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Where is my fly swatter?!
Mifune Toshiro dipped his toe into the Toho fantasy world in Samurai Pirate aka The Lost World of Sinbad. Not exactly adventures on the high seas, more like rescue a princess and retrieve lost jewels in a strange land.
Sukezaemon Ruson (or Naya or Luzon or Sinbad depending on which version you watch) is betrayed on trumped up charges and sentenced to be burned in a box. His men bribe a local official helping Sukezaemon to escape on his ship. Since he’s been labeled a pirate, a pirate he will be. He already has a treasure chest full of jewels and gold. His pirating career doesn’t last long as a storm hits and destroys his ship. A real pirate gains his treasure, leaving Sukezaemon in the water. He washes ashore, rescued by a strange hermit/wizard with magical powers. The kingdom is run by a cruel leader who takes women in lieu of taxes. When Sukezaemon sees the princess wearing jewels from his treasure chest he determines to retrieve his property even if he has to develop the world’s first hang glider to do it!
I desperately wanted to like this film as I’m a Mifune Toshiro fan and have watched my share of Toho films. The writing was uneven at best. Mifune’s character made a 180 from, “I want to be rich!” to “Justice for the people and rescue the princess!” rather rapidly. The fantasy here was limited to the lecherous hermit who lost his powers whenever he licked his lips while ogling women’s breasts. That wore thin fast. There was also a witch who could turn people to stone like Medusa with her glowing eyes. The witch had a mirror, mirror on the wall that revealed where the threats were to her and the Chancellor who secretly ran the country. Not that it did the bad guys much good. Despite a sizeable Imperial Guard, Sukezaemon wandered in and out of the castle at will. Tsuburaya Eiji and his crew did a good job with the special effects and miniatures given it was 1963, well before CGI.
Poor Mifune suffered from terrible costumes. He first had to wander the island in his tattered samurai clothes. After being captured he ended up in a crop top and shorts/sarong which was hilarious. Though even at 43 he wasn’t afraid to show off his bod. Clothes in the foreign land looked influenced by Hollywood’s idea of Aladdin with plenty of cleavage, bare midriffs, and turbans. The princess’ dresses were more European medieval as was the castle. She was also dripping in jewelry. Honestly, the story had a hint of the Princess Bride—there was even a giant!
Samurai Pirate had fun moments and I never tire of watching Mifune, even when he looks like he’s not sure what his motivation is. Is he in love with the princess or not? Is he a selfish bandit or a selfless hero? When in doubt, yell at people and strut. This film was probably a silly and needed break after High and Low and also his only directorial effort- Gojuman-nin no isan. If you are a Mifune Toshiro fan or enjoy campy 60s fantasy films, this might be one to try.
6 March 2026
Clarification note: There were pirates in the film but Sukezaemon was neither pirate nor samurai. Ronin bandit maybe, but he wasn’t really a bandit either!
Trigger warnings: Attempted sexual assault. Breasts and cleavage shots to arouse the pervy hermit who became a full body phallic example of Peyronie’s Disease. PETA line 1! : A frog’s leg was torn off and a chicken was impaled.
Sukezaemon Ruson (or Naya or Luzon or Sinbad depending on which version you watch) is betrayed on trumped up charges and sentenced to be burned in a box. His men bribe a local official helping Sukezaemon to escape on his ship. Since he’s been labeled a pirate, a pirate he will be. He already has a treasure chest full of jewels and gold. His pirating career doesn’t last long as a storm hits and destroys his ship. A real pirate gains his treasure, leaving Sukezaemon in the water. He washes ashore, rescued by a strange hermit/wizard with magical powers. The kingdom is run by a cruel leader who takes women in lieu of taxes. When Sukezaemon sees the princess wearing jewels from his treasure chest he determines to retrieve his property even if he has to develop the world’s first hang glider to do it!
I desperately wanted to like this film as I’m a Mifune Toshiro fan and have watched my share of Toho films. The writing was uneven at best. Mifune’s character made a 180 from, “I want to be rich!” to “Justice for the people and rescue the princess!” rather rapidly. The fantasy here was limited to the lecherous hermit who lost his powers whenever he licked his lips while ogling women’s breasts. That wore thin fast. There was also a witch who could turn people to stone like Medusa with her glowing eyes. The witch had a mirror, mirror on the wall that revealed where the threats were to her and the Chancellor who secretly ran the country. Not that it did the bad guys much good. Despite a sizeable Imperial Guard, Sukezaemon wandered in and out of the castle at will. Tsuburaya Eiji and his crew did a good job with the special effects and miniatures given it was 1963, well before CGI.
Poor Mifune suffered from terrible costumes. He first had to wander the island in his tattered samurai clothes. After being captured he ended up in a crop top and shorts/sarong which was hilarious. Though even at 43 he wasn’t afraid to show off his bod. Clothes in the foreign land looked influenced by Hollywood’s idea of Aladdin with plenty of cleavage, bare midriffs, and turbans. The princess’ dresses were more European medieval as was the castle. She was also dripping in jewelry. Honestly, the story had a hint of the Princess Bride—there was even a giant!
Samurai Pirate had fun moments and I never tire of watching Mifune, even when he looks like he’s not sure what his motivation is. Is he in love with the princess or not? Is he a selfish bandit or a selfless hero? When in doubt, yell at people and strut. This film was probably a silly and needed break after High and Low and also his only directorial effort- Gojuman-nin no isan. If you are a Mifune Toshiro fan or enjoy campy 60s fantasy films, this might be one to try.
6 March 2026
Clarification note: There were pirates in the film but Sukezaemon was neither pirate nor samurai. Ronin bandit maybe, but he wasn’t really a bandit either!
Trigger warnings: Attempted sexual assault. Breasts and cleavage shots to arouse the pervy hermit who became a full body phallic example of Peyronie’s Disease. PETA line 1! : A frog’s leg was torn off and a chicken was impaled.
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