Where to Watch in
Free
Plot
In the shifting sands of mid-19th Century Japan, three samurai comrades – Yaichiro, Munezo, and Samon – part ways as Yaichiro embarks on a prestigious assignment in the distant shogunate of Edo. Left behind in their clan's coastal fiefdom of Unasaka, Munezo leads a humble life with his mother and sister Shino, their existence shadowed by their father's forced suicide over an ill-fated bridge project. Their humble household is brightened by Kie, a peasant girl serving as their maid.
As the wheel of time spins, life reshapes their destinies. Shino enters matrimony with Samon, their mother passes on, and Kie marries into a merchant family. Meanwhile, Munezo grapples with the challenge of mastering western warfare techniques, an edict imposed by an emissary from Edo. When he learns of Kie's suffering at the hands of her in-laws, he gallantly rescues her, only to be reminded of the unbridgeable chasm of their social standings. Despite their mutual affection, he sends her back to her father's farm amid societal criticism.
Fate deals a harsh blow when Yaichiro, entangled in political treachery, is sent home in disgrace and confined in solitude. His escape triggers a bitter test of loyalty for Munezo, who is ordered to eliminate his old friend to prove his innocence. In preparation for this inevitable confrontation, Munezo turns to his former mentor, the revered sword master Kansai Toda. Toda, who had once entrusted Munezo with the secret of the "Hidden Blade" despite Yaichiro's superior skill, now imparts a new technique to aid his former pupil. As Munezo prepares to face his old friend, now a hostage-taker, the stage is set for a tense climax, where the past collides with the present and loyalties are tested to the limit.
Where to watch The Hidden Blade?
The Hidden Blade is a drama movie featuring Masatoshi Nagase.
The Hidden Blade is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.