Kunitori Monogatari

Qin Dynasty Epic

November 2024 •Chinese

During the late stages of the Warring States era of the Qin state, Ying Zheng, Lu Bu Wei, Li Si, Wang Jian and many formidable politicians work together to unite the six states under one rule.

Empress Myeongseong

November 2024 •Korean

Based on the life of Empress Myeongseong (1851 - 1895), the first official wife of King Gojong, the 26th king of the Joseon dynasty. She was killed on October 8, 1895 by Japanese assassins.

Kurama Tengu

November 2024 •Japanese

A story about a masked samurai who takes sides with the good and wipes out the evil. In the late Edo period in Kyoto, samurai are killing each other because of the differences of their beliefs in the Tokugawa shogunate, and commoners are struck with terror. Kurama Tengu, a masked samurai, appears on the scene and helps innocent people from trouble.

Kumokiri Nizaemon

November 2024 •Japanese

During the Kyoho period in the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune, there is a gang of thieves active not just in Edo but also the Tokaido and the Nakasendo, and all across the Kansai region, stealing large sums of money with skillful techniques. They only target the very wealthy and never kill or injure people. They appear with the clouds and disappear like the mist. On the night that the beautiful Ochiyo is to become the bride of a dry goods dealer, a large amount of money hidden inside the shop is stolen. The gang disappears without injuring anyone. It was a two-year plan to marry Ochiyo off so that she could bring them in. The leader of this gang is Kumokiri Nizaemon, the greatest bandit of all time. He keeps a rein on his highly-skilled and notorious followers Nanabake no Ochiyo, Kinezumi no Kichigoro, Subashiri no Kumagoro, Ingakozo Rokunosuke and others.

Zatoichi monogatari

November 2024 •English

Blind masseur Zatôichi travels from town to town gambling, drinking, and fighting off the local gangs.

Priest of Darkness

November 2024 •Japanese

Kōchiyama Sōshun serves as a cha-bōzu (He is kind of tea man) in the administrative headquarters of the Tokugawa shogunate but he works behind the scene to protect powerless people from evil power of Tokugawa shogunate. Kataoka Naojirō and Ushimatsu work for Kōchiyama. Kaneko Ichinojō is a ronin whose interests often align with Kōchiyama

The Physician of a Dying Time

November 2024 •Slovak

Series about the life of Renaissance anatomist, scholar and politic Johannes Jessenius. Already legendary series today, was produced by Czechoslovak Television Bratislava, directed by Slovak director Miroslav Luther in the first half of 80's in Barrandov Studios in Prague. The story and screenplay of the series wrote Czech writer Vladimír Körner. Five-episodes epic historical narration is a biographical story of distinguished Renaissance scholar, anatomist and politic of Slovak origin, Johannes Jessenius (Ján Jesenský, 1566–1621). It displays his life from the first studies and successes. In 1594 he became professor of surgery and anatomy on Wittenberg University, which he had attended years before. From that moment, his life went through social and personal wins and losses, to the sad end on the Prague Old Town Square gallows, among 27 noblemen, knights and burgenses, after lose Bohemian Revolt in 1621. His destiny was coupled with key events of Czech history in the break of 16th and 17th century, when Renaissance and European humanism slowly fade out.

Love and Glory

November 2024 •Japanese

Kazutoyo lived during the end of the Sengoku period (1546-1605). He was the first feudal lord of the fief of Tosa on the island of Shikoku. He served Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Chiyo (1557-1617) was his wife, and was known in history for her dedication and devotion to her husband (like Matsu was to Toshiie in Toshiie to Matsu). She is the daughter of a samurai who served the feudal lord Asai.

Legend of Fan Li Wa

November 2024 •Chinese

Genghis Khan

November 2024 •Chinese

Genghis Khan is a Chinese-Mongolian co-produced television series based on the life story of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Ba Sen, who starred as Genghis Khan in the series, is actually a descendant of Chagatai, the second son of Genghis Khan. The series was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 2004 and was also aired on KBS in South Korea between September and December 2005.

The Grainfield

November 2024 •Chinese

In the eight years of Qianlong's reign, a golden chamber bird inspection led to a catastrophic earthquake that caused disasters. It exposed the crisis of the shrinking of grain fields in Daqing.

Byakkotai

November 2024 •Japanese

Byakkotai was part of Aizu's four-unit military, set up in the domain's drive to finalize its military modernization, in the wake of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. The other three units were Genbutai, Seiryūtai, and Suzakutai. Each of the four was named after the protecting gods of compass directions. Byakkotai was meant to be a reserve unit, as it was composed of the young teenage 16 to 17 year old sons of Aizu samurai in a group around 350, who fought in the Boshin War (1868–1869)

Fujin no Mon

November 2024 •Japanese

It has been twelve years since the Battle of Sekigahara. The Toyotomi family was sealed in Osaka Castle with a huge amount of gold by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The calm before the storm, there were behind-the-scenes secret spying activities between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi. At that time, Iga Ninja leader, Kirigakure Saizo, was attacked by someone by mistake. The vortex of the times captures those that began to seek the truth. A group of Koga led by Sarutobi Sasuke pledges loyalty to Sanada Yukimura. Saizo puts his life on the line in a ninjutsu battle with the legendary Fuma (Kotaro) Clan who freely use mysterious techniques. Eventually, these actions lead to the demise of the Warring States period.

Izumo no Okuni

November 2024 •Japanese

Izumo no Okuni was born about 1571. This time period in Japanese history was fraught with struggle. It was known as the Period of Warring States, that is, the land barrons (daimyo) fought against one another for power. Her father was a blacksmith for the Izumo Grand Shrine and, consequently, the family served as well. It was a custom to send priests and young women, such as Buddhist nuns, among others to solicit contributions. Izumo was sent to Kyoto to perform sacred dances and songs. Her Okuni Kabuki was known and applauded throughout the land. After 25 years she retired.

Love & War of a Samurai

November 2024 •Japanese

Based on the jidaigeki novel, Semishigure, written by Fujisawa Shuhei. Duty and honor were the principles of the samurai, but just like others throughout history, greed and power motivated some while friendship, truth and love guided others. This is the story of Bunshiro, a true warrior who survives tragedy in his youth to become a great swordsman and defender of the weak, and Fuku, the love of his life. They first fall in love as teenagers, but her poverty and his tragedy separate them. After a corrupt official forces Bunshiro's father to commit suicide, he is treated like an outcast. Later, the same official tries to use Bunshiro in a plot to kill Fuku, who has become a wife of the local lord, but he turns the tables, saving Fuku and her child and uncovering the corruption. Many years later Bunshiro and Fuku meet again to reminisce about their lives, and the love that remains smoldering in their hearts.

Samurai Vendetta

November 2024 •Japanese

Tange Tenzen is made a vassal to the shogun. He is a master of the single long sword fighting style. But in order to defend the honour of his wife, Nagao Chiharu, he loses an arm and his family is also wiped out.

Legendary Swordfights of Yagyu Jubei

November 2024 •Japanese

A story of Yagyu Jubei, master swordsman from the well-known Yagyu-Shinkage school in the Edo period. Even decades after the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, many were framing plots to topple Tokugawa's political system. The master of Yagyu-Shinkage school, Yagyu Munemori who serves the third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu is commissioned to keep an eye on Daimyo lords all around Japan. Munemori's eldest son, Jubei starts a stealthy trip to fight against those who engage in secret maneuvers. Enjoy sword fighting actions between Jubei and his rivals.

Musashibo Benkei

November 2024 •Japanese

After being carried in his mother’s womb for three years, Benkei is born with long hair and teeth and the body of a small child. It is said that he immediately laughed and commented on the brightness of the outside world, leading local people in his native Kii (modern Wakayama) to proclaim that he is a devil. Abandoned on a mountainside, he is adopted by Dainagon, a Kyoto resident who rears him until age seven when he leaves to become a monk. Thrown out of the monastery for his violent behavior, Benkei wanders Japan in search of enlightenment, though only trouble seems to find him. After accidentally causing a temple to burn down, he decides to begin a quest to defeat 1,000 of the hated Heike samurai in battle and donate their swords to a temple. Obtaining the first 999 swords proves relatively easy but the final weapon belongs to Yoshitsune, a young boy whose appearance belies his great skill as a warrior.

Ronin in a Lawless Town

November 2024 •Japanese

A wildly unusual story set in the earliest days of the Meiji era. The story centers around a gathering place called The Mermaid Saloon, where scantily clad pearl divers put on a show while two residents of the inn upstairs...

Ryoma Forever

November 2024 •Japanese

Ryoma ga Yuku is a five-hour epic which chronicles the life of Sakamoto Ryoma, a pre-revolutionary who helped shape the face of modern Japan. In order to study swordsmanship, Ryoma heads for Edo where he meets many people who influence his thinking. He becomes close friends with men like Katsu Kaishu and Saigo Takamori and later establishes a naval training school in Kobe. Ryoma's controversial political views make him a target for shogunate assassins but his fervent belief in a classless society helps forge the Choshu-Satsuma alliance which ultimately brings about the Meiji Restoration.