Yoshiki Onoda
Master swordsman Akiyama Kohei’s simple life in retirement is jarred into violent sword action when he meets an elderly fencing instructor who may be the target of a group of thieves planning a major armed robbery. At the same time dojo master Daijiro saves the life of man who, although skilled in archery has an aversion to killing and a woman artist comes into town where she is in danger of being raped by one of the thieves. From the pen of noted author Ikenami Shotaro, creator of such classics as Bandit Ve. Samurai, Hunter In The Dark, The Last Samurai, and Hissatsu-The Professional Killers! Brilliant storytelling that leads to superb swordsmanship!
Biographical story, based on life of Ino Tadataka, a Japanese measurer and cartographer. Ino Tadataka travelled the length and breadth of Japan on foot for 17 years from the age of 55 to perform his surveys. The accuracy of his maps also owed much to the fact that he was the first surveyor in Japan to combine measurements on the ground with observations of the heavens. Ino started the work as a private individual but earned the confidence of the Shogunate and it eventually turned into a national project. His maps were later used for many years as the foundation for maps made by modern survey techniques.
A criminal syndicate wants detective Onihei dead, but the resolute hero proves to be hard to kill.
Shadow Warriors is a Japanese television jidaigeki show featuring Sonny Chiba that ran for four seasons in the early 1980s. Chiba played different ninja characters in each series. In the first series he played Hattori Hanzō III, in second one he played Tsuge Shinpachi, in the third one he played Tarao Hanzō, in the fourth series and in Bakumatsu Hen, he played Hattori Hanzō XV. In the 2003 direct-to-DVD series Shin Kage no Gundan he played Hattori Hanzō I.
The year is 1945, months prior to Japan's ultimate defeat in WW2, and military lieutenant Sugawa is sent on a critical mission to deliver micro-fiche war plans to Tokyo from his base in Malaysia. But while flying over Chinese waters his plane is shot down and he is taken aboard a ship bound for Shanghai to deliver its merchandise - a ship filled with Female Slaves kidnapped from Japan. Will he abandon the women to pursue his main objective? Or will he fight foes, spies and pirates to save these women against all odds?
Rumi (Yoko Mihara) and Emi (Masayo Banri) are sisters who dance nightly at the Blue Moon cabaret, which happens be the headquarters of a drug ring. Offstage, Rumi captivates the gang boss, Iwahara (Shuntaro Emi); while Emi attracts the portly club manager, Yajima (Saburo Sawai). Meanwhile their older brother Shinichi (Ryo Kuromaru), a seaman, is unwittingly assisting Iwahara with his drug running. When Shinichi’s ship is sea-jacked by another drug gang, an outraged Iwahara suspects him of treachery and has him beaten and confined in a dungeon-like basement. Rumi and Emi try to free him, but a gang hitman discovers them - and their attempt ends in failure. Now under suspicion themselves, the girls try to escape, but luck goes against them and they are taken to an island where Iwahara and his crew plan to ambush the rival gang.
Rika, a manageress of a night club is about to be arrested on suspicion of smuggling. However, she escapes through the assistance rendered her by First Lieutenant Yokoyama of the Japanese Naval Commander's Office. After the end of war, Yokoyama plans to escape from riot-ridden Amoy and finally succeeds with the help of Rika to whom he gives a destroyer. Rika is actually the leader of a gang of pirates, and plans to rule the East China Sea by crushing Banryu, her rival.
Sashichi investigates the mysterious murders of four beauties, all of whom were stabbed in the chest.
The film marked Yōko Mihara's debut as the star of Shintoho's series of ama films, a role she took over from Michiko Maeda.
