 |
|
|
| Synopsis |
|---|
Everyone in Japan knows the legend of Musashi, a warrior hero of the 17th century. Here his vibrant story is brought to life in this stunning epic drama with a star-studded cast. In retaliation to his abandonment by his overbearing father when he was a child, Musashi Miyamoto sets out to become a master swordsman. His real name is Takezo, but after fighting valiantly at the Battle of Sekigahara at the tender age of seventeen, he is bestowed the name "Musashi" and begins his search for the true way of the sword. Battling his way across the country, by the time he is 29 years old, he had fought and emerged undefeated in sixty battles. Although already unbeatable, Musashi continues his journey of combat toward the limits of his own ability. Many women are attracted to such a brash warrior, but truly a man of high standards, he settles only for his beloved Otsu, a childhood friend. They have a mutual understanding and respect for each other, which is the source of inspiration during Musashi's transitory journey. The only problem is that Otsu has been promised in marriage to someone else--Musashi's comrade, Matahachi. Determined to fight for the man she loves, Otsu flees her hometown and tries to follow Musashi across the country. However, several forces are working against them, maliciously conspiring to keep them apart. Can Musashi outwit his enemies, overcome double-crossing allies, and become recognized as the strongest warrior in the country? And will he ever be reunited with his true love, Otsu? | |
| Drama Reviews (5) |
|---|
!!WARNING!!
The review section may contain spoilers! Please understand
that you may find out about this drama's endings and plots!
| | 1. | Simply incredible.. [Rating: 10/10]
I must say that although i've missed about 7 episodes of this taiga drama, shame on me :P, I can most definitely say how breathtaking it was. Each episode left me craving for more and I loved them all. The storyline, I thought, was really wonderful. I can't think of any flaw that this drama displayed at all. Of course, the actors get credit for their stupendous high quality performance. Each character was portrayed very well, in my opinion. I don't want to spoil anything else for anyone who hasn't seen it, but I must say that it left me a one angry spectator. I was evidently begging for more when it had come to an end. Overall, after smacking myself a few times, i've come to a conclusion that despite my childish self, I was pretty satisfied. It was kind of a tearjerker though because i've seen these actors on this show for what..almost 2 years and now they are finally gone. I thought this show was pretty educational since i've heard about Musashi in my 7th grade World History class and knew almost nothing about him except for the obvious fact that he was one of the greatest swordsmen that ever lived. A true legend. Now that i'm in the 8th, they don't mention that kind of stuff anymore, heh. Figures.
- Psychotic Bastard | | Reviewed by Psychotic Bastard on 5 February 2004 | | 2. | Taiga Dorama...Excellent [Rating: 10/10]
Very interesting story, Great casting Ichikawa Shinnosuke, Tsustsumi Shinichi, Yonekura Ryoko, and of course Uchiyama Rina were all fantastic. The rest of the cast was also great. Combine the acting with the beautiful scenary and you can't ask for more than that. | | Reviewed by Doramafan113 on 4 October 2004 | | 3. | A great drama [Rating: 10/10]
An educational experience on the life of Miyamoto Musashi. Not only was it accurate the acting was superior.Ichikawa Shinnosuke fit the part perfectly. | | Reviewed by Gao on 29 January 2006 | | 4. | Best Taiga ever! [Rating: 10/10]
I could not have liked it more. My all time favorite Taiga drama. Everything worked acting, directing, story line, cinematography, sound... I can't imagine anything that they could do to improve it other than extending it out longer. The end comes quickly and leaves you wanting to see the later part of the life of Musashi which is not a bad thing. As they say always leave them asking for more. I highly suggest this Taiga drama to anyone that has a chance to see it. | | Reviewed by MonsterZero-65 on 28 August 2006 | | 5. | Very good [Rating: 9/10]
This was the first Taiga drama I sat down and watched. Some of the best Jdorama actors and actresses were in this and I knew the acting was going to be superb.
Ichikawa Shinnosuke gives a excellant portrayal of Musashi. I swear, if you never knew who Musashi was, you will after this series, and you'll recognize this actor when you see him.
I could spend paragraphs writing on all the actors character portrayals, but in short I'll say that yes, they were all good.
I would have given this series a ten but I got a little bored with Musashi running back and forth trying to save his friends at times. Also the "magic" scenes with Akaneya Genzo and Aya strays from reality of the series, but it was entertaining anyway. This series would have been excellent if not censored. | | Reviewed by bba1 on 7 May 2007 |
|
| Comments From Users (31) |
|---|
!!WARNING!!
This section may contain spoilers! Do not proceed if you
do not want to read about this drama's endings and plots!
| | 1. | Comments by dummyuser2 [Rating: 10/10]
This is a excellent taiga drama! It's LONG, but it's a must-watch. I could give a damn about who's starring in the series -- the story and the historical significance is important for all Japanese culture fans to know about. | | 2. | Comments by biga816 [Rating: 7/10]
It was okay....not a big fan of Yonekura Ryoko. | | 3. | Comments by yume [Rating: 8/10]
I, at first, thought it was a boring story, until I couldn't change the channel one day because I was glued to it! Even though you always think Musashi is going to win, you find you might be wrong. I really got emotional when someone close to him died! It made the story realistic, so I definitely enjoyed it more. Everyone did a great job, of course. | | 4. | Comments by hakaida [Rating: 10/10]
I don't usually watch Japanese drama, but this one caught my interest. I guess it was the intriguing storyline and also it's true life based on this extraordinary person. | | 5. | Comments by jo [Rating: 5/10]
Musashi is okay, just don't like the lead actor. Love all the actresses, REI MIYAZAWA, NAKAMA YUKIE, YONEKURA RYOKO, and the cute and sexy UCHIYAMA RINA | | 6. | Comments by ahochaude [Rating: 10/10]
Still watching..........
.......Just watched.
A 10 without a doubt!!!!!!!! Incredible! Powerful! Captivating! Ichikawa Shinnosuke as Shinmen Takezo aka Miyamoto Musashi is untouchable in this drama. He pulls off such a great performance, that I felt as though I was actually watching the Great Miyamoto Musashi himself! | | 7. | Comments by lockdown12 [Rating: 10/10]
The excellent Kyogen stage actor Ichikawa Shinnosuke stars as Miyamoto Musashi, arguably the most famous swordsman in Japanese history. Musashi was a ronin at a time of samurai elitism. He was a painter, author (Book of Five Rings), and is the named creator of the two sword style. Although the series romanticizes and twists plenty of unprovavble tales, the characters are mostly historically acurate.
Of course, I don't really care much about that. I just care that this is one of the best "taiga" dramas to come along in a while. The story centers mostly around Musashi's "journey," although this journey is defined through his personal relationships; the most important being that of him and his childhood friends, Otsu (Yonekura Ryoko) and Matahachi (Tsutsumi Shinichi). This series is a must see. Ichikawa is absolutely riveting as Musashi, and the supporting cast (led by Tsutsumi Shinichi as Matahachi) is fantastic. Entertainment at its finest. | | 8. | Comments by Geezer [Rating: 6/10]
Too long. I just didn't think there was enough story here for 49 episodes. Great supporting cast. Weak lead. | | 9. | Comments by kitakaze [Rating: 8/10]
Great taiga-dorama. More of an adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's novel, but it does a fine job with that too. | | 10. | Comments by williu [Rating: 10/10]
This drama is just so good. I can't find any flaws in it - sure, a couple of the 49 episodes may be a bit slow, but the rest is just fantastic. Ichikawa really BECOMES Musashi in all ways. Musashi is filled with so many stories that it never becomes boring. A must-see! | | 11. | Comments by Bud002 [Rating: 9/10]
Enjoyable Taiga drama - great cast. | | 12. | Comments by minochi99 [Rating: 10/10]
An epic. Truly an epic. I loved every minute of Musashi. I ranked it one of the best Taiga doramas ever. Along with Mori Motonari and Toshiie to Matsu. The cast was wonderful. If you have the book Musashi from Yoshikawa, you'll be surprised at how faithful the drama stayed to the novel. The cast was superb and the ladies were beautiful. Ryoko Yonekura, Rina Uchiyama, and Nakama Yukie, sure made my viewing that much more enjoyable.
But the men really stoled the drama. I haven't seen Ichikawa Shinnosuke in any other dramas (heard he's a professional kabuki stage actor), but never a more passionate performance have I seen from an actor. He made Musashi memorable. From now on, when I think of Musashi, I will think of Shinnosuke. Tsutsumi Shinichi, one of my favorite characters, was hilarious as Matahachi. Here, the character strayed a little bit from the novel. But I still found him enjoyable. Like most great Taiga doramas, you need a ruthless tough guy, and it doesn't get badder than Masahiro as Sasaki Kojiro. He played the role to the tilt. Enjoyed his performance quite a bit.
Do I recommend this? Of course, but it's not for the faint hearted. I'm a big East Asian history fan, and Taiga doramas are usually 49-50 episodes. It got a little slow in the middle, but that's expected out of a drama so encompassing and vast. So, it takes a lot of investment in your time and commitment. Musashi is worth it. I guarantee you :-) | | 13. | Comments by LuVinEm [Rating: 10/10]
one of my favo jdrama!!.. its just dat i like samurai movies :) ... didnt know he exist the legendary Miyamoto Musashi... very good movie!! like when they are fightin ^^' cast Ichikawa Shinnosuke, Tsutsumi Shinichi, Yonekura Ryoko, Uchiyama Rina and many more!! MUST SEE! if u love samurais and katana :P | | 14. | Comments by lovejdorama [Rating: ?/10]
Available for Trade, 17-DVD, Eng subbed
http://www.geocities.com/reddashay/jdorama.html | | 15. | Comments by Gao [Rating: 10/10]
An educational drama about Miyamoto Musashi.I enjoyed this VERY much | | 16. | Comments by darknitelight [Rating: 9/10]
They really have to translate the titles of each episode better. The show is interesting thus far, but the swordplay needs more to it. The actor for Takezo is not bad, completely insane looking...Lots of good looks at religion and how people needed to live in those times. | | 17. | Comments by Wesu [Rating: 5/10]
It was good for a while but ARGH it's so damn long, I just can't take it anymore!!!!! | | 18. | Comments by AsanoRin [Rating: 6/10]
I not interested in historical dramas but this one really got me into the stories background. | | 19. | Comments by neon_dragon [Rating: 9/10]
Who wouldn't enjoy a story about Miyamoto Musashi? | | 20. | Comments by ogonbato [Rating: 9/10]
a must watch for those who are miyamoto musashi fans, one of the best taiga dramas, it loses some points in my opinion after the last fight with ganryu sasaki kojiro, and i love matahachi great acting from Tsutsumi Shinichi very different from good luck! | | 21. | Comments by AjiKan [Rating: 10/10]
Awesome | | 22. | Comments by Nermal [Rating: 9/10]
A very good Taiga drama with a cast of incredible actors.
Ichikawa Shinnosuke (Ichikawa Ebizo since 2004), well known Kabuki acotr in Japan, has proved that he could perform just as well in front of a camera than he can in a theatre. As a kabuki actor, he can show his emotions very well in his face making his performance breathtaking.
Supporting actors like Tsutsumi Shinichi, Abe Hiroshi, Yonekura Ryoko, Matsuoka Masahiro, Miyazawa Rie, Nakai Kiichi, Takashima Masanobu, Uchiyama Rina, Nakayama Yukie, Fujita Makoto and so on, made this a real pleasure to watch.
While the pace of this drama is very slow, it will make you think about different things in life. It was a very enjoyable drama and I recommend it to anyone who likes Taiga dramas. | | 23. | Comments by hikaruhana [Rating: 7/10]
Excellent account of the life of Japan's legendary swordsman. If you've seen the Mifune movies, this fleshes out the stories far more and gives you a deeper sense of what Musashi was all about. | | 24. | Comments by oldasianguy [Rating: 10/10]
Good show....a bit long but I did enjoy every minute of it....the cast was full of some of my favorite actors and actresses.... | | 25. | Comments by Ru-ku [Rating: 7/10]
I like the story of Musashi. But I think they could have made a better soundtrack. Scenechanges could be better too. | | 26. | Comments by Eyeyore [Rating: 7/10]
Giving this figure to Musashi, Matahachi and his mum..... | | 27. | Comments by dokodemodoa [Rating: 8/10]
I prefer the book. Excellent Matahachi, though i hate him in the book, i just couldn't hate him here | | 28. | Comments by pinkokoro [Rating: ?/10]
COMPLETE. | | 29. | Comments by jessen100 [Rating: 8/10]
wooo | | 30. | Comments by suzuyuki [Rating: 3/10]
canceled | | 31. | Comments by snow_san [Rating: 10/10]
NHK 49 Episodes. Ichikawa Shinnosuke was superb. His kabuki background shines clearly through his expressions. Excellent cast. |
|
| Users who voted for this drama (20) |
|---|
| 1. | bmwracer | | 2. | Itazura ichiban
Just enough chambara to make it interesting, characters you care about, and a plot you can't predict! | | 3. | Psychotic Bastard
Amazing plot. Great actors, and indeed educational. What more can you want? | | 4. | Betsy Hayashi
This series is fantastic. The story is fascinating and the cast is talented and charismatic. Loved it !!!!!!! | | 5. | ahochaude
A very powerful drama about the life of Shinmen Takezo aka Miyamoto Musashi. Ichikawa Shinnosuke did an excellent job as Miyamoto Musashi. I can see why The Book of 5 Rings is like the "essential manual" for business men and entrepreneurs in Japan just by watching this show. After watching this show, I immediately bought the Book of 5 Rings. Excellent! | | 6. | AmarnaObsession
=0) | | 7. | maycc | | 8. | Mask Maker
Just like me! | | 9. | kitakaze | | 10. | Hapa Japa | | 11. | a-nesuto | | 12. | margauxreizer
ryoko fan | | 13. | minochi99
An epic and my absolute favorite. For those fortunate to have seen this, it has all the ingredients. Awesom, realistic fighting scenes, beautiful people and love story, and great acting by everyone. I never get tired of re-watching this series even though it's 49 episodes long! Definitely recommended tho hard to find/purchase. | | 14. | lye | | 15. | malo_st
A great movie, Ichikawa Ebizo is really convincing and emotional as Musashi. | | 16. | stvaldez
Loved it although the last ep was a little week | | 17. | kaori-san | | 18. | Panumas | | 19. | Ru-ku
I already read the book and I like the story. The story of Musashi is really good. In this drama are many known actors as well. | | 20. | snow_san
NHK 49 Episodes. Ichikawa Shinnosuke was superb. His kabuki background shines clearly through his expressions. Excellent cast. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Log in
Official Forum Topic
Abe Hiroshi
Ichikawa Shinnosuke
Tsutsumi Shinichi
Yonekura Ryoko
Matsuoka Masahiro
Miyazawa Rie
Nakai Kiichi
Uchiyama Rina
Biito Takeshi
Katase Rino
Nakama Yukie
Watase Tsunehiko
Takashima Masanobu
Terajima Shinobu
Kitamura Kazuo
Fujita Makoto
Enoki Takaaki
Emori Toru
Kato Mitsuru
