Samurai Fiction

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Samurai Fiction
DVD cover of Samurai Fiction
Directed by	Nakano Hiroyuki
Written by	Nakano Hiroyuki, Saito Hiroshi
Starring	Tomoyasu Hotei, Kazama Morio, Fukikoshi Mitsuru
Music by	Tomoyasu Hotei
Cinematography	Yujiro Yajima
Distributed by	Pony Canyon
Release date(s)	October 27, 1998
Running time	111 min.
Language	Japanese
Followed by	Stereo Future
IMDb profile

Samurai Fiction (aka SF: Episode One) is the English title for SF・サムライ・フィクション (SF: samurai fikushon), an atypical samurai movie. It is 96% black-and-white, and follows a fairly standard plotline for a jidaigeki samurai movie, but the presence of Tomoyasu Hotei's rock-and-roll soundtrack separates it from the films it was inspired by, such as the works of Akira Kurosawa. A loose spinoff was released in 2001, as Red Shadow: Aka Kage.

1 Overview
2 SF episode one
3 References
4 Plot
5 Licensed products
6 Cast
7 External links

[edit] Overview

While the film is nearly entirely in black-and-white, paying homage to older samurai movies, this allows for the artistic and dramatic use of color; this is most noticeable whenever a character is killed, and the screen flashes red for a moment. Color is used to dramatic effect at the beginning and end of the film as well.

Samurai Fiction was the first full-length feature film for writer-director Nakano Hiroyuki, who had been primarily a director of music videos for MTV Japan. His experience with music videos comes through in the directing of the film. This movie was also the first acting experience for Japanese rock star Tomoyasu Hotei.

[edit] SF episode one

For more details on the SF episodes directed by Hiroyuki Nakano, see SF series.

Hiroyuki Nakano envisioned Samurai Fiction as the first episode in a "SF" entitled series. The films would be only vaguely related, in terms of plot or characters as Nakano wanted to explore a number of genres. However, only a second feature film has been made, Stereo Future in 2001, the following episodes being short films. Unreleased episodes were named Super Funky, and Sunday Family.

[edit] References

The film has some amusing inside jokes, references, and connections. For example, the stolen sword that is at the center of the plot was a personal possession of Toshiro Mifune, the star of many of Akira Kurosawa's samurai films.

The name "Samurai Fiction" is a reference to Pulp Fiction, and the Japanese movie's bichromatic (red/black) opening credit featuring the shadow of a samurai performing a kata, was later spoofed, in blue & black, by Quentin Tarantino in his Kill Bill vol.1.

Also, Tarantino used Hotei's famous "Shin Jingi Naki Tatakai" instrumental track (aka "Battle Without Honor or Humanity") - which is the title of a Kinji Fukasaku, a major influence for Tarantino, classic yakuza movie - as BGM for the Kill Bill vol.1 teaser and in the movie's score. Hotei stars in Samurai Fiction and he had composed its OST.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The plot centers on Inukai Heishiro, played by Fukikoshi Mitsuru, the son of a feudal lord. One of his family's most precious heirlooms, a sword given them by the Shogun, has been stolen by the samurai Kazamatsuri, played by Tomoyasu Hotei. Against his father's advice, Heishiro insists on retrieving the sword himself. His father sends two ninja after him to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.

Kazamatsuri wounds Heishiro, and kills one of his companions. The young noble ends up staying with an older samurai and his daughter, Koharu, played by Tamaki Ogawa, while he heals from his wound and plans his next move. The older samurai tries to dissuade him from fighting, but Heishiro's honor won't allow him to leave Kazamatsuri alive. The older samurai, who turns out to be the master Hanbei Mizogushi, played by Morio Kazama convinces him to fight Kazamatsuri by throwing rocks at him.

In the mean time, Kazamatsuri settles for a few days at a gambling house owned by the Lady Okatsu, played by Mari Atsuki, who falls in love with him. Then one night one of the ninja sent to protect Heishiro bribes her to poison his sake for one thousand gold. She does, but Kazamatsuri tastes the poison and kills Okatsu and the rest of the people in the gambling house. He then kidnaps Koharu in an attempt to get the master Mizoguchi to fight him.

Mizoguchi reveals to Heishiro that he killed Koharu's father, and has since never drawn his sword on another man, despite his immense skill. They then go to find Kazamatsuri and rescue Koharu. While Mizoguchi stalls Kazamatsuri, Heishiro takes Koharu aside and says he will marry her if Mizoguchi wins. Kazamatsuri fights Mizoguchi, who only draws his sword after his opponent destroys his wooden sword. He then disarms Kazamatsuri near a cliff. Kazamatsuri, admitting defeat, commits suicide by jumping off the cliff. Heishiro and the others go to the bottom, where there is no sign of Kazamatsuri's body, but Koharu spots the stolen sword at the bottom of the river, where Heishiro retrieves it.

Flash forward one year. Heishiro has married Koharu, the sword is returned, and Mizoguchi is now an official in Heishiro's father's clan.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Licensed products

A variety of licensed products were released from the video editions (DVD/LD/VHS), to the original soundtrack (CD), to Samurai Foto, a portfolio collecting 300 pictures taken from the motion picture.