasaburo Tanba
Teru Tomota
Eijiro YanagiProduction
Kenji Misumi - Director
Kaneto Shindo - WriterFilm Festivals
Destiny's Son has been part of a number of film festivals celebrating the Chambara genre, and also careers of Raizo Ichikawa and Kenji Misumi in the last decade.[1]
Destiny's Son will be featured in the upcoming Japan Society of New York's film festival celebrating the Chambara genre during the winter 2009-2010 season.[2]
Trivia
References
- ^ Kenji Misumi: Midnight Eye Roundup
- ^ The Double Edged Sword: The Chambara Films of Raizo Ichikawa and Shintaro Katsu, The Japan Society
External links
- Hakuoki (1959) at the Internet Movie Database.
- 薄桜記 (1959) (Japanese) at the Japanese Movie Database.
Films directed by Kenji Misumi Asatarō garasu (1956) · Flowery Brothers (1956) · Gonpachi (1956) · Freelance Samurai (1957) · Ghost-Cat Wall of Hatred (1958) · The Tale of Zatoichi (1962) · Destiny's Son (1962) · Ken (1964) · Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) · Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972) · Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972) · Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)
Categories:- Japanese films
- Japanese-language films
- Films directed by Kenji Misumi
- Japanese drama films
- 1962 films
- Daiei films
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