Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011)

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai Japanese movie poster

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai is a Japanese movie directed by Takashi Miike. It's a 3D remake of Masaki Kobayashi’s 1962 film, Harakiri, which was originally based on Yasuhiko Takiguchi’s novel “Ibun Ronin-ki”. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2011.

Movie info

Original title: 一命
Transliterated title: Ichimei
Premiere date: May 19, 2011
Release date: October 15, 2011
Directed by: Takashi Miike
Written by: Kikumi Yamagishi (screenplay)
Yasuhiko Takiguchi (novel)
Eiren rating: G (General Audiences)
Distributed by: Shochiku

All-region Blu-ray (English subtitles)
Label: Universal Pictures (UK)
Out: May 12, 2014
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Region 1 NTSC DVD (English subtitles)
Label: Tribeca (US)
Out: Jan 22, 2013
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Region A Blu-ray (English subtitles)
Label: Tribeca (US)
Out: Jan 22, 2013
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Region 2 PAL DVD (English subtitles)
Label: Revolver Entertainment (UK)
Out: May 7, 2012
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Plot

In the waning days of the Shogunate, a ronin named Tsukumo Hanshiro arrives at the Iyi clan estate to ask a favor of the clan’s chief retainer, Saito Kageyu.

He claims he only wishes to use their garden to commit seppuku, but this has been a common tactic for down-and-out former samurai in recent years. They claim to want to commit ritual suicide, knowing they’ll probably get a hand out and be sent on their way.

Saito knows this, so he decides to call the man’s bluff. Tsukumo insists it’s no bluff, but he would first like to tell the story of his daughter, Miho, and his son-in-law Chijiiwa Motome, who once visited the Iyi estate himself.

Featured Cast

Actor		Role
	Ebizo Ichikawa	Tsukumo Hanshirō
	Eita	Motome Chijiiwa
	Hikari Mitsushima	Miho
	Naoto Takenaka	Tajiri
	Munetaka Aoki	Omodaka Hikokurō
	Hirofumi Arai	Matsuzaki Hayatonoshō
	Kazuki Namioka	Kawabe Umanosuke
	Yoshihisa Amano	Sasaki
	Goro Daimon	Buddhist priest
	Takehiro Hira	Ii Kamon-no-Kami Naotaka
	Takashi Sasano	Sōsuke
	Baijaku Nakamura	Chijiiwa Jinnai
	Koji Yakusho	Saitō Kageyu

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