With the genre now being over 100 years old, it is considerably difficult to bring something new to the Jidaigeki or Chanbara. Kazuya Shiraishi’s 11 Rebels may not reinvent the genre, but the talented director manages to make what is an otherwise traditional swordplay drama feel fresh, with his film featuring excellent performances, beautiful production design and a generous helping of intense action scenes. These elements combine to make 11 Rebels one of the better Jidagekis to appear in some time.
Taking place during Japan’s Boshin war, the film opens by introducing us to lowly laborer Masa (Takayuki Yamada) who has been sentenced to death after seeking out and murdering the Samurai who raped his wife. He is saved from the executioner by representatives of the Shibata Clan, who recruit him alongside ten other convicts to assist in the defense of a seemingly important fortress. Promised a pardon if they succeed, it quickly becomes apparent that this is a suicide mission, with our 11 rebels facing off against insurmountable odds.
It was initially the involvement of director Kazuya Shiraishi that piqued my interest. Several years ago he helmed the labyrinthine crime thriller The Blood of Wolves (2018). Like 11 Rebels, The Blood of Wolves homaged many classics of Japanese cinema, whilst at the same time filtering these traditional story elements through more modern sensibilities. Whereas 11 Rebels brings to mind the works of Akira Kurosawa or Kihachi Okamoto, The Blood of Wolves clearly took inspiration from the many Yakuza classics from Kinji Fukasaku.
Ironically, the original story for 11 Rebels comes from Kazuo Kasahara who contributed to many of those Fukasaku classics such as Battles Without Honour and Humanity (1973) and Yakuza Graveyard (1976) to name a couple. His story has been updated by screenwriter Ikegami Junya, a regular collaborator of Shiraishi’s having worked on the previously mentioned The Blood of Wolves and its sequel as well as Twisted Justice (2016).
Although Shiraishi brings his modern sensibilities to proceedings, the original story elements make this feel more like a traditional Samurai epic unlike many of its more recent counterparts. This could be partly because Kasahara wrote his original script which 11 Rebels is based on way back in 1964, with it being shelved at the time. Sadly Kasahara never lived to see his script being produced, with him passing away in 2002.
Although Shiraishi’s The Blood of Wolves and 11 Rebels take place centuries apart, they are extremely similar in tone. It isn’t surprising to see what would have attracted Shiraishi to the material, with both dealing with the corruption of those in power and the morally ambiguous characters that surround them. While the plot line may evoke allusions to Seven Samurai (1954), unlike that film there aren’t many characters here you could classify as out and out heroes. Even those who stray more towards the traditional idea of what a Samurai has questionable morals, with them allowing a lot of evil acts to unfold before deciding on the right thing to do.
This is the aspect that makes 11 Rebels more appealing. Of course, we’ve had countless chanbara films focusing on anti heroes. One just has to look at the classic Lone Wolf & Cub (1972) series for the perfect example of this. Still, lead character Ogami Ittō still followed a code of honor, something that is absent from a fair few of our lead roster of characters in 11 Rebels. However, as the film progresses, loyalties begin to be forged with many finding their inner courage and rising to the occasion. It is still an action movie after all, so you still want to be rooting for your “heroes” when the time comes.
It does help that the villains are a horrible lot, which makes it so much easier to side with the titular rebels. No matter the success of the rebels, the Shibata clan’s plan is to betray them. Shiraishi has a clear fondness for the underdog, with him painting a damning picture of the Samurai code and its tendency to look down upon the lower classes.
As he did in The Blood of Wolves, Shiraishi gets great performances from his cast. Notably some get to make more of an impression than others. Due to the nature of the plot, not all of the rebels are as fleshed out or get the same amount of screen time. Even so, the ensemble cast Shiraishi has assembled manages to hold the audience’s attention.
Leading the charge is Takayuki Yamada as Masa, who if we were to compare this with Seven Samurai would be the Toshiro Mifune of the group. Not without courage, but he lacks the skills of his fellow rebels. This doesn’t stop Yamada from capturing the audience’s attention with him essentially operating as the film’s lead.
The closest 11 Rebels has to a traditional hero would be Taiga Washio’s Nakano. Accompanying the rebels on their quest, he is put into a moral dilemma when the truth of the mission arises. Whilst his loyalty does sway his decisions, Nakano does do the right thing when it matters. Washio’s efforts saw him win best actor at the 2025 Yokohama Film Festival.
What helps bring these characters alive is how immersive the world they inhabit is. Director of photography Naoya Ikeda beautifully evokes the time period, with him perfectly capturing the breathtaking landscapes as well as highlighting the pitch perfect production design, with the fortress our rebels having to protect being very much a character of its own. Ikeda’s quality work went on to win him the best cinematographer award at the 2025 Mainichi Film Awards.
The majority of the action scenes that take place are either within or surrounding the fortress. The swordplay may stretch credibility on occasion, but it is more traditional in its approach than the hyper stylized action found in the likes of Rurouni Kenshin (2012). The sword fighting is fast and brutal, with director Shiraishi unflinching in his depiction of violence. Each battle builds upon the intensity of what has come before, leading up to a truly memorable finale that artfully manages to mix the emotional with spectacle.
I could see some having issues with the pace, as Shiraishi does take his time to build to the action. Instead he first lays the groundwork by introducing the different plot strands and characters which makes the ensuing action when it comes all the more impactful.
11 Rebels may not be a game changer, but it is a must see for lovers of Samurai cinema with a winning balance of action, characters and exploration of the time period all combining to make this one of the more memorable films to come from the good people at Well Go USA.
Plot: 4/5
Acting: 4/5
Action: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
