Shogun Assassin

Originally a Manga (comic)

Lone Wolf And Cub

Released in 1980, Shogun Assassin was actually compiled from two parts of a Japanese series called "Lone Wolf And Cub", which was re-edited together and dubbed from Japanese into English by Robert Houston, after the rights were bought by David Weisman, an American film producer and director. The original story came from a Japanese manga (comic) series from the 1970s, created by the writer Kazuo Koike and the artist Goseki Kojima, the story was adapted into six films, four plays, and a television series. 

This movie is relentless in its depiction of a samurai's avenging blade, as limbs are decapitated and fountains of blood flow all the way through the movie. When this movie arrived in the U.K in 1983 it was labelled a "video nasty" and went through some controversy involving the bloody violence, which lead to copies being seized but the prosecution attempt was later dropped and the movie was given a 18 certificate in a pre-cut and re-release in 1992. I must say the fight scenes were very well executed in this movie, and yes i meant that in every sense of the word, and as the movie gets straight to the nitty gritty from the opening scene's, i expected nothing less from a film called Shogun Assassin. Since both Lone Wolf and cub (father and child) never really had much of a dialogue in this movie, the somewhat eerie child voice of Lone wolf's cub, narrates both he's and his fathers journey through out the movie, coupled with the electronic scoring, both elements added some originality and zest to the film. A cult classic amongst moviegoers and matial arts fans alike, this movie is basically about an assassin for hire on the run from his former paranoid boss after his wife was murdererd by his bosses ninja's who were sent to kill him also, after winning his freedom by killing his bosses son in a duel, Lone Wolf still has to watch his back at every turn since his former boss the Shogun is still after him. A scene that offers some nail biting suspence was when Lone Wolf offers his child a life or death choice through either choosing a ball or a sword, which would determine whether he will join his mother in the after life or go on with his father, that was a edgy moment amongst other scenes in which the child proves himself to be his fathers son everytime.

Many of the lines from this movie are sampled by hip-hop artist and Wu-Tang Clan member the GZA on his 1995 album "Liquid Swords", which was the first time i heard about "Shogun Assassin".

 

Gza's Liquid Swords album cover

Synopsis and trailer 

Ogami Ittō, better known as "Lone Wolf" (Tomisaburô Wakayama), is the Shogun's former top executioner, who is forced to become an assassin after his wife is murdered by the shogun's ninja's. He travels throughout the land with his son Daigorō in a cart and together they seek revenge against the Shogun. They are known as the "Lone Wolf and Cub".

Directed by: Robert Houston
Produced by: Shintaro Katsu, Robert Houston
Written by: Bobby Houston
Based on: Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima
Starring: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ôki
Shôgen Nitta, Shin Kishida, Akihiro Tomikawa
Music by: Hideaki Sakurai
Cinematography: Chishi Makiura
Edited by: Lee Percy, Toshio Taniguchi
Distributed by: Toho

Release dates: November 11, 1980

Running time: 1hr 29mins