A Samurai in Time

{{Short description |2024 film by Jun'ichi Yasuda}}

{{Infobox film

| name = A Samurai in Time

| image = A Samurai in Time Poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name = {{Infobox name module|ja|侍タイムスリッパー}}

| director = Jun'ichi Yasuda

| writer =

| screenplay = Jun'ichi Yasuda

| story =

| based_on =

| producer =

| starring = Makiya Yamaguchi
Norimasa Fuke
Yuno Sakura
Rantaro Mine

| narrator =

| cinematography = Jun'ichi Yasuda

| editing = Jun'ichi Yasuda

| music =

| production_companies = Mirai Eiga-sha

| distributor = Mirai Eiga-sha

| released = {{Film date|2024|8|17|Japan|ref1=}}

| runtime = 131 minutes

| country = Japan

| language = Japanese

| budget = {{JPY|26 million}}{{cite web |url= https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2025/03/14/kiji/20250314s00041000361000c.html|title= 【日本アカデミー賞】わずか1館から「侍タイムスリッパー」作品賞! 安田監督と主演・山口馬木也が感涙|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 14 March 2025|website= Sponichi|language=ja}}

| gross = {{JPY|1 billion}}

}}

{{Nihongo|A Samurai in Time|侍タイムスリッパー|Samurai Taimu Surippā|lead=yes}} is a 2024 Japanese fantasy comedy film directed by Jun'ichi Yasuda.{{cite web |url= https://historica-kyoto.com/en/films/13021/|title= A Samurai in Time|access-date= 4 April 2025|website= Kyoto Historica International Film Festival}} it is a low-budget independent film produced for 26 million yen. Initially, it was shown in only one theater, but it gained popularity through word-of-mouth and expanded to more theaters. The media called it a "surprise hit reminiscent of One Cut of the Dead (2017)."{{cite web |url= https://www.crank-in.net/interview/154789/1|title= 『カメ止め』再来の呼び声高い『侍タイムスリッパー』の魅力に迫る! 安田淳一監督&ヒロイン・沙倉ゆうのを直撃|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 19 October 2024|website= Crank-in!|language=ja}}

Plot

Kosaka Shinzaemon, an Aizu samurai lived in Edo era, was struck by lightning and inexplicably transported to 2007 Japan. He found work as a kirareyaku (a stunt performer specializing in being 'cut down' in jidaigeki) and became successful. Then, to his surprise, he received a major role offer from movie star Kyoichiro Kazami.

Cast

  • Makiya Yamaguchi as Kosaka Shinzaemon, a samurai of the Aizu Domain
  • Norimasa Fuke as Kyoichiro Kazami, a movie star. His real name is Yamagata Hikokuro
  • Ken Shonozaki as young Yamagata Hikokuro, a samurai of the Chōshū Domain
  • Yuno Sakura as Yuko Yamamoto, an assistant director
  • Rantaro Mine as Sekimoto, a sword fighting instructor
  • Tsutomu Tamura as Kyotaro Nishiki, a star actor of Jidaiigeki
  • Yoshiharu Fukuda as the chief priest
  • Manko Kurenai as Setsuko
  • Hajime Inoue as Inoue, a studio director
  • Akinori Ando as Ando, an actor

Production

Director Jun'ichi Yasuda poured his own personal fortune into the production of this film.{{cite web |url= https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0145414|title= 製作費2,000万円は自腹! たった1館から大バズり『侍タイムスリッパー』安田淳一監督が振り返る"崖っぷち"の映画製作|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 12 October 2024|website= Cinematoday|language=ja}} Yuno Sakura, who appears in the film as an assistant director, also served as the actual assistant director.{{cite web |url= https://www.cinematoday.jp/page/A0009489|title= ついに見放題配信が開始!『侍タイムスリッパー』大ヒットのワケとココは何度でも観てもらいたい!|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 21 March 2025|website= Sports Hochi|language=ja}} Makiya Yamaguchi, who played the lead role, is an actor with a long career, but this was his first time starring in a film. Seizo Fukumoto was initially cast for the role of Sekimoto, but due to his passing, Rantaro Mine, Fukumoto's junior, was cast instead.

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable"
Award

! Category

! Recipient(s)

! Result

! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

rowspan=4|37th Nikkan Sports Film Awards

| Best Film

| rowspan=2| A Samurai in Time

| {{won}}

| rowspan=4|{{cite web |url= https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/202411120000571.html|title= 【映画大賞】主演男優賞に池松壮亮、仲野太賀、役所広司、山口馬木也、山田孝之/ノミネート一覧|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 13 November 2024|website= Nikkan Sports|language=ja}}
{{cite web |url= https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/award/ns-cinema/history/|title= 日刊スポーツ映画大賞 歴代受賞者・作品|access-date= 22 March 2025|website= Nikkan Sports|language=ja}}

Yūjirō Ishihara Award

| {{Nominated}}

Best Director

| Jun'ichi Yasuda

| {{won}}

Best Actor

| Makiya Yamaguchi

| {{won}}

rowspan=3|67th Blue Ribbon Awards

| Best Film

| A Samurai in Time

| {{won}}

| rowspan=3|{{cite web |url= https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/1007136?rct=entertainment|title= 第67回ブルーリボン賞候補決まる 「あんのこと」「正体」が最多4部門で選出 3部門で「碁盤斬り」「侍タイムスリッパー」「十一人の賊軍」「ラストマイル」|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 4 January 2025|website= Chunichi Shimbun|language=ja}}
{{cite web |url= https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/1017559?rct=entertainment|title= 「侍タイムスリッパー」が2冠 作品賞&山口馬木也が主演男優賞受賞【第67回ブルーリボン賞】|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 28 January 2025|website= Chunichi Shimbun|language=ja}}

Best Director

| Jun'ichi Yasuda

| {{Nominated}}

Best Actor

| Makiya Yamaguchi

| {{won}}

rowspan=7|48th Japan Academy Film Prize

| Best Film

| A Samurai in Time

| {{won}}

| rowspan=7|{{cite web |url= https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2364815/full/|title= 『第48回 日本アカデミー賞』受賞者・作品発表 優秀作品賞『侍タイムスリッパー』など5作品【受賞一覧】|access-date= 22 January 2025|date= 21 January 2025|website= Oricon|language=ja}}
{{cite web |url= https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2374207/full/|title= 【日本アカデミー賞】最優秀作品賞は『侍タイムスリッパー』 安田淳一監督&山口馬木也男泣き【受賞一覧あり】|access-date= 4 April 2025|date= 14 March 2025|website= Oricon|language=ja}}

Best Director

| rowspan=4|Jun'ichi Yasuda

| {{Nominated}}

Best Screenplay

| {{Nominated}}

Best Film Editing

| {{won}}

Best Cinematography

| {{Nominated}}

Best Actor

| Makiya Yamaguchi

| {{Nominated}}

Best Lighting Direction

| Kin'ya Doi, Hiroshi Hano and Jun'ichi Yasuda

| {{Nominated}}

References

{{Reflist}}