Lone Wolf and Cub - Collection 2 Out

Lone Wolf and Cub - Collection 2 was released on June 22, 2010.  I just checked with Amazon and it was available.  I will buy it from my local mom and pop bookstore, but they have not received their shipment, yet. I can't wait to buy it.

Kinnosuke Nakamura (Yorozuya)

Kinnosuke Nakamura (Yorozuya after 1971) (1932 - 1997), was a trained kabuki actor who made his name in the jidaigeki genre of films.  He made over 140 films.  He has portrayed just about every famous samurai in Japanese history, including Miyamoto Mushashi, Sakamoto Ryoma and Yagyu Munenori.  Interestingly, I don't think he ever played Munenori's son, Jubei. Of his fictional characters, I believe his best known is as Ogami Itto, the main character in the series Lone Wolf and Cub.

Kinnosuke is one of my favorite actors.  I grew up watching Lone Wolf and Cub on tv, and I've probably seen his portrayal of Miyamoto Musashi while growing up also, but I don't remember.  I know I watched a few series on Mushashi, but don't know who played the lead in those series. Wacthing a lot of jidaigeki over the past couple of years again, I have come across a lot of his films, and I've always enjoyed his performance, especially in the Lone Wolf and Cub television series. 

Here is a clip of Kinnosuke Nakamura playing Miyamoto Mushashi in the famous duel between Mushashi and Kojiro Sasaki

Lone Wolf and Cub

Itto Ogami is one of the most famous swordsman in Japanese fiction.  The story originated in a manga (Japanese comic book) in 1970 by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima. 

The story is about Itto Ogami, who is the official executioner for the Shogun.  The Yagyu family desires to hold his position.  So, what do they do?  They frame him.  Instead of committing seppeuku, Ogami escapes and declares that he will take revenge upon the Yagyu clan.  The individual stories revolve around two themes.  One, his battle with the Yagyu Clan.  Second, he needs to raise money to fight the Yagyus and restore the Ogami name.  He does this by hiring himself out as an assassin for 500 ryo (don't ask me to translate - only that was a lot of money). His nickname is Lone Wolf and Cub because the cub is his three year old son, Daigoro.

In addition to the manga, there is an incomplete English language adaptation by First Comics, and a complete one by Dark Horse Publishing. Several several screen adaptations have also been made.  Two of the best known screen adaptions are the Six movies in which Tomisaburo Wakayama plays the Ogami, and the television series which Kinnosuke Nakamura plays Ogami. 

There is a debate whether the films or the tv series are more enjoyable, but I like both adaptations.

Here is a trailer to the film theatrical version starring Tomisaburo Wakayama.