A Samurai in Time

A Samurai in Time was self-financed by filmmaker Jun’ichi Yasuda for 26 million yen. When it opened in Japan last year, it eventually made a billion yen, and won Japan’s equivalent of the Best Picture Oscar, the Japan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year. I say that’s a pretty good investment.

And now, if you want to see what the fuss is about, you can stream it on your favorite service. Let’s get to it.

In 1867, during the Bakumatsu era, Shinzaemon Kosaka (Makiya Yamaguchi) was just a regular samurai for the Aizu clan. One stormy night, he encounters Hikokuro Yamagata (Ken Shonozaki), a rival samurai, and they duel. Suddenly, Kosaka gets struck by lightning and awakens on a Jidaigeki (period drama) set in 2007. Just about everyone, including assistant director Yuko Yamamoto (Yuno Sakura), mistakes him for a dazed extra. Yuko helps him move in with a local priest (Yoshiharu Fukuda), and his wife, Setsuko (Manko Kurenai).

When an extra falls ill, Yuko helps Kosaka fill in. Pretty soon, Kosaka becomes a regular Jidaigeki kirareyaku (essentially a jobber). Eventually, acclaimed actor Kyoichiro Kazami (Norimasa Fuke), formerly a Jidaigeki star, announces his return to the genre and handpicks Kosaka as his co-star. Kyoichiro is actually an older Yamagata, who wishes to settle things once and for all. Kosaka, while initially reluctant, eventually comes around with a pretty drastic plan for the finale.

It would be easy to play Kosaka's temporal fish-out-of-water antics completely for laughs. Indeed, it's pretty funny as Kosaka discovers things like prop fish and a vacuum. It's also endearing to see him moved to tears after he watches his first Jidaigeki, and when he's offered some cake (when only the nobles of his time were allowed sweets). We laugh with Kosaka, not with him, as he encounters the intricacies of modern life. We even sympathize with him, particularly when he discovers the historical fate of his clan. It's quite tense when he and Yamagata film their final battle, in more ways than one. 

Kosaka is surrounded by a good supporting cast. There's his sword fighting instructor, Mr. Sekimoto (Rantaro Mine), whose stories as a kirareyaku are quite compelling. Yuko, Setsuko and The Priest are quite likable as they help Kosaka adjust to 2007 (they never learn the truth!). One scene in particular, which probably helped Yasuda win the Japan Academy's Film Editing Award, has the trio try to console Kosaka after he's seemingly rejected by Sekimoto. Of course, if he was rejected, there'd be no movie, but it's still fun watching it play out. Kyoichiro being Yamagata is a clever plot twist; surprising yet natural. Kyoichiro and Kosaka have great chemistry, which plays out wonderfully during the final battle. Tsutomu Tamura makes quite an impression as Kyotaro Nishiki, the star of the Jidaigeki Kosaka stumbles upon; what little we see of him shows him as a cool dude.

Now, for a bit of meta discussion. It was mostly filmed on Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a major filming location for Jidaigeki productions. When Toei's superheroes time travel, their adventures are filmed there too. It got me thinking of how Jidaigeki (and Kabuki) tropes evolved into those of Kamen Rider and Super Sentai (including those installments which overtly homage the genre).  Yuko, at one point, tells Kosaka of how she grew up watching Jidaigeki shows, and how much they mean to her. It's another compelling character moment. Overall, I was left with some more respect for the Jidaigeki genre. Avid fans of Japanese superheroes, or even casual film watchers, might gain some too.

I'm sure an American equivalent of this premise would be an Old West gunman getting a job on Western movies. It might give us a comparison between Hollywood's Wild West and the actual Days of Yesteryear. That would make for a great movie, too. But please see A Samurai in Time before someone gets that remake idea. I think that its unique fish-out-of-water story is well worth your time. What more can I say about it?