From acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Tadashi Imai, known for dramas like Until We Meet Again, comes Cruel Tale of Bushido, a highly accomplished and brutal jidaigeki picture that stands as his potential masterpiece. This film uncompromisingly deconstructs the often-romanticized concept of bushido, the moral code of the samurai.

Kinnosuke Nakamura stars in seven different roles, portraying seven generations of one family. The narrative follows a modern-day salaryman who, devastated by his wife's attempted suicide, delves into his family records spanning 350 years, uncovering tales of suffering and sacrifice made in the name of bushido.

Cruel Tale of Bushido won the Golden Bear Award at the 1963 Berlin Film Festival and features supporting roles from Eijiro Tono and Masayuki Mori, accompanied by a foreboding score from composer Toshiro Mayuzumi. The Masters of Cinema Series proudly presents this film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

Key Features/Benefits

• Masters of Cinema Series presentation of Tadashi Imai's Cruel Tale of Bushido.
• Features Kinnosuke Nakamura playing seven generations of one family.
• Won the Golden Bear Award at the 1963 Berlin Film Festival.
• 1080p HD presentation sourced from a 4K restoration by Toei.
• Includes optional DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio and newly revised optional English subtitles.

Limited Edition Blu-ray Special Features

• Limited edition of 2,000 copies.
• Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Tony Stella.
• Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Japanese cinema expert Hayley Scanlon.
• Original Japanese mono audio.
• Telling a Cruel Tale – new interview with film critic Tony Rayns.
• Years of Honour – new video essay on Cruel Tale of Bushido and Japanese history by Jonathan Clements.
• Trailer.

Specifications

• Format: Blu-ray
• Language: Japanese
• Director: Tadashi IMAI
• Actors: Kinnosuke NAKAMURA, Eijiro TONO, Masayuki MORI
• Run Time: 2 hours and 2 minutes
• Release Date: 23 Mar. 2026
• Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Dimensions: 200x170x20mm (Product dimensions: 20 x 17 x 2 cm)
• Weight: 110 g
• Model Number: EKA70617

This highly regarded jidaigeki film, presented here in a definitive Limited Edition Blu-ray, is essential viewing for admirers of master Japanese cinema.