Momotarō-zamurai or Samurai Momotaro is a Japanese

Japanese language

is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

 novel by Kiichirō Yamate (1899–1978). Published in 1946, the novel centers on an Edo-period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

 ronin

Ronin

A or rounin was a Bushi with no lord or master during the feudal period of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege....

, Shinjirō, the younger twin brother of a daimyo

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

 who was caught in a succession dispute. Shinjirō comes to the aid of his brother in this good-versus-evil plot in which the title character assumes the name of Momotaro

Momotaro

is a popular hero from Japanese folklore. His name literally means Peach Tarō; as Tarō is a common Japanese boy's name, it is often translated as Peach Boy...

.

Momotarō-zamurai has been the basis for many jidaigeki

Jidaigeki

is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...

films and television series. The first, with the same title as the novel, was released in 1952. The second version (1957) was directed by 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:...

 (1921–1975), who also directed Shintaro Katsu

Shintaro Katsu

, born Toshio Okumura was a Japanese actor, singer, producer, and director...

 in the Zatoichi

Zatoichi

is a fictional character featured in one of Japan's longest running series of films and a television series set in the Edo period. The character, a blind masseur and swordmaster, was created by novelist . This originally minor character was developed for the screen by Daiei Studios and actor...

films and directed a film version of Lone Wolf and Cub

Lone Wolf and Cub

is a manga created by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima. First published in 1970, the story was adapted into six films starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, four plays, a television series starring Yorozuya Kinnosuke, and is widely recognized as an important and influential work.Lone Wolf and Cub...

. 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...

 starred in the title role. Kōtarō Satomi

Kotaro Satomi

is a Japanese actor from the city of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He appears in both contemporary and jidaigeki roles.-Selected filmography:Satomi has appeared in over 130 films...

 took the role in the 1960 production, and Kōjirō Hongō played the part in the 1963.

The television series premiered in 1976 and continued until 1981. Hideki Takahashi

Hideki Takahashi

is a Japanese actor. Born in Kisarazu, Chiba near Tokyo, he attended Ichikawa Gakuen and later Nihon University.- Filmography :He made his debut with Nikkatsu and acted in youth-oriented films. After becoming a star in television jidaigeki, he turned out hit after hit...

 played Momotarō in 258 episodes, as well as his twin brother in cameo appearances. Hitoshi Ueki

Hitoshi Ueki

was a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and guitarist. He won six awards for acting. His film credits stretch from 1960 to 1995.Ueki came to fame through the comic jazz-band The Crazy Cats led by Hajime Hana...

, Gajirō Satō, Yumiko Nogawa

Yumiko Nogawa

is a Japanese actress born in Kyoto, Japan. She has starred in several movies, notably Gate of Flesh , a Japanese erotic film, part of a trilogy of films she made with director Seijun Suzuki. Including Story of a Prostitute and Carmen from Kawachi , these films are known as Nogawa's "Flesh Trilogy"...

, and Shingo Yamashiro

Shingo Yamashiro

was a Japanese television and film actor.Yamashiro, who was originally from Kyoto, Japan, was born , but used Shingo Yamashiro as his stage name. He made his film acting debut in 1957....

 were the supporting cast. Nippon Television

Nippon Television

is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...

 broadcast the series; later, TV Asahi

TV Asahi

, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....

 showed specials in 1992 and 1993.

In July 2006, a new television series, Shin (新・桃太郎侍) premiered on TV Asahi. Masahiro Takashima

Masahiro Takashima

is a Japanese actor.-Family:Takashima comes from a family of actors, including his father , mother and younger brother Masanobu Takashima. He married the stage actress Sylvia Grab in 2005.- Acting career :...

 plays the lead. Regulars include Yasuko Tomita

Yasuko Tomita

is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Newcomer at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival and at the 8th Japan Academy Prize for Aiko 16 sai. She also won the award for best actress at the 9th Yokohama Film Festival for Bu Su.-Filmography:...

, Tamao Nakamura

Tamao Nakamura

is a Japanese actress. She was married to Shintaro Katsu.-Filmography:* Zenigata Heiji: Ghost Lord * Flowery Brothers...

, and Tonpei Hidari.

External links

• Momotarō-zamurai (in Japanese)
• Shin Momotarō-zamurai (in Japanese)