Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "samurai-action"
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1. Shōgun (2024)
TV-MA | Adventure, Drama, History
When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, Lord Yoshii Toranaga discovers secrets that could tip the scales of power and devastate his enemies.
Stars: Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Yûki Kedôin
Votes: 91,125
2. Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
TV-MA | 377 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Driven by a dream of revenge against those who made her an outcast in Edo-period Japan, a young warrior cuts a bloody path toward her destiny.
Stars: Maya Erskine, George Takei, Masi Oka, Brenda Song
Votes: 65,667
3. Seven Samurai (1954)
Not Rated | 207 min | Action, Drama
Farmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima, Yukiko Shimazaki
Votes: 366,742 | Gross: $0.27M
4. Harakiri (1962)
Not Rated | 133 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
When a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita, Tetsurô Tanba
Votes: 68,616
5. Samurai Jack (2001–2017)
TV-MA | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A samurai, sent through time, fights to return home and save the world.
Stars: Phil LaMarr, Mako, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jeff Bennett
Votes: 59,590
6. The Twilight Samurai (2002)
129 min | Drama, Romance
As the feudal Japan era draws to a close, a widower samurai experiences difficulty balancing clan loyalties, 2 young daughters, an aged mother, and the sudden reappearance of his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 25,494
7. Yojimbo (1961)
Not Rated | 110 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tôno, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yôko Tsukasa
Votes: 131,328
8. Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980)
PG | 162 min | Drama, History, War
A petty thief with an utter resemblance to a samurai warlord is hired as the lord's double. When the warlord later dies the thief is forced to take up arms in his place.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken'ichi Hagiwara, Jinpachi Nezu
Votes: 38,167
9. Throne of Blood (1957)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama
A war-hardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of Spider's Web Castle.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Minoru Chiaki, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura
Votes: 55,927
10. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (2021– )
TV-MA | 44 min | Documentary, Action, Adventure
An exploration of the warring kingdoms of feudal Japan when several powerful warlords fought to become absolute ruler.
Stars: Hiro Kanagawa, Hayate Masao, Stephen Turnbull, Nathan Ledbetter
Votes: 5,151
11. Afro Samurai (2007)
TV-MA | 26 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A Black samurai goes on a mission to avenge the wrongful death of his father in a futuristic feudal Japan.
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Phil LaMarr, Yuri Lowenthal, Greg Eagles
Votes: 18,228
12. Sanjuro (1962)
Not Rated | 96 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A crafty samurai helps a young man and his fellow clansmen trying to save his uncle, who has been framed and imprisoned by a corrupt superintendent.
Director: Akira Kurosawa | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiju Kobayashi, Yûnosuke Itô
Votes: 41,114
13. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972)
Not Rated | 84 min | Action, Adventure
The story of a Ronin (i.e. a masterless samurai) who wanders the countryside of Japan with his small child, having various adventures.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Tomisaburô Wakayama, Fumio Watanabe, Gô Katô, Tomoko Mayama
Votes: 8,874
14. Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Not Rated | 128 min | Drama
The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yôko Tsukasa, Gô Katô, Tatsuyoshi Ehara
Votes: 14,083
15. Shigurui: Death Frenzy (2007)
TV-MA | 24 min | Animation, Action, Drama
The series starts off at a tournament where a one armed samurai faces a blind one and quickly flashes back to reveal the history between the two fighters.
Stars: Daisuke Namikawa, Emi Shinohara, Seizô Katô, Mike McFarland
Votes: 2,684
16. The Sword of Doom (1966)
Not Rated | 120 min | Action, Drama
Through his unconscionable actions against others, a sociopath samurai builds a trail of vendettas that follow him closely.
Director: Kihachi Okamoto | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Yûzô Kayama, Yôko Naitô
Votes: 12,067
17. Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto (1954)
Not Rated | 93 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
Depicts the early life of the legendary warrior Musashi Miyamoto; his years as an aspiring warrior, an outlaw and finally a true samurai.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Rentarô Mikuni, Kurôemon Onoe
Votes: 9,507
18. Yagyu Clan Conspiracy (1978)
130 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
After the Tokugawa shogun's death by poisoning, his sons Iemitsu and Tadanaga compete for the shogunate, dividing the land into warring factions. Iemitsu's mentor, betrays all to secure Iemitsu's power, leading to widespread conflict.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Shin'ichi Chiba, Hiroki Matsukata, Teruhiko Saigô
Votes: 1,667
19. The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)
Not Rated | 95 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur who also happens to be a master swordsman.
Director: Kenji Misumi | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Masayo Banri, Ryûzô Shimada, Hajime Mitamura
Votes: 5,903
20. Ninja Scroll: The Series (2003)
TV-MA | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Amid a war between two rival ninja clans, the wandering swordsman Jubei Kibagami must protect a fabled artifact known as the "Dragon Stone" and its young guardian.
Stars: Rikiya Koyama, David Rasner, Houko Kuwashima, Daisy Tormé
Votes: 1,838
21. Love and Honor (2006)
PG-13 | 122 min | Drama, History, Romance
A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai (Kimura) and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Takuya Kimura, Rei Dan, Mitsugorô Bandô, Takashi Sasano
Votes: 4,283 | Gross: $0.02M
22. Demons (1971)
134 min | Drama, Horror
After being robbed by a geisha, a ronin warrior carves a bloody path to seek revenge.
Director: Toshio Matsumoto | Stars: Katsuo Nakamura, Jûrô Kara, Yasuko Sanjo, Masao Imafuku
Votes: 2,860
23. When the Last Sword Is Drawn (2002)
Not Rated | 143 min | Drama, History
A samurai goes to extraordinary lengths to provide for his family.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Kiichi Nakai, Kôichi Satô, Yui Natsukawa, Takehiro Murata
Votes: 5,360
24. Gate of Hell (1953)
Not Rated | 89 min | Drama, History
A samurai pursues a married lady-in-waiting.
Director: Teinosuke Kinugasa | Stars: Machiko Kyô, Kazuo Hasegawa, Isao Yamagata, Yatarô Kurokawa
Votes: 4,275
25. After the Rain (1999)
91 min | Drama
During a downpour, a generous ronin and his supporting wife are stranded at a country inn. The ronin comes to the attention of a lord who wants to hire him as an instructor for his men, who treat the ronin with disrespect.
Director: Takashi Koizumi | Stars: Akira Terao, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Shirô Mifune, Fumi Dan
Votes: 4,460
26. Lone Wolf and Cub (1973–1976)
TV-MA | Action, Adventure, Drama
The adventures of a samurai and his young son.
Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Kazutaka Nishikawa, Takumi Satô, Taketoshi Naitô
Votes: 296
27. The Fall of Ako Castle (1978)
159 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
This is the story of "The Forty-Seven Ronin." Based on historical events in 1701-2, the movie tells the tale of the Asano clan's downfall and the revenge of its former samurai on the perpetrator of the catastrophe.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Shin'ichi Chiba, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Tsunehiko Watase, Masaomi Kondô
Votes: 592
28. Heaven and Earth (1990)
PG-13 | 125 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In 16th century Japan, two samurai engage in massive battles across the countryside, one attempting to conquer and the other attempting to defend his land while repressing his love for a woman after taking a vow of celibacy.
Director: Haruki Kadokawa | Stars: Takaaki Enoki, Masahiko Tsugawa, Atsuko Asano, Naomi Zaizen
Votes: 1,141 | Gross: $0.31M
29. Shogun's Shadow (1989)
114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A small band of heroes goes on a journey to protect a five year old who is next in line to become the Shogun of Japan. The boy's father, the Mad Shogun, tries to remove his son from the line of succession by any means possible.
Director: Yasuo Furuhata | Stars: Ken Ogata, Norihito Arai, Toshihiro Asari, Shin'ichi Chiba
Votes: 702
30. Samurai Assassin (I) (1965)
122 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
February 17 to March 3, 1860, inside Edo castle. A group of assassins wait by Sakurada Gate to kill the lord of the House of Ii, a powerful man in the Tokugawa government, which has ruled ... See full summary »
Director: Kihachi Okamoto | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Michiyo Aratama, Yûnosuke Itô
Votes: 2,507
31. The Steel Edge of Revenge (1969)
PG | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A guilt-haunted samurai warrior attempts to stop a massacre taking place.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tetsurô Tanba, Yôko Tsukasa, Ruriko Asaoka
Votes: 2,618
32. Three Outlaw Samurai (1964)
Not Rated | 94 min | Action, Drama
When poor peasants kidnap a magistrate's daughter to coerce him into reducing their unfair taxes, a wandering ronin decides to give them some help.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Tetsurô Tanba, Isamu Nagato, Mikijirô Hira, Miyuki Kuwano
Votes: 3,990
33. 13 Assassins (1963)
Not Rated | 125 min | Adventure, Action
A group of samurai plan to assassinate a sadistic feudal lord.
Director: Eiichi Kudô | Stars: Takayuki Akutagawa, Chiezô Kataoka, Kôtarô Satomi, Ryôhei Uchida
Votes: 1,043
34. Kill! (1968)
Not Rated | 115 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
Two ronin - an ex-samurai and an ex-farmer - get caught up in a local official's complex game of murder and betrayal.
Director: Kihachi Okamoto | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Etsushi Takahashi, Yuriko Hoshi, Tadao Nakamaru
Votes: 3,174
35. Sword of Desperation (2010)
114 min | Action, History
A talented but troubled Edo Period swordsman, Kanemi Sanzaemon. Three years earlier, Kanemi killed a woman, Renko, the corrupt mistress of the powerful daimyo Tabu Ukyou. Unexpectedly, ... See full summary »
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama | Stars: Etsushi Toyokawa, Chizuru Ikewaki, Kôji Kikkawa, Tsumami Edamame
Votes: 851
36. Revenge (1964)
Not Rated | 104 min | Action, Drama
After killing a high-ranking officer in an illegal duel, a low-ranking samurai is declared insane and challenged to a fixed duel by the vengeful clan to which his dead opponent belonged to.
Director: Tadashi Imai | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Tetsurô Tanba, Yoshiko Mita, Takahiro Tamura
Votes: 517
37. Zatoichi on the Road (1963)
PG | 85 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Zatoichi promises to deliver a maiden safely home but finds two dangerous gangs have a mysterious interest in the young girl.
Director: Kimiyoshi Yasuda | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Shiho Fujimura, Ryûzô Shimada, Reiko Fujiwara
Votes: 1,984
38. Hitokiri (1969)
140 min | Action, Biography, Drama
A destitute ronin allies himself with an established clan, but its ruthless leader tries to turn him into a mindless killer.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yukio Mishima, Yûjirô Ishihara
Votes: 1,228
39. Samurai Wolf (1966)
75 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A charismatic ronin gets snared into a conflict between officials at a waystation, and gains the enmity of a group of thugs.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Isao Natsuyagi, Ryôhei Uchida, Junko Miyazono, Tatsuo Endô
Votes: 772
40. Sword of the Beast (1965)
Not Rated | 85 min | Action, Drama
After killing a counselor of his clan, a fugitive samurai befriends a couple poaching the shogun's gold in the mountains.
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Mikijirô Hira, Gô Katô, Shima Iwashita, Toshie Kimura
Votes: 3,091
41. Hunter in the Dark (1979)
Not Rated | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
An aging Yakuza boss in the the late 18th century runs a thriving lantern and silk dying business. However, he is also a Hunter in the Dark, an shady underworld figure who unravels a ... See full summary »
Director: Hideo Gosha | Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tetsurô Tanba, Yoshio Harada, Ayumi Ishida
Votes: 578
42. The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)
Not Rated | 72 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The blind masseur and swordsman, Zatoichi, learns of a powerful political figure's secret and is quickly tailed by a group of killers.
Director: Kazuo Mori | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Yaeko Mizutani, Masayo Banri, Tomisaburô Wakayama
Votes: 2,779
43. Samurai Fiction (1998)
111 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A noble young samurai searches for a thief who has stolen a precious treasure and killed one of his clansmen and meets an older samurai who tries to deter him from the violence of revenge.
Director: Hiroyuki Nakano | Stars: Morio Kazama, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tomoyasu Hotei, Tamaki Ogawa
Votes: 2,759
44. Ronin Gai (1990)
117 min | Action, Drama
A group of masterless samurai living in Edo's red light district must fend off a militia bent on wiping out local prostitutes.
Directors: Kazuo Kuroki, Masahiro Makino | Stars: Yoshio Harada, Kanako Higuchi, Renji Ishibashi, Kaoru Sugita
Votes: 576
45. New Tale of Zatoichi (1963)
Not Rated | 91 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Wishing to find peace, Zatoichi travels to his old village but only finds trouble when he ends up in a love triangle and finds old scores have followed him home.
Director: Tokuzô Tanaka | Stars: Shintarô Katsu, Mikiko Tsubouchi, Seizaburô Kawazu, Fujio Suga
Votes: 2,376
46. Incident at Blood Pass (1970)
Not Rated | 117 min | Action, Drama
Sent on a secret mission, a ronin must discover who his friends are and who must die.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yûjirô Ishihara, Ruriko Asaoka, Shintarô Katsu
Votes: 900
47. Bushido (1963)
122 min | Action, Drama
After a salary-man's fiancée attempts suicide, he remembers his gruesome family history, which sees his ancestors sacrificing themselves for the sake of their cruel lords, and realizes that he's about to repeat their mistakes.
Director: Tadashi Imai | Stars: Kinnosuke Nakamura, Eijirô Tôno, Kyôko Kishida, Masayuki Mori
Votes: 505
48. Samurai Spy (1965)
Not Rated | 99 min | Action, Drama
The legendary samurai Sasuke Sarutobi gets caught in a web of political intrigue, deception and espionage during the early 17th century.
Director: Masahiro Shinoda | Stars: Hiroshi Aoyama, Jun Hamamura, Osamu Hitomi, Minoru Hodaka
Votes: 1,859
49. Mute Samurai (1973–1974)
1,170 min | Action
A master swordsman, Kiichi Hogan, wanders Japan in search of the Spanish swordsman who murdered his parents and slashed his throat 18 years before. Renouncing any normal life the samurai ... See full summary »
Stars: Tomisaburô Wakayama, Shintarô Katsu, Judy Ongg, Yûko Hama
Votes: 77
50. Samurai Banners (1969)
165 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A shrewd 16th Century samurai helps a daimyo expand his realm.
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki | Stars: Toshirô Mifune, Yoshiko Sakuma, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Yûjirô Ishihara
Votes: 818