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Set in the bustling alleyways of Edo, Blood Spilled at Takadanobaba follows the reckless rōnin Yasubē Nakayama, a heavy drinker who barely gets by breaking up fights for pocket change. But when his stern uncle Rokurōzaemon is challenged to a duel, Yasubē sobers up just enough to charge through the streets and save him. What begins as comic bravado transforms into a spectacular showdown, with the final duel choreographed more like a dance than a deathmatch. A dynamic jidaigeki (period drama) by directors Masahiro Makino and Hiroshi Inagaki, this film fuses slapstick comedy and farce with spectacular sword fighting bravura, delivering a bold and playful take on bushidō.

Based on samurai folklore and featuring swashbuckling icon Tsumasaburō Bandō, this rare surviving fragment hints at a greater lost work—one that paved the way for Yasubē’s legendary future as a member of the '47 rōnin'.

All Ages | Contains mild violence