10 Best Movies To Watch After 47 Ronin
While 2013’s 47 Ronin might be a fun fantasy action movie, there are many more movies dedicated to the story of these masterless samurai and their legendary quest. 47 Ronin sees Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rinko Kikuchi, and Ko Shibasaki star in a story of betrayal and revenge. 47 Ronin’s plot concerns the eponymous group of samurai who are left without a master when their daimyo is killed. This story finds its inspiration in the true story of the 47 Ronin, a masterless samurai clan who avenged the death of their former lord. A work of chūshingura, 47 Ronin heavily fictionalizes the story with golems, witches, and supernatural elements. While 47 Ronin was a massive box office bomb, the cult classic found its audience in the decade since its release. Thanks to its striking style, lush visuals, and action-packed storyline, 47 Ronin earned many fans when the movie hit streaming services. 47 Ronin proved so popular that the movie even received a belated sequel almost ten years after the original movie was released. This was an impressive achievement considering 47 Ronin’s box office underperformance. However, 47 Ronin’s eventual popularity should not have come as a major surprise. After all, movies have been telling the story of the 47 Ronin and other vengeful samurai for decades.
10 Blade of the 47 Ronin (2022)
Blade of the 47 Ronin Viewers who enjoyed 47 Ronin should seek out the movie’s sequel, Blade of the 47 Ronin. Released in 2022, Blade of the 47 Ronin continues 47 Ronin's story in the modern day. Samurai clans exist in secrecy, as do witches and paranormal spirits in this fun fantasy action story. Star Anna Akana makes for a charming lead in this sequel, and Blade of the 47 Ronin is an enjoyable romp even if the movie can’t scale the same heights of visual splendor as its predecessor. While 47 Ronin’s box office failure killed the chances of big-budget follow-up, Blade of the 47 Ronin remains a worthy addition to the series.
9 Throne of Blood (1957)
A scene from Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood Akira Kurosawa is a massive influence on samurai cinema at large, but his merging of myths and real history is particularly present in 47 Ronin. This is never more obvious than when viewers check out Kurosawa’s own story of witches and a vengeful royal, Throne of Blood. Kurosawa’s unique retelling of Macbeth blends samurai action, character drama, and an unsettling blend of horror and mystery tropes, much like 47 Ronin. However, where 47 Ronin’s fantasy elements make the bloodshed more palatable, Throne of Blood doesn’t offer a reprieve from its dark themes.
8 Last Knights (2015)
Last Knights 2015 Sometimes even a massive financial flop is not enough to stop Hollywood from returning to the same story twice. Even after 47 Ronin failed to set the box office alight, Last Knights still revisits the story of the 47 Ronin a mere two years later. Starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, Last Knights is an action-forward retelling of the 47 Ronin story that eschews the fantasy elements of 47 Ronin. While admittedly a little less fun than 47 Ronin as a result, Last Knights is still a kinetic, impactful historical action epic anchored by a pair of superb lead performances.
7 The Fall of Ako Castle (1978)
The Fall of Ako Castle 1978 More of a straightforward historical drama than many 47 Ronin retellings, 1978’s The Fall of Ako Castle stars samurai cinema legends Sonny Chiba and Toshiro Mifune. Documenting the Asano clan’s fall from power and their subsequent bloody revenge, The Fall of Ako Castle is one of those classic slow-burn samurai movies that genre aficionados promise will eventually feature some killer action. True to form, after a lengthy set-up, this version of the 47 Ronin story finds time for a jaw-dropping sword fight from the inimitable Chiba in The Fall of Ako Castle’s closing act.
6 Seven Samurai (1954)
The warriors preparing to fight in The Seven Samurai. Kurosawa’s endlessly influential samurai movie Seven Samurai was an inescapable influence on 47 Ronin and the genre as a whole. The tale of a group of samurai hired by villagers to protect them from a criminal gang, Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai provides the building blocks of everything from The Magnificent Seven to The Dirty Dozen to Star Wars. However, before it was one of the most important movies in film history, Seven Samurai is a great story of Ronin looking for justice, just like the tale of the 47 Ronin.
5 Chushingura (1962)
Chushingura 1962 A 1962 epic, Chushingura is a more morally ambiguous take on the 47 Ronin story. Technically titled Chushingura: Story of Flower, Story of Snow, this version of the tale also stars Toshiro Mifune. Once again, the plot revolves around the samurai planning their vengeance after their former master is tricked into committing ritual suicide. However, critics have noted that this retelling paints the Ronin themselves in a less favorable light, with their flaws coming to light over Chushingura’s lengthy 3.5-hour runtime.
4 The 47 Ronin (1941)
The 47 Ronin 1941 An epic 223-minute two-part retelling of the 47 Ronin, this 1941 version takes a more grounded approach to the classic tale. Admittedly, 47 Ronin’s witches, golems, and animal spirits are a lot more fantastical. However, the classical storytelling and languid pacing of The 47 Ronin give viewers an insight into the movies that inspired Kurosawa. Kurosawa then went on to inspire the next generation of filmmakers, who, in turn, inspired the creators of 47 Ronin.
3 13 Assassins (2010)
Assassins prepare for a fight in 13 Assassins For many fans of Japanese horror movies, the name “Takashi Miike” will send a chill up the spine. However, the director is nothing if not versatile, and his cinematic CV also includes children’s movies and a lot of action films. Among the latter category is 2010’s 13 Assassins, a remake of the 1963 original of the same name. 13 Assassins tells the story of 12 samurai and a hunter tasked with defeating an evil, tyrannical warlord in a story that clearly owes a creative debt to the tale of the 47 Ronin.
2 Zatōichi (2003)
Zatoichi 2003 A blind masseur who was once a master samurai arrives in a small town and helps the locals fight off warring gangs in 2003’s Zatōichi. A samurai epic that is brimming with stunning action, Zatōichi’s style is full of the visual wit and verve that drive 47 Ronin’s story. While a more sparse story than that later Hollywood production, Zatōichi is still just as stunning and arguably even more impressive in terms of onscreen action than 47 Ronin.
1 Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972)
Lone Wolf and Cub English-language movie remake A stylized odyssey of violence, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance is another revenge story starring a stoic samurai. This samurai movie is a brutal, poignant tale that sees its titular antihero bringing his 3-year-old child along with him as he slaughters scores of corrupt Ronin. Despite the age of Lone Wolf’s companion, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance is not suitable for children. Even some adult viewers might struggle with this incredibly grim tale, which is an evident influence on 47 Ronin’s gritty story.