Yojimbois a classic of the samurai film genre for a reason, and remains deeply relevant over sixty years after it debuted. Directed by Akira Kurosawa,Yojimbofollows a nameless ronin as he wanders into a small village torn between two warring gangs. Deciding to pit the criminals against one another for his own profit, the warrior finds himself forced to confront dangerous killers and moral quandaries while trying outwitting and outfighting his enemies. The result is a legendary entry inAkira Kurosawa’s filmography, that stands among the director’s best films while juggling societal themes with action, comedy, and thrills.
The immeasurable impact thatYojimbohad can’t be understated, as the films it influenced ended up reshaping entire genres in turn. Its crystalization of the antihero remains timely, and fits in perfectly alongside modern movie heroes. Beyond being a crucial piece of cinematic history though,Yojimboremains a timeless and entertaining film. All those rough edges and unexpected comedy that doesn’t undercut the heroic qualities or thematic strength of the film.Yojimbois one of the best samurai filmsever made, with a level of craft and charm that makes it just as enjoyable now as it was decades ago.
Yojimbo Was An Action Franchise Before That Was The Industry Standard
One Official Sequel Set The Stage For Several Appearances From Nearly Identical Samurai
Yojimboremains an influential film on several levels, highlighting the potential for the recurring action antihero that’s become the industry standard. Released in 1961,Yojimbowas far from Akira Kurosawa’s first film. However, the massive success of the movie established the archetype for a film franchise years before that was the standard with action movies.Yojimbo’s critical and commercial success led to the director’s next film,Sanjuro, being retooled into a direct sequel. Notably, both films also work effectively as stand-alone stories, simply sharing the same character in a new adventure as he travels through Japan in the 19th century.
Originally envisioned as a more direct adaptation the Shūgorō Yamamoto novelHibi Heian, the success ofYojimboled Akira Kurosawa to tweak the script so it could be used as a direct follow-up toYojimbo.
The impact ofYojimboled Toshiro Mifune to appear in several other films as a similar character, with spiritual successors toYojimbolikeZatoichi Meets YojimboandIncident at Blood Passhighlighting the enduring power of the character. While there had been other succesful action heroes in cinema (such as the blind swordsman Zatoichi, who had twenty films before running into Mifune’s character),Yojimbocombined that cynical worldview with a surprising sense of fun and hidden nobility that has gone on to help define the action movie hero for generations. That refinement of the anti-hero may beYojimbo’s greatest influence.
Yojimbo Perfected The Anti-Hero Archetype
The Ronin InYojimboFeels Like A Modern Movie Hero
The nameless ronin inYojimbohas many deep similarities to modern cinematic heroes. The character is wily and ruthless with his enemies, but not humorless or cruel. The bodyguard proves to be a crafty character who can outthink his enemies as well as outfight them. While the ronin may see the world from a harsh perspective, he’s also someone who does believe in morality. He risks his life to ensure a family is reunited and given a chance to escape, but angrily brushes aside their heartfelt efforts to thank him. It’s a good deed solely for the sake of itself.
There had been antiheroes beforeYojimbo, but the ronin from that film is the perfect crystallization of that idea.
This gives the ronin a number of modern thematic descendants, ranging from the inventive heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the determined John Wick. The antihero has become an archetype for modern action cinema reimagined in numerous permutations. There had been antiheroes beforeYojimbo, but the ronin from that film is the perfect crystallization of that idea. “Kuwabatake Sanjuro” as he chooses to be known is a hero, but not one who would ever call himself that. The influence ofYojimboon other foundational franchises like Clint Eastwood’s westerns andStar Warsbled out further, inspiring countless other characters.
Yojimbo’s Influence Has Been Felt For Decades
The Impact OfYojimbo’s Success Ranges From Clint Eastwood Westerns ToStar Wars
The influence ofYojimbocan’t be understated,especially given the sheer wealth of creatives who’ve taken cues from the movie’s success.Yojimbowas seen as a direct inspiration for Sergio Leone’sA Fistful of Dollars, to the point where Leone was forced to hand over 15% of the revenue from his western to Kurosawa. The impact ofA Fistful of Dollarsand other “Spaghetti Westerns” reignited interest in the western genre, influencing generations of filmmakers.Yojimbodirectly inspired other movies, like the Bruce Willis-led gangster flickLast Man Standingand the David Carradine fantasy epicThe Warrior And The Sorceress.
10 Ways Akira Kurosawa Has Influenced Modern Blockbusters
Many of Hollywood’s top directors cite the legendary Akira Kurosawa as inspiration. His influence is seen in tons of popular movies, like Star Wars.
Other filmmakers took deliberate cues fromYojimboas well, with George Lucas being perhaps the most famous.Star Wars: A New Hopetakes inspiration fromYojimboamong several other films, especially when the movie shifts to Tatooine’s Cantina. This in turn gives all the films inspired by those sequences a connection toYojimbo. Even beyond those direct inspections,Yojimbo’s grey morality, hardened hero, and cold approach to violence as a brutal means to an end can be seen in countless films that followed it, even if they don’t know they’re actively continuing the legacy ofYojimbodecades after it debuted.
Why Yojimbo Is Still Relevant Over Sixty Years Later
YojimboRemains A Timeless Action Epic That’s Still Relevant To Modern Audiences
Yojimbodebuted over sixty years ago, quickly becoming a smash-hit in Japan. However, none of that dates the film or removes its enduring universal qualities. While Kurosawa used the film (as he had with many of his previous productions) to comment on the post-World War II corruption found in Japan,the morals of the story are flexible enough to fit to any setting. Warring gangs and criminal ambition are flexible enough concepts and enduring elements of society, easily capable of reflecitng the times over half a century later. The film’s critique on questionable loyalty and ruthless ambition remain painfully relevant.
There’s a timeless hero at the center of the story, an antihero who doesn’t want to be the good guy but can’t help himself. This doesn’t make the ronin a softie, or even necessarily an honorable figure. The ronin ignores classic heroic ideals and instead outthinks his enemies when possible, brutally dispatching them if he needs to.Yojimboapproaches those moral quandries with a self-aware sense of humor, with the ronin pitting criminals against one another and laughing at the sight.Yojimbois a movie that feels as relevant now as it did when it first came to the big screen.
Yojimbo
Cast
A wandering ronin arrives in a town torn apart by two rival gangs. Using his cunning and swordsmanship, he pits the factions against each other, manipulating the situation to his advantage while dismantling the criminal empires from within, ultimately restoring peace through calculated chaos and deception.
