Toshiro Mifune´s Most Underrated Films

Samurai Assassin│© Toho

Although better known as a jidaigeki star, Toshiro Mifune (1920–1997) was a versatile and bold actor who could play any role in any genre. From an impaired yakuza boss (Conquest, 1982) to a persistent detective (The Last Gunfight, 1960); from a heartbroken bachelor (Wedding Ring, 1950) to a sympathetic emperor (The Battle of Port Arthur, 1980)—he even controversially played an indigenous Mexican in Animas Trujano (1961)—Mifune brought challenging characters to life in a natural and genuine way.

No matter what role he played, his magnetic presence filled the screen, making it impossible to look away. Mifune was a force of nature—utterly unique. As an actor, he was a rebel who didn’t fit into any mold. He experimented, explored the layers of human emotion, and infused his characters with sincerity and depth. As he once said: “An actor is not a puppet with strings pulled by the director. He is a human being with seeds of all emotions, desires, and needs within himself.”

He could be brutal, sensitive, melancholic, and funny—all within the same character—drawing on every facet of his talent. His infectious laugh and powerful voice were unmistakable; his movements could be explosive, like those of a wild animal, or elegant and controlled. It’s remarkable to think that such immense talent came from someone who never intended to become an actor—he stumbled into the profession while searching for a job as a camera operator. The world is undeniably lucky to have witnessed Mifune’s art.

Workaholic and prolific—even as a producer—he was deeply dedicated to his films. Choosing his best is no easy task. Nor is it easy to separate him from Akira Kurosawa. Their 18-year collaboration resulted in 16 motion pictures—Mifune’s most famous, most remembered, and, by his own admission, the only ones he was truly proud of. While acknowledging the brilliance and importance of those works, this list aims to break away from the obvious—just as Mifune did throughout his life—by highlighting overlooked gems from his filmography that were not directed by Kurosawa.

20. Snow Trail

1947

This interesting suspense, directed by Senkichi Taniguchi, is Mifune´s first film. At 27 years old, he plays an arrogant, paranoid and heartless criminal, Eijima, who, with two other men, rob a bank. While looking for a place to hide in the Japanese Alps during winter, they meet an old man, his granddaughter and a mountaineer in a hut. Trying to disguise their identity, the situation gets tense and claustrophobic because of Eijima´s wickedness. It was a good start for Mifune; Kurosawa, who wrote the screenplay, was impressed by his raw talent. The actor declared once: “Since I came into the industry very inexperienced, I don't have any theory of acting. I just had to play my roles my way”. We can notice his magnetic power and uniqueness straight away in Snow Trail, as well as his chemistry with the great Takashi Shimura. 

“When I´m cornered, I tend to do some crazy things.”  -Eijima 

Snow Trail│© Toho

19. Fort Graveyard

1965

A dark comedy about World War Two with a creative approach. Directed by Kihachi Okamoto. Mifune plays Sergeant Kosugi, who must train a platoon of inept young military musicians to retake a fort occupied by the Chinese. This premise is very interesting considering that Mifune actually trained recruits for suicide missions as a sergeant during the war, hence his emotional performance. Kosugi´s connection with the boys is touching. The film shows the absurdity of war using absurd details and music, like the chaotic and beautiful scene where the boys play their instruments while being bombed. The negative point is the exaggerated objectification of women, represented as something comical. 

"Are you scared? Even I'm scared." -Sergeant Kosugi

18. Tokyo Sweetheart

1952

A romantic comedy with a suave Mifune showing his talent for light films. Directed by Yasuki Chiba, it´s the story of simple people from Tokyo, who have their lives intertwined during the difficult times after World War Two. Mifune plays Kurokawa, a helpful and charming jewelry replica maker who is infatuated with a street corner artist. Funny and sweet.

"I might make replicas, but I´m not playing a fake role." -Kurokawa

Tokyo Sweetheart│© Toho

17. Adventure in Kigan Castle

1966

This entertaining production was ahead of its time, being as good as the fantasy and adventure films from Hollywood, popular in the 80´s. A few scenes even anticipate the style of debauchery of Monty Python´s films. It´s a tale about friendship and loyalty, directed by Senkichi Taniguchi. Mifune plays a bold mercenary, Osumi, who joins a priest in a quest for the relics of Buddha in the Chinese Silk Road. They end up as hostages of a ruthless king in the Middle East and meet eccentric characters. Fun and simple.

“I can´t let such a foolish king just be. I´m going to talk some sense into him.” -Osumi 

16- Japan’s Longest Day

1967

A long and tense film that covers only one day, the period between August 14 and 15, 1945, when Japan´s government faces the deadlock regarding the decision to end the war. When Emperor Hirohito's chooses to surrender to the Allies, a plan of a coup d'état originates in the military. It´s a detailed reconstruction with a strong anti-war feeling, directed by Kihachi Okamoto. Mifune´s performance as the Minister of War Korechika Anami – who signed the surrender document and committed seppuku – is strong. His talent makes the seppuku scene extremely agonizing, brutal and impressive.  

"Don´t you know that it takes more courage to live than to die?" -Minister Anami

Japan’s Longest Day│© Toho

15. Admiral Yamamoto

1968

Melancholy and regret permeate this film about the last years of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Mifune), commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet in World War Two. Directed by Seiji Maruyama. Mifune plays emotionally the leader who carried Japan´s weight on his back. It´s thrilling when he sings alone in his room; we see the character as a simple human being. The film also shows the terrible situation of the men in Guadalcanal, the useless loss of lives and how conflicting opinions delayed important decisions. 

"Revolutions do not ruin a country, wars do." -Admiral Yamamoto

14. The Life of a Horse Trader

1951

Directed by Keigo Kimura, this candid film tells the story of Yonetaro Katayama, Yone (Mifune), a rough, stubborn and reckless horse trader from Hokkaido. He frequently gets drunk, brawls and loses money on gambling. When his wife dies, he has to change to raise his son. A father trying his best for the sake of his child is a bit cliché in cinema, but Mifune´s explosive and inspired performance make the film very special. And to see Mifune sumo wrestling is awesome.

“Horse trades have pride!” -Yone

The Life of a Horsetrader│© Daiei Film 

13. Red Sun

1971

A Franco-Italian co-production, this is one of the best East meets West Spaghetti Western films. Directed by Terence Young, it´s the fourth international production of the 15 Mifune participated in. It also features Charles Bronson and Alain Delon. Mifune is Jubei Kuroda, the samurai bodyguard of the Japanese ambassador in the U.S. He teams up with the betrayed bandit Link (Bronson) to retrieve a ceremonial tachi sword stolen by Link´s former group. The contrasting duo ends up respecting each other; although this may sound cliché, its works very well here. Despite the cultural stereotypes, the film is interesting and fun, with action and humour. And if that is not enough, you can enjoy an athletic 51 years old Mifune speaking English without being dubbed.

"Gun? Sword? We all die the same way!" -Jubei Kuroda

12- Legacy of the 500,000

1963

This is the only film directed by Mifune and it´s a pity he didn´t direct more. Legacy of the 500,000 is creative and surprising. A World War Two veteran, Takeichi Matsuo (Mifune), is kidnapped and dragged to an island in the Philippines where he fought almost 20 years ago to look for buried gold. With the return to the island, he faces memories that still haunt him. Mifune does an excellent work developing the character. Despite having witnessed horrors during the war, Matsuo didn´t become an insensitive man. He plays with the minds of his kidnappers to try to escape, but also feels connected to them. 

“On this island, hundreds of thousands of people died. I survived and I tread this soil again. To stand here like this, I feel guilty to simply be alive.” -Takeichi Matsuo

Legacy of the 500,000│© Toho

11. Shinsengumi - Assassins of Honor

1969  

Directed by Tadashi Sawashima and produced by Mifune. This is the story of the Shisengumi, group formed in 1863 by more than one hundred commoners, ronin and low rank samurai to protect the shogunate representatives in Kyoto, when the Tokugawa era was ending. Mifune´s character is Isami Kondo, Shisengumi´s obstinate and steadfast leader. When he realizes their actions are as cruel as those of their opponents and the suffering of the neglected people, he understands the emptiness of their cause. The film brings a lot of social reflections and the ending is sharp and striking.  

"We kill and kill again, and there seems to be no end to it. Do we just keep killing?" -Isami Kondo 

10. Vendetta of a Samurai

1952 

Written by Kurosawa and directed by Kazuo Mori, this production portraits the fragility of the samurai. Mifune is Araki Mataemon, a renowned swordsman who leads a group to help a young man to revenge. The event, known as Igagoe Vendetta, really happened in 1634. The film is short, very contemplative and non-linear. The group and the enemies are troublesome men, who revisit their memories and weaknesses; it shows the human side of those warriors who are taught and thought to be indestructible. The scene where Mataemon instigates a scared and hesitating colleague to kill an enemy is emblematic. A gem with a brilliant Mifune. 

“It´s okay to pray to the gods, but don´t rely only on them.” -Araki Mataemon

Vendetta of a Samurai│© Toho

9. Zatoichi meets Yojimbo

1970

This is the 20th production featuring the iconic blind masseur and swordsman Zatoichi, played by Shintaro Katsu, who gave life to the character in 25 films. It also brings Mifune playing a character similar to Yojimbo, Kurosawa´s legendary ronin. Although Mifune is not actually playing Yojimbo – his name here is Daisaku Sasa –, the title (a marketing strategy) and some of his traits make the connection. The story begins when Zatoichi goes back to his home village, taken by the Yakuza. Sasa is the gang leader's bodyguard, who is trying to destabilize the group from inside. He gets interested in the prize over Zatoichi´s head. The idea of the two jidaigeki heroes confronting each other makes the film interesting by itself, but it´s not just an empty promise. It´s a delightful film with comedy and action. The chemistry between Katsu and Mifune is great. Don´t miss the hilarious scene when drunk Sasa challenges Zatoichi.

"Hey, blind bastard! Look at me!" -Daisaku Sasa

8. Hell in the Pacific

1968

During World War Two, Japanese Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda (Mifune) and an anonymous American pilot (Lee Marvin) get stranded in a remote island in the Pacific. Away from the war, they initiate a conflict on their own. Directed by John Boorman, this film, almost without dialogues, has electric tension between the only two characters, who must deal with mistrust, language barrier and mutual prejudice. There are great symbolic scenes, like when Kuroda reproduces a sand garden and when the American starts to criticize Kuroda for not believing in his god. There are also funny moments. The acting is great, the evolution of the story is very interesting and the ending is unexpected. 

"You might as well dry up on this island and drop dead! Not me. I'm not going to die. No, not me." -Captain Kuroda

7. Incident at Blood Pass

1970  

Another jidaigeki film which brings Yojimbo back to life. Although not explicitly mentioned – like the character says, "I've wandered all over, and forgot my name somewhere along the way" –, we can notice Yojimbo´s duality and own sense of justice: he can be decent and fair, but also opportunistic and carefree. Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and produced by Mifune, it starts with a simple premise: the ronin must wait in a pass for instructions from his hirer. The story becomes intricate and complex, evolving to a plot twist and culminating in a surprising ending. Machibuse covers themes such as misogyny, empathy, greed and love. Mifune´s confident performance flows deliciously.  

"Is this good luck or misfortune? Guess I'll have to try my luck!" -Ronin  

Incident at Blood Pass│© Toho

6. Samurai Rebellion

1967

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi and produced by Mifune, this story is set in 1727. Isaburo Sasahara (Mifune) is a samurai of the Aizu clan. One day, Isaburo's elder son is ordered to marry the daimyo's ex-concubine. The Sasahara family agrees, reluctantly. Later, when the couple ends up falling in love and having a daughter, the daimyo decides to retrieve the woman by deceit and force. Isaburo, facing his own frustrations and anger hidden inside through the years, finally revolts against the injustice and arbitrary acts by the nobles. Mifune plays wonderfully a powerful and resolute character. An outstanding film with a superb final fight. 

“I, Isaburo Sasahara, in all my life, have never felt more alive than I do now.”

5. Miyamoto Musashi trilogy

1954-1956

 With romance, philosophy, humour, brutal action and spectacular photography, this trilogy, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, is a masterpiece. The films are adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel about the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645). The first film, Samurai I: Miyamoto Musashi (1954), won the Foreign Language Film Award at the Oscars. It´s followed by Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955) and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956). Mifune is perfect for the iconic character. It´s a delight to follow his growth from a rude war fugitive, Takezo, to an enlightened samurai, when he adopts the well-known name after learning to master the combination of strength and knowledge. The fight scenes are breathtaking. Don´t miss the funny part when Takezo is tied high up in a tree. 

"I'm still learning myself. I won't take a student. My learning may last long. Maybe a lifetime." T-akezo

4. Samurai Saga

1959

An unconventional samurai film where the main theme is love. Directed and written by Hiroshi Inagaki, this is the Japanese version of the play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897), from Edmond Rostand. Mifune is the romantic poet and skilled swordsman Heihachiro Komaki. He loves a woman who loves his friend. Since Komaki has a huge nose and considers himself too ugly and unworthy of his beloved, he accepts his heartbreak and starts to help his friend writing poems for him to impress her. The film is a masterpiece from beginning to end, with humour and drama combined. Mifune is superb. With a big prosthetic nose, his heartthrob figure is deconstructed; we see his imposing and fiery dramatic talent from a different perspective. The end is thrilling.   

“I´m in rags, yes, but my conscience is clean and bows to no one. I put my words into action and never flatter, lie nor force a smile.” -Heihachiro Komaki

Samurai Saga│© Toho

3. Rickshaw Man

1958

Also directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, this is the remake of his own 1943 film, heavily edited because of the war. Set during the late 19th century, it´s the story of the wild, humble and selfless rickshaw man Matsugoro (Mifune), who helps the widow of a captain and her son, becoming more and more connected to the boy and infatuating with her. But they never realize the love and dedication of Matsugoro because of his low class. Rickshaw Man it´s a powerful and thrilling social critic that shows how structural prejudice can be strong through heartbreaking scenes and symbolism, like the images of the rickshaw wheel representing the passage of time. A must see. One of Mifune´s best performances. He combines Matsugoro´s drama with a humorous touch. The scene of Matsugoro playing taito drums is amazing. And the ending will certainly bring tears to your eyes.  

"Though I´m not important, I like to be of help to others once in a while.” -Matsugoro

2. Red Lion

1969 

In this excellent film, Mifune plays Gonzo, an illiterate and stutterer member of the imperial Sekihotai, revolutionary group formed in 1868. He is sent to his home village to deliver news of a new era in Japan and poses as a military officer to impress his old acquaintances, wearing the officer's red mane wig. It´s one of Mifune´s best characters. It´s impossible not to love the childlike happy, naïve, funny and carefree Gonzo. Produced by Mifune and directed by Kihachi Okamoto, Red Lion is very comical at the beginning, but it gets more serious as it progresses. Soon Gonzo understands that his village is in serious trouble. The end presents us with a brutal plot twist. It´s heartbreaking when Gonzo realizes the worst way that, it doesn´t matter the type of government, the lives of common people are always hard and prone not to change because of the injustice and selfishness of politicians. A historical film about the 19th century, made almost 60 years ago, that is more up-to-date than ever.  

"What's wrong about being happy?" Gonzo 

1. Samurai Assassin

1965

Directed by Kihachi Okamoto, this masterpiece is inspired by the assassination of the feudal lord and right hand of the shogunate, Ii Naosuke, in 1860, when the samurai class started to fade. We follow the story of Niiro Tsurichiyo (Mifune), an aspiring swordsman and illegitimate son of a nobleman. He helps a ronin group against Naosuke in search for a meaning in life. The whole film is permeated by Niiro´s conflicting feelings of sadness and ambition and his outbursts of anger. Mifune plays the character brilliantly with strength, madness, humour and melancholy. It´s a heartbreaking story of a man with potential, who had hope to become someone, but who is lost and faces the collapse of everything he knows and desires. The film is also a strong depiction of social injustice with a thrilling plot twist. The final battle is exquisite and chaotic and the last scene is one of the most iconic in the history of cinema.

"To become a samurai is to master the sword? To hell with it! This world never works the way you want it to anyway! I, Niiro Tsuruchiyo, will live my life my own way!" 

Samurai Assassin│© Toho

Honorable mentions 

The Sword of Doom - 1966 

Mifune plays a small role, but very important, in this Kihachi Okamoto´s incredible and brutal film about the amoral and psychopathic samurai, Ryunosuke Tsukue (the great Tatsuya Nakadai). Mifune plays his antagonist, the ethical master swordsman, Shimada Toranosuke, who instructs a man who wants to challenge Ryunosuke. When Shimada meets Ryunosuke, he realizes straight away his evilness. On the other hand, when Ryunosuke sees Shimada in action for the first time, he becomes unsettled for finding someone who can fight as well as him. Shimada´s skills are responsible for making Ryunosuke´s mental condition worse and what follows is a furious escalation of violence and madness.  

"The sword is the soul. Study the soul to know the sword. Evil mind, evil sword." -Shimada Toranosuke 

Life of Oharu - 1952

Another small but powerful participation of Mifune. Dark and contemplative, this film tells the struggling story of Oharu. Once a noble woman, she falls in love and involves herself with a low rank retainer, the passionate Katsunosuke (Mifune). Because of that, Oharu and her family are banished from the court. Disgraced, her father forces her to become a prostitute. A heartbreaking portrait of misogyny and the caste system in old Japan. Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. 

"I hope the day will come when people can love freely, regardless of rank or class." -Katsunosuke

Samurai Banners - 1969 

Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and produced by Mifune, this film, set in the 16th century, concentrates on his character, Kansuke Yamamoto, a shrewd ronin who becomes the general of an important warlord. Blind by his ambition and love for his master´s concubine, he manipulates him according to his interests. It´s an interesting film, but pretentious, long and tiring. It deserves a mention because of Mifune´s maniacal portrait of the character.

"To seize castles and lands. Then seize more castles and more lands. This is all I, Kansuke Yamamoto, desire." 

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