THE SAMURAI TRILOGY, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki (THE RICKSHAW MAN) and starring the inimitable Toshiro Mifune (SEVEN SAMURAI), was one of Japan's most successful exports of the 1950s, a rousing, emotionally gripping tale of combat and self-discovery. Based on a novel that's often called JAPAN'S GONE WITH THE WIND, this sweeping saga fictionalizes the life of the legendary seventeenth-century swordsman (and writer and artist) Musashi Miyamoto, following him on his path from unruly youth to enlightened warrior. With these three films -1954's Oscar-winning MUSASHI MIYAMOTO, 1955's DUEL AT ICHIJOJI TEMPLE, and 1956's DUEL AT GANRYU ISLAND Inagaki created a passionate epic that's equal parts tender love story and bloody action.

The film that helped inspire the western classic "A Fistful of Dollars," Akira Kurosawa's "Yojimbo" (1961) is a sly commentary on the action movie genre that follows a war-weary samurai (Toshiro Mifune) who becomes the champion of a small village caught in the grip of a feud between two rival factions. With Kamatari Fujiwara, Eijiro Tono. And, Mifune returns as the somewhat shabby samurai "Sanjuro" (1962) in Kurosawa's rousing sequel. This time, he comes to the aid of nine young warriors attempting to bring about the end of a corrupt regime. Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiju Kobayashi, Takashi Shimura also star. 3 2/3 hrs. Total. on two discs. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack Japanese DTS HD 3.0 Master Audio; Subtitles English. In Japanese with English subtitles.

The residents of an impoverished farming village in 16th-century Japan, anticipating an attack by bandits after harvest, hire seven ronin to defend them. Upon arrival, the warriors set about to train, secure the village, and surprise their attackers with a ferocious onslaught. Often cited as one of the greatest films ever made, director Akira Kurosawa's epic adventure stars Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, and Yoshio Inaba star. 3 1/2 hrs. Standard; Soundtrack Japanese DTS HD Master Audio; Subtitles English; audio commentary; documentaries; interviews; photo gallery; theatrical trailers. In Japanese with English subtitles. Three-disc set.