Scar Yosaburo Explained

Scar Yosaburo
Director:	Daisuke Itō
Music:	Ichirō Saitō
Cinematography:	Kazuo Miyagawa
Studio:	Daiei Film
Runtime:	94 minutes
Country:	Japan
Language:	Japanese

is a 1960 Japanese chambara ("sword-fighting") film directed by Daisuke Itō starring Raizo Ichikawa, originally released by Daiei Film (now known as Kadokawa Pictures).

Plot

The film depicts the scarring of Yosaburo (Raizo Ichikawa) at the hands of yakuza thugs who catch him with mistress of the gang boss. Despite the physical and emotional scars he now carries with him, Yosaburo falls for a young noblewoman (Manami Fuji). The rest of the film follows the two as they fend off attacks from gangs and the police.

Cast

• Raizo Ichikawa as Yosaburo
• Keiko Awaji
• Manami Fuji
• Tamao Nakamura
• Namiji Yamato
• Ryosuke Kagawa
• Chieko Murata
• Eitaro Ozawa

Film Festivals

Scar Yosaburo has been part of a number of film festivals celebrating the chambara genre, and also in retrospectives of the careers of Raizo Ichikawa and Shintaro Katsu in the last decade.^{[1] [2]} The film was also featured in the Japan Society of New York's film festival celebrating the Chambara genre during the winter 2009–2010 season.^[3]

Trivia

• The character of Yosaburo is based on a popular character in Kabuki theater of the same name (although there are slight variations). Like the Yosaburo portrayed in Kirare Yosaburo, he is scarred all over his upper body and face.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Kyoto Film Festival, Kyoto Association of Film
2. A Double Edged Sword: The Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa, American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre
3. The Double Edged Sword: The Chambara Films of Raizo Ichikawa and Shintaro Katsu, The Japan Society
4. Kirare Yosa Invitation to Kabuki