Azumi is a 2003 Japanese movie directed by Ryuhei Kitamura. The action in this movie takes place right after the great Sekigahara battle.
Sekigahara battle is one of the most prominent events in Japanese history. It took place on September 15, 1600, when Tokugawa Ieyasu’s forces defeated shogun (governor) Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s men. From that battle on, the Tokugawa family held military power over the Japanese territory until 1866. For more than 250 years, Japan was controlled by a military regime (shogunate) and was totally closed to relations, commerce or contact with any foreign country.
Tokugawa Ieyasu’s forces during the Sekigahara battle.
Azumi is set right after Tokugawa Ieyasu rises to power. A warrior trains 10 children to become assassins. Once trained, they would be used to eliminate rebel leaders who try to stop the new regime of Tokugawa Ieyasu. A lot of the elements I wrote about in my article about Bushido can be seen in this movie.
Azumi is the strongest assassin and the main character in the movie.
Ninja ambush in the forest.
I really liked Azumi and I recommend it to everyone who is interested in Japan!
3 replies on “Azumi”
I want to see this film.
By the way, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was not a shogun and he had passed away two years prior to Sekigahara. Also, technically it was not a Tokugawa versus Toyotomi battle. Ieyasu was still technically loyal to the Toyotomi. It was a battle between the Western forces led by a Toyotomi loyalist Ishida Mitsunari and the Eastern forces led by Ieyasu who still claimed loyalty to the Toyotomi as well. Ieyasu actually claimed the Mitsunari was being disloyal.
i want to see this film, i like it very very srongest
“AZUMI” was one of the most beautiful action movie ive ever seen in my whole life…actually this is y first time to know that is was the history of japan that the movie was trying to portray..i..In the Death or Love it was showed there the ends of war,but hopefully you still have other movie,i will wait for that.. :)))