Destiny's Son
Encyclopedia
Destiny's Son is a 1962 Japanese Chambara film directed by Kenji Misumi
starring Raizo Ichikawa
and written by Kaneto Shindo
(famous for directing Onibaba
two years later), originally released by the Daiei Motion Picture Company (now known as Kadokawa Pictures
). The film is based on one of the novels in the series of Nemuri Kyoshirō, written by Shibata Renzaburo.
as a female assassin, seeking to kill her lord's mistress for what she sees as the good of her clan. She succeeds, but is punished for her act , sentenced to death, but it is her husband who executes her(Shigeru Amachi). Attempting to deal with the guilt of his action, he becomes a monk
and sends his son to be fostered by another family. The rest of the film follows the young boy as he grows to become a skilled swordsman (Raizo Ichikawa
).
Not knowing much of his true past, he sets out on a three year journey at the age of 20 as a means of self discovery. At the end of his journey, he returns home with an incredibly defined and near unbeatable sword style and develops an intimidating presence. He gains notoriety for his skills, but this spurs jealousy and betrayal and his foster family is wiped out by assassins. Before his foster father dies, he passes on the information about his birth. The swordsman then sets off to find his father the monk who killed his mother.
as Takakura Shingo
Masayo Banri
Junichiro Narita
Shiho Fujimura
Shigeru Amachi
Mayumi Nagisa
Matasaburo Tanba
Teru Tomota
Eijiro Yanagi
s celebrating the Chambara genre, and also careers of Raizo Ichikawa
and Kenji Misumi
in the last decade.
Destiny's Son will be featured in the upcoming Japan Society of New York's film festival celebrating the Chambara genre during the winter 2009-2010 season.
Kenji Misumi
was a notable Japanese film director. He created films such as Lone Wolf and Cub and the initial film in the long-running Zatoichi series.He died at age 53.-Filmography:...
starring Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo Ichikawa
was a Japanese film and kabuki actor.He was born as Yoshiya Ōta in Kyoto on August 29, 1931.Ichikawa Raizō appeared mostly in period dramas . He is best known for the Sleepy Eyes of Death series, Ninja series and Nakano Spy School series...
and written by Kaneto Shindo
Kaneto Shindo
, Hiroshima, Japan) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His best known films include Children of Hiroshima, The Naked Island, Onibaba, Kuroneko and A Last Note.Shindō has often made films dealing with Hiroshima or the atomic bomb...
(famous for directing Onibaba
Onibaba
is a Japanese horror film based on a Buddhist parable. Directed by Kaneto Shindō, the film is set in rural Japan in the fourteenth century and features Nobuko Otowa and Jitsuko Yoshimura as a woman and her daughter-in-law who attack and kill passing samurai, strip them of their valuable armor and...
two years later), originally released by the Daiei Motion Picture Company (now known as Kadokawa Pictures
Kadokawa Pictures
is a Japanese movie studio.-History:One of the most famous studios in Japan and founded in 1942 as , it is best known for having produced the giant monster Gamera film series and the Daimajin Trilogy. It also produced the Zatoichi and Nemuri Kyoshiro film series and the television series Shōnen Jet...
). The film is based on one of the novels in the series of Nemuri Kyoshirō, written by Shibata Renzaburo.
Plot
The film opens with Shiho FujimuraShiho Fujimura
Shiho Fujimura is a Japanese actress. She was given a Special Prize for her career at the 2008 Yokohama Film Festival.-External links:** -References:...
as a female assassin, seeking to kill her lord's mistress for what she sees as the good of her clan. She succeeds, but is punished for her act , sentenced to death, but it is her husband who executes her(Shigeru Amachi). Attempting to deal with the guilt of his action, he becomes a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and sends his son to be fostered by another family. The rest of the film follows the young boy as he grows to become a skilled swordsman (Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo Ichikawa
was a Japanese film and kabuki actor.He was born as Yoshiya Ōta in Kyoto on August 29, 1931.Ichikawa Raizō appeared mostly in period dramas . He is best known for the Sleepy Eyes of Death series, Ninja series and Nakano Spy School series...
).
Not knowing much of his true past, he sets out on a three year journey at the age of 20 as a means of self discovery. At the end of his journey, he returns home with an incredibly defined and near unbeatable sword style and develops an intimidating presence. He gains notoriety for his skills, but this spurs jealousy and betrayal and his foster family is wiped out by assassins. Before his foster father dies, he passes on the information about his birth. The swordsman then sets off to find his father the monk who killed his mother.
Cast
Raizo IchikawaRaizo Ichikawa
was a Japanese film and kabuki actor.He was born as Yoshiya Ōta in Kyoto on August 29, 1931.Ichikawa Raizō appeared mostly in period dramas . He is best known for the Sleepy Eyes of Death series, Ninja series and Nakano Spy School series...
as Takakura Shingo
Masayo Banri
Junichiro Narita
Shiho Fujimura
Shiho Fujimura
Shiho Fujimura is a Japanese actress. She was given a Special Prize for her career at the 2008 Yokohama Film Festival.-External links:** -References:...
Shigeru Amachi
Mayumi Nagisa
Matasaburo Tanba
Teru Tomota
Eijiro Yanagi
Film Festivals
Destiny's Son has been part of a number of film festivalFilm festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
s celebrating the Chambara genre, and also careers of Raizo Ichikawa
Raizo Ichikawa
was a Japanese film and kabuki actor.He was born as Yoshiya Ōta in Kyoto on August 29, 1931.Ichikawa Raizō appeared mostly in period dramas . He is best known for the Sleepy Eyes of Death series, Ninja series and Nakano Spy School series...
and Kenji Misumi
Kenji Misumi
was a notable Japanese film director. He created films such as Lone Wolf and Cub and the initial film in the long-running Zatoichi series.He died at age 53.-Filmography:...
in the last decade.
Destiny's Son will be featured in the upcoming Japan Society of New York's film festival celebrating the Chambara genre during the winter 2009-2010 season.
External links
- Hakuoki (1959) at the Internet Movie Database.
- 薄桜記 (1959) at the Japanese Movie Database.