Why I love samurai movies

Most people think samurai movies are just sword fights and honor codes.

They're missing the point entirely.

I love samurai movies because they're actually about decision-making under pressure. Every great samurai film boils down to this: when everything is on the line, what choice do you make?

Take Seven Samurai. Yes, there are swords. But really it's about seven different approaches to an impossible problem. The veteran who's seen it all. The young hotshot. The reluctant master. Each represents a different philosophy of action.

The best samurai movies strip away all the noise of modern life. No phones buzzing. No endless options. Just: what do you stand for when it matters?

This is why I keep coming back to them when I'm stuck on a career decision or life choice. They remind me that complexity is often just an excuse for inaction.

In Yojimbo, the ronin walks into town with nothing but his sword and his wits. He doesn't have a five-year plan or a vision board. He just responds to what's in front of him, one move at a time.

That's how the best decisions get made.

Western movies love the lone hero too, but they're usually about conquering or claiming something. Samurai movies are different. They're about service, duty, and accepting what you cannot change while taking responsibility for what you can.

The samurai knows he might die today. This knowledge doesn't paralyse him, it focuses him. Every action becomes deliberate. Every word matters.

I started watching these films during a particularly chaotic period of my life. Endless hookups, conflicting advice, analysis paralysis. Then I'd watch Toshiro Mifune make a split-second decision that changes everything, and I'd remember: clarity comes from commitment, not from having perfect information.

The sword is just a tool. The real weapon is the mind that's been trained to cut through confusion and act with purpose.

Most samurai die in these movies. But they die having lived according to their principles. In our world of infinite distractions and endless pivoting, there's something magnetic about characters who know exactly who they are.

The cinematography helps too. Those long, static shots force you to sit with tension instead of jumping to the next scene. Modern movies are afraid of silence. Samurai movies embrace it.

In that silence, you hear your own thoughts more clearly.

So when people ask why I love samurai movies, I tell them: they're instruction manuals for life disguised as entertainment. They teach you that honor isn't about being perfect, it's about being consistent with your values when consistency is costly.

Plus, the sword fights are pretty great too.

But that's just the cherry on top.

SF.