Sabu and Ichi's Detective Stories(1981)

Seven Samurai(ja)

A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.

Sure Death 6(ja)

When an artist dies, the official cause of death is judged to be a stroke, but his daughter suspects foul play. She recruits the services of an assassin, who by chance encounters an old friend...

Tsubaki Sanjuro(ja)

"Tsubaki Sanjuro" is a remake of Sanjuro (1962) by Akira Kurosawa. Sanjuro returns with sharper, faster, subtler sword, talking and perception. He uses them to settle the trouble and uses them good!

Bushido(ja)

A poor samurai and a rich businessman become unlikely friends through the game of go. Yanagida is a masterless samurai who has lost his position because of false accusations, but hasn't given up his honor. Genbei, an unscrupulous pawnbroker, ends up learning the value of honesty from Yanagida. Yanagida's daughter Okinu and Genbei's ward Yakichi also start to grow close. However, during a night of celebration, Yanagida receives a message summoning him to seek revenge – and Genbei loses a large amount of money, for which Yanagida is suspected.

After the Rain(ja)

A group of travelers is stranded in a small country inn when the river floods during heavy rains. As the bad weather continues, tensions rise amongst the trapped travelers.

Zatoichi on the Road(ja)

Zatoichi is sworn to protect the life of a young girl and without any real allies finds himself in the middle of a bloody turf war.

New Tale of Zatoichi(ja)

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.

Zatoichi the Fugitive(ja)

After arriving in the town of Shimonita, Ichi finds that a price has been put on his head by a local yakuza boss. He's drawn into a trap, but after hearing of the slaying of a former love, Ichi furiously fights his way through the entire clan to face the killer, a hired ronin.

Kishu Hanshu Yoshimune(ja)

Before Tokugawa Yoshimune, known as the "Ravage Shogun", was the lord of the Kishu domain, before he became the shogun! Yoshimune hides his identity and begins an investigation in the city of Edo in order to find out who he really is. As he grows up, he ends up throwing himself into a turmoil involving the shogunate... This is an entertainment historical drama in which a young 21-year-old named Yoshimune solves the problems of the common people in the city and goes around dealing with merchants and powerful people plotting evil deeds.

Onihei Crime Files: The Final Zenpen - Gonenme no Kyaku(ja)

The Tale of Zatoichi(ja)

The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur and master swordsman. Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighbouring town's smaller gang is brewing.

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues(ja)

Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love.

Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice(ja)

Fearless Edo-period police inspector Hanzo Itami, nicknamed The Razor, has developed his own unique way of extracting information for his inquiries. His first adventure sees him investigating his superior officer's mistress, whom he suspects of having ties with a reputed criminal on the loose.

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx(ja)

Ogami Itto battles a group of female ninja in the employ of the Yagyu clan and must eliminate a traitor who plans to sell his clan's secrets to the Shogunate.

Nezumi Kozo's Edo Adventure(ja)

A thrilling and entertaining piece in which Jirokichi, portrayed by Morio Kazama, tackles a major event involving an attempt to assassinate the shogun. This production features historical figures such as Toyama Kagemoto, Oshio Heihachiro, Utagawa Hiroshige, and Watanabe Kanzan in their youth, depicting their exploits before they became famous. It becomes a lively portrayal of youthful vigor, with scenes of Jirokichi leaping using trampolines, creating a light and lively action.

When the Last Sword Is Drawn(ja)

Kanichiro Yoshimura is a Samurai and Family man who can no longer support his wife and children on the the low pay he receives from his small town clan, he is forced by the love for his family to leave for the city in search of higher pay to support them.

Harakiri(ja)

Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin’s resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.

A Naive History of the Bakumatsu Era(ja)

In the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate, there was a cute warrior, Souji Okita, who belonged to the armed police of the shogunate in Kyoto. Very few knew that Souji was not a boy, but a woman. Souji loved the vice-leader of the armed police, Toshizou Hijikata. Souji suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis and coughed up blood during a battle. Toshizou helped her but said that he did not care for the girl with a smell of blood. Souji had a real talent for swordsmanship and no one but Ryouma Sakamoto could compete with her. Ryouma was a liberal intellectual and tried to carry out a revolution without blood. However, the bloody Meiji Restoration broke out and Souji killed Ryouma who lost his dream. Because a friendship had sprung up between Toshizou and Ryouma, Toshizou got angry and slashed at Souji with a sword. Unwillingly, she unsheathed her sword and thought that she might get love if she was killed by the man she loved.

Hanzo the Razor: The Snare(ja)

Against the backdrop of the Edo treasury devaluing currency and driving many into poverty, Hanzo Itami enforces the law without regard to status. He shows inadequate respect to the treasurer, who wants him dead.

Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?(ja)

Hanzo extracts a confession from a ghost using his assaulting methods, foils thieves, connects with Heisuke Takei a friend from his youth, offers protection to a forward-thinking physician Genan Sugino who has defamed his ruler, discovers a pleasure ring of young wives and a blind music teacher, and cuckolds a corrupt official under his very nose.