Azumi

Azumi


あずみ
Azumi
Director Ryuhei Kitamura
Producer Mataichiro Yamamoto
Original Story Yu Koyama
Screenplay Mataichiro Yamamoto
Isao Kiriyama
Photography Takumi Furuya
Lighting Toshihide Takasaka
Art Yuji Hayashida
Sound Zenya Kohara
Editor Shuichi Kakesu
Music Producer Taro Iwashiro
Music Sextasy Room
Score Arrangement Taro Iwashiro
Conductor Taro Iwashiro
Production Companies Nippon Herald Films, TBS, Dentsu, Shogakukan, Amuse, Toho, Imagica, Sedic International, Tristone Entertainment
Release Date May 10, 2003
Runtime 142 minutes
Followed by Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)

あずみ
Azumi
Director Ryuhei Kitamura
Producer Mataichiro Yamamoto
Original Story Yu Koyama
Screenplay Mataichiro Yamamoto
Isao Kiriyama
Photography Takumi Furuya
Lighting Toshihide Takasaka
Art Yuji Hayashida
Sound Zenya Kohara
Editor Shuichi Kakesu
Music Producer Taro Iwashiro
Music Sextasy Room
Score Arrangement Taro Iwashiro
Conductor Taro Iwashiro
Production Companies Nippon Herald Films, TBS, Dentsu, Shogakukan, Amuse, Toho, Imagica, Sedic International, Tristone Entertainment
Release Date May 10, 2003
Runtime 142 minutes
Followed by Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)

Obata, an elderly samurai, adopts several orphans to train as assassins. Azumi is the only girl among them, and she grows to become one of the strongest. Japan has only recently emerged from a brutal civil war, in which Tokugawa emerged triumphant and the forces loyal to Toyotomi were defeated. However, a few powerful warlords remain who would see the Toyotomi dynasty restored. Obata has decided to use his assassins to destroy these warlords and prevent another war.

The assassins first target Nagasama, whom they kill easily. Kiyomasa, another warlord, learns of the assassins and takes measures to deceive them. They kill his double, allowing Kiyomasa to move to a more secure fortress unnoticed. Obata soon learns of their error, however, and dispatches the assassins to finish the job. When one of the assassins falls ill to poison, Azumi betrays her softness, and is disowned by Obata. Another assassin, Hyuga, is cruelly slain by the sadistic samurai Bijomaru, who Kiyomasa has released from prison. Obata continues the mission with only two underlings: Ukiha and Nagara. They storm the fortress, but Obata is captured and Ukiha is slain. Nagara disappears and is presumed dead.

Azumi tries to forsake the sword and live normally, but a cruel encounter with bandits forces her to change her mind and pursue Obata’s mission wholeheartedly. She storms the fortress and singlehandedly destroys most of Kiyomasa’s forces. Azumi has a final duel with Bijomaru, who she also slays. She is too late to save Obata, but she does manage to pursue and assassinate Kiyomasa. Azumi reunites with Nagara, who has survived the battle, and together they set out to assassinate their final target: Masayuki Sanada.

Top Billed Cast

Aya Ueto
Azumi
Kenji Kohashi
Hyuga
Hiroki Narimiya
Ukiha
Takatoshi Kaneko
Amagi
Yuma Ishigaki
Nagara
Yasuomi Sano
Yura
Shinji Suzuki
Awa
Eita
Hiei
Shogo Yamaguchi
Komoro
Shun Oguri
Nachi
Joe Odagiri
Bijomaru
Aya Okamoto
Yae
Minoru Matsumoto
Hien
Hideo Sakaki
Nagato
Kenichi Endo
Isshin Sashiki
Kazuya Shimizu
Nitoki Sashiki
Tak Sakaguchi
Sanzo Sashiki
Ryo
Mother
Masato Ibu
Nagamasa Asano
Kei Sato
Tenkai Nankobo
Kazuki Kitamura
Kanbei Inoue
Naoto Takenaka
Kiyomasa Kato
Yoshio Harada
Gessai Obata
Top Billed Cast

Azumi
Aya Ueto

Hyuga
Kenji Kohashi

Ukiha
Hiroki Narimiya

Amagi
Takatoshi Kaneko

Nagara
Yuma Ishigaki

Yura
Yasuomi Sano

Awa
Shinji Suzuki

Hiei
Eita

Komoro
Shogo Yamaguchi

Nachi
Shun Oguri

Bijomaru
Joe Odagiri

Yae
Aya Okamoto

Hien
Minoru Matsumoto

Nagato
Hideo Sakaki

Isshin Sashiki
Kenichi Endo

Nitoki Sashiki
Kazuya Shimizu

Sanzo Sashiki
Tak Sakaguchi

Mother
Ryo

Nagamasa Asano
Masato Ibu

Tenkai Nankobo
Kei Sato

Kanbei Inoue
Kazuki Kitamura

Kiyomasa Kato
Naoto Takenaka

Gessai Obata
Yoshio Harada