Action, Drama, History, War  •  1980  •  180 min  •  Older Kids (7+)

Kagemusha (1980)

Kagemusha poster

Kagemusha (1980)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Traditional
Political: Center
Diversity: Low
Buddhism: Positive

Viewer Rating
8.3

Overview

Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.


Starring Cast

Tatsuya Nakadai  •   Tsutomu Yamazaki  •   Ken'ichi Hagiwara


Where to watch

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Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Leans Traditional

Primary

Political: Center
Confidence: High

The film explores universal themes of power, identity, and the devastating human cost of war through a historical lens, presenting a nuanced view of leadership and the fragility of human ambition without explicitly endorsing or critiquing specific contemporary political ideologies.

Diversity: Low
Confidence: High

The film is a historical drama set in 16th-century Japan, featuring a cast that is historically and culturally authentic to its setting. Its narrative explores themes of identity and power within a feudal society, without incorporating modern diversity, equity, and inclusion themes or critiquing traditional identities from a contemporary perspective.

Secondary

Buddhism: Positive
Confidence: High

The film portrays Buddhism as an integral and respected part of Sengoku-era Japanese society, depicting its rituals, temples, and monks with dignity. It serves as a source of spiritual comfort and cultural foundation without critique or negative portrayal.

LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High

Kagemusha, a historical epic by Akira Kurosawa, does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative focuses exclusively on the political and military struggles of feudal Japan, with no elements pertaining to queer identity or relationships.

Trans: N/A
Confidence: High

Kagemusha does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative is entirely focused on a male body double and the political/military struggles of feudal Japan, with no elements related to gender identity or transition present in the story.

Female Combat: No
Confidence: High

The film focuses on male samurai and warfare in feudal Japan. No significant female characters are depicted engaging in direct physical combat or defeating male opponents through skill, strength, or martial arts.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

Kagemusha is a historical drama depicting real historical figures from feudal Japan, such as Takeda Shingen. All historical characters are portrayed with their documented gender, and the fictional characters created for the film do not involve a gender swap from any prior canon.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

Kagemusha is an original story by Akira Kurosawa, set in feudal Japan, depicting Japanese historical figures and fictional characters. The film features a Japanese cast portraying these characters, aligning with their historical and canonical race.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

8.3

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
7.9
The Movie Database logo
7.8

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
8.9
Metacritic logo
8.4

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