[Movie Review] Kakushi Toride no San Akunin: The Last Princess

May 9, 2008 by Dennis Amith

In a recent movie review by Kitagawa Ikuko for “Kakushi Toride no San Akunin: The Last Princess”, Kitagawa wrote, “Fun, excitement, thoughtfulness and tears. Director Shinji Higuchi’s remake of a classic Akira Kurosawa film has managed to pack everything into two hours. Kakushi Toride no San Akunin: The Last Princess is pure entertainment targeting every audience, from kids to their parents.”

“This historical action drama is set in three fictitious feudal lands during the Sengoku era (also known as the Warring States period, from the late 15th to late 16th centuries)–Hayakawa, Akizuki and Yamana. The story is about the exile of the last princess of the fallen Akizuki realm to Hayakawa, the former’s ally against Yamana’s brutal offensive.”

“Makabe Rokurota (Hiroshi Abe), a loyal retainer of Princess Yuki-hime (Masami Nagasawa), has been commissioned to transport Yuki-hime and Akizuki’s ample treasury of gold bars safely to the politically stable Hayakawa. They disguise themselves as humble firewood peddlers, hiding the gold bars inside the logs they are carrying so as to pass safely through roadblocks set up by Yamana, which is under the control of Takayama Gyobu (Kippei Shiina), whose attire bears a striking resemblance to that of Darth Vader.”

“Along the way, Rokurota comes across Takezo (Jun Matsumoto) and Shimpachi (Daisuke Miyagawa), who have escaped from forced labor in a gold mine. Takezo and Shimpachi first frown on joining the journey, but eventually agree to help out in the hope of escaping Yamana’s oppression and cashing in on the gold reward Rokurota offers them.”