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Lady Snowblood

Original title: Shurayukihime
  • 19731973
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime (1973)
A strikingly beautiful young woman is trained from birth to be a deadly instrument of revenge against the swindlers who destroyed her family.
Play trailer2:43
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Drama
  • Thriller

A strikingly beautiful young woman is trained from birth to be a deadly instrument of revenge against the swindlers who destroyed her family.A strikingly beautiful young woman is trained from birth to be a deadly instrument of revenge against the swindlers who destroyed her family.A strikingly beautiful young woman is trained from birth to be a deadly instrument of revenge against the swindlers who destroyed her family.

IMDb RATING
7.6/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Toshiya Fujita
  • Writers
    • Kazuo Kamimura(story)
    • Kazuo Koike(story)
    • Norio Osada(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Meiko Kaji
    • Toshio Kurosawa
    • Masaaki Daimon
Top credits
  • Director
    • Toshiya Fujita
  • Writers
    • Kazuo Kamimura(story)
    • Kazuo Koike(story)
    • Norio Osada(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Meiko Kaji
    • Toshio Kurosawa
    • Masaaki Daimon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 67User reviews
    • 116Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:43
    Trailer

    Photos329

    Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime (1973)
    Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime (1973)
    Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime (1973)
    Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime (1973)
    Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime (1973)
    Meiko Kaji in Shurayukihime: Urami koiuta (1974)
    Shurayukihime (1973)
    Shurayukihime (1973)
    Shurayukihime (1973)
    Shurayukihime (1973)
    Shurayukihime (1973)
    Shurayukihime (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Meiko Kaji
    Meiko Kaji
    • Yuki Kashima (Shurayuki-hime)as Yuki Kashima (Shurayuki-hime)
    Toshio Kurosawa
    • Ryûrei Ashioas Ryûrei Ashio
    Masaaki Daimon
    Masaaki Daimon
    • Gô Kashimaas Gô Kashima
    Miyoko Akaza
    • Sayo Kashimaas Sayo Kashima
    Shinichi Uchida
    • Shirô Kashimaas Shirô Kashima
    Takeo Chii
    Takeo Chii
    • Tokuichi Shôkeias Tokuichi Shôkei
    Noboru Nakaya
    • Banzô Takemuraas Banzô Takemura
    Yoshiko Nakada
    • Kobue Takemuraas Kobue Takemura
    Akemi Negishi
    Akemi Negishi
    • Tajire no Okikuas Tajire no Okiku
    Kaoru Kusuda
    • Otora Mikazukias Otora Mikazuki
    Sanae Nakahara
    • Kitahama, Okonoas Kitahama, Okono
    Hôsei Komatsu
    Hôsei Komatsu
    • Genzô Shibayamaas Genzô Shibayama
    Makoto Matsuzaki
    • Daikashias Daikashi
    Hiroshi Hasegawa
    • Daihachi Kachimeas Daihachi Kachime
    Takehiko Ono
      Hitoshi Takagi
      • Matsuemonas Matsuemon
      Mayumi Maemura
      • Young Yukias Young Yuki
      Kenji Ôkura
      • Henchmanas Henchman
      • Director
        • Toshiya Fujita
      • Writers
        • Kazuo Kamimura(story)
        • Kazuo Koike(story)
        • Norio Osada(screenplay)
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
      • All cast & crew

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      Storyline

      Edit
      Yuki's family is nearly wiped out before she is born due to the machinations of a band of criminals. These criminals kidnap and brutalize her mother but leave her alive. Later her mother ends up in prison with only revenge to keep her alive. She creates an instrument for this revenge by purposefully getting pregnant. Though she dies in childbirth, she makes sure that the child will be raised as an assassin to kill the criminals who destroyed her family. Young Yuki never knows the love of a family but only killing and revenge. —Fred Cabral <ftcabral@hotmail.com>
      • revenge
      • childbirth
      • female warrior
      • vengeance
      • snow
      • 232 more
      • Plot summary
      • Plot synopsis
      • Genres
        • Action
        • Drama
        • Thriller
      • Certificate
        • Not Rated
      • Parents guide

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        Lead actress Meiko Kaji also is an accomplished singer, and she performs the song "Shura no Hana" heard in the film. When Quentin Tarantino used the song in his "Kill Bill" films, it sparked renewed interest in her music that inspired her to record and release new songs for the first time in nearly 30 years.
      • Goofs
        This film is set in the late 19th Century, however, during the masquerade party there are various modern day flags on display including but not limited to: Pakistan (created in 1947), Australia (created in 1901), and the 50-star flag of the United States (introduced in 1960).
      • Quotes

        Narrator: People say you can't wash away the mud of this world with pure white snow. You need asura snow - stained fiery red.

      • Connections
        Featured in A Beautiful Demon: Kazuo Koike on Lady Snowblood (2016)
      • Soundtracks
        Flower of Carnage (Shura no Hana)
        Written by Kazuo Koike, Masaaki Hirao & Kôji Ryuzaki

        Sung by Meiko Kaji

      User reviews67

      Review
      Top review
      9/10
      Lady Awesome
      Version: Eastern Eye's R4 DVD release. Japanese / English subtitles.

      I probably would not have been able to see 'Lady Snowblood' had it not been for Quentin Tarantino and 'Kill Bill'. I've seen the 'Lone Wolf and Cub' movies several times on SBS, and I think they're great, but I probably would not have been able to find a copy of Lady Snowblood without the popularity of 'Kill Bill'. Luckily for me, I still managed to see 'Lady Snowblood' before 'Kill Bill'. I don't want to sound smug, but I'm probably one of the few people my age who can say that, and seeing 'Lady Snowblood' before 'Kill Bill' is a lot better than seeing 'Kill Bill' and then expecting 'Lady Snowblood' to be exactly like 'Kill Bill'.

      In the 3rd year of Meiji Japan (1871 or thereabouts, I think), a family is attacked by bandits. The father and child are killed, the mother Sayo (Miyoko Akaza) taken by one of the evil-doers as a slave. When Sayo is imprisoned and unable to exact her vengeance, she bears another child, Yuki (Meiko Kaji), to carry on where Sayo. Yuki is born for vengeance, and that may be all she ever knows.

      Normally I comment on revenge stories and say "wow awesome vengeance!". However, in this case, I've been studying this period of Japanese history for a university course, and I can appreciate this as more than just a tale of vengeance. 'Lady Snowblood' is a tragedy, a story about sweeping social upheaval and the people caught up in change. Of course, I can't resist pointing out the fact that this is also an awesome revenge story. 'Lady Snowblood' is an awesome revenge story.

      Despite the high amount of fake blood, 'Kill Bill' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' are better action movies than 'Lady Snowblood'. Meiko Kaji's Yuki is fearsome, and she fights well, but the over-the-top fights of 'Kill Bill' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' are better. The camera is shaky at times, and the action is often hard to distinguish, but any fan of 'Kill Bill' or the classic samurai movies should still be able to appreciate it.

      'Lady Snowblood' stands as one of the best classic samurai movies around. The remake 'Princess Blade' doesn't hold a candle to this, nor does the similar Etsuko Shihomi film 'Dragon Princess'. I even think fans of the recent 'Azumi' should check out 'Lady Snowblood'. Those who haven't seen 'Kill Bill' should see this first, and then 'Kill Bill' after. 'Lady Snowblood' isn't just a revenge story, but its still a a damn good revenge story - 9/10
      helpful•24
      13
      • AwesomeWolf
      • May 1, 2005

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • March 22, 1974 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • Japan
      • Languages
        • Japanese
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Blood Snow
      • Production company
        • Toho Film (Eiga) Co. Ltd.
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 37 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 2.35 : 1

      Related news

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      Mar 31WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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