【Saturday Cinema】Cat Samurai: Watch Adorable Cats Tame a Samurai

Text by / MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network Editorial Team, compiled and reported

The story is set in Edo City during the final years of the shogunate. Bamen Kitaro (played by Kazuki Kitamura), a wandering swordsman known for his ruthless reputation—earning titles like “Hundred-Man Slayer” and “Demon Slayer”—left his wife and children in their hometown and came to the city alone several years ago to make a living. However, fate was cruel, and he failed to secure an official position in the government, ending up as a wandering swordsman. One day, a group of uninvited guests disrupted the peaceful cottage where he was staying. They were from the dog-faction Mimasaka family, and the young master of the Mimasaka family, Saburouta, asked Bamen to assassinate the leader of the rival cat-faction Aikawa family—not the man himself, but his most beloved cat? Although the job wounded Bamen’s pride as a samurai, he agreed to take it for the money...

“Cat Samurai: The Movie” is the latest animal-healing period drama following “Neko Taxi” and “Shiba Inu.” The uniquely nicknamed “Bakeneko” sword master Bamen Kitaro is, of course, played by Kazuki Kitamura. From playing an ancient Roman in “Thermae Romae” to portraying a father alongside veteran actor Tatsuya Nakadai in “A Japanese Tragedy,” he has delivered a variety of distinctly different roles. He is not only a highly skilled superstar but also has a very strong personal flair.

 

Three cats play the role of Tamanojyo: Big Sakura, Little Sakura, and Little Eel. Each cat has its own specialty—for example, Big Sakura is calmer and takes on sleeping or static scenes, while Little Sakura, being lively and active, handles running-around scenes. Little Eel, who has the best chemistry with Kazuki Kitamura, naturally takes on the scenes interacting with him. Kazuki Kitamura revealed that he personally loves cats and had a great time filming with the three kittens. “We all worked together while being healed by the little cats.” It was truly blissful. The introspective monologues of Bamen’s inner thoughts, which were highly praised in the TV series, are naturally not absent in the movie version. There are also intense samurai sword fights and action scenes, with a story that smoothly shifts between action and calm, creating a highly cinematic period drama.