Harakiri
1962 · directed by Masaki Kobayashi
- Rating
- 92/100
- Hit
- yes
- Prestige lists
- Criterion
Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin’s resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.
Harakiri (1962), directed by Masaki Kobayashi, rates 92/100 — a hit. See how its director, cast and crew rate across their careers.
Cast
- Tatsuya Nakadai
- Akira Ishihama
- Shima Iwashita
- Tetsuro Tamba
- Masao Mishima
- Ichirō Nakatani
- Kei Satō
- Yoshio Inaba
- Hisashi Igawa
- Toru Takeuchi
Crew
- Yoshio Miyajima — Director of Photography
- Hisashi Sagara — Editor
- Tōru Takemitsu — Original Music Composer
- Shinobu Hashimoto — Screenplay
More from Masaki Kobayashi
- Samurai Rebellion (1967) — 88/100 · hit
- The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961) — 86/100 · hit
- The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity (1959) — 84/100 · hit
- Kwaidan (1965) — 83/100 · hit
- The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959) — 79/100
How these numbers work: Methodology