Harakiri
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
When a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.
Harakiri Ratings & Reviews
- jasonfin24d agoMasterful Story Telling! A tragedy wrapped up in a revenge tale. A seeming grifter is forced to commit hara kiri in the most brutal fashion leading to unforeseen and disastrous consequences! The story is told magnificently with lots of twists and turns with a subtle social commentary on the facade and double standards of the Japanese honour system and the way the 'working class' ronin are treated by the rich. Whilst I don't necessarily agree with the political commentary subtext, I have no issues with the manner in which it is told, subtle and wrapped beneath a great story, leaving the viewer to just enjoy the story or take meaning from it as they choose. Modem Directors take note! Do yourself a favour and watch this excellent movie if you haven't seen it!
- Daniel GustavssonJuly 11, 2025Very atmospheric. It's slow but the tension and interesting plot keeps things intriguing throughout.
- SAlYANZMarch 2, 2026Very deserving of its #1 spot on Letterboxd, personally 2001 is my GOAT film however.
- VarunOctober 19, 2024Intense Epic Perfection!!!
- Drunken Monkey KombatJanuary 1, 2026Rentaro and Nakadai are just brilliant in this. My all-time favorite movie.
- mickerdooNovember 3, 2025The story unravels very stoically. Reveals the value of life and honor over classism. Glad it ramped up in the last 20 minutes.
- MikeOctober 11, 2024Harakiri is a captivating film that has a great story and beautifully choreographed fights "What befalls others today, may be your own fate tomorrow." This film has an interesting story with multiple twists that were very well implemented within the plot structure. Both the pacing and plot felt really balanced. The plot was actually one of the most solid plots I've ever seen in a film. Usually I feel that the acting in older films aren't that good, but the acting was great and contributed heavily to the interesting story. The fight scenes had some great and realistic choreography, that created a lot of tension. The fight scenes had me paying full attention to see what moves the two opponents would make next. The synchronized movements of the opponents, was visually stunning and also kind of mesmerizing to look at. These synchronized movements felt like a dance between the opponents and created an abstract composition through the blocking of the characters. This was especially done extremely well during the final act, where you first see a group of men simultaneously lining up in front of Hanshiro Tsugumo, which then hold their Katana and take a step forward. Followed by 3 men behind them that grab their Katana. Which then ends with the men in the front taking another step forward right before they attack and retreat... all in sync. The cinematography was stunning. The slow zoom shots beautifully placed the emphasis on the emotions and body language of the characters. It also grabbed and held the attention of the viewer, which contributed to the overall immersion. The linear blocking of multiple characters, within the static framing, created beautiful symmetrical and linear compostions. Combine this with the extremely well choreographed fights, great acting and interesting story, and you will get a mesmerizing film that captivates you from beginning to end. Letterboxd: Mike_v_E
Harakiri Trivia
Harakiri was released on September 16, 1962.
Harakiri was directed by Masaki Kobayashi.
Harakiri has a runtime of 2h 15m.
Harakiri was produced by Tatsuyo Hosoya.
When a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.
The key characters in Harakiri are Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai), Motome Chijiiwa (Akira Ishihama), Miho Tsugumo (Shima Iwashita).
Harakiri is rated Not Rated.
Harakiri is a Drama, Action, History film.
Harakiri has an audience rating of 9.6 out of 10.
Harakiri has made $15,222 at the box office.