Kikyo – The Return
| Kikyo – The Return | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 帰郷 | |
| Directed by | Shigemichi Sugita |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Kikyō by Shuhei Fujisawa |
| Produced by | Tomoyuki Miyagawa |
| Starring | Tatsuya Nakadai |
| Cinematography | Shoji Ehara |
| Music by | Takashi Kako |
Release dates | |
Running time | 119 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Kikyo – The Return (Japanese: 帰郷, Hepburn: Kikyō) is a 2019 Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Shigemichi Sugita and starring Tatsuya Nakadai.[1]
Premise
The film is set during the Edo period, the first half of the 19th century. The lead character, an old gambler who has fallen ill, returns to his hometown after 30 years of traveling and sets out to help a young woman in dire straits.
Cast
- Tatsuya Nakadai as Unokichi, the gambler
- Kazuki Kitamura as younger Unokichi (in flashbacks)
- Takako Tokiwa as Okuni, the young woman
- Atsuo Nakamura as Boss Kyuzo, who became the yakuza leader in Unokichi's hometown
- Jiro Sato as Eiji
- Naoto Ogata as Okuni's husband Genta
- Isao Hashizume as Saichi
- Ayumi Tanida as Asakichi
- Aki Maeda as Oaki (in flashbacks)
- Misato Tanaka as Otoshi (in flashbacks)
- Yoshiko Mita as Okou (in flashbacks)
Background and production
The film was based on a short story by Shuhei Fujisawa with the same name. It was the first 8K historical drama ever produced by the Jidaigeki Senmon Channel.[2] It was directed by Shigemichi Sugita.[3]
Release
The film premiered worldwide at MIPCOM in Cannes on 15 October 2019.[4] It debuted in Japan at the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival on 4 November 2019[2] and was released in theaters in January 2020.
A year later, in January 2021, it was aired in 8K resolution on the NHK BS8K channel.[5]
The film was released on DVD in Japan;[6] a version with English subtitles is also available. A Hindi-dubbed version was released as a 3-part miniseries on the video streaming service MX Player (now Amazon MX Player).[7]
References
- ^ "World Premiere of Japanese Costume Drama "Kikyo - The Return," Produced by Samurai Drama Channel." 共同通信PRワイヤー. October 30, 2019.
- ^ a b "【イベントレポート】仲代達矢の時代劇「帰郷」フランスの見本市で初上映、常盤貴子と佐藤二朗が参加". Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). October 17, 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "「帰郷」仲代達矢の気迫に常盤貴子が感嘆、緒形直人は「惨敗です」". Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). January 17, 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "仲代達矢が主演務めた8K時代劇「帰郷」、フランスの映像見本市mipcomに出品". 映画ナタリー (in Japanese). No. Eiga Natalie. August 28, 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202012048168
- ^ https://www.yodobashi.com/product/100000009003311234/
- ^ https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/entertainment/mx-player-has-announced-multiple-international-shows-that-will-premiere-in-july-521775/