Shigurui

The sadistic daimyo Tadanaga Tokugawa has declared Japan's first martial arts competition using real swords, shocking even his most loyal retainers. Yet, when the audience realizes that the opening match features the one-armed Gennosuke Fujiki against the blind and lame Seigen Irako, those who initially objected vehemently now see the match as a mockery and consider the combatants' disabilities an insult to their status. Most attendees are unaware of the intense animosity between Gennosuke and Seigen, rooted in their rivalry to become the heir to the deranged samurai Kogan Iwamoto, leader of the infamous Kogan-ryuu dojo. Their once-friendly competition for the leadership of Kogan-ryuu and the affection of Kogan's daughter Mie soon turned violent when one of the young warriors enraged the master. This triggered a series of events leading to their severe injuries. "Shigurui" recounts the choices that brought Gennosuke and Seigen to this dire confrontation, as well as the numerous lives devastated by the harshness of samurai culture.