Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior

Name: Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Released: 1980-04-26
Duration: 180 min
Rating: 7.8

1980 · Movie · PG · 180 min · ★ 7.8 · 86% critics

ActionDramaHistoryWar

In feudal Japan, a condemned thief is spared and trained to impersonate a feared warlord to keep rival clans at bay. After the real leader dies, the deception must continue, forcing the impostor to navigate court politics, win trust, and face the heavy responsibility of leading an army into conflict.

Also known as Kagemusha the Shadow Warrior

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Details

Original title: 影武者
Years: 1980
Release date: 1980-04-26
Language: Japanese
Rated: PG
Runtime: 180 min
Critic score: 86/100
TMDB rating: 7.8/10 (737 votes)

About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a thoughtful, slow-burn historical epic about power, loyalty, and living a lie, especially if you liked Ran; Not for you if you dislike long runtimes or dense clan politics.

Pros: sweeping historical scope; striking colors and sets; tense identity drama | Cons: very long runtime; dense political details; slow, talky stretches