Kamui Gaiden

is a 2009 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Sai, based on Sanpei Shirato's manga series of the same title. The film is written by Sai and Kankurō Kudō, starring Kenichi Matsuyama in the title role. It premiered at Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2009, to mixed reviews. The English version was released as Kamui and the film was retitled Kamui: The Lone Ninja on the home video. Plot The young Kamui is a runaway ninja who has abandoned his clan, now constantly pursued by assassins. His travels bring him to a seashore village where he meets Hanbei, a fisherman who shares the former ninja's sense of honor. Though Hanbei's wife is wary of the stranger, the fisherman and Kamui become good friends. Life at the seaside seems idyllic but Kamui does not get to enjoy the peace for very long when his past life is catching up on him, and everything and everyone is not as it seems. Now he must draw upon his shadowy arts if he hopes to escape with his life. Cast Kenichi Matsuyama as Kamui Kaoru Kobayashi as Hanbei Koyuki as Sugaru Kōichi Satō as Gumbei Hideaki Itō as Fudo Suzuka Ohgo as Sayaka Ekin Cheng as Dumok Sei Ashina as Mikumo Yûta Kanai as Yoshito Yukio Sakaguchi as Imperial Guard Production and release Kamui Gaiden was filmed in 2007–2008 at Nago, Okinawa. On April 1, 2011, Matsuyama married Koyuki whom he has met on the set of Kamui. In addition to Toronto Film Festival, it was also screened at London Film Festival in 2009, as well as at Rotterdam International Film Festival, Sci-Fi-London, the Asian Film Festival of Dallas and the Durban International Film Festival in 2010. The film was released as Kamui in the English version, and as Kamui: The Lone Ninja for the 2010 UK DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases by Manga Entertainment; it was also re-titled as Kamui - The Last Ninja by Cine-Asia in Germany.