The Profound Influence of Akira Kurosawa’s Samurai Masterpiece
“The greatest living example of all that an author of the cinema should be.”
(Frederico Fellini after viewing Seven Samurai)
Whether Seven Samurai is the most influential Japanese film ever made might be up for debate. However, there is no disputing that Kurosawa's innovative approach to filmmaking, though influenced by Hollywood, irrevocably altered the course of film history.
Without Seven Samurai, there would be no Magnificent Seven. Without Akira Kurosawa's samurai innovation, Star Wars wouldn’t have been the same. And without Toshiro Mifune’s Kikuchiyo, iconic characters like the Man With No Name (Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy), John McClane (Die Hard), or Star-Lord (Guardians of the Galaxy) might never have existed.
The list goes on. Seven Samurai has influenced countless filmmakers since its inception. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Stanley Kubrick, and Ingmar Bergman have all expressed their awe for Kurosawa’s film.
Related article: Against all Odds, Rashomon Changed Japanese Film Forever After!
It all began with a simple idea. Kurosawa wanted to make a film about a day in the life of an unfortunate samurai. After several scrapped scripts, he ended up with an epic tale that deconstructed the myth of the samurai. His nuanced view showcased the humanity of these warriors and their selective adherence to the bushido code of honor.
Seven Samurai is, first and foremost, a tale of tactics, demonstrating how seven warriors could defeat an onslaught of 40 bandits. In the process, while employing lessons from Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Kurosawa crafted his own doctrine: the art of cinema. His pioneering approach to filmmaking became the blueprint for directors worldwide for decades to come.
Read on as we delve into how Seven Samurai shaped some of the most iconic films of our time.
Contents:
Akira Kurosawa’s Groundbreaking Vision
Akira Kurosawa's vision for Seven Samurai was nothing short of revolutionary. He aimed to create a film that was both entertaining and profound. With meticulous attention to detail, he brought his vision to life, redefining the samurai genre and establishing storytelling techniques that filmmakers still use today.
Kurosawa greatly admired the works of John Ford and incorporated elements of Westerns into his film. This fusion of Japanese and American styles gave Seven Samurai a unique flavor.
Building on Hollywood staples, Kurosawa's character development and plot structure set a new standard. For one, each of the seven samurai is distinct, contributing to a layered and engaging storyline. The film's structure, with its clear three-act format, has since become a go-to template for many Hollywood blockbusters.
“Kurosawa’s films had an awe-inspiring power; physical and graphic.”
(Martin Scorcese)
Furthermore, Kurosawa’s use of weather to enhance the mood and intensity of critical moments proved highly influential on overseas filmmakers. Heavy rain has since enriched iconic scenes in films such as Blade Runner, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, much like it did in Seven Samurai.
The latter two films also employed large battle scenes where a smaller group of outnumbered heroes takes on an overwhelming foe. This parallels Seven Samurai, which introduced the "assembling the team" trope.
This narrative device—now a staple in many genres—showcases how individuals with unique skills come together to achieve a common goal. In hindsight, the trope is evident in films like The Magnificent Seven, Ocean's Eleven, and even superhero movies like The Avengers.
The "assembling the team" trope also carries over to Mad Max: Fury Road, where a band of misfits rises up against oppressors with the help of a tough outsider.
One explicit homage to Kurosawa’s film is when Tom Hardy’s Max ventures into the fog to take down the villainous Bullet Farmer, echoing Kyūzō’s solo venture in Seven Samurai. When Max returns victorious through the smog, he directly channels Kyūzō’s silent yet deadly prowess.
From Westerns and science fiction to war films and action movies, Seven Samurai continues to inspire and shape the world of cinema. The film’s themes of underdog perseverance and strategic superiority, coupled with its innovative visual style, made it a timeless masterpiece with a global impact few films can match, if any.
Iconic Directors Under the Influence of Seven Samurai
The impact of Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai extends beyond genre and era, influencing some of the most iconic directors in film history. Before diving into its impact on the Western genre, Star Wars and Quentin Tarantino, let’s consider how it shaped the filmmaking of Stanley Kubrick, Ingmar Bergman, and Steven Spielberg.
Stanley Kubrick's Kurosawa Connection
Stanley Kubrick's meticulous approach to filmmaking and his innovative visual style bear the unmistakable influence of Akira Kurosawa, particularly Seven Samurai. Kubrick admired Kurosawa’s knack for combining deep character studies with intricate, compelling narratives—a quality that shines throughout Kubrick's own films.
Kubrick’s dynamic camera movements, precise framing, thematic depth, and attention to visual composition reflect Kurosawa’s techniques. Moreover, his films often explore themes of honor, sacrifice, and the human condition, much like Seven Samurai.
According to Kubrick’s daughter and film team, he held Kurosawa’s films in very high regard, especially Seven Samurai, Rashomon, and Throne of Blood. Kubrick’s right-hand man, Jan Harlan, and long-time assistant, Anthony Frewin, noted that Kubrick considered Kurosawa one of the greatest directors and followed his work closely.
This admiration was mutual. In the late 1990s, Kurosawa wrote a fan letter to Kubrick, which supposedly meant more to him than any film awards. Kubrick spent months drafting a reply, but sadly, by the time he decided to write back, Kurosawa had passed away, leaving Kubrick deeply upset.
Ingmar Bergman's Samurai Spirit
Ingmar Bergman’s exploration of human psychology and existential themes aligns perfectly with the deep character studies in Seven Samurai. Bergman appreciated Kurosawa’s ability to delve into the human psyche and portray complex emotions, a sentiment well-documented through their personal correspondence.
Bergman, known for his trademark self-deprecating humor, once described his film The Virgin Spring as “a lousy imitation of Kurosawa,” humorously adding, “At that time, my admiration for the Japanese cinema was at its height. I was almost a samurai myself!”
The mutual respect between the two directors is evident in Bergman’s films, where his use of close-ups and dramatic lighting to emphasize emotional intensity echoes Kurosawa’s directing style.
The profound impact of Seven Samurai on Bergman is also seen in his narrative structures, where character development and interpersonal dynamics drive the story. Both directors shared a commitment to exploring the depths of human nature through their films.
Steven Spielberg’s Kurosawa Influence
Steven Spielberg has often cited Akira Kurosawa as one of his primary influences, listing Seven Samurai as one of his all-time favorite films. Spielberg adopted Kurosawa's vision of combining deep character studies with intricate narratives into his filmmaking.
Seven Samurai’s themes of heroism, sacrifice, and the fight against overwhelming odds are prevalent in Spielberg’s films, such as Saving Private Ryan and Indiana Jones.
“All the time I spent with Kurosawa’s films have done so much to inspire me to be a better filmmaker.”
(Steven Spielberg)
Taking cues from Kurosawa’s dynamic camera movements, sweeping landscapes, and intricate action sequences, Spielberg fashioned his own filmmaking language. For instance, his tension and emotional depth within action scenes are akin to that in Seven Samurai.
Additionally, Spielberg's emphasis on character-driven stories and moral dilemmas mirrors Kurosawa’s exploration of the human condition in films like Rashomon, Ikiru, Seven Samurai, and High and Low.
Seven Samurai’s Impact on the Western Genre
Upon its release, Seven Samurai greatly influenced American Westerns. Its themes of honor, duty, and sacrifice resonate deeply with the Western genre. Likewise, the narrative structure of assembling a diverse group of individuals for a common cause became a staple in many Westerns, the most famous example being The Magnificent Seven.
The Magnificent Seven Connection
One of the most direct connections between Seven Samurai and American Westerns is the Magnificent Seven remake. This film transposes the story of Seven Samurai to the American frontier, replacing samurai with gunslingers.
The themes of protecting the helpless and fighting against oppression remain central, showcasing the narrative's universal appeal. The Magnificent Seven retains the essence of Seven Samurai while adapting it to the cultural context of the American West.
The characters, though reimagined, maintain the core traits and motivations of their samurai counterparts, a trend that spread like wildfire throughout the Western genre after Seven Samurai was released.
However, as much as American filmmakers took inspiration from Kurosawa, his impact was arguably even bigger in Europe.
Seven Samurai’s Influence on Sergio Leone
Seven Samurai significantly influenced spaghetti Westerns, a subgenre of Western films that emerged in the 1960s. This movement, primarily consisting of Italian filmmakers, was spearheaded by an up-and-coming director named Sergio Leone.
Leone drew heavily from Kurosawa’s work—so heavily that Toho sued him for copyright infringement of Yojimbo after seeing A Fistful of Dollars. As a result, Leone had to pay Toho 15 percent of the proceeds from the film, which supposedly made Kurosawa more money than he earned from the original film.
Relevant article: Kurosawa's Yojimbo | The Tale of a Super-Samurai
Leone’s subsequent films are also known for their stylistic parallels to Seven Samurai, including the use of wide shots, dynamic compositions, and intense close-ups.
His gritty realism, intricate storytelling, complex characters, and blurred lines between heroism and villainy can also be traced back to the innovations in Seven Samurai.
Though Leone had to pay a price for borrowing too much from Yojimbo, his incorporation of Kurosawa’s techniques helped elevate spaghetti Westerns, making them wildly popular and influential.
The popularity of Leone’s films, especially The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, contributed to more widespread adoption of Kurosawa’s dynamic camera movements, meticulous framing, and rhythmic editing techniques.
Star Wars Parallels in Seven Samurai
George Lucas’s admiration for Kurosawa is well-documented, and the parallels between Seven Samurai and Star Wars are numerous and significant. For instance, the concept of a group of individuals with unique skills coming together to fight a greater evil is a recurring theme in Star Wars.
Just as the villagers in Seven Samurai recruit samurai to defend their home, the Rebel Alliance gathers heroes to battle the oppressive Galactic Empire. This structure allows for rich character development and dynamic interactions, both hallmarks of Kurosawa’s influence.
Another obvious parallel is the character archetypes. In Seven Samurai, each warrior has a distinct personality and skill set, contributing uniquely to the group’s mission. This is mirrored in Star Wars, where characters like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia each bring their strengths to the Rebel cause.
“He’s (Kurosawa) had a tremendous influence on my life, and on my work, and on my sensitivity toward visual storytelling.”
(George Lucas)
The theme of sacrifice is yet another parallel. In Seven Samurai, the makeshift alliance risks and often loses their lives to protect the villagers. Similarly, in Star Wars, the Rebel heroes face great dangers and make significant sacrifices to defeat the Empire. The notion of selfless heroism and the greater good is a central theme in both stories.
Furthermore, the meticulous composition, dynamic camera movements, and use of weather to heighten the drama in Seven Samurai are techniques that Lucas adopted in his films. The iconic visual style of Star Wars, with its sweeping landscapes and intricate battle scenes, parallels that of Seven Samurai on many accounts.
Likewise, similarities creep through the woodwork in the epic battles of Star Wars. The intense, well-choreographed fight sequences in Seven Samurai set a benchmark for cinematic combat. Lucas’s space battles and lightsaber duels reflect the same attention to detail and dramatic tension.
Kikuchiyo, Han Solo’s Japanese ancestor
Many have noticed the similarities between Mifune’s character, Kikuchiyo, and Han Solo. Both characters exhibit a defiant and immature demeanor, adding comic relief to their respective narratives.
Kikuchiyo’s drunken antics and penchant for lying for personal gain mirror Han Solo's initial focus on personal rewards over ethical motivations.
Similarly, the wise, experienced mentor figure in Seven Samurai, embodied by Kambei, finds its counterpart in Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. Both characters guide and train the younger heroes, imparting wisdom and strategic knowledge. This mentor-student dynamic is a key element in both films.
An interesting side note is that George Lucas actually offered Toshiro Mifune the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi. According to Mifune’s daughter, he turned it down, fearing it would cheapen the image of the samurai.
While this anecdote highlights Lucas's admiration for Kurosawa and Mifune, it's important to remember that both his story and the character of Han Solo are argued to be inspired just as much by Frank Herbert’s Dune and the character Duncan Idaho. Presumably, Lucas, just like Solo, lent a little bit here and a little bit there and ended up saving the day.
Kikuchiyo's journey from a self-serving liar to a dedicated warrior parallels Han Solo's transformation. Initially, Han Solo seeks to rescue Princess Leia for the reward money but ultimately joins the fight against the Empire for moral reasons.
This shift in Han Solo's character harkens back to Kikuchiyo, who, despite his playful and erratic behavior, becomes a severe and effective fighter in the final battle. Both characters highlight a trajectory of redemption, moving from self-interest to selflessness. Their growth enhances the dramatic tension in their stories, showcasing how even the most unlikely heroes can rise to the occasion.
Kurosawa and Lucas use these contrasting character types to deepen the emotional impact of their films and emphasize the themes of honor and sacrifice.
Extended Universe and Canonical Stories
Beyond the original trilogy, Seven Samurai has influenced various Star Wars stories within the expanded universe and canonical series.
In the early Star Wars comics, Han Solo and Chewbacca assemble a group of warriors to defend a village, mirroring the plot of Seven Samurai. Similarly, in The Clone Wars series, Jedi and bounty hunters defend a farming community from pirates, echoing the film’s narrative.
More recently, an episode of The Mandalorian features Din Djarin and Cara Dune protecting a village from raiders, directly referencing the storyline of Seven Samurai.
These adaptations showcase how Kurosawa’s influence continues to permeate Star Wars media, reinforcing the timeless appeal and narrative power of Seven Samurai.
Quentin Tarantino links to Seven Samurai
Quentin Tarantino is well-known for his penchant for film references, often nodding to cinematic legends like Sergio Leone, Martin Scorsese, and Akira Kurosawa.
While Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction owe more to the Rashomon Effect than to Seven Samurai, Tarantino's delving into each character's backstories and motivations echoes Kurosawa's fleshing out of the warriors in Seven Samurai.
Each character in Reservoir Dogs has a distinct personality and backstory, contributing to the overall narrative complexity—something Tarantino took many steps further in Pulp Fiction. The latter film's structure, piecing together various stories to form a cohesive whole, is akin to the individual stories of the samurai and villagers in Seven Samurai.
Not to forget the scene in which Butch (Bruce Willis) chooses his weapon to free Marsellus Wallace, ending up with a Hattori Hanzo katana in his hands. Admittedly, the ensuing bloodshed parallels Kurosawa’s Sanjuro more than Seven Samurai, and even more so in Kill Bill when Uma Thurman’s Black Mamba hacks through an army of assassins.
The excessive bloodshed started as a fluke in Sanjuro when an overpressurized hose resulted in a dramatic eruption of fake blood during a fight scene. Kurosawa decided to leave the splatter in the final cut, leading to filmmakers like Tarantino embracing outlandish amounts of blood.
This graphic violence carried over to Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, which bear a greater resemblance to Seven Samurai. In Django Unchained, Tarantino borrowed several camera tricks and cinematic techniques from Kurosawa’s classic.
One notable moment involves hooded raiders coming over a crested hill on horseback, a direct homage to a similar scene in Seven Samurai.
Looking at Tarantino’s Westerns, Kurosawa’s lineage shines through, moving from Seven Samurai via Leone’s Dollars Trilogy, breaking outlandish ground in Star Wars before landing in The Hateful Eight.
The Legacy of Toshiro Mifune’s Kikuchiyo
Toshiro Mifune’s portrayal of Kikuchiyo was a seminal performance that influenced a wide range of characters in modern-day cinema. Kikuchiyo is a complex character who blends humor, pathos, and raw energy, creating an archetype that resonated far beyond Japanese shores.
The Birth of an Archetype: The Devil-May-Care Lone Wolf
Kikuchiyo embodies the archetype of the devil-may-care lone wolf, a character who appears reckless and comedic but ultimately shows depth, displays courage, and turns into the linchpin of the story.
Like Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, he jumps into the lake to catch a fish, jumping with joy when gutting and biting into his prey. It hardly seems coincidental; neither do their character arcs. Seven Samurai wouldn’t be the same without Kikuchiyo's saving grace, just like The Lord of the Rings would stumble and fall on its own sword without Gollum.
The Kikuchiyo archetype has since become a staple in cinema, influencing numerous iconic characters who balance irreverence with heroism, like the aforementioned Han Solo. At first, Solo comes off as self-serving, but over time, he reveals a deeper sense of loyalty and bravery.
The character's evolution from a rogue smuggler to a key leader in the Rebel Alliance reflects Kikuchiyo's journey from a wild outsider to a respected member of the samurai squad. And the devil-may-care lone wolf archetype spread like wildfire in films all over the world.
Where Would Die Hard Be Without Kikuchiyo?
Few characters mirror Kikuchiyo’s devil-may-care attitude better than John McClane (Bruce Willis) in Die Hard. Both sport a rough exterior but ultimately show a strong commitment to doing what’s right, even at great personal risk.
McClane’s wisecracking, everyman persona and his knack for rising to the occasion in the face of overwhelming odds echo Kikuchiyo’s blend of humor and heroism. And let’s not forget the iconic catchphrase "yippee-ki-yay"—about as close as you can get to mimicking Mifune's spirited shrieks and yells when bandits attack.
Star-Lord, Iron Man, Deadpool, and Captain America
The MCU is chock-full of wisecracking devil-may-care archetypes, like Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, in Guardians of the Galaxy, or Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. These characters are selfish on the surface yet charming and capable of unexpected heroism.
Then there’s the dynamic duo of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America, which feels like a page ripped straight from Seven Samurai’s playbook. It turns out that the archetypes from feudal Japan fit right in with today’s superhero flicks.
The relationship between Iron Man and Captain America mirrors that of Kikuchiyo and Kambei in Seven Samurai. Tony Stark, with his sarcastic wit, rebellious streak, and eventual growth into a selfless hero, parallels Kikuchiyo's journey. Steve Rogers, embodying honor, leadership, and strategic thinking, reflects Kambei's characteristics.
The Enduring Influence of Seven Samurai
Looking back at Seven Samurai, it might seem like a rehash of your average moviemaking standards. However, Kurosawa was an early innovator of the tropes that continue to shape how movies are made today.
To this day, Seven Samurai remains a touchstone for filmmakers and audiences alike. Its profound influence and timeless appeal have ensured its relevance in modern pop culture, inspiring countless homages and references across various media.
Its storytelling techniques and thematic depth have been adapted into literature, TV series, manga, and anime. Video games like Final Fantasy and Ghost of Tsushima draw heavily from the samurai ethos and visual style introduced by Kurosawa.
As such, Seven Samurai is unquestionably one of the greatest films ever made, but Kurosawa’s legacy extends far beyond that. His films are not only cinematic masterpieces but also rich studies of human nature, morality, and societal issues.
His ability to blend action with deep emotional and philosophical undertones has influenced directors worldwide, paving the way for future generations to explore new ways of storytelling.
“Let me say it simply … Kurosawa was my master, and so many others”
(Martin Scorcese)
Resources
Akira Kurosawa Info: Stanley Kubrick’s favourites, including Kurosawa
Davies, Brett - Meiji University: Droids and Peasants: Akira Kurosawa’s Thematic Influence on the Star Wars Saga
Far Out: “Let us hold out together for the sake of movies” – Read Akira Kurosawa’s letter to Ingmar Bergman
Pop Matters: ‘Seven Samurai’ Spawned a Subgenre All of Its Own
US Embassy Japan: A Japanese Director’s Lasting Influence on American Cinema