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Home/The Great Killing/Similar Movies

The Great Killing

Movies Like The Great Killing (1964)

The Great Killing is a 1964 action, drama film from Eiichi Kudo with a MovieMagicScore of 7.5/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with 13 Assassins and Eleven Samurai.

13 Assassins poster

13 Assassins

1963

A sadistic Daimyo (feudal lord) rapes a woman and murders both her and her husband, but even when one of his own vassals commits suicide to bring attention to the crime, the matter is quickly hushed up. Not only will there be no punishment, but because the Daimyo is the Shogun's younger brother, he will soon be appointed to a high political position from which he could wreak even more havoc. Convinced that the fate of the Shogunate hangs in the balance, a plot is hatched to assassinate the Daimyo. The two most brilliant strategic minds of their generation find themselves pitted against each other; one is tasked to defend a man he despises, and has a small army at his disposal. The other is given a suicide mission, and has 12 brave men. They are the 13 Assassins.

Eleven Samurai poster

Eleven Samurai

1967

The lord of the Oshi fief is killed by his trespassing neighbour, the cruel and despotic Nariatsu, son of the former Shogun. After an investigation, the Oshi clan is blamed for what happened and sentenced to be disbanded. Eleven of the best samurai of the clan refuse the sentence and are willing to give their life for justice.

Samurai Rebellion poster

Samurai Rebellion

1967

The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.

Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor poster

Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor

1969

Near the end of the nineteenth century, as the balance of power shifts from Shogunate towards the Emperor, Japan restlessly awaits the dawning of a new age. But not all are content...The Shinsengumi, a small army of samurai, farmers and peasants, band together to do battle against the tide of history. Their leader, Isami Kondo is a man who rises from farmer to fighter to head the fierce Shinsengumi brigade. Using a stern hand and a heart of gold, he rallies his men in defense of the tottering Shogunate. But bloodshed and treachery lurk around every corner.

Harakiri poster

Harakiri

1962

Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin’s resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.

Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance poster

Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance

1972

Official Shogunate executioner Ogami Itto has been framed for disloyalty to the Shogunate by the Yagyu clan, against whom he now is waging a one-man war, along with his infant son, Daigoro.

The Tale of Zatoichi poster

The Tale of Zatoichi

1962

The adventures of a blind, gambling masseur and master swordsman. Zatoichi targets a yakuza-controlled village, because war with a neighbouring town's smaller gang is brewing.

Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell poster

Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell

1974

With most of his family already dead at Ogami Itto's hands, Retsudo launches one final plot to destroy him, and when that fails, unleashes the fury of every remaining member of the Yagyu clan.

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx poster

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx

1972

Ogami Itto battles a group of female ninja in the employ of the Yagyu clan and must eliminate a traitor who plans to sell his clan's secrets to the Shogunate.

The Hidden Blade poster

The Hidden Blade

2004

Set in 19th Century Japan a young samurai who finds himself in love with a farm girl leaves his home to begin a new life. He has to take stock of his new life when he is put to the test and ordered to kill a traitor who just happens to be his dearest friend.

Seven Samurai poster

Seven Samurai

1954

A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades poster

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades

1972

Ogami Itto volunteers to be tortured by Yakuza in order to save a prostitute and is hired by their leader to kill an evil chamberlain.

The Twilight Samurai poster

The Twilight Samurai

2002

Seibei Iguchi leads a difficult life as a low ranking samurai at the turn of the nineteenth century. A widower with a meager income, Seibei struggles to take care of his two daughters and senile mother. New prospects seem to open up when the beautiful Tomoe, a childhood friend, comes back into he and his daughters' life, but as the Japanese feudal system unravels, Seibei is still bound by the code of honor of the samurai and by his own sense of social precedence. How can he find a way to do what is best for those he loves?

Love and Honor poster

Love and Honor

2006

A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons poster

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons

1973

Ogami Itto is challenged by a quintet of warriors, each armed with one fifth of Ogami's assassin fee and one fifth of the information he needs to complete his assignment.

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril poster

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril

1972

Ogami Itto is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin and battles Retsudo, head of the Yagyu clan, and his son Gunbei.

Sanjuro poster

Sanjuro

1962

Toshiro Mifune swaggers and snarls to brilliant comic effect in Kurosawa's tightly paced, beautifully composed "Sanjuro." In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil influences, and in the process turns their image of a proper samurai on its ear.

Kagemusha poster

Kagemusha

1980

Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.

47 Ronin poster

47 Ronin

1994

Kon Ichikawa's retelling of the classic true story of Samurai honor. When a young clan lord is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), his loyal followers (now Ronin, masterless Samurai) dedicate their lives to avenging his death.

When the Last Sword Is Drawn poster

When the Last Sword Is Drawn

2003

Kanichiro Yoshimura is a Samurai and Family man who can no longer support his wife and children on the the low pay he receives from his small town clan, he is forced by the love for his family to leave for the city in search of higher pay to support them.

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Great Killing?

The top films similar to The Great Killing by MovieMagicScore are 13 Assassins (7.4), Eleven Samurai (7.6), Samurai Rebellion (8.2). Each shares action/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Great Killing worth watching?

The Great Killing holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.5/10 from 20 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is The Great Killing?

The Great Killing (1964) is a action, drama film directed by Eiichi Kudo, starring Tōru Abe, Mikijiro Hira, Yoshio Inaba.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Great Killing?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more action recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like 13 Assassins Movies like Eleven Samurai Movies like Samurai Rebellion Movies like Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor Movies like Harakiri Movies like Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance

About movies like The Great Killing

This ranked list pairs The Great Killing (1964), a action and drama film from Eiichi Kudo, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Tōru Abe take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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