Love and Honor

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Movie: Love And Honor
Romaji: Bushi no ichibun
Japanese: 武士の一分（いちぶん）
Director: Yoji Yamada
Writer: Shuuhei Fujisawa (novel), Yoji Yamada, Emiko Hiramatsu, Ichiro Yamamoto
Producer: Hiroshi Fukazawa, Junichi Sakomoto, Ichiro Yamamoto
Cinematographer Mutsuo Naganuma
Release Date: December 1, 2006
Runtime: 121 min.
Production Company: Shochiku
Distributor: Shochiku
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot

Shinnojo Mimura (Takuya Kimura) is a low ranking samurai. His job is to sample the food prepared for his clan’s feudal Lord. Shinnojo is married and looks forwards to the day he can start his own kendo dojo. His life suddenly turns upside down when he gets ill from tasting a dish prepared for his Lord. Although the dish wasn’t poisoned intentionally, the Red Tsubugai shellfish was cooked out of season and turned toxic. A few days later Shinnojo recovers but his eyesight does not. The young samurai is now blind.

His wife, Kayo (Rei Dan), must now try to take to care of Shinnojo’s psyche, as well as to make sure they are financially stable. She is pressured by his family to ask for the favor of a high ranking official who has shown interest for her in the past. When Kayo visits Shimada Toya, Shimada agrees to ask the feudal lord’s help but in return Kayo must become his lover.

Although Shinnojo’s spirit begins to heal, he feels that something is amiss with his wife. His aunt then tells him about a rumor concerning his wife and an unknown Samurai. Eventually Shinnojo has his male servent follow Kayo around town. The truth comes out about the illicit relationship between Kayo and the higher ranking Samurai. Shinnojo then learns from other Samurais that Shimada Toya (Mitsugoro Bando) did nothing to help him gain favor from the clan’s Lord. Now a blind man but still a Samurai in spirit, Shinnojo challenges the expert swordsmen to a duel to the death for love and honor.

Cast

Takuya Kimura - Shinnojo Mimura
Rei Dan - Kayo Mimura
Mitsugoro Bando - Toya Shimada
Takashi Sasano - Tokuhei
Kaori Momoi - Ine Hatano
Nenji Kobayashi - Sakunosuke Higuchi
Ken Ogata
Makoto Akatsuka
Toshiki Ayata - Kanjuro Takigawa
Yasuo Daichi
Tokie Hidari
Koen Kondo
Nobuto Okamoto - Togo Hatano
Hiroko Tai

Trailer

Awards

2006 (49th) Blue Ribbon Awards - February 13, 2007
"Best Newcomer" (Rei Dan)
2007 (30th) Japan Academy Prize - February 16, 2007
- "Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role" (Takashi Sasano)
- "Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography" (Mutsuo Naganuma)
- "Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction" (Takeshi Nakasu)
2007 (20th) Nikkan Sports Film Awards - December, 2007
- Best Actor (Takuya Kimura)
- Best Supporting Actor (Takashi Sasano)
- Yujiro Ishihara Award