- Edo o Kiru
"Edo o Kiru" (江戸を斬る) was a popular "
jidaigeki " onJapan 'sTokyo Broadcasting System . During the decades from itsSeptember 24 ,1973 premiere until theJuly 25 ,1994 finale, 214 episodes aired. It lasted through eight series, with several casts and settings. It ran on Monday evenings in the 8:00 – 8:54prime time slot, sponsored by National, and remains popular in reruns.The first series featured popular actor
Takewaki Muga , a co-star in the network's program "Ōoka Echizen", which alternated with "Edo o Kiru" in the same time slot. He playedHoshina Masayuki , half-brother ofshogun Tokugawa Iemitsu , masquerading as Azusa Ukon in a good-over-evil drama set inEdo . Also on the cast wasMatsuzaka Keiko , who continued in the next several versions of the show.Versions two through six starred the popular actor/singer
Saigo Teruhiko in the role ofToyama Kagemoto , orTōyama no Kin-san , asamurai who lived among the commoners, to the point of having a huge "sakura "tattoo drawn on his shoulder, but later became chief administrator of Edo. In this version of the Kin-san story (which has been the subject of several other series), Kinshiro lived in the house of the woman who had been his nursemaid (played byHarukawa Masumi , later O-Sai ofAbarenbo Shogun ), the proprietor of a fish-dealer. O-Yuki (Keiko Matsuzaka ), pretending to be her daughter, is actually a daughter ofTokugawa Nariaki ,daimyo of the Mito domain, and eventually marries Kin-san. Wearing a purple cloth over her head and face, and wielding a sword in theYagyū Shinkage-ryū manner, she works outside the law to bring justice to the wicked. At her right hand is an employee at the shop, Jirokichi (kabuki actorMatsuyama Eitaro , 1942–1991). The formerRobin Hood -style thiefNezumi Kozō , he became an undercover agent for the Kin-san/O-Yuki team.Morishige Hisaya (1913– ) played Nariaki in special guest appearances.Actress
Judy Ongg assumed a supporting role as the female cop O-kyō in the fourth series.A major cast change brought veteran "jidaigeki" actor
Kōtarō Satomi to the lead role, again as Kin-san, for the seventh and eighth series.External links
* [http://www.cal-net.co.jp/edo/ C.A.L (Creative Associates Limited) site] (producers)
* [http://yume3301.hp.infoseek.co.jp/edowokiru-index.htm Fan site for Saigo-Matsuzaka versions]
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