Is this the same samurai that is in Yojimbo and Sanjuro - Machibuse (1970) Discussion

[–] The_Magical_Negro 19 years ago

Yes, Toshiro Mifune plays the same character in this movie. Mifune plays "Yojimbo" in these films:

1. Yojimbo
2. Sanjuro
3. Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
4. Incident at Blood Pass

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[–] roughcutproductions 17 years ago

I would say no, this is not the same character. Whilst during the film he is referred to as Yojimbo, this is specifically because of the direct translation to 'bodyguard'. Whilst I have seen no evidence declaring if it was or not from statements made by Mifune himself or any others, I can safely say that after seeing Yojimbo and Sanjuro that the character differs in a multitude of ways. He is a very different character and if it means anything, as this wasn't directed by Kurosawa or directly related to the other films it seems like people trying to make a connection rather than taking things at simple face value.

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[–] Renard-4 18 years ago

I don't think it is the same character...

There was many ronin, samurai and yojimbo in those days.

The Yojimbo's Mifune plays in all those movies, are close in characters to each others but I don't think they are the same one. For example: the Yojimbo in Zatoichi to Yojimbo with also Katsu Shintaro was much different than in the movies Yojimbo/Sanjuro and this one. Was it his age that contributed to that difference? Maybe...

I was amazed to see the differences in acting and swordsmanship between Shintaro and Mifune, in this one it was so much more obvious than the others.

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[–] Tin Man-5 18 years ago

This is an oft-debated question, as common as the question of whether or not Clint Eastwood played the same character throughout the Dollars trilogy. In Eastwood's case, I think not, but there is a progression in the character from the two Kurosawa films, the Zatoichi sequel, and this film that suggests to me that the Yojimbo character throughout is indeed the same person. In the original, he's tactful, manipulative, and not without nobility, and he's seemingly proud of his contradictions. By the end of "Sanjuro," we see darkness falling on the character that comes from a tiredness at all the bloodshed he has perpetuated. By the Zatoichi film, he is drunk, depressed, and has pretty much given up on nobility. He's got in a funk. By the time you get to this film, he's aged, has mellowed out, and is a bit more comfortable. Certainly they could all be different characters, but watching the films together, you get a seeming natural progression of one character throughout his life of killing and violence.

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[–] GeddyIsGodYYZ 18 years ago

Agreed.

I'd have to say it's not strictly the same person as Sanjuro or Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo. Mifune's character has a different name in both movies. You bring up a great point, though, on the progression of character.

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[–] unitdoom 18 years ago

just like in the "man with no name" trilogy(at first based off yojimbo) its supposed to be the same character and the fact that people call him by a different name in each movie is supposed to solidify this fact. for example in the man with no name trilogy he is called "joe","monco",and"blondie".I always thought this was the same case with mifune's "samurai" character.

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[–] b5erik 17 years ago

The one thing I dind't see much (if any) of in Incident at Blood Pass was the shoulder bobbing & scratching that Kurosawa encouraged Mifune to do. He wanted the Yojimbo to have some odd behaviors or traits - and Mifune came up with the itchy back and shoulders (supposed to be fleas or something).

I don't remember any of that from Incident - although if you rationalize it you could simply say that he took a bath, washed his clothes, and made sure he was more careful about where he slept.

That's the beauty of the thing - he COULD be the same guy, but he might not be. For me, I just like to think of him as the same character each time - it makes the movies more fun (IMO).

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[–] roughcutproductions 17 years ago

I agree in the sense that it would make the movie more fun thinking it's Yojimbo; loved both it and Sanjuro, but I think you're on the money about his character traits. He also has a slight love connection in Blood Pass which I don't think the character of Yojimbo would. Yojimbo seemed to be more about the money and fun of the fight, whereas in Blood pass the Ronin distinctly tells the leader of the bandits that he would rather choose an honorable root and kill the guy that hired him. Where is the sense in that for Yojimbo? He doesn't get paid?! lol.

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[–] ericdolson 16 years ago

It don't think it is the same character from Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo because that person was a government agent and had a real name, where as in Yojimbo and Sanjuro, as well as in Incident at Blood Pass his name is unknown and he is unemployed. However, the ronin in Incident at Blood Pass could be an older and wiser Sanjuro.

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[–] Inceptionmisunderstander 16 years ago

I just got this on dvd and during watching it read your post... the movie hit around the hour mark and Mifune starts the scratching of his chin and neck.

So it may be or may not be the same guy. But like you said, he could be and it's fun to think that this is Sanjuro (only now way past thirty, haha) and he's finally thought his way through what's been troubling him through Yojimbo and Sanjuro.

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[–] TheEnigmaticRonin 14 years ago

but then again in the Yojimbo and Sanjuro, his name is Subaki Sanjuro, eventhogh it can be a fake name, but is he reffered to as Sanjuro in Yojimbo vs Zatoichi, or this one?

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[–] Madluke91 15 years ago

It's not the same character.

It's pretty clear if you ask me, he is asked his name, and as he is on a hired mission he doesn't give one, so the women asking suggests Yo, and adds jimbo, which has something i believe to do with a bodyguard on 5 ryo a day?

But this name is spontaneous and most certainly not the same character.

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[–] Big G-2 14 years ago

Kurosawa actually owned the rights to the Sanjuro character, and therefore the ronin we see Mifune play in this movie as well as in ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO is not the same. Sanjuro was more tactical than that samurai we see at MACHIBUSE, plus I always saw Kurosawa's character as much more self-assured and even having good-natured fun in the situations he’s encountered, where as I didn't see much of it in the later two movies.

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[–] BatmanBeyond 12 years ago

Having read all comments, but not having seen Zatoichi meets Yojimbo, I am inclined to believe that they're meant to be the same character.

Obviously, due to legal reasons already stated, Mifune didn't directly refer to Yojimbo and Sanjuro, but by the way the character was portrayed and the way he postured himself, it seems like Mifune intended this to be his third Sanjuro (or Sinjiro?) film, not counting his guest appearence in the aforementioned Zatoichi film. He's an older guy, what did you expect? He's not gonna be as sharp as he used to be, and he's not gonna be as rude to the ladies.

Which brings me to my next point: Mifune's character in Machibuse certainly bears the same characteristics as his character in Kurosawa's film did. The guy is instinctively honorable, whether he admits it or not. And he always wants money, but in many cases doesn't get any - he gave up his reward in Yojimbo to allow that woman to leave with her husband and child, and didn't ask for any reward in Sanjuro. And his cunningness, although more on display in the first two, is still present here - he basically teams up with the bad gang so as to be able to save the hostages in the inn.

In any case, I say that Mifune IS portrayed the same character, although in an advanced age (it was almost ten years to the original, after all), and as such, its a fitting conclusion to see him not "in a very bad mood", but to see him content to having surpassed his demons and at the end, fighting as honorably as he ever would.

This, and apparently Zatoichi meets Yojimbo, were to Toshiro Mifune what Never Say Never Again is to Sean Connery - an unofficial, but valid return to a character he helped shaped, just once or twice more.

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