"Rurouni Kenšinas" pasakoja apie klajoklį Kenšiną Himurą, besinešiojantį kardą atbulais ašmenimis – simbolį priesaikos, jog daugiau nieko nebežudys. O priežastis tam yra, kadangi šis veikėjas per revoliuciją buvo žinomas Hitokiri Batusai vardu. Per karą Batusai buvo negailestingas žudikas, kurio sugebėjimai jį buvo pavertę beveik masiniu ginklu.
Kenšinas Himura sukyla prieš tikrąjį blogio įsikūnijimą - Makoto Šišio, kuris bando nuversti Meidži vyriausybę. Šalies likimas pakimba ant plauko, kai Kenšinas Himura išsitraukia kardą, kurio buvo prisiekęs daugiau nebeliesti.
Kenšinas Himura priešinasi paslaptingam ginklų pardavėjui Enisiui Yukisirui. Jis valdo pogrindinį Kinijos pasaulį. Taip pat atskleidžiama Kenšino Himura „Jujishou“ paslaptis.
Šišio išplaukė savo šarvuotu laivu nuversti Meidži vyriausybę bei grąžinti Japoniją į chaosą. Su savimi jis gabenasi Kaoru. Norėdamas sustabdyti jį laiku, Kenšinas treniruojasi su savo senuoju meistru, turėdamas tikslą paskutinį kartą pakelti savo meistriškumo lygį.
Kenšino praeitis jį užklumpa ir tampa užeigos „Akabeko“ sunaikinimo priežastimi, kuri buvo mėgstamiausia Kenšino valgymo vieta. Ten jis randa raštelį su ant jo parašytu žodžiu „Junchu“.
Gal kiek per tradicinis filmas, kaip iš Takashi Miike rankų, „13 žudikų“ jau dabar atrodo, kaip šiuolaikinė filmų apie samurajus klasika. Istorinis filmas (šis, beje, atspindi tikrus įvykius Japonijos istorijoje) žiūrisi kaip pramoginis ne ta prasme, kad yra juokingas ar lengvai pateiktas, bet būtent atvirkščiai – filmo pradžioje rodomi vieno „neliečiamojo“ žiaurumai sukelia autentiškų pasėkmių reakciją, kurią Takashi Miike perteikia aukštumoje – nuo puikaus aktorių ansamblio parinkimo iki kiekvienos scenos užfiksavimo vizualiu operatoriaus darbu. Kone ketvirtadalį juostos trunkanti lemiama kova tarp 13 samurajų ir blogiečių armijos, kaip, tiesą sakant, ir visas filmas, prašosi didžiojo ekrano, bet čia jau ne mūsų valioje…
Seibei Iguči yra žemo rango samurajus, našlys, turintis išlaikyti du vaikus ir seną motiną iš savo menko atlygio. Kiekvieną pavakarę užuot linksminęsis su kolegomis ir vyresniaisiais, jis eina dirbti kitų darbų, todėl imamas vadinti Sutemų samurajumi. Kartą jis apgina savo vaikystės laikų simpatiją Tomoe nuo žiauraus jos vyro. Klano vadai įvertina Seibei meistriškumą ir siunčia jį vykdyti pavojingos misijos. Grįžtančio jo laukia dukros, motina ir mylimoji Tomoe.
A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.
Saheji, a man-about-town, gets stuck at a high-class brothel when he can’t pay the bill. He makes the best of his situation by performing various tasks amidst the tumult of the end of the shogunate—but always by making sure to get a “commission” for his troubles.
Although she's only sixteen and looks even younger, Misao Makimachi is already a skilled and competent member of the Oniwabanshu ninja clan. That's fortunate for Misao, because her onimitsu talents may be all that keeps her alive when a journey in search of the leader of the clan, Aoshi Shinomori, leads her instead into a face-to-face encounter with an even more dangerous man and a plot to overthrow the Meiji government! Quickly enmeshed in the affairs of the legendary assassin Hitokiri Battosai, now known as Kenshin Himura, wielder of the reverse-blade sword, Misao finds herself pulled into the middle of a deadly intrigue against Makoto Shishio, who is orchestrating the conquest of all Japan - beginning with Kyoto!
Shishio's plan is enacted while Kenshin and Misao help defend the city.
The war against the Tokugawa Shogunate ended years ago. But there are some who are not happy with the outcome. Shigure Takimi watched his friends and family get slashed down in the name of freedom and prosperity. Now he and a band of desparate rebels have sworn to settle one final score. Only one man stands in their way: Rurouni Kenshin. Will the former assassin take up his sword to fight again? When Shigure discovers Kenshin's true identity and his fight becomes a personal vendetta, the young hero will have no choice.
Japan, 1860. The men of the Mito clan, victims of the Ansei purge, anxiously prowl around the Sakurada Gate of Edo Castle with the intention of assassinating Naosuke Ii of Hikone, tairō of the Tokugawa shogunate and responsible for their misfortune.
At Sakurada Gate in 1860, the shogun’s chief minister and his retinue of bodyguards are ambushed and annihilated. Bearing the responsibility and shame for this failure is Shimura Kingo, master swordsman and chief of the guard. Forbidden to take his own life in atonement, he is instead tasked with hunting down the remaining assassins; however, fate intervenes and now only one is left. Devoted to his late lord and his duty, he relentlessly pursues the sole remaining assassin for the next thirteen years. But times are changing in Japan and the way of the sword has become outlawed. What does this mean for Kingo?
In 1868, a battle between new government forces and shogunate forces are about to take place in Edo. Katsu Kaishu wants to avoid useless bloodshed and sends a peace envoy to Takamori Saigō, but Katsu Kaishu is unable to get a response from Takamori Saigō. One day, Katsu Kaishu meets high school teacher Mikako and her student Masaya who is captivated by the shogunate. Mikako and her student Masaya tells Katsu Kaishu that they are from the future. Katsu Kaishu takes care of Mikako and her student Masaya, while Mikako hopes to go back to the future where she came from.
Set in the 19th century, "Moeyo Ken" follows the life of Toshizo Hijikata. He was the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi and fought against the Meiji Restoration.
A ronin desperately seeks a way out of financial straits; he allies with the Tosa clan under the ruthless leader Takechi, who quickly takes advantage.
The film depicts carnivalesque atmosphere summed up by the cry "Ei ja nai ka" ("Why not?") in Japan in 1867 and 1868 in the days leading to the Meiji Restoration. It examines the effects of the political and social upheaval of the time, and culminates in a revelrous march on the Tokyo Imperial Palace, which turns into a massacre. Characteristically, Imamura focuses not on the leaders of the country, but on characters in the lower classes and on the fringes of society.
Assassination begins with the events of 1853 when "four black ships" anchored at Edo Bay, sparking civil unrest and the major political manoeuvring that saw the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate. At a time when assassination had become a disturbing political tool, Shinoda's film follows Hachiro Kiyokawa, an ambitious, masterless samurai whose allegiances drift dangerously between the Shogunate and the Emperor.
Kanichiro Yoshimura is a Samurai and Family man who can no longer support his wife and children on the the low pay he receives from his small town clan, he is forced by the love for his family to leave for the city in search of higher pay to support them.