From 1978: A 39-Episode drama revolving around the Yagyu clan and Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu... Lots of action and political intrigue...

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

I'm not a fan of shogun dramas, but if the story is any good, I may be interested. Would this appeal to females or just people into historical dramas?
_________________

For a long time jidaigeki (period) dorama like Yagyu Conspiracy (Yagyu Ichizoku no Inbo) were ubiquitous on Japanese TV, much like westerns were on American television in the fifties and sixties. Some of these series, like Abarenbo Shogun and Hissatsu (Sure Death) had runs of 20 years or more. Japanese audiences used to love these shows in part because of the chambara (sword fight) action they provided in each episode. However, with the popularity of trendy dorama in the last couple of decades, jidaigeki series, like the westerns, have to a large extent gone out of style.

Yagyu Conspiracy, even if you are not a fervent chambara fan, is an entertaining dorama to watch. Yes, there are many excellently staged fight sequences courtesy of the JAC (Japan Action Club, a stunt group founded by Sonny Chiba) that will satisfy action aficionados, but the plot is very compelling, full of political intrigue and human interest stories.

The central cast is quite good. Sonny Chiba plays the legendary Yagyu Jubei, one of his most iconic roles. There's also a very young Hiroyuki Sanada and Japan's best female action performer, Etsuko Shihomi, both members of the JAC. Veteran actor So Yamamura is really good as Yagyu Tajima, whose machinations to protect the shogunate at all costs propel the plot forward. But the best performance might be Mikio Narita's imperial courtier, one of the most villainous villains you will ever see. Also, many episodes include guest stars, some quite well known, who contribute to the solid acting in this series.

Yagyu Conspiracy is a favorite of those who enjoy jidaigeki TV series. For those of you who would like to venture outside the trendy dorama genre, this 1978 series would be a good choice.

cori wrote:

I'm not a fan of shogun dramas, but if the story is any good, I may be interested. Would this appeal to females or just people into historical dramas?

Not sure how historically accurate it is, but I think it's really entertaining.

Female appeal? Hmm. Depends if you like action and intrigue.

The action in this drama is miles better than anything that NHK has released Taiga-wise...

bmwracer wrote:

Not sure how historically accurate it is, but I think it's really entertaining. Female appeal? Hmm. Depends if you like action and intrigue. The action in this drama is miles better than anything that NHK has released Taiga-wise...

Many of these old popular jidaigeki series are based on historical figures, but are far from being historically accurate. The main appeal of these kinds of series are the frequent action sequences which differentiate them from the yearly NHK Taiga dorama which emphasizes historical re-telling (not always accurate either). What elevates Yagyu Conspiracy over others in this chambara-emphasized genre is it tells a really interesting story in addition to providing really good fight scenes.

cori wrote:

I'm not a fan of shogun dramas, but if the story is any good, I may be interested. Would this appeal to females or just people into historical dramas?

Since you're living in Hawaii, you might have seen episodes of Abarenbo Shogun. Yagyu Conspiracy is somewhat along those lines, but much better imo. For one thing, there is a central storyline which runs from beginning to end of this 39-episode series which I found compelling; the acting and action are superior as well.

shin2 wrote:

Many of these old popular jidaigeki series are based on historical figures, but are far from being historically accurate. The main appeal of these kinds of series are the frequent action sequences which differentiate them from the yearly NHK Taiga dorama which emphasizes historical re-telling (not always accurate either). What elevates Yagyu Conspiracy over others in this chambara-emphasized genre is it tells a really interesting story in addition to providing really good fight scenes.

Agreed.

Chiba-san and his JAC choreographed the action really well... Compare that against the awkward and almost stiff battle scenes in Taigas like Musashi and Shinsengumi...

Observation I forgot to mention:

In this drama, the Yagyu clan battles various ninja sects, one being an Iga ninja group led by Hattori Hanzo... Several years later Chiba-san would start a new series Kage no Gundan (Shadow Warriors) where he was the leader of an Iga ninja group: Hattori Hanzo.

bmwracer wrote:

Observation I forgot to mention: In this drama, the Yagyu clan battles various ninja sects, one being an Iga ninja group led by Hattori Hanzo... Several years later Chiba-san would start a new series Kage no Gundan (Shadow Warriors) where he was the leader of an Iga ninja group: Hattori Hanzo.

If the technology had been available back then, Chiba-Jubei could have fought Chiba-Hanzo. Wonder who'd win?

shin2 wrote:

If the technology had been available back then, Shiba-Jubei could have fought Shiba-Hanzo. Wonder who'd win?

It'd be a standoff.

Interestingly, they portrayed the Hattori Hanzo in Yagyu as relatively incompetent compared to the Hattori Hanzo of Kage...

bmwracer wrote:

Chiba-san and his JAC choreographed the action really well... Compare that against the awkward and almost stiff battle scenes in Taigas like Musashi and Shinsengumi...

Most of the actors of this generation don't have the background training to pull off the action sequences as well as it was done in previous generations. Sonny Chiba, for example, was a trained gymnast and had an extensive martial arts background before he even got into movies. In the past, many of the on-screen action stars going all the way back to the 1930's had kabuki backgrounds which included training in how to handle a katana and fight choreography. Katsu Shintaro and Wakayama Tomisaburo, just to mention two iconic action stars, were from a kabuki family. Plus, because of the popularity of jidaigeki films for so many decades, actors had a lot of practice in doing fight scenes. With the waning of this type of film and the proliferation of idols from music and modeling backgrounds becoming actors, fight scenes are not what they used to be. That's why nowadays a Sanada Hiroyuki stands out like a sore thumb. JAC trained, he was clearly the most experienced and superior swordsman performer in the Tom Cruise movie The Last Samurai, and his skills were also evident in the great 2003 film Tasogare Seibei (Twilight Samurai).

bmwracer wrote:

It'd be a standoff. Interestingly, they portrayed the Hattori Hanzo in Yagyu as relatively incompetent compared to the Hattori Hanzo of Kage...

I guess they'd have to go to the officials' scorecards to determine a winner--There's no ties in swordfights!!

Star power is the reason for the discrepency in Hattori Hanzo portrayals. With his action skills and on-screen charisma, Sonny Chiba is always portrayed as the baddest dude on the block.

shin2 wrote:

I guess they'd have to go to the officials' scorecards to determine a winner--There's no ties in swordfights!! Star power is the reason for the discrepency in Hattori Hanzo portrayals. With his action skills and on-screen charisma, Sonny Chiba is always portrayed as the baddest dude on the block.

I think NIN NIN could battle it out and win the day.

Tu_triky wrote:

I think NIN NIN could battle it out and win the day.

Please don't contaminate this thread with SMAP guy's punkass face.

bmwracer wrote:

Please don't contaminate this thread with SMAP guy's punkass face.

NIN NIN provokes strong feelings....his power is such. One of the many powers of the capable ninja.

Tu_triky wrote:

NIN NIN provokes strong feelings....

So does a five-foot mound of cow manure... Which is eminently more useful.

bmwracer wrote:

So does a five-foot mound of cow manure....

Com'on man. Don't bring Kyoko Fukada into this...you're getting all personal now. I'm slightly offended.

Tu_triky wrote:

Com'on man. Don't bring Kyoko Fukada into this...you're getting all personal now. I'm slightly offended.

Gomen.

I thought she was only four feet tall.

bmwracer wrote:

Gomen. I thought she was only four feet tall.

The presence of flies atop the mass adds to the overall height.


Okay...no more contamination of your thread.

Back on topic:

shin2 wrote:

Most of the actors of this generation don't have the background training to pull off the action sequences as well as it was done in previous generations. Sonny Chiba, for example, was a trained gymnast and had an extensive martial arts background before he even got into movies. In the past, many of the on-screen action stars going all the way back to the 1930's had kabuki backgrounds which included training in how to handle a katana and fight choreography. Katsu Shintaro and Wakayama Tomisaburo, just to mention two iconic action stars, were from a kabuki family. Plus, because of the popularity of jidaigeki films for so many decades, actors had a lot of practice in doing fight scenes. With the waning of this type of film and the proliferation of idols from music and modeling backgrounds becoming actors, fight scenes are not what they used to be. That's why nowadays a Sanada Hiroyuki stands out like a sore thumb. JAC trained, he was clearly the most experienced and superior swordsman performer in the Tom Cruise movie The Last Samurai, and his skills were also evident in the great 2003 film Tasogare Seibei (Twilight Samurai).

Total agreement.

Most (all?) of the current crop of "stars" couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag... And if you saw any of Yoshitsune, Tackey couldn't fight his way out of a bubble bath.

Trivia notes: Meguro Yuki (Yagyu Samon) was Richard Chamberlain's early episode samurai tormentor in Shogun... Yamamura So (Yagyu Tajima-no-kami) was Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku in the Pearl Harbor epic tora! Tora! Tora!... Shiomi Etsuko (Yagyu Akane) appeared in many a film with Chiba Shinichi, like Sister Street Fighter...