47 Ronin

Story

The revenge of the Forty-seven Ronin, also known as the Forty-seven Samurai, the Akō vendetta, or the Genroku Akō incident (元禄赤穂事件) took place in Japan at the start of the eighteenth century. The tale has been described by one noted Japanese scholar as the country's "national legend." It recounts the most famous case involving the samurai code of honor, bushidō.

The story tells of a group of samurai who were left leaderless (became ronin) after their daimyo (feudal lord) was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official named Kira Yoshinaka, whose title was Kōzuke no Suke. The ronin avenged their master's honor after patiently waiting and planning for over a year to kill Kira. In turn, the ronin were themselves forced to commit seppuku — as they had known they would be — for committing the crime of murder. With little embellishment, this true story was popularized in Japanese culture as emblematic of the loyalty, sacrifice, persistence, and honor that all good people should persevere in their daily lives. The popularity of the almost mythical tale was only enhanced by rapid modernization during the Meiji era of Japanese history, when many people in Japan longed for a return to their cultural roots. --Wikipedia

Movies based on the story of the "47 Ronin"

• {{#Click:47 Ronin (2012-US)|Image:noimage.jpg|90px}} 47 Ronin is a 2012 film directed by Carl Rinsch

• {{#Click:Saigo no Chushingura|Image:noimage.jpg|90px}} Saigo no Chushingura is a 2011 film starring Koji Yakusho, Koichi Sato.

• {{#Click:Hana yori mo naho|Image:Hanaposter2.jpg|90px}} Hana yori mo naho is a 2007 film directed by Hirokazu Koreeda and starring Junichi Okada, Rie Miyazawa.

• {{#Click:Tales of the Unusual|Image:Tales of the Unusual.jpg|90px}} Tales of the Unusual is a 2000 omnibus film. Segment "Samurai Cellular" involves the story of the 47 Ronins.

• {{#Click:47 Ronin (1994-Japan)|Image:47Ronin-1994.jpg|90px}} 47 Ronin (Shijushichinin no shikaku) is a 1994 film directed by Kon Ichikawa.

• {{#Click:Crest of Betrayal|Image:Crest of Betrayal.jpg|90px}} Crest of Betrayal is a 1994 film starring Koichi Sato and Saki Takaoka.

• {{#Click:Last of the Ako Clan|Image:Last of the Ako Clan.jpg|90px}} Last of the Ako Clan is a 1978 film directed by Kinji Fukasaku and starring Sonny Chiba.

• {{#Click:47 Ronin (1962-Japan)|Image:47 Ronin (1962-Japan).jpg|90px}} 47 Ronin (Chushingura - Hana no maki yuki no maki ) is a 1962 film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki.

Television dramas based on the story of the "47 Ronin"

• {{#Click:Genroku Ryoran|Image:Genroku Ryoran.jpg|90px}} Genroku Ryoran is a 1999 NHK drama.

• {{#Click:Chuushingura 1/47|Image:Chuusingura147.jpg|90px}} Chuushingura 1/47 is a 2001 Fuji TV drama.