Goyokin

I polled folks on Mastodon a few weeks back about what movie to watch next. The choices were Chūshingura, Goyokin, The Hidden Blade, or When the Last Sword is Drawn. Hideo Gosha’s Goyokin was the winner by a country mile. Here’s the kicker, though — couldn't find it streaming, had to snag a DVD off eBay, rock it old-school on my antique Xbox. Completely worth all the effort.

Tatsuya Nakadai plays a samurai caught in a gut-wrenching scenario — witness to a village massacre by his own clan. He’s guilt-ridden, manipulated into this mess, then takes the ronin path, roaming the lands. But guess what? His old clan’s brewing another bloodbath, and he’s dead-set on shutting it down. Cue epic battles, moral dilemmas, and loyal allies — dude’s on a mission to right his wrongs and shield innocent lives.

I am willing to have blood on my hands for you.

Goyokin is a damn fine flick, Nakadai’s aces. Seen through the VIKINGS vs SAMURAI lens, it hits different. Samurai, like Viking saga heroes, take up oaths that may damn them. And let’s talk visuals — such as the obligatory shot of a woman mournfully singing while working on a loom, inked-up half-naked dudes in a gambling parlor, Nakadai flinging snow from a tree with his sword into the eyes of his foe — iconic stuff. But hold up, as great as those scenes are, the sight of Nakadai and his rival blowing warmth onto their hands while gripping their swords? Burned into my brain meat.

On a lighter note, our baddie losing it, snapping that striped rod? Comedy gold! What the heck are those things even called? What do they do?

If you can get your mitts on Goyokin, do it.