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Sinopsis

“"Doku-ganryu Masamune" (One Eyed Dragon, 1942) is a typical example of Japanese period films made in the war-time. It was produced by Daiei studios and directed by seasoned filmmaker Inagaki, who had done many similar films already with the quality of his work varying. The film is based on a historical novel by Ishizaka Yojiro, and is an even blend of history, fiction, battles and politics.The film kicks off during battle in the early 17th century, where our protagonist Masamune Date (Kataoka Chiezo) loses an eye. He refuses to give up however, and is sent to further battles, proving himself to be a glorious military leader, and a prime example of Japanese manliness to the soldiers fighting in the present. The film is very masculine, with little time for female characters, and it sports a propagandist view of history. Like other historical films made during the war, it sees the past as a glorious place, from which contemporary Japanese can draw strength. The film is not pure action however, and has a somewhat nuanced plot-line, if you like the genre and can get over the monotonous characters.Inagaki made better films both before the war and after, but this is by no means a bad one. The acting is acceptable, the lead performance is charismatic and based on the sets, the film even had a budget slightly above that of the average war-time film.”