Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan (the movie) (風林火山 (映画))
"Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan" (as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and as immovable as the mountain) is a Jidaigeki-eiga (the period movie) which was released on March 1, 1969. It was adapted for the movie from the novel by Yasushi INOUE. Mifune Production was the producer, and Toho Company was the distributer. Hiroshi INAGAKI was the director, and Toshiro MIFUNE acted the main character.
Summary
It was first run as a main plan of Spring Toho Movie in 1969, and it attracted public attention since big stars of those days, such as Toshiro MIFUNE (he is called "MIFUNE of the World"), appeared in the movie together. In addition, in the summer of the same year, Daiei Motion Pictures released "Hitokiri"(assassination), a big film featuring Izo OKADA in the end of Edo era, with Shintaro KATSU as the main actor and produced by Katsu Production. Yujiro ISHIHARA appeared in both movies.
Toshiro MIFUNE played the main character Kansuke YAMAMOTO as a firm and brave person, and Kinnosuke NAKAMURA (Kinnosuke YOROZUYA), in contrast, played Shingen TAKEDA as an unremarkable inexperienced young man. Shingen grew up to be a honorable monarch after he met Kansuke, and then the story came to a climax with the battles of Kawanakajima. Yujiro ISHIHARA appeared in the latter story as Kenshin UESUGI, together with other attractive casting such as Yoshiko SAKUMA as Suwagoryonin, Mayumi OZORA as Mrs. ABURAKAWA, Masakazu TAMURA as Nobushige TAKEDA, and the child actor Kankuro NAKAMURA (now Kanzaburo NAKAMURA the 18th) as Katsuyori TAKEDA.
Story
Kansuke YAMAMOTO, who excelled in the art of warfare but was aging seeking for a lord to dedicate himself, had his eyes on the Takeda Family of Kai Province. He ingratiated himself with Nobukata ITAGAKI and was allowed to see Shingen TAKEDA, the young head of the family. Vassals of the Takeda Family would not appraise a stranger Kansuke, but Harunobu (Shingen) employed him since he was recommended by Itagaki. At the battle at Suwa County, which was the first battle for Kansuke after he served to Shingen, he tricked Yorishige SUWA, the governor of Suwa County in the Sengoku period (period of warring states), to murder him. On the other hand, Kansuke was in unrequited love with Princess Yu, the daughter of Suwa, and lived with his love kept in secret. Harunobu then started to attack Shinano Province, but Itagaki, who supported Kansuke, and Amari, who disliked Kansuke and even made an attempt on his life, died in the battle. Takeda force made a great sacrifice. In the protracted battle, lords of Shinano Province escaped to Echigo, expecting that the governor of Echigo Province would protect them. In Echigo was Kenshin UESUGI, renamed from Kagetora NAGAO, who succeeded professional name of the Uesugi Family of Kanto Kanrei (a shogunal deputy for the Kanto region).
Will Takeda win?
Will Uesugi win?
The biggest bloody battle of the Sengoku period in Japan in Kawanakajima as the major battlefield was approaching...