Director: Kazushi WATANABE
Cast: Hayato ICHIHARA / Shugo OSHINARI / Megumi OKINA / Isao HASHIZUME

Genre: Sci-Fi / Comedy / Period Drama

Theatrical Release in Japan: October 2018

[2018 / Color / HD / Stereo / 95min. / Japanese with English subtitles]

 

[Synopsis + Historic Background]

Hanpeita TAKECHI is a samurai who unwittingly travels through time from the last days of Tokugawa dynasty, 150 years ago, to the modern world.

 

He is a master swordsman and also a thinker from the turbulent period, in which public opinions are vacillating between the policies of Sonno-joi (revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians) and Kobu-gattai (unify the imperial court and the dynasty.)

 

Back in his time, he is the leader of Tosa Kinno-to (advocates of the Emperor in Tosa domain) overthrown and imprisoned for his alleged involvement in an assassination. When he opens his eyes next, what he sees is the world of present-day Japan. Confused by the situation he is in, and becomes hungry, he eventually collapses on the road, and Saeki, an old man who runs a private school, takes in him at his home.

 

Despite being puzzled by cultural differences between the end of the dynasty and this current period, Heisei, TAKECHI becomes a teacher at Saeki’s school.

 

At first, children and people in town look at him as a stranger, but he gradually gains people’s trust with his warm and decent personality.  One day, he receives a visitor called Narasaki who is a journalist, in adapting to his new life. After a while, he recognizes the visitor as his close comrade and a hero of his time back in the end of Tokugawa dynasty, Ryoma SAKAMOTO!