User reviews

The great cast that was in Musashi Miyamoto, the first part of this samurai trilogy continues in the second part with a few additions.

By this time Musashi Miyamoto has been on the road for three years and is still learning. The most important lesson as a Samurai will not be learned until the film is almost over. Another important lesson comes quickly after that, and it will interesting to see how it plays out in the final part.

In the opening Musashi Miyamoto is doing battle with a samurai similar to our buddy Hanzo. They are the only two I have ever seen use chains.

After this he heads to Kyoto to do battle with the best in the capital, and also to get himself mixed up with the two women who are in love with him.

Love, fickleness, treachery, rape, revenge, honor, and great sword fighting all have a place in this magnificent film.

The amazing cinematography and scenery also place an important part.

This is truly a samurai classic.

The tale of Myamoto Musashi - thief, lover, rogue, then warrior, hero and master - is enshrined in Japanese culture, perfect showcase material as it were. It has been adapted more than once to the screen, and Inagaki's classy, colorful version is perhaps the best known. It is everything you'd expect from a period samurai film if you've never seen one and harbor no negative preconceptions.

After a playful first part that has a classic hero's journey structure, part II takes things to the next level without having to rush to the finish, and is the more interesting film. It allows the hero to wield his newfound power without the restraint and inner peace he will later find. It allows him the get mad, and nobody does unleashed fury like Toshiro Mifune, not when you throw 80+ armed fools in this way.

I chose to review this one because it is a good sample of the very best this trilogy accomplishes: compelling archetypical characters, lush cinematography and that "oriental" elegance that always seduces non-Japanese audiences, drawn in as they are by the very universal plot and character dynamics.

I cannot put it in the same leagues as the masterpieces of Kurosawa, Ozu and Kobayashi, but if it is to be a gateway film experience, then it is a bloody good one, and laudable for what it accomplishes.

You might really enjoy this, and if you do, it's just the beginning!

Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple is the second part of the so-called Samurai trilogy by Inagaki Hiroshi about legendary historical figure Miyamoto Musashi who was a highly accomplished samurai who wasn't only a great fighter but also an intellectual philosopher and a skilled artist. This movie shows how a young ronin travels the country for enlightenment and training for several years to become an accomplished samurai.

The main plot of the movie focuses on Miyamoto Musashi challenging a martial arts school. He also meets respectable opponent Sasaki Kojiro who he will eventually fight in the last film. His relationship with Otsu is further explored as she patiently waits for his destiny to be fulfilled.

In comparison to the first movie, this sequel has more fight scenes that are quite dynamic, epic and tense. The movie starts with an impressive duel and ends with a fight between Miyamoto Musashi on one side and eighty martial arts school students on the other side. The film has an overall quicker pace than the first part and is thoroughly entertaining.

All beloved characters from the first movie are back in the sequel and Mifune Toshiro's acting skills are once again quite impressive even though he seems to be acting too impulsively at times to portray a character who has undergone changes to find peace of mind. Mifune Toshiro fits the role much better in the energetic first film and accomplished third movie of the trilogy.

The main reason why this movie is the weakest part of the trilogy is because it skips three years in the life of Miyamoto Musashi and fails to tell how the protagonist has changed. This is even more inappropriate regarding the side characters. The last time we saw the protagonist's childhood friend Matahachi, he was engaged to Otsu but had parted with beautiful Akemi and her manipulative mother Oko to protect them against bandits. Three years later, he has suddenly married Oko who is though having a romantic relationship with Toji who works for a wealthy martial arts school owner whom he expects to marry Akemi and hopes to make lots of money in the process. It's never explained how Oko and Matahachi got married, how their relationship failed and how Toji met the unstable trio.

Despite a few plot holes and some lack of character development, it's essential to watch Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple as a link between the energetic first film and the accomplished third movie. This second part is still entertaining with its wonderful cinematography, improved fight scenes and plot filled with sinister intrigues. Don't jump on the tiring Game of Thrones bandwagon and watch this movie instead which offers similar contents with more style.

Being the middle film of a trilogy, Duel at Ichijoji Temple thankfully came with a lot more battle sequences than the first film, and had more finesse in its swordplay since our legendary heroic character Takezo (Toshiro Mifune) is now a skilled swordsman, but yet to put into practice many aspects of Bushido, and often criticized in the manner in which he finishes off his opponents because of his innate brute strength and force.

But I guess when you're top dog, criticism comes part and parcel, and in his warrior pilgrimage in discovery of skill and self, we see how he further develops, though at time I felt that the story utilized a cheat sheet just like the first film, where priest Takuan (Kuroemon Onoe) locked him in a castle with plenty of books. Here, while Takezo is in hiding, he spends plenty of time indoors under the patronage of Lady Yoshino (Michiyo Kogure), a courtesan who would inculcate some compassion into the gruff man's life - while he looks refined on the outside, his ambition and reputation continue to earn him no favours, especially since he had issued a challenge to the Yoshioka School.

As a middle film, it expanded the mythology, and further developed the characters who made teasing appearances in the first one. For instance, the young man who was smitten by Akemi (Mariko Okada) turns out to be none other than the leader of the Yoshioka School, Seijuro Yoshioka (Akihiro Hirata), who in a fit of envy began to violate Akemi, taking his ineptness onto a helpless girl. Such are incidents that make the character a little revolting, and the members of his school showcased to be nothing more than mere bullies to the townsfolk, as well as constantly sucking up to Seijuro by shielding his incompetence from the real world.

The villains in this installment turn out to be more formidable than the thugs and brigands that Takezo had to deal with earlier. In fact, the first duel was a battle with an opponent using a chain-and-sickle, in compensation for the lack of a swordfight as a climax in the first film. Unfortunately I found this to be mildly exciting, as the full screen presentation only allowed for that fatal blow to be delivered off screen. The middle duel with Denshichiro Yoshioka was also somewhat of a let down given the buildup, because it only allowed a brief clashing of the weapons, before director Hiroshi Inagaki decided to cut away to a song! It felt like a little short-change, though the result of the match was made known indirectly later.

And the expansion of the characters here only made the story richer. Familiar faces like Takezo's lover Otsu (Kaoru Tachigusa) returns to pine a lot more for him after 3 years of waiting, while her ex-fiancé Matahachi (Sachio Sakai) degenerates worse in character, into a good for nothing liar and a cheat, married to Akemi's scheming mom Oko (Mitsuko Mito). We also get introduced to sword polisher Hanomi (Ko Mihashi) who's supposed to play an influential role in swaying Takezo's mindset, though the narrative here didn't allow too much of that on screen, deflecting it towards Lady Yoshino, for yet another romantic entanglement, where the female characters are all weak in their knees in Takezo's manly presence.

But the most important character introduced in the film would be Kojiro Sasaki (Koji Tsuruta), the eventual nemesis of Takezo's, but you've got to wait until the next film to see them do battle. Here, Kojiro's like the predator, slowly studying and stalking his prey. We know little of his background, apart from his certification of swordsmanship, and his cool, collected demeanour as opposed to Takezo's brash emotions, so that already sets him up to be mile apart as a strong adversary in time to come. So far he has played things in quite a gentlemanly way, refusing to take cheap shortcuts, patiently and probably egoistically waiting for Takezo to attain more skills, before bringing down a powerful opponent.

Again the technical aspects of this DVD presentation left much to be desired, especially in the night or dawn battle scenes. It's not digitally remastered, so these scenes become really dark and marred the enjoyment of many outdoor fights, especially the titular one where Takezo goes up against 80 opponents, and learns for a start that evading battle may not be so bad an option, especially when one is severely outnumbered due to a sickening, dishonourable scheme to turn tables. I would have wished for a better presentation so that it would not detract your attention to pops and cackles, or unintentional hues to come and stain the picture quality.

Duel at Ichijoji Temple ended just like how it began, with Takezo continuing his journey to seek bushido-enlightenment. It wrapped up some of the life journeys and lessons learnt by the protagonist in this episode, and sets it all up for the climax to be in the last installment of the trilogy.

"Miyamoto Musashi" was already a great movie but this movie is even a better one on basically every front.

This movie is part of a real trilogy, that follows one story and one main character. It's therefore also best to watch these 3 movies in a row, to appreciate it best. All 3 movies closely follow each other, in which the first movie is being really used as a movie to set up things, while this second movie is mostly being used to build up to its climax that will occur in the third movie.

This time the movie flows better because the story gets used better as well. Like mentioned earlier, the first movie was still being mostly a setup movie for the series. In this movie we actually get to see more epic moments and fights, as it follows the further travels of Musashi Miyamoto, on his way to become a master-swordsman. Its story and different characters all work out nicely, as things also gets developed more, with its drama and romance.

There are a couple of really great fight sequences, of course mostly featuring Toshirô Mifune. It makes the movie often exciting to watch, as does the overall look for the movie. The movie benefits from its beautiful natural environments, as well as some nicely done studio work. Using color wasn't quite that common yet for '50's Japanese cinema, since it was quite costly and not as advanced yet as in the western world. However color had always worked out nicely for these three movies and it helps to make the movie a really great looking one. You also have to give credit for this to the movie its cinematography, done by Jun Yasumoto, who strangely enough worked on just the first two movies but didn't shot the third and final one.

A movie that really has everything in it.

9/10

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The first part of the trilogy was setting up the story, visually resplendent but leaves you out in the open. In this second part the direction is solidified. Musashi is set up to choose between the way of the sword or love for the girl Otsu, while having to face his nemesis, foreshadowed for the closing chapter.

What puts me off this second chapter, which I rate the lowest of the three, is that we had a set of characters in the first film, and suddenly we have another set of characters. The film revolves around his feud with the Yoshioki school.

So in a way, this loose narrative foreshadows the third chapter. As it emerges in this second film, the film is not one long epic split in three parts. Neither is each of these first two films self-enclosed. The narrative is a loose stitching together of episode and digress, thrust and feint in many directions; observant viewers will notice the same in the elliptical shooting mode.

I will not say more about this as a film since we are still halfway there, instead let's look at some context around the film, here on the fluidity of self.

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This is a core precept of Buddhism, which features prominently in the films; Musashi receives key lessons by monks, his journey is one of self-realization, internal abating of ego.

This fluidity is seen in the transmission and establishment of Buddhism in Japan over several hundred years through several attempts, several travels of Japanese monks in China. Both notable Zen schools in Japan were initiated by monks of the Tendai sect who had been to China. The film's main two centerpieces take place outside Buddhist temples (one is referenced in the title, the other is Sanjusangen-do), both belonging to Tendai. The Sanjusangen-do, a marvelous structure, is also famous for housing one thousand and one statues of the thousand armed Kannon, the boddhisatva of compassion. The little wooden statuette that Musashi is seen carving in spots is of Kannon.

Now simply saying that the self is illusory sounds weird, metaphysical or philosophical at best. Buddhists have many of the same lofty words as we do, about 'void' and 'self', but whereas we're accustomed to theoretical construction and analytical philosophy (we love words in the West), they resort to words as a last means of describing a practice—also evident in Musashi's own writings where he stresses experiential appreciation.

So when they say 'void', they don't mean a generality but something which can be felt, has been felt, as one feels the temperature of water. When they say 'self', they mean when a single thought arises while you're washing the dishes.

It's a pain in the ass to talk of it, because how can you say exactly how warm it is? It either is to you or isn't. Stick your hand in. Zen Masters (as well as Musashi whose 'Way of strategy' is Zen-flavored) knew this, which is why they loved paradox, urged silence or beat and kicked their students when they asked logical questions. The point is to know for yourself. A similar thing happens to Musashi in the first film when he is tied by a Zen monk from a tree, a fictional event.

This monk, Takuan, existed; though his interactions with Musashi in the film are fiction, presumably he did know Musashi. He wrote on this business of illusion and nonself using sword metaphors, because the writings were intended for Yagyu Munenori, sword instructor to three shoguns and with Musashi the most famous swordsman in his day. Munenori briefly appears in the third film.

Munenori and Musashi both wrote books with background in all this. Both are still being widely read in the martial arts and business worlds, by people looking for insights on real or metaphorical war.

Musashi's first four books comprise technique and strategy. The last one and shortest, Book of the Void, which is held in separate esteem, probably because of the portentous title, is where Musashi speaks of the Zen void as deeper principle—it should be the most interesting but isn't, Musashi's practical conveyance falls short. No, it's the books on strategy that deserve study once you look past hand-to-hand combat, at least for our purposes here.

Suffice to say, both Zen and Musashi urge direct observation of mind instead of general reasoning. Suffice to say, from the perspective of Zen a Kannon statue is no more sacred than the piece of wood it was carved from. And that the act of carving is the manifestation of self, this can be practically observed in the carved image—is it sloppy, elegant? This is important. So neither spoken word, nor teachings in a book, nor sacred image, nor Zen or not Zen, but observation of the mind behind. I'm going to wrap this in the third post.

This comment about the "Samurai Trilogy" starts on the page for Miyamoto Musashi (Samurai I). My first viewing of the second episode was memorable because I got to take the train into town all by myself, and view it in a Tokyo theater. The first episode had just been shown on base, in a sort of cultural exchange, and my parents saw it and were pleasantly non-outraged-- I was a 9-year-old samurai-movie addict, and they believed enthusiasm beyond a certain intensity should be curbed. It was the same conflict as comic books some few years earlier. Technicolor was a big deal back then, especially in Japan, and it became the issue on which my viewing of "swordfighting movies" was decided-- the ones in color were historical films worth viewing, and even had something to teach. The black-and-white ones shown in Irumagawa and surrounding villages-- I had to sneak off to see. Ichijoji no Ketto (Duel at Ichijoji Temple) shows Miyamoto-san's achievements, while barring no holds on the issue of what they cost him. The romantic subplot continues, though its development in the western sense (toward union, wedded bliss) is thwarted at every turn. The issue is always a conflict between love and duty, and each deferment of gratification spells out a new step in the redefinition of the national character that is being mapped here. Again, some of the importance of all this is lost, even to modern Japanese audiences for whom the issues are long settled-- at the time, though, they were cliffhangers. A new character is introduced, Kojiro Sasaki who will emerge in part 3 as a rival for Musashi-- his equal except for certain features in their respective character. By the way, the score is excellent and haunting-- it extends like a symphony through all three parts, and has a leitmotif "hook" that will cause your ears to pick up in recognition, perhaps years from now, when you hear it again.

Samurai II picks up where the first film left off; Takezo, now Miyamoto Musashi (Toshiro Mifune) has been released by the priest and is clearly more disciplined after having absorbed his teaching. After we see him dispatch a foe swinging a wicked kusarigama, however, an old man who's witnessed the affair comments that he lacks chivalry, and taking this next step in his development is the subject of this installment in the trilogy. Mifune is wonderful and joined by many of the characters from the first film, as well as the leader of an unscrupulous samurai school (Akihiko Hirata) and another samurai, Sasaki Kojiro, who is clearly on the path to higher development (Koji Tsuruta). Unfortunately, while there are some really fine moments, narratively the film is bit tangled, which kept me from truly loving it.

For one thing, I think it was a mistake to have Musashi meet Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) again so early in the story, then to have another dramatic scene where he tells her he's chosen the way of the sword instead of the way of love, since this had already had been done with great effectiveness at the end of the first film. Later he's also tempted by a courtesan in a scene reminiscent of the widow and her daughter trying to seduce him, and naturally, he rebuffs her too. The main story line is Musashi and it consists mostly of him turning down women throwing themselves at his feet or being hunted by his enemies, which I didn't find all that creative.

Meanwhile, there are lots of other subplots, none of which are satisfying. There is one involving the widow's daughter (Mariko Okada), who is in part a sympathetic character because she's prostituted by her own mother, but also in part a villain, lying to Otsu by telling her that Musashi is hers, and trying to steal him as she did with Otsu's fiancé Matahachi (Sachio Sakai) in the first film. The cowardly Matahachi has fallen into ignominy, and along with his venomous mother become threats out of "honor" to the family name. A brother to the leader of the samurai school gets in the act and also wants to challenge Musashi out of honor. While there is a lot of talk about honor from these kinds of characters, what we actually see is a lot of dishonorable behavior from everyone other than Musashi, Otsu, the priest, and Sasaki. I liked the contrast formed between good and evil, but just felt the number of characters involved could have been reduced to allow for more depth on the others. I have to say, I also disliked the ending, and not just because it was predictable. It's great that Musashi knows that "no means no," and it's a contrast to the rape another man commits earlier in the film, but his response was also pretty flawed.

All of that complaining aside, this is certainly a decent samurai film and it had its moments. Even though the film didn't seem to have a terribly large budget and the scenes shot at the studio are obvious, the cinematography is excellent. The swirling scenes leading up to battle and how colors are often contrasted with dark backgrounds are wonderful. The final battle sequence out in the rice paddy was very well filmed, and the taut precision of the samurai form was beautifully brought out by Mifune. From the perspective of craftsmanship it may be better than the first film, but from the perspective of narrative, it was a step down. Still, it's worth seeing.

I've watched the entire trilogy of the Musashi Miyamoto films, of which this film is the second part. The first film, titled simply "Musashi Miyamoto," introduces us to the characters of this and the third film. Without having seen the first film and developing some interest in the welfare of the characters, I certainly wouldn't have sat through the second and third films.

"Duel at Ichijoji Temple," this film, deals with Musashi's exploits as a sort of samurai knight-errant, seeking glory in a very ambiguous and roundabout way. Two women are trailing after him, as Kurosawa films would say, "like goldfish dung." Musashi himself is a flat character on whom Toshiro Mifune's acting skills are wasted. He displays very little emotion or intellect, despite his supposed interest in one of the women and enlightening education by his monk teacher (as we saw in the first film).

If Musashi is flat, the female characters are steamrolled. Their hand wringing, collapsing, and sobbing is typical of American movies of this time period and grows tedious in a samurai film. Having seen other films from this time period set in the days of samurai, I've seen that much more can be done with female characters. The plot was likewise predictable and slow-moving.

If you don't care about characters or plot, the high points of the movie may compensate: beautiful color landscapes and Toshiro Mifune's thrilling fight scenes. Otherwise, I recommend films by Kurosawa or Mizoguchi ("Sanjuro," the mysterious "Ugetsu") over this trilogy. 5/10

Every woman he meets, falls in love with him.

Every samurai he meets, meets his sword.

Truly epic in every way, just see it.

(1955) Samurai II: Duel At Ichijoji Temple (In Japanese with English subtitles) ADVENTURE/ PERIOD PIECE/ ACTION

The second of three films starring veteran actor Toshiro Mifune as the legendary Miyamoto Musashi whose eventual collision with another top samurai Kojiro Sasaki (Koji Tsuruta) and good as him both consisting the same desires. Directed and co-written by Hiroshi Inagaki where in this one, Miyamoto demands a challenge to one of the samurai schools, which many of it's students become so offended, enough to sabotage this duel by taking him out. He also tries to make attempts at love for the young Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) but she in turn doesn't know how to respond, for it motivates him even more to become the best samurai.

Takezo (Toshiro Mifune), now known by his samurai name 'Musashi Miyamoto', continues on his 'musha shugyo' (warrior's quest) in early Edo-era Japan. The complicated story finds the 'shugyosha' in Kyoto planning to challenge Seijuro Yoshioka (Akihiko Hirata, familiar to kaiju fans as the doomed Dr. Serizawa in 'Gojira' (1954)), master of the 'Yoshioka School' to a duel, only to be repeatedly threatened by Yoshioka's less than honourable students. Mifune is as great as always as the iconic swordsman looking to perfect his martial skills, as are Mariko Okada (Akemi) and Kaoru Yachigusa (Otsu) as the two disparate young women who are in love with him. Kuroemon Onoe is back as the Buddhist monk Takuan who first pushed the quick-tempered Takezo to be more than a simple brawler, as is Sachio Sakai as Takezo's buddy Matahachi who is trying (pathetically) to pass himself off as a master swordsman and ends up reunited with his scheming wife Oko and her disreputable lover Togi. New to the story is Kojiro Sasaki, a young, slightly foppish 'shugyosha' from the 'Chujo School' with a keen interest in Musashi's martial skills (and in Matahachi's claimed identity). Inagaki's trilogy is more of a historical drama/romance with some action sequences than a pure adventure (compared to, for example, Kurosawa's contemporaneous 'The Seven Samurai') and the director takes numerous liberties with what is known about the historical character for dramatic effect, often conflating several events into one big event (such as the titular duel). Although not a history lesson, the film remains great entertainment and a classic in the popular chambara genre, with great acting, outstanding sets and colour cinematography, and a stirring score. The fight scenes are well choreographed and exciting although a bit bloodless and stylised (compared to the blood-geysers of the 1970s such as 'Lady Snowblood' (1973)). Great 'bridge' episode in an epic triptych.

The follow-up to 1954's excellent Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple picks up the story several years later, as an exiled orphan-turned-swordsman gains notoriety via a bloody tour of fatal duels. His reputation precedes him in returning to his hometown, where old rivals of both a violent and intimate nature await. This is a film about personal growth - specifically that of the samurai himself, who struggles to learn the key concepts of what his new life actually entails and where the rift lies between honor and reverence. We're never quite sure if Musashi takes this lesson to heart, particularly since he's so keen to maintain an impenetrable outer facade in almost every situation. It's a tricky role for period veteran Toshiro Mifune, who struggles with the more nuanced, flatter aspects of the character. In the previous episode, with the fires of young-adulthood to toy with, he excelled. Here, faced with the malaise of mid-life and the accompanying questions of his own being, his performance is far less sublime. The plot, cramped with too many faces and several seemingly-pointless subplots, does him no favors in dancing around the issues and repeating itself on more than one occasion. This could have been an excellent one-act show, and the final half-hour could still stand alone as precisely that. It lacks the gumption of its predecessor, however, and too often cuts away just as the action is getting good.

This trilogy carries a high reputation, and as soon as we watch the first part of it we readily understand why. 'Miyamoto Musashi' alone was a perfect film, easily standing by itself should that be necessary - and gratifyingly, as soon as this sequel begins, it's very evident that it is cut from the same cloth and is just as worthy. As key contributors return among both the cast and crew we're immediately greeted with all the same unfailing high quality, and assured of an equally magnificent viewing experience we can sit back and enjoy the ride. 'Duel at Ichijoji Temple' is another tremendous classic, and one would be making a sore mistake to pass up the opportunity to watch.

In every capacity this is rich with incredible detail, including in the screenplay of filmmaker Inagaki Hiroshi and screenwriter Wakao Tokuhei that distinctly builds on its predecessor. The narrative continues to follow Miyamoto as he grows in his skills as a samurai and seeks enlightenment in the world; at the same time, threads of a more personal nature begin to converge with his loftier path as figures from his past continue to be drawn into his gravity while abjuring the honesty, integrity, and accountability that Miyamoto can now claim. Thus do we get a viewing experience that is infused with steadfast jidaigeki drama while boasting more violence than the previous title, and at all times it is raptly absorbing, compelling, and satisfying. All the while, once more the scene writing is momentously strong in providing the fuel for all others to exercise their skill and intelligence, including acting that feels even more balanced and nuanced than before while otherwise remaining just as excellent. Ably fitting the needs of any given moment, the actors give performances of earnest range, personality, and emotional depth, not to mention physicality. Mifune Toshio naturally stands out most in the lead role, and is given the most opportunity to shine, but with seemingly more time on-screen for other cast members given the nature of the writing, his co-stars are just as fantastic, including among others Okada Mariko, Yachigusa Kaoru, Kogure Michiyo, Mito Mitsuko, Sakai Sachio, and more.

Inagaki also seems to have grown in his capabilities as a director, for it seems to me that his oversight of the production reflects even more intelligence and mindfulness than one year before. The measure of briskness that previously marked his direction has been replaced by judicious restraint, yet a thrumming undercurrent of vitality remains in the proceedings as Inagaki commands a tight production. The sense of spectacle is diminished in how he orchestrates shots and scenes, but instead the storytelling is flavorfully bolstered with a greater sense of weight and import, and all this is true as much for those moments of violence as for those of quiet drama. Cinematographer Yasumoto Jun demonstrates like development of his craft while otherwise impressing in all the same ways he did previously with his adept work. That glorious mid-century Eastmancolor processing, besting too many examples shaped with techniques and technology of the subsequent seven decades, makes every little iota wonderfully vibrant as it presents: the luscious, painstaking sets, costume design, hair, and makeup; the gorgeous filming locations; the props and weapons; the finely executed stuns, effects, choreography, and action sequences; every subtlety of Yasumoto's photography, Inagaki's direction, and the acting. In every manner 'Duel at Ichijoji Temple' is constructed with a deliberate, patient finesse that exceeds even the splendor of 'Miyamoto Musashi,' and despite that - or really, more likely because of it - the feature builds exquisite tension and suspense that are even more captivating.

I could understand the perspective that the tale is weakened by giving substantial secondary focus to characters other than Miyamoto, yet I'm of the mind that in every fashion the result is so brilliantly written and made that these other story ideas only flesh out the saga all the more. From top to bottom this flawless, and as if any portion weren't ample illustration, the climactic titular sequence is so exemplary that in its utmost superiority - including, to my absolute pleasure, Dan Ikuma's score - I'm reminded of a scant few other movies which, if only for a few minutes, could surely be said to represent the pinnacle of cinema as an art form. There are no two ways about it: Inagaki's trilogy is masterful, and as 'Duel at Ichijoji Temple' manages to surpass the already exceptional first picture, I can only give it my very highest, heartiest, and most enthusiastic recommendation. No matter what your personal preferences, this is a must-see, and that's all there is to it.

The follow-up to 1954's excellent Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple picks up the story several years later, as an exiled orphan-turned-swordsman gains notoriety via a bloody tour of fatal duels. His reputation precedes him in returning to his hometown, where old rivals of both a violent and intimate nature await. This is a film about personal growth - specifically that of the samurai himself, who struggles to learn the key concepts of what his new life actually entails and where the rift lies between honor and reverence. We're never quite sure if Musashi takes this lesson to heart, particularly since he's so keen to maintain an impenetrable outer facade in almost every situation. It's a tricky role for period veteran Toshiro Mifune, who struggles with the more nuanced, flatter aspects of the character. In the previous episode, with the fires of young-adulthood to toy with, he excelled. Here, faced with the malaise of mid-life and the accompanying questions of his own being, his performance is far less sublime. The plot, cramped with too many faces and several seemingly-pointless subplots, does him no favors in dancing around the issues and repeating itself on more than one occasion. This could have been an excellent one-act show, and the final half-hour could still stand alone as precisely that. It lacks the gumption of its predecessor, however, and too often cuts away just as the action is getting good.

My view of this early Musashi trilogy is strongly coloured by the far-superior 1960's series of five. The first in this 1950's trilogy was a shattering disappointment. With Japan's greatest actor playing one of Japan's greatest folk heroes, how could you miss ? Well, the first one was flat. The pace was slow, and Mifune's exploding energy was kept well under control. Shame ! This second instalment corrected many of the problems of the first. The action is staged much better (with one caveat : see below), Mifune gets to be ferocious, as well as express a range of other emotions, including something close to love. The story is a bit disorienting, as it shows events in a different order to the 1960s series, but it still works well. The women throw themselves at our hero at a much faster rate, which gets things moving along nicely.

Nevertheless, I have marked down this movie significantly for the incredible stupidity of setting most of the action scenes in the dark. Director, what were you thinking ?! Instead of having the duels at six in the morning, move them to seven or use a moonlit night. Hell, what a waste.

'Ichijouji no ketto' takes up the transformation of Musashi into a proper samurai and feels like an empty middle part just for tying the trilogy together.

Musashi is here torn between becoming a true samurai and the woman that loves him, Otsu. That is, he doesn't seem to care the slightest bit for Otsu, while she on the other hand is painstakingly waiting for his return. She is portrayed as being very weak, which annoyed me.

What the prequel had in adventure and excitement is not present in this movie, its more about the ideas of the samurai and samurai thought. Toshiro Mifune gets a shallow character so he cant help it much with his presence. The fight scenes are good though.

OK. First of all, I am huge Toshiro Mifune fan. I am also a huge...and I mean huge Musashi fan. And lastly I have seen plenty of Samurai films. But I have watched Samurai 2: Ichijôji no kettô twice now, and I just can't stomach it. It is perhaps one of the most clichéd samurai films I have ever seen. The story seems to be based on the mystical Miyamoto Musashi, rather than a more realistic character. In addition, there is so much thick, syrupy melodrama and love triangles that it really hinders the story from flowing well. Not to mention it often takes away energy from some of the action scenes.

Mifune really makes this film bearable. Koji Tsuruta as Kojiro Sasaki is also outstanding and commands plenty of respect on screen. However, some of the other actors are mediocre at best.

There is much to be said about old Samurai cinema, and the way they glorified and really elevated these noblest of warriors. But Ichijôji no kettô just covers it in a thick melodramatic goo and wraps it in toilet paper.

In addition, the film has very bad lighting, plenty of anachronisms, continuity problems and poor editing. Once again, Toshiro Mifune as Miyamoto Musashi is my personal hero, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior...but was there ever! a less fitting movie for this cinematic giant.

RE-MAKE!

I enjoyed the first movie in the famous Samurai trilogy, but I was considerably less impressed with this middle film.

The disjointedness of the first movie is even more noticeable here. There are a lot of characters and subplots and characters that don't really go anywhere.

Much of the movie is laughably absurd, such as the way women fall at their feet over the rather bland protagonist (Mifune isn't nearly as memorable in these films as in his Kurosawa movies), and the determination of the students of a fighting school have in protecting their master at the expense of his reputation makes little sense, especially as Musashi keeps mowing them down.

The whole looking-for-people-to-kill premise seems a bit weird as well; in American westerns it's usually the bad guys who keep picking fights. And the rather standard "there's more to being a Samurai than killing" message seems murky; it's no wonder Musashi takes so long to get it.

Some of this may just be cultural, with tropes that make sense to the Japanese. But I can't see any way to excuse the use of master swordsman Sasaki. He's a really interesting character, well acted by Koji Tsuruta, but the whole movie is his just happening to be in the right place at the right time, and it's an incredibly lazy screen writing crutch.

As in the previous movie, the sympathetic Otsu and women in general are treated by dirt even by those who care about them. That may be accurate, but it's also depressing.

Visually the film is striking, and the combat scenes are well done and pretty entertaining, but overall this movie is poorly structured and generally absurd.

Although this is a samurai movie, story is far more than just sword fights. Musashi Miyamoto is perhaps the most famous swordsman in Japan. He starts from a humble beginning to become the best sword fighter in Japanese history.

Based on a novel by Eiji Yoshikawa, the second chapter of Musashi trilogy focuses on years of Musashi's development as a master swordsman. He challenges many famous fighters of his time. This included Yoshioka kendo school. Musashi defeats the headmaster there. This spawns a grudge match between the Yoshiokas and Musashi.

I've read Yoshikawa's novel before seeing the movie, and the fight sequences aren't as gritty as depicted in the novel. This is perhaps the producers intent not to portray Musashi as a mean swordsman.

This chapter also introduces Kojiro Sasaki - a master swordsman who is to become Musashi's arch rival.

You get to see young Toshiro Mifune , Kaoru Yachigusa, and Mariko Okada in their prime delivering their A list performances.

A very classy film that's worth watching.

You would think that a movie that has more swordfighting than its prequel would be a little more interesting. Unfortunately, this sequel falls prey to issues that we still see today, in the department of pacing. Instead of good character moments, we get 20 minutes of trudging through a swamp while another character refuses to assist. By the end, it feels lousy and anticlimactic.

This movie isn't bad, and it isn't without great swordfight moments, but it feels like the same storyline 3 times in a row, with no changes. Of course, the same issues from the first film are present (overacting, boring/unsatisfying female presence, general soap opera qualities), but you'd think that a little more attention would be paid to the better elements here.

When it's time to draw swords, put the drama away. Yeah, we should see the other characters to lend weight and stakes to the battle. But don't stop the fight to have two characters on the sides have a conversation that doesn't change the story at all. These are issues we still see today, in movies like the modern Godzilla flicks (when the monsters come out, the people ought to disappear for us to watch the monsters).

By the end, I found myself hating all the females in the film. The lead, Otsu, was pretty good in the first. Her acting was the best of the women, and she was genuinely interesting. But this one she just blended into the operatic nonsense of it. The Geisha character was in the film for 10 seconds before having an overacted departure scene.

This film was the Star Wars 8 of samurai movies.