In this film in the long running series, Tange Sazen and his friends are asked to guard a dragon-shaped incense burner that holds the key to hidden treasures. This is the most exciting film in the series, and contains some of the best action sequences of Otomo's distinguished career. Sazen is the strongest swordsman of his time, and his sense of honor and justice are called upon more than once to set things right.
Stunts
Otomo's one-armed swordplay is genuinely jaw-dropping choreography.
Direction
Matsuda crams more set pieces into 81 minutes than modern three-hour epics.
Director
Sadatsugu Matsuda
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ryutaro Otomo played Tange Sazen in over a dozen films; his missing limb was never the same arm twice due to continuity chaos.
The 'twin dragons' MacGuffin reflects post-war Japan's anxiety about hidden wealth and national identity—treasure hunts hit different when your country was literally rebuilding from ashes.
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