Gohatto (Taboo) 1999

Set during Japan's Shogun era, this film looks at life in a samurai compound where young warriors are trained in swordfighting. A number of interpersonal conflicts are brewing in the training room, all centering around a young samurai named, Kano Sozaburo. The samurai fight for the attention of the effeminate young samurai who unabashedly flirts with them, then pulls away. An excellent swordsman, he is aloof and cool towards one samurai in particular, who confesses his love for him. Kano plays with the lovesick and tormented samurai's feelings while he allows himself to be seduced by another samurai who is jealous and controlling. But Kano is a master manipulator and the one in control. Little does anyone know that undearth his beautiful exterior, lies a cold blooded killer. The compound is thrown into a whirlwind when the jealous samurai is found viciously murdered.

Director: Oshima Nagisa

Stars: Kitano Takeshi, Matsuda Ryûhei, Asano Tadanobu, Takeda Shinji, Sai Yôichi

JDramaMama's Rating: B

This is another of my favorite modern day samurai flicks with the great "Beat" Takeshi. It was a bit icky knowing that the actor Matsuda Ryuhei who played Kano, was only fifteen years old at the time since there were a couple of sexual situations. Nevertheless, he did a good job for one so young and a standout was Asano, the samurai who followed him around like a lovesick puppy. Definitely not your average samurai flick.

#Japan #samurai #jidaigeki #suspense #sexualsituations