Yojimbo

Kill one or a hundred... you only hang once

1961 • 110 min • Drama · Thriller

Join the Angel Guild Write your review Sign in to rate and review

Synopsis

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

Our family guide

Best from age 14

Movie Knight Score

1719 reviews

100 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
81 Audience · 1717 · 49%

A wandering samurai enters a small town torn between two rival crime bosses. He skillfully manipulates both sides, inciting a gang war to rid the village of its corrupt leaders. It’s a classic tale of a lone hero bringing justice to a lawless place.

Violence & peril: 6/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 3/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Frequent stylized sword fighting and brawls with some blood shown.
Characters drink alcohol and smoke, particularly in gambling dens.
Themes of crime, corruption, and the manipulation of others.

What it models well

Justice triumphs over corruption
Courage in the face of danger
Standing up for the vulnerable

Talk about it after

The nature of a hero: Is Sanjuro truly good, or just less bad?
The consequences of greed and power struggles
How one person can make a difference in a chaotic situation

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Yojimbo. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

Country

Stream

HBO Max Amazon Channel
YouTube TV
Criterion Channel
HBO Max

Rent

Buy

Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.

Top billed cast

Director: Akira Kurosawa • Crew: Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa

Trailers & clips

Yojimbo (1961) Original Trailer [4K]

YOJIMBO Trailer (1961) - The Criterion Collection

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
I was surprised when I saw this, how late it was set - 19th Century - as I'd always imagined it to be of a more historical nature. That doesn't remotely detract from the story though - as again Kurosawa casts Yoshirô Mifune ("Sanjûrô") in the leading role. Here he is a wandering samurai who arrives in a village torn by strife.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Akira Kurosawa's 1961 film YOJIMBO is a Japanese period drama where wily strategy is worth just as much as prowess with a sword. In the late Edo era (some decades before its end in 1868) a community is plagued by two opposing gangs who have built up a criminal empire of prostitution and gambling. Even the local officials are on the take. Into this town steps a nameless samurai (Toshiro Mifune).…
CRCulver, TMDB Community