Kagemusha 1980

In 1571, during Japan’s tumultuous Sengoku period, Takeda Shingen, a powerful daimyō and leader of the Takeda clan, stumbled upon an unlikely discovery - a thief whose uncanny resemblance to himself would prove to be a game-changer. Spared from execution by Shingen’s brother Nobukado, the thief was deemed a valuable asset as a double, or kagemusha, designed to deceive and mislead enemies. This clever ruse would become crucial in the face of war, as Shingen’s army laid siege to Tokugawa Ieyasu’s stronghold.

Tragedy struck when Shingen fell victim to an enemy archer’s arrow while mesmerized by the sweet sounds of a flute drifting from the enemy camp. Despite his grave wound, he ordered his forces to retreat and instructed his generals to keep his passing a secret for three long years. Meanwhile, his rivals - Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Uesugi Kenshin - remained oblivious to Shingen’s demise.

Nobukado presented the thief-turned-double to Shingen’s generals, proposing that he assume the late warlord’s role full-time. Initially unaware of Shingen’s death, the imposter stumbled upon his preserved corpse in a large jar, mistakenly believing it contained treasure. The generals soon grew wary of their new ‘Shingen’ and released him. Later, the jar containing the deceased warlord was unceremoniously dropped into Lake Suwa, where spies working for the Tokugawa and Oda forces bore witness to the macabre scene.

Suspecting that Shingen had indeed met his maker, these spies hastened to report their findings, only to be outmaneuvered by the thief-turned-kagemusha. Returning to the Takeda fold, he successfully duped Shingen’s retinue with impressive mimicry of the late warlord’s mannerisms and gestures. When called upon to preside over a crucial clan meeting, the imposter was instructed by Nobukado to remain silent until the generals reached a consensus, after which he would simply concur and dismiss the gathering.

However, Shingen’s son Katsuyori was incensed by his father’s decree of secrecy, which delayed his inheritance and leadership of the clan. He thus decided to test the imposter in front of the council, many members still unaware of Shingen’s true fate. Katsuyori confronted the imposter directly, asking for guidance on the course of action to take, but the kagemusha convincingly responded in Shingen’s own style, further impressing the gathered generals.

As Nobunaga’s momentum builds in 1573, he unleashes his military might against Azai Nagamasa, striving to maintain his grip on Kyoto amidst mounting opposition. Meanwhile, Katsuyori of the Takeda clan, egged on by a sense of bravado, defies the counsel of his generals and launches a counter-attack against the Tokugawa and Oda forces. The kagemusha, a masterful strategist, assumes command in the Battle of Takatenjin, galvanizing his troops to victory through sheer force of will. However, as the battle rages on, this imposter attempts to ride Shingen’s notoriously temperamental steed, only to be thrown off and exposed for who he truly is - a pretender to the throne. The ensuing chaos allows Katsuyori to seize control of the clan, while the Oda and Tokugawa forces capitalize on the Takeda’s momentary weakness by launching a full-scale assault into their territory.

By 1575, with Katsuyori firmly at the helm of the Takeda army, he leads a bold counter-attack against Nobunaga’s forces at Nagashino. Although his troops display valor in their charge, wave after wave of Takeda cavalry and infantry is decimated by withering volleys of gunfire from Oda arquebusiers sheltered behind sturdy wooden stockades. As the Takeda army crumbles beneath the relentless barrage, the kagemusha - now revealed as a mere mortal - takes up a spear in desperation and charges headlong into the fray before being struck down by an Oda marksman’s bullet. With his final breath, he vainly attempts to reclaim the fūrinkazan banner, which had fallen into the river, ultimately succumbing to his wounds as his body is borne away by the current.