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The Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 was one of the pivotal moments in Japanese history. Although the battle itself only lasted 6 hours, the events which led up to it were years in the making. This was effectively the battle where the Tokugawa clan began the usurpation of the power base of the Toyotomi clan put in place by the regent Hideyoshi. This film is the story of the political maneuvering and events which led up to the clash at Sekigahara where the Western forces organised by Ishida Mitsunari were pitted against the Tokugawa in the East. I really liked this film because of the way Ishida Mitsunari was portrayed by Junichi Okada. In many of the Taiga dramas which deal with the backdrop to Sekigahara, Mitsunari is portrayed as an indecisive un-charismatic coward with his own lack of leadership, personality and battle nous being responsible for the result of the battle. Here he is portrayed as competent and intelligent and it is a refreshing change. The film is quite slow to start with but that is a simple reflection of the reality of the build-up to Sekigahara with the Tokugawa playing the long game before making their move. The film is beautifully shot with lavish backdrops and excellent costumes. The acting is also excellent. I can see why anyone without a bit of knowledge of Japanese history would be bamboozled by the plethora of characters presented here and that may spoil some people's enjoyment of the film

This 2013 6-part mini-series tells the tale of a gang of thieves called the Kumokiri (Clouds and Mist) named because of their amazing ability to materialise and disappear like the clouds and rain during their robberies. This is not just any bunch of thieves carrying out smash-and-grab raids - the targets are usually rich and corrupt and the robberies are researched and planned meticulously (sometimes years in advance) by gang leader Nizaemon, played by Kiichi Nakai (who excelled as ninja Tsuzura Juzo in Owl's Castle). As a result the Shogunate appoints master swordsman Abe Shikibu (played by Jun Kunimura) to catch and stop the gang. The result is a battle of wits between the bandits, planning their biggest ever raid, and the samurai squad tasked to stop them. Great story line and excellent characters played by a really strong cast which also features the excellent Ibu Masato (Gunshi Kanbe, Fuurin Kazan) and a really enjoyable series all round.

After the poorly received 'Hana Moyu', the producers of 2016's year- long Taiga drama have brought out the big guns in the shape of Sanada Maru (named after the small fortification built by Sanada Yukimura to defend Osaka Castle during the Winter Battle of Osaka in 1615). The drama starts with the turmoil of the Sengoku Period and the struggle of the relatively small Sanada clan to survive after the collapse of the Takeda and charts the fate of the Sanada during the rise of OdaNobunaga, the primacy of the Toyotomi and the power shift to the Tokugawa. Masao Kusakari (who played Sanada Yukimura in the brilliant 1985 drama "Sanada Taiheiki") excels as the wily Masayuki while there are welcome taiga returns to Seiyo Uchino (as Tokugawa Ieyasu) who previously played Yamamoto Kansuke in "Furin Kazan" and Fumiyo Kohinata (as Toyotomi Hideyoshi) who played Suwa Yorishige in the same series. All in all a really well-cast drama with amazing costumes and an excellent soundtrack based around a virtuoso violinist. One of the great stories in Japanese history. Highly Recommended.

The 50th NHK taiga drama was "Gou - Princess of the Warring States". This covers one of the most pivotal periods in Japanese history where 3 families- the Oda, Toyotomi & Tokugawa sought to unite a country which had witnessed over a century of war. The same subject was covered in the 2014 taiga "Gunshi Kanbee (Strategist Kanbee)" & it is interesting how the dynamic of the show changes when being told from a male perspective (as in Gunshi Kanbee) or being related through the eyes of a woman.This drama is narrated by Princess Go's mother Ichi (sister of Oda Nobunaga) and follows the fortunes of the 3 Oda princesses as they are used and manipulated as part of the political climate of the Sengoku Period. This is a refreshing take on a well-covered tale and is notable for its excellent casting with Toyakawa Etsushi impressing as the imposing figure of Oda Nobunaga, Kishitani Goro as the not-so-stupid fool Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Kitaoji Kinya as the cautious and wise Tokugawa Ieyasu. The princesses are also played consummately, each with their own personality. Another excellent drama from NHK.

Based on the novel by Tsumoto Yo, "Tsukahara Bokuden-The Legendary Swordsman" is a 7-part Japanese NHK mini-series from 2011. As the title suggests, the series deals with the life of an early-16th century master swordsman Tsukahara Bokuden as he travels around Japan on a warrior's pilgrimage (musha shugyo) in order to spread the fame of his 'Sword of Kashima' in an attempt to raise funds to rebuild the shrine of Kashima. Accompanied by his faithful servant Yamazaki Samon, ShinEmon (Bokuden's name earlier in life) takes on several weapons masters to test the strength of his own Kashima style. From Genki Maki with his frog stance to powerful ninja Enchin, Naginata master NanEi to the Hosokawa's undefeated sword master Oona Hidetaka, Bokuden must attempt to overcome his various opponent's techniques while absorbing elements of their fighting style into his own. Sakai Masato takes the lead role in an excellent historical drama which also features some famous characters of the period including Hojo Soun and Yamamoto Kansuke. Well worth a watch.

This 47 part series was the NHK taiga drama for 2009 and takes place during the period 1560-1620. This represents an incredibly turbulent time in Japanese history, set during the Warring States Period, the rise of Oda Nobunaga, the establishment of the Toyotomi rule and the Tokugawa ascendancy.As such there is a large amount of interesting background to this tale. The focus of the series is the Uesugi clan and, in particular, the relationship between the lord Uesugi Kagekatsu and his vassal Naoe Kanetsugu. The only problem is that the clan lord is painfully shy & hardly says a word while Kanetsugu spends a lot of his time crying. The Japanese seem to have a real fondness for these emotional tear jerkers with impassioned declarations of love and undying loyalty. This starts to get a bit annoying after a while but is a small gripe given the political and historical backdrop on offer. The emotional stuff is over-stressed as one of the main subjects of the series is the Uesugi concept of justice and their love for humanity. The series is well cast and features lots of the most notorious/popular characters of the period from Date Masamune to Sanada Yukimura. The second half of the series is really superb. This would have scored higher if it wasn't for all the crying. Brilliant series all the same.

Aired in 1978-79, "The Yagyu Conspiracy" remains one of the greatest ever Japanese samurai TV shows featuring Sonny Chiba and a virtual who's who of the great and good of 1970's samurai cinema. Chiba stars as Yagyu Jubei who must battle against the conspiracies between the court nobles and daimyo seeking to bring down the Shogun. To aid him in his fight he has the Negoro ninja group, his father Tajima, brother Samon and sister Akane as well as his own ninja group - the Ura Yagyu, but he is up against some strong enemies in the form of villainous court noble Karasumaru Shosho and sinister swordsman Ogasawara Genshinsai, Yagyu Tajima's nemesis. An all-action samurai/ninja adventure thriller that is highly recommended, this remains one of Chiba's defining roles.

The 50-episode annual Japanese NHK drama in 2014 was Gunshi Kanbee (Strategist Kanbee). This series follows the story of Kuroda Kanbee (played by pop star Okada Junichi) through one of the most turbulent periods of Japanese history from the rise & demise of Oda Nobunaga through the reign of the Toyotomi to the Tokugawa ascendancy. Oda Nobunaga is brilliantly played by Eguchi Yosuke (Goemon) while Takenaka Naoto is consistently annoying as Hideyoshi. Ibu Masato (who played Sessai in Fuurin Kazan) is again excellent as the tea master Rikyu. As a key vassal of the ineffectually-led Kodera clan Kanbee's talent for strategising is noticed & nurtured by Nobunaga & Hideyoshi. The series follows the conflicts & intrigues in which Kanbee gets embroiled from Nobunaga's brutal suppression of the warrior monks of Enryaku-ji to Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea.This show is well cast and well scripted and doesn't have to rely (like some of the annual taiga dramas) on unnecessary flannel. While the protagonist is an interesting & engaging character, the series is dominated by the incredible presence of Eguchi Yosuke. Well worth a watch.

When it comes to a cool subject for a 12 episode mini-series, Three Generations of the Yagyu Sword has to be up there with the best. The focus of the series are the contrasts between the outlooks of the fathers and sons from Sekishusai to Munenori & Munenori to Jubei. The series begins with Sekishusai in charge of his own dojo teaching the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu or 'Yagyu New Shadow School' of swordsmanship. He is harsh on his son Munenori who develops his own style, even learning and improving the Yagyu secret art of 'mutodori' an empty hand technique used for defense against an armed opponent. It is under Munenori that the Yagyu become intertwined with the Tokugawa dynasty of shoguns that brought an end to the Warring States Period in 17th century Japan. His involvement in politics and harsh approach to the subjugation of other clans considered to be a threat to the shogunate is disliked by his own son Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi who goes his own way both philosophically and as a martial artist. Jubei is universally portrayed throughout jidai geki TV shows as one of Japan's greatest ever swordsmen and it is no different here. This is a brilliant, engaging and entertaining series that should not be missed by fans of the genre.

Every year in Japan, the Japan Broadcasting Company (NHK) air a weekly year-long historical 'Taiga' drama. In 1985-86, that series was Sanada Taiheiki (Saga Of The Sanada Clan), charting the fortunes of the Sanada Clan in the Warring States Period (after the death of Takeda Shingen) and into the foundation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, roughly 1582-1615. This is one of the best Taiga's that i have seen and was absolutely compulsive viewing. This was due in no small part to an excellent cast including Watase Tsunehiko as Sanada Nobuyuki, his brother Sanada Yukimura played by Kusakari Masao and stalwart Tanba Tetsuro as their father, the wily and courageous Sanada Masayuki. Special mention must go to the excellent performances of Natsuyagi Isao as Tsuboya Matagoro and Haruka Kurara as Oko, two of the Sanada's finest ninja. Like 'Fuurin Kazan', this series has everything you could want in a Taiga drama : political intrigue, philosophy, history, violence, it provides a real window into the transition from the turbulent Sengoku Period into the Tokugawa ascendancy. This has some of the best samurai & ninja action that you will see anywhere. An absolute classic.

An excellent series following the exploits of female ninja Orin (played by Aoyama Noriko). As part of a ninja group supposedly dedicated to the protection of the Shogun, Orin uncovers an internal plot to overthrow him. She also discovers that her (allegedly) stillborn baby is still alive and determines to be re-united with the child and deserts the group. As a result she is framed for two murders and must make her journey while being relentlessly pursued by assassins under the command of the sinister Uemura Doetsu. She is frequently assisted by a shadowy samurai called Kurasawa Yajuro and his ninja sidekick Sasuke. The Tegusari-nin assassins pursuing her are the usual collection of weapons and tactics specialists but Orin has a few tricks of her own such as her bracelet/sword/spear/garrotte! Orin's pursuit is set against a backdrop of political intrigue and in-fighting after the death of the Shogun Yoshimune and the ascendancy of Ooka Tadamatsu as the voice of the Shogun's feeble successor. Orin cuts a figure reminiscent of Coldwind Monjiro or Jokichi of Mikogami. There are also close comparisons with the Lone Wolf and Cub story. The series is tense and violent throughout and well worth a watch, like Lone Wolf, the odds are often stacked well against Orin. The only slight gripe at times is plot predictability as each episode seems to use the same plot template, the finale to this series though is well worth the wait and makes some of the earlier tedium worthwhile. Another annoyance are the preview sections at the end of each episode which can act as spoilers. There are 24 episodes in this series.

2007's Japanese NHK Taiga drama Furin Kazan aka Samurai Banners contains everything you could want in this type of series- characters, action, intrigue, philosophy etc delivered by a superb cast. This is the story of a one-eyed limping ronin called Yamamoto Kansuke whose expertise in military tactics & strategy brings about the rise of the Takeda Clan. While most films made on the subject focus on the warlord Takeda Shingen, Kansuke is very much the focus here. The series is set during the turbulent Warring States Period in the mid-16th century when provincial warlords were constantly attacking each other. The benefits of sound strategy were immense & Kansuke's shrewd manipulation of the enemy reaps dividends for Takeda Shingen. It would be pointless to try to explain any more of the plot - the series spans 50 episodes of 45mins each! Everything from the storyline to the direction to the acting recommends this as one of the finest of the annual NHK dramas. Uchino Masaaki is superb as the wily Kansuke while Gackt turns in a spellbinding performance as the mystical Lord of Echigo. After each episode is a short documentary describing the modern-day sites of the battles/castles/shrines portrayed in the series but be warned! These often give away information not yet shown in the series & can act as a spoiler. Apart from that, Excellent Stuff.

Don't be too hasty to write off Kinnosuke Nakamura's performance as Lone Wolf Ogami Itto. Tomisaburo Wakayama was exceptional in this role, especially with his unquestionably superior swordsmanship, but Nakamura plays the character with quiet, reflective dignity- there is a far greater focus on Itto as samurai than a mere killing machine. Thats not to say that there is less in the way of bloodshed- the bodycount for the series is staggering! This series is only available as a 3 season DVD set transferred from Japanese cable & is well worth the investment. My only criticism would be the repetition during Seasons 1 & 2 where Itto is approached (in almost every episode) by a clan under threat of abolition to carry out an assassination & thereby save the clan. This becomes the predictable plot template far too often, but its a minor gripe as there is a whole lot of good stuff on offer here- Itto has to fight everyone from greedy peasants to master swordsmen, ninjas & all sorts of bizarre weapons specialists. The best episodes are those detailing Itto's ongoing battle with the Yagyu- the 3rd season is absolutely superb. There is a genuine tension that accompanies this series, the numerical odds are often heavily stacked against Itto & his son but they are carried through by the Lone Wolf's incredible ability with the sword as well as a mental & tactical advantage over their attackers. The relationship between father & son is the focus of the series but the large number of episodes means that all sorts of themes are explored- this is a real window into the philosophy & nature of the samurai way of life. All in all a cracking series & one that should definitely be explored by any fans of the Babycart movies.

Fans of the Lone Wolf & Cub series should get themselves a copy of this brilliant series from the early 70's. Oshi Samurai aka The Mute Samurai aka The Silent Samurai stars the peerless Tomisaburo Wakayama as the shaven-headed mute bounty hunter Kiichi(Demon)Hogan(Magistrate) seeking revenge on the Spanish swordsman Gonzales who murdered his father (the Nagasaki Magistrate responsible for foreign trade) & raped his fiancé. Having also cut the boy's throat, the Spaniard then vanished leaving the youth harbouring a burning desire for revenge- in order to defeat his enemy he had to become highly proficient with the sword. He used his skill with the sword to become a bounty hunter, an occupation that also allowed him to travel in search of his nemesis. This series follows his search for vengeance 18 years later. Unfortunately only 14 out of 26 episodes of this series are available with English subtitles & these are not even widely commercially available but on a positive note the swordplay is superb & despite having no dialogue Wakayama gives an excellent performance as the physically & mentally scarred Kiichi Hogan, who cuts a sinister figure with his cloak & straw hat. His gentleness with defenceless people & animals is contrasted with the ruthless slaying of anyone stupid enough to take him on with a sword. Other features of note are the cracking storyline, sinister incidental music & the theme over the end titles sung by Wakayama's brother Katsu Shintaro (of Zatoichi & Hanzo the Razor fame), who also makes an appearance as the mysterious stranger Manji (a Japanese swastika is his calling card). Like much of the Samurai genre, parallels can be drawn to contemporary spaghetti western cinema of the time, notably Sergio Corbucci's The Great Silence featuring Jean Louis Trintignant as a mute bounty hunter.This is top quality stuff-Hopefully the rest of the series will be made available at some point. ***Additional 2011*** The whole series is now available..and it was well worth the wait. Incredible stuff.