This epic masterpiece is about a group of 16th century samurai who are hired to defend a small Japanese village that finds itself annually raided by an army of bandits who steal the meager crops harvested by the peasants. Tired of relinquishing their food supply but woefully inept in combat skills, the villagers decide to hire a band of samurai to protect them. In addition to the primary conflict between the villagers and the bandits, much of the...

Describes daily life in feudal-era Japan and discusses the job of a samurai and asks questions that help the reader reflect on his suitability for the job.

A skilled but slovenly ronin comes to the aid of a group of naive young warriors fighting their corrupt clan leaders and manages to keep them out of trouble and alive in spite of their high ideals.

Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul. He promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu. The mission will change Manji in ways he could never imagine.

O-Shin, a beautiful young geisha in 19th century Japan, meets a samurai named Fusanosuke, who is on the run for killing a man. She assists him by cutting his hair. Despite the protests of O-Shin's friend, the two fall in love. Eventually he leaves O-Shin, only to return later and reveal that he is engaged. O-Shin, eventually, falls in love again - to Ryosuke, who is also a samurai.

A princess must escape across enemy lines with the royal treasure, guarded only by a loyal general and two greedy peasants.

A riveting psychological thriller that investigates the nature of truth and the meaning of justice, Rashomon is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. Four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife, which director Akira Kurosawa presents with striking imagery and an ingenious use of flashbacks. This eloquent masterwork and international sensation revolutionized film language and introduced...

"While fishing for freshwater eels, Chibi Usagi, Tomoe, and Gen rescue a Dogu, a clay creature from Japan's prehistory. The Dogu's village has been enslaved by the Salamander King and his Heebie-Chibi minions and are forced to work in their mines. Chibi Usagi and his friends must rescue the Dogu people and eliminate the threat of the Salamander King forever in this feature-length story of adventure, humor, and slippery eels"--