Movies by Kunio Watanabe

The Loyal 47 Ronin
Japan, 1701. A group of samurai become rônin after their lord is forced to commit seppuku for assaulting a court official, who will become the target of a merciless revenge.

Merciless Blade
The first film in the 1953 trilogy based on the long novel series The Great Bodhisattva Pass.

Toward the Decisive Battle in the Sky
Young men endure challenging flight training in the Yokaren, a program feeding new pilots into the Army and Navy. By the time of the filming, the pressure of the war had led the government to shorten the training and expand the age range of the recruits. Yokaren was highly selective, and thus an object of great fascination and desire for boys and young men. In this Navy–sponsored film, Setsuko Hara plays the daughter of a family that often entertains recruits on their days off—a surrogate sister to many trainees. Her fragile younger brother...

The Burning Prison
In Nihonbashi, a fire broke out in the Kodenma-cho prison, and the prisoners were released. With the proviso that if the prisoner does not return within three days, or if he leaves Edo Prefecture, he will be sentenced to death. Prisoner Yakichi went to Matsumoto to see his mother, who was in critical condition. However, Yoriki Matsukura tries to catch Yakichi and bring him to execution.

The Tattooed Magistrate: Fallen Flowers Showdown Volume

Emperor Meiji and the Great Russo-Japanese War
Meiji Tenno portrays the buildup to the Russo-Japan War. In addition to showing the political events that led to war, it also shows the era from the story of a farm family in rural Japan that sends their son off to war. As such, it could be considered an anti-war movie, showing how, while war is devised by governments, the people do not really understand what war is, and its combatants often do not know what they are fighting for.

Merciless Blade Part 2
The second film in the 1953 trilogy based on the long novel series The Great Bodhisattva Pass.

Merciless Blade Part 3
The final film in the 1953 trilogy based on the long novel series The Great Bodhisattva Pass.
Appeal on the Cross
Kusuo Abe stars in this kaidan.

Ghost Cat of Nabeshima
Tanuma Kandayuu is a high class samurai of the house of Nabeshima. He finds a lavish board of Go (a Chinese Board game) at Kinbei's store. He recommend Kinbei to offer it to his lord. Kinbei hesitates at first, since he knows the board has a mysterious legend surrounding it; it's believed that for every game played on the board, one death is required.

The Jumping Magistrate

The Two Musashis
During the reign of Shogun Hidetada, both Hirate Musashi and Okamoto Musashi strive to become the finest swordsman in the land by defeating the Yagyu clan's top instructors and then taking on Sasaki Kojiro!