Trigger Warning: There are several sequences involving protracted strobing or flashing lights, so photosensitive viewers should take precautions before queuing up the film.
According to Kenta Fukasaku, son of Kinji Fukasaku, the filmmaker’s 1983 action fantasy Legend of the Eight Samurai (里見八犬伝) is “…the kind of fantasy film he wanted to try his hand at from Japan.” The film itself is an adaptation of the 1982 Toshio Kamata novel Shin Satomi Hakkenden (新・里見八犬伝), which is, coincidentally, an adaptation of a 28-year long serial called Nansō Satomi Hakkenden from author Kyokutei Bakin. Complicating things further, the film was pushed by distributor Toei Company (Neon Genesis Evangelion; Battle Royale) to incorporate elements of popular American films Star Wars (1977), Flash Gordon (1980), and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), creating a cinematic epic that’s an amalgamation of narrative styles rooted in a specific cultural perspective. Now, as part of Eureka Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema series, audiences can experience Fukasaku’s Legend of the Eight Samurai in a brand-new 4K HD restoration, accompanied by several bonus features to empower audiences to dig deeper into the production and its significance.
A scene from LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
Her family murdered and home destroyed, Princess Shizu (Hiroko Yakushimaru) has little hope and less chance of survival unless she can track down the storied eight dog warriors who are believed to possess the means of defeating her assailants and aged-enemies of her family line. With assistance from Dosetsu (Sonny Chiba) and Daikaku (Minori Terada), Shizu works to find the remaining six before her enemies find her first.
If you’re coming to this restoration review, you likely are curious about the home release from Eureka more than the film itself, so we’ll start there.
Hiroko Yakushimaru as Princess Shizu in LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
Like the recent Running on Karma restoration, Eureka’s opted for one design on the slipcover and another for the liner. The slipcover appears as it looks in the art below, with art designed specifically for this release by Chris Malbon that depicts the central characters in a pyramid design on the front cover and the typical summary/release description on the back with five stills from the film, as well as release information. The front of the liner is more inline with the original release, featuring Princess Shizu preparing to release an arrow from the bow, the title of the film in Japanese below her, and seven of the samurai below that. The back has all the same information as the slip, minus the still images. The inside of the liner, which is visible through the clear plastic of the disc case, depicts the scene in which Shinbei (Hiroyuki Sanada) first encounters Tamazusa and Motofuji (Mari Natsuki and Yūki Meguro, respectively). If you are able to get one of the 2,000 copies of the limited-edition versions of the release, in addition to the slipcover is a booklet with the restoration information, viewing recommendation, cast and crew information, and a new essay from Tom Mes titled “One Idol, Eight Dogs and a Rubber Snake,” all of which are accompanied by stills from the film. The essay, much like the two included on-disc features (more shortly), seeks to contextualize the release of the film by offering historical information on Fukasaku’s career toward the end of his yakuza period (Yakuza Graveyard; Battles without Honor or Humanity series), Toei Company’s choices and how that impacted Fukasaku’s future, working with Yakushimaru, and much more.
In terms of the on-disc bonus materials, after the usual opening title cards, the menu is a rotating slate of video clips from the video set to “White Light” by John O’Banion, immediately setting the mood for what’s to come: a combination of Japanese traditional biwa scoring and modern western power ballads in the vein of Queen’s Flash Gordon score. The menu options are simple, when playing the film, you can choose from the original Japanese stereo audio track, a Japanese with DTS-HD MA 5.1 track, English dub, or audio commentary track with Japanese cinema expert Joe Hickinbottom. There’s also an almost 25-minute interview with Fukasaku’s son, filmmaker Kenta (Battle Royale II: Requiem; X-Cross), conducted by interviewer/translator Kazumi Kirkham, in which they talk about the history between Fukasaku and Toei Company, Fukasaku and KADOKAWA, the directive to incorporate western influences, Fukasaku’s perspective as a filmmaker within the context of a child raised in post-World War II Japan, and a great deal more. From a different perspective, film historian and critic Stuart Galbraith IV speaks for about 15 minutes about the film itself, including the making of and the impact it had on Japanese idol Yakushimaru in regard to her schooling. In the total 40ish minutes of the two features and the essay, there really isn’t a stone left unturned that those new to the Eight Samurai experience won’t find educational and helpful in understanding the significance of the film, whether they end up enjoying the ride or not.
All of the bonus materials aside, what you may wonder is what the on-disc presentation is like. In that regard, there are zero complaints. Though there’s no information included with the physical release to identify how the restoration was completed and with what materials, the sound and color are quite engaging for a film of its time and varying influences. In the opening scene wherein the audience gets a view of the evil army headed to a castle, though the sequence is shot on a stage with a matte for a background, it’s no less striking and evocative, bringing forth that delightful Flash Gordon sci-fi vibe Fukasaku was asked integrate. Inside the castle, the gold lace and linings of the costumes stand out against the dark grey of the castle molding and dark black of the samurai armor. By contrast, later in the film, as Shizu is shown walking along a hillside, the sky is a lovely blue and the visible foliage a vibrant green. No one is going to accuse Eight Samurai of being soulless or devoid of color, borrowing from Kabuki-style theater that would be period appropriate. For the purposes of this review, I viewed the film with the Japanese language 5.1 audio and, frankly, didn’t notice much of a difference than if I had done so with the original 2.0 stereo — there was no sense of enveloping atmosphere, not even when the action picked up or when the power ballads cracked out. The sound is clear and clean otherwise, no sign of wear or degradation, much like the video elements, making for a pleasant enough auditory experience.
Mari Natsuki as Tamazusa in LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
The strangest thing about Legend of the Eight Samurai is how disjointed the film feels, how anachronistic to itself, never quite gelling into one engaging story despite portions being quite compelling or clever. I’m not quite sure if this is because the script, written by Fukasaku and Kamata, is itself an adaptation of an adapted work or because of how it tries to marry Eastern and Western sensibilities together that the whole project seems entirely untethered and incongruous, while also anchored in Japanese storytelling. This makes for elements that make sense individually, but don’t quite translate as well, such as the incestuous nature of the villains beyond making them more villainous or the inconsistent rules for how one is chosen to be one of the dog warriors (some born with orbs; others come upon them and are changed as a result) which challenges the sense of destiny or precise fortune of each warrior. The film has such specific rules in its exposition that when it disregards it is noticeably off-putting. As we learn from the bonus materials, Eight Samurai has a clear place in cinema history between its notable cast and what it sought to accomplish, but it is very much a film that select audiences will appreciate.
L-R: Hiroyuki Sanada as Shinbei and Hiroko Yakushimaru as Princess Shizu in LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
With films coming and going from digital services all the time, boutique distributors like Eureka Entertainment taking pains to restore or remaster films important to cinema (regardless of their critical reception) must be appreciated and supported. While a complete record of all cinema is impossible between storage limitations and the desire of studios and/or distributors to invest in proper storage of their works, when opportunities like this one (to see a film from a notable yakuza genre filmmaker as they move away from the genre that made them) arise, one needs to take the opportunity. In that regard, between the collective bonus materials and the visual presentation, I can safely recommend the pickup of Legend of the Eight Samurai to individuals who are already passionate about the film or about Fukasaku’s work. If, however, you’re not on that level, perhaps wait for a sale before taking the chance.
Legend of the 8 Samurai Special Features:
- Limited Edition (2000 copies)
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Chris Malbon
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a brand new 4K restoration
- Original Japanese stereo audio
- DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio
- Alternate English dubbed audio track
- Optional English subtitles
- *NEW* audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Joe Hickinbottom
- *NEW* Always Looking for the New – Interview with Kinji Fukasaku’s son, filmmaker Kenta Fukasaku (24:57)
- *NEW* The Trials of the Eight Samurai – Video essay by film historian and critic Stuart Galbraith IV (15:48)
- Japanese trailer
- A limited collector’s booklet featuring a new essay by Tom Mes, co-founder of Midnight Eye (2000 copies)
Available on Blu-ray February 18th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Eureka Entertainment Legend of the 8 Samurai webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group Legend of the 8 Samurai webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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