Akira Kurosawa is one of the greatest on my list of directors; I have only watched a handful of films from his vast catalogue.
His films had a deep impact on me, unlike other films. Kurosawa’s films help me grow; they are profound. You can actually learn from them if you pay close attention to what’s actually going on. For me, Kurosawa films are pure art, not just for entertainment but also for their deeply embedded meaning. His films will have a long-lasting impact on you.
The rankings below follow a top-to-bottom approach starting from the best. These are my subjective rankings.
Seven Samurai - 1954
This was the first Kurosawa movie that I watched, so I might be a little biased towards it. But setting that aside, this feels like a complete movie. It has moral nuance, stunning visuals, a great storyline with engaging subplots, and epic world-building. There isn’t really a single main protagonist—it’s simply a story that you follow through the lives of many characters. It was also Kurosawa’s first epic samurai film.
The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku era of Japan. Villagers who are terrified of bandits taking away their harvested crops recruit seven samurai to defend them.
Ran - 1985
The Japanese word “Ran” translates to “chaos”, and it describes the film precisely. Ran, in my point of view, is one of the greatest visual spectacles in cinema. Every frame of this movie feels like a painting. One of my favourite scenes is when Hidetora walks down from his burning castle while his own sons lay siege to it. This movie is an adaptation of King Lear by William Shakespeare. It’s filled with very tragic moments that will shake you at your core.
This story is about a Japanese warlord, Hidetora Ichimonji, who decides to retire and divides his kingdom among his three sons. The conflict begins when Hidetora’s two eldest sons agree with his decision, but his youngest son, Saburo, disagrees, saying this will only lead to conflict.
Harakiri - 1962
When I think of a tragic movie, Harakiri comes to my mind. The story doesn’t progress linearly, and when everything connects, it makes you feel profound sadness. It shows the cruel nature of human beings and questions the ethics and morals of samurai.
This film was directed by Masaki Kobayashi, so it doesnot belong in this list but i am keeping it here because its one of the greatest Samurai movies and its a personal choice
If I tell you anything about this movie, you might be able to connect the dots and spoil yourselves, so I would recommend that you just go and watch it.
Yojimbo - 1961
Think of any cool, macho male protagonist from your favourite movie; there is a high possibility that it traces back to the protagonist from this movie. The world-building in this movie is immaculate. If you want to watch a real masculine man navigating through chaotic situations, keeping his composure, and ultimately winning not only using his sheer strength but with his wits too, you should watch this movie.
An unknown ronin arrives in a town that is run by two rival gangs, both wanting to end each other, and he has to navigate through this environment.
Sanjuro - 1962
Sanjuro was the sequel to Yojimbo, but here’s the catch: Sanjuro doesn’t build upon Yojimbo. It’s pretty much a stand-alone movie. If you haven’t watched Yojimbo, you can still enjoy Sanjuro. This film follows the same tropes as Yojimbo, but it’s a bit complex at first.
An unknown ronin helps a group of naive samurai to fight against the corruption inflicted by the superintendent who has captured the chamberlain and his wife.