The Samurai and the Prisoner
When Lord Murashige rises up against the tyrannical Oda, he finds himself besieged within the walls of his own castle. Isolated, he is confronted with a series of mysterious crimes that shatter the fragile order of his court, plunging the fortress into fear and suspicion. With Oda's army closing in and a traitor hiding among his ranks, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kanbei, a brilliant and dangerous strategist held prisoner in the dungeon, as he must outwit his enemies and uncover the truth before time runs out.
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa · Drama · History · Mystery · 147 min · 2026
Trailer
Director
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Studio
Shochiku / TBS
Release
2026-06-19
Runtime
147 min
Genres
Drama, History, Mystery
Full Plot
Based on Honobu Yonezawa's novel. Set in 16th century Japan, follows Lord Murashige Araki who, besieged in his castle, confronts mysterious crimes and allies with imprisoned strategist Kanbei Kuroda to uncover the truth.
Cast & Characters
Araki Murashige
Masahiro Motoki
Kuroda Kanbei
Masaki Suda
Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
Yuriko Yoshitaka
Araki Kyuzaemon
Munetaka Aoki
Inui Sukesaburo
Ryota Miyadate
Saika Sagehari
Tasuku Emoto
Koori Juemon
Joe Odagiri
Akioka Shironosuke
Yūsuke Santamaria
Kawarabayashi Notonyudo
Mitsuo Yoshihara
Kitagawara Yosaku
Ryota Bando
Muhen
Yoshiyoshi Arakawa
Saika Magoroku
Kiyohiko Shibukawa
Takayama Dario
Ikkei Watanabe
Nakanishi Shinpachiro
Yoshimasa Kondo
Did You Know?
The Samurai and the Prisoner
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that this film is based on Honobu Yonezawa’s novel Kokurojo?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Kiyoshi Kurosawa was initially apprehensive about making a period drama, but praised the original story's brilliance.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The director aimed to create a traditional jidaigeki similar to those from the 1950s.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
The Samurai and the Prisoner holds 8.2/10 on TMDb (9 votes). IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic scores will populate automatically via the site's daily refresh once available.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on TMDb's aggregated score (8.2/10 on TMDb (9 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Samurai and the Prisoner good? What are critics saying?+
The Samurai and the Prisoner holds 8.2/10 on TMDb (9 votes). IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/Metacritic scores will populate automatically via the site's daily refresh once available.
How long is The Samurai and the Prisoner?+
The Samurai and the Prisoner has a runtime of 147 min.
Who directed The Samurai and the Prisoner?+
The Samurai and the Prisoner was directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "The Samurai and The Prisoner" is generally positive, with some reviewers praising its intriguing mystery and others expressing surprise that it doesn't live up to their expectations from Kiyoshi Kurasawa's involvement. Some reviewers also appreciate the film's old-school aesthetic, while a few are frustrated by what they see as an unimpressive conclusion.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
*The Samurai and The Prisoner* plants the seeds of an intriguing mystery that is worthy of Kiyoshi Kurasawa’s involvement. Still, it simply doesn’t live up to what you’re probably expecting from the film. The film builds and builds for two and a half hours, and the conclusion doe…
Chris Sawin · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
It took me some time to realize that this is not a restored classic but a new film. Impressive!
@izenkixiron5173 · 971 likesThis is like Kurosawa channelising his inner Kurosawa. I am sooooo seated!!!!
@tanayyd5951 · 726 likesThis literally looks so old school. Lets gooo. We are so fed up of the Netflix aesthetic. Cant wait for this one 🔥
@struggler856 · 281 likesFun fact: The prisoner was Kuroda Kanbei, one of the most brilliant strategist serving under Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. When he was 38 years old, he became Christian and later denounce his faith under Hideyoshi's edict. However, he called himself Josui, and was b…
@ivanlim3180 · 266 likesKiyoshi Kurosawa... Period Japanese samurai film... I'm here for it
@davidwestgarth7900 · 145 likesOkay, I don't make films, but if I did they'd have a samurai.
@gus.smedstad · 32 likesJanus is a LEGENDARY name in the film production business.
@LIONTAMER3D · 70 likesI would watch anything Kyoshi Kurosawa puts out but I'm so thrilled he's exploring the period drama. Really wasn't expecting a 16th century samurai backdrop, but it's a perfect setting for his craft.
@codygusto9654 · 193 likes
