Zen & Sword

An absolute epic (told over five films) chronicling the rise and legacy of Japan’s legendary swordsman Miyamato Musashi, an iconic figure who wasn’t only an expert swordsman but a writer and artist who lived between 1584 and 1645. Kinnosuke Nakamara portrays him with aplomb and makes the role his own.

The first film, simply titled MIYAMOTO MUSASHI (1961) introduces our future hero crawling along in the mud on a battlefield (battle in question: Sekigahara) and it’s interesting to note that at that point in his life, Miyamoto was still known under his actual name: Takezo Shinmen. A bad-tempered ruffian and still a teenager (Kinnosuke Nakamara was already in his thirties when he portrayed him!), he eventually finds his childhood friend, Matahachi Honiden (Isao Kimura), badly wounded on the battlefield. Lying in the mud not quite sure what to do next (and of course, Matahachi is wounded), fate brings them together with a woman called Oko (Michiyo Kogure), clearly impoverished as she collects valuables from the dead warriors.

There’s a human side to her after all, as she takes both men back to her farm, where she lives with the orphaned Akemi (Satomi Oka), her ‘adopted’ daughter. Of course, offering refuge to the two men comes with risks but clearly, the women feel less vulnerable with male company and Oko even goes so far as drinking alcohol without spitting it out…instead, she sucks Matahachi’s infected wound and by having alcohol in her mouth (which she then spits out), she not only prevents herself from becoming infected but ultimately saves the wounded man’s life. It’s quite a gross scene but Oko finds it sensual, judging from the expression on her face. Still feverish, Matahachi thinks of Otsu (Wakaba Irie), the young woman he’s betrothed to and who is an accomplished flute player. While he thinks of her, we are introduced to the wounded fighter’s mother, a cantankerous old woman called Obaba (Chieko Naniwa) and Takezo’s older sister Ogin (Akiko Kazami), who all live together in Obaba’s house. Maybe it’s the way she sucks his badly infected leg, but Matahachi soon becomes infatuated with Oko and doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to return to Otsu, while Takezo takes a shine to Akemi. It’s just as well that he’s around when bandits attack Oko’s farm because he almost clobbers them to pulp!

Forced to leave his wounded friend behind and with the women deciding to abandon the farm out of fear of another attack, Takezo returns home to see his older sister and report to Obaba that her son is still alive, albeit wounded. While Otsu seems relieved her betrothed is still alive (Takezo doesn’t reveal his friend’s fascination for Oko…), Obaba pretends to be relieved that her son is still alive but in reality, she’s ashamed that together with Takezo, they have deserted. Pretending once again that she is relieved, she invites Takezo into her abode and even offers him a bath, only to betray him by informing Tanzaemon Aoki (Tokubei Hanazawa), an official bigwig, of Takezo’s whereabouts. By sheer miracle, Takezo manages to escape from his bath and a ferocious cat-and-mouse-game begins over rooftops. Over the next few days, he’s hunted by both officials and villagers like a wild animal while he himself acts like one, completely unrestrained and ferociously grimacing. Eventually, he is caught by a Buddhist monk called Takuan (Rentaro Mikuni), whom Takezo soon calls ‘Shit-Monk’ in anger.

The monk’s way of passing judgement upon Takezo is as unusual as he is himself, namely by suspending him from an ancient cedar tree and leaving him hanging there, so he may reflect upon his wrong ways before he expires. While death can’t come soon enough to Takezo as far as Obaba is concerned, Otsu begins to feel compassion, after all, the condemned saved Matahachi’s life. The scene in which Takezo dangles from the tree branch is a tour-de-force performance by Kinnosuke Nakamara, screaming, cursing, begging, wailing… During the night, and out of pity, Otsu secretly cuts Takezo loose and both run away, although from the monk’s behaviour earlier on, it is suggested that he had perhaps no intention of letting Takezo die but merely teach him a lesson during which he is forced to reflect on the error of his ways. After having walked together for some time, Takezo and Otsu part ways, with him pointing out that he must follow the ‘path of the sword’. But Takezo and monk Takuan meet again and the monk takes his ‘protege’ to Shirasagi Castle, where it is revealed that he is the last remaining descendant of the Akamatsu Clan. Takezo is forced to spend time in a room which lies in the ‘haunted tower’ and what follows next is the only supernatural scene in the film, namely when the ghosts of the Akamatsu clan appear and urge him to regain his noble status. Henceforth, members of Shirasagi’s upper echelons tell Takezo that from now on, his new name will be Miyamato Musashi, the very name which ultimately will catapult him to legendary status. As he looks as fierce as ever into the camera, we know that both his spiritual and physical transformation is imminent and opens the gate for the other four parts: MIYAMOTO MUSASHI II: SHOWDOWN AT HANNAYAZAKA HEIGHTS (1962), MIYAMOTO MUSASHI III: BIRTH OF THE TWO SWORD STYLE (1962), MIYAMOTO MUSASHI IV: DUEL AT ITCHIYO-JI (1964) and finally, MYAMOTO MUSASHI V: DUEL AT GANRYU ISLAND (1965).

During the course of the next four adventures, with the second part taking place one year later, we see Myamoto defeat the top disciples of the famous school of Yoshioka and encountering a little boy called Jotaro (a wonderfully witty performance by Mitsuru Takeuchi), who becomes his charge and who is the son of Tanzaemon. Later, he defeats a powerful Hozein monk at Nara and challenges Sekishusai, the patriarch of the Yagyu Clan. While battling Yagyu’s four top students, Myamoto gets distracted by the sound of Otsu playing her flute. Otsu has fallen hard for Myamoto and this remains an ongoing thread throughout the films. At the end of that year, Myamoto delivers a challenge to Seijuro Yoshioka (Shinsiro Ebara). Myamoto’s challenge becomes an ominous burden upon Seijuro, who had lived his life in the shadow of his famous school’s founder. On the first day of the New Year, at Gojo Bridge, the Yoshioka School posts a reply to Myamoto’s challenge.

Meanwhile, Otsu, the ever-quarreling Obaba and Akemi arrive seeking Myamoto, and it is there that Myamoto meets his fated enemy, Kojiro Sasaki (Ken Takakura), for the first time. When Myamoto and Seijuro duel at the Rendai-ji Temple, it transpires that Seijuro is no worthy match… After this humiliating defeat, Yoshioka’s school begins to sink into a downward spiral of despair. Seijuro’s younger brother Denshichiro (Mikijiro Hira) is later defeated during a fight, his attempt of vengeance in vain. Eventually, the Yoshioka school feels so dishonoured that “Strike down Myamoto Musashi” calls can be heard, with the school posting a challenge with the words ‘Duel at Ichijo-Ji Temole’ on a tree. Mustered up all their manpower to confront Myamoto’s sword, our lonesome warrior counts seventy-three men against one but fear not - his path to triumph has only just begun, although at the final scene in the fifth movie, he experiences his own personal anti-climax and utters the words, “A sword is only for fighting after all” - renouncing any possibilities of the weapon having mystical powers.
It’s epic, it’s utterly engaging and yes, it’s at times complex to follow, so make sure you have plenty of sushi and sake ready to help your through it all.

ZEN & SWORD has just been released as a 3-disc Blu-ray set as Limited Edition (2,000 copies) with a 100-page collector’s book thrown in for good measure. Additional bonus includes various audio options, interviews and video essay.