Yojimbo (1961)
A masterless samurai ignites a darkly comic gang war between rival merchants in a gritty, suspenseful feudal village.
A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.
How intense is Yojimbo?
Yojimbo is not scary, with light gore and strong violence. Emotionally it carries some weight. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch. The humor runs dry.
What Yojimbo feels like
- Tone
- grittypulpysuspensefuldarkly comic
- Pace
- Measured
- Humor
- dry and witty
- Best for
- Full attention
Where to stream Yojimbo
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 16, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Yojimbo for you?
Is Yojimbo scary?
No. Yojimbo is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is Yojimbo gory or violent?
Light gore (1 of 3) and strong violence (2 of 3).
Is Yojimbo sad or heavy?
A little. There is some emotional weight (1 of 3), but it is not a heavy watch.
How long is Yojimbo?
Yojimbo runs 1h 50m.
Where can I stream Yojimbo?
Yojimbo is streaming on Max and Criterion.
Does Yojimbo have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Yes. It lands on a happy note.
Cast and crew
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