Shogun’s Samurai – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1978
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Writers: Kinji Fukasaku, Hiro Matsuda, Tatsuo Nogami
Cast: Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Toshirô Mifune, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Etsuko Shihomi, Tetsuro Tamba

Release Date: November 17th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 129 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK)

"During the Edo period, shogun Hidetada Tokugawa is killed, poisoned by an unknown assailant. In the aftermath of his death, a vicious power struggle breaks out between his two sons, Tadanaga (Teruhiko Saigo) and Iemitsu (Matsukata), who is suspected of having arranged his father’s murder. As the conflict between the two brothers intensifies and their father’s former allies are forced to choose sides, samurai Munenori Yagyu (Yorozuya) and his sons Jubei (Chiba) and Munefuyu (Kentaro Kudo) become embroiled in the conflict until it reaches its bitter end." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "1080p HD presentation from a 4K restoration by Toei."

Shogun’s Samurai comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41 GB

Feature: 35.8 GB

This release sports a brand-new 4K transfer that improves upon Discotek Media’s 2022 Blu-ray release in every way.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese, and included with this release are removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a coming soon theatrical trailer (5 minutes 27 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a special report theatrical trailer (3 minutes 14 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a filming underway theatrical trailer (2 minutes 8 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a video essay by Japanese cinema expert Joe Hickinbottom titled Echoes of the Present: Kinji Fukasaku's Jidaigeki Cinema (21 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a O-card slipcase (limited to the first pressing), and a 20-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Ninja Gamble: Notes on Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy written by Jonathan Clements, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Kinji Fukasaku was the reigning king of Yakuza films when he proposed to Toei Studios a Battle without Honor and Humanity-style story set in the Edo Period. Kinji Fukasaku’s only other foray into the Edo period at that point was as the host of the television series Hissatsu!, which he helped create. Toei was also ready for a change after the disaster of The Bullet Train at the box office, and with the success of Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy, Toei had successfully reinvented itself as a studio. Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba and Toshirô Mifune, besides working together on Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy, also co-starred in 1978’s The Fall of Ako Castle (also directed by Kinji Fukasaku) and, three years later, The Bushido Blade. Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy's box office success would help launch, a year after its release, the television series Yagyuu Conspiracy.

Kinji Fukasaku is a master craftsman who creates a world that is so authentic through his visual style that the viewer becomes totally absorbed in the experience. Cinematographer Toru Nakajima, a frequent collaborator of Kinji Fukasaku, infuses Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy with an elegance and style that adds depth to this epic tale through his thoughtful compositions. Composer Toshiaki Tsushima, known for his previous work on The Street Fighter and Battles without Honor and Humanity, crafts a score for Shogun’s Samurai that effectively establishes the mood and enhances the film's intensity.

Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy is a character-driven film that has an amazing cast, including Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Toshirô Mifune, Tetsuro Tamba, Kinnosuke Yorozuya, Etsuko Shihomi, and Hiroyuki Sanada. Performance-wise, the entire cast is excellent. Although Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba’s screen time is limited, he delivers a scene-stealing performance that stands out as the most memorable.

Myths and facts have been used to their best advantage in this expertly crafted tale that is loaded with enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing what will happen next. My favorite moment is when Jubei is met in the woods by one of the Emperor's noblemen. Then Jubei removes his hat, which contains shiny blades hidden inside, and hurls it at the nobleman. The nobleman deflects the hat, sending it into a tree, while the blades reflect sunlight into his eyes as Jubei delivers the final blow. Ultimately, Shogun's Samurai: The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy is an extraordinary piece of filmmaking from one of Japan's greatest filmmakers.

Eureka Video gives Shogun’s Samurai its best home media release to date; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer