This is one of the many films based on the legend of Chuji Kunisada, a wandering gambler and a defender of the weak in the Edo period. In other words, he was the Japanese Robin Hood. In this film Kunisada (Chiezo Kataoka) arrives to a small town terrorized by an evil gang. He insists that he is not Kunisada, as the word is Kunisada has been executed, but of course the audience know better. Sonny Chiba plays an unusual supporting role as a helpless young man unable to defend himself from the gangsters. He does, however, get to play taiko drums and dance with Junko Fuji (who makes her film debut here). Chiba's father, an old judge who helps Kunisada, is played by Takashi Shimura. The film hardly anything exceptional, but it's a pretty decent jidai geki / yakuza drama.
as Genji The Fighting Top
as Sataro
as Tobei
as Ochiyo
as Oshino
as Matsugoro of Kuroiwa
as Koto Juheita
as Sagara Denjuro
as The Dragon of the Bush-Dead
as Mameroku
as Daihachi
as Kenta
as Osugi
as Tomekichi
as Byoshi
as Gosaku
as Kosuke
as Kamekichi
as Masakichi of the Hannya
as Seven with the Viper Crest
