Rating: 
Summary: Great movie
Review: I actually prefer Kagemusha to Ran. My Japanese language University teacher used to gripe that Kurosawa represented a "western" style of cinema, as opposed to Ozu, for instance. Ran is basically King Lear set in medieval Japan, whereas Kagemusha is more original in many ways, and less anachronistic. The themes of the Kagemusha's futile fight aganst destiny and his doppelganger-like identification with Shingen are also magnificently played. Finally, the very Japanese emphasis on passive control (Shingen's strategy is always to act as an umovable mountain on which to shatter his enemies) resonates in interesting ways.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting to say the least
Review: I am just discovering the works of Kurisawa and this is one of the most(if not the most) interesting Kurisawa pictures. The performance by Nadaki is simply amazing, it was great how he changed for each role as the time went on. The battle scenes are great. My favorite moment is when Nadaki(the shadow) is sitting still and the men are all dying around him. This image is as powerful as some of the later in his powerhouse RAN. The ending is depressing beyond belief but totally believable. This film is challenging to undertand at first but I felt better on a second viewing months later. A definite must own if you are a Kurisawa fan or want a ride for the imagination.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent prequel to Ran
Review: I orginally saw this movie on video in the late 80's. I have not been able to find it since. Considered a prequel to Ran, Kagemusha is more of a historical piece while Ran is an adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear.
Beautifully shot in color, Kagemusha tells the story of the Takeda clan during the civil war period of Japan's feudal era. The head of the clan, Takeda Shingen, was considered the greatest general of his time. His presence alone kept the other great warlords at bay, namely Oda Nobunaga, the man eventually credited with uniting Japan. Mortally wounded in battle, Shingen commanded that his death be kept a secret, and his clan not move from its' mountain stronghold for three years. His double, or Kagemusha, was a common thief. His character arc, as it moves from common criminal to eventual warlord and tragic fall is magnificent.
To simply label Kagemusha as a practice movie for Ran is an injustice (though accurate). If you have any interest in samurai films of feudal Japanese pieces, you wont be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: a must see gor all Samurai movie fans and newbies alike!
Review: I was blown away by this insanely-great movie...you'll be captured by the stroyline, as Ikeda Shingen attempts to keep his realm in one piece, by having a petty thief lookalike stand in for him before he dies. Pay close attention to 1) the scene when the dying warlord says, "Ugoku na!" (Do not move, or do not start any military expeditions, or else...) and the final battle scene, when Ikeda's brave army is simply destroyed. Sad, but rich in history, color, drma, etc. Watch it, enjoy it, and you'll never forget this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle yet engaging, complex yet never confusing...
Review: I'm not good at remembering names, but I remember this movie very well. The lord is injured and as luck would have it, his men have captured a lookalike for a petty theft previously - for just such an emergency. When the lord dies, the thief is made to impersonate the lord. Some people like the drama and the battle scenes, which are top-notch. What I found to be exceptional was the portrayal of the imposter, who starts out as crass and angry in the beginning. Upon reluctantly taking position as a double, the imposter rebels; he wants out and doesn't care much for his "sentence" of three years (the agreed-upon time the imposter is to be in place.) But he does find his loyalty to the lord and land from guilt and duty after a while, and although he is never at ease with his position, he assumes it with responsibility. His last act at the end only makes the charge of the troops even more tragic, but it feels very "real".
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as Ran, but what is?
Review: If Akira Kurosawa had not made Ran, Kagemusha would probably have been considered his last great film. However, not only is Ran so incredibly good - one of Kurosawa's best, if not one of the best films of all time - it also deals with the same time period and uses some of the same techniques and actors as Kagemusha, but all in a better and more sophisticated way. But I digress. Kagemusha is based upon a real story in 16th century Japan about a clan whose leader had a double or shadow warrior ('Kagemusha') and which was wiped out in a battle with another clan. Kurosawa focuses on the double and his attempts at acting as Lord Shingen for three years: both the original Lord and the double are played by Tatsuya Nakadai ('Yojimbo,' 'Ran') in a masterful performance. Indeed, the double's experience as the Lord is really the heart of the film, not the battles or clan rivalries per se. As in many Kurosawa films, class plays a subtle yet important role: the double was a thief who now must impersonate a Lord, and ironies abound thoughout the film (but especially at the end) about the way the double is in many ways more noble than the original Lord. Besides class there is another subtext to the film, namely the construction of identity itself: in perhaps the best scene of the film, the double has a very scary dream near the end where he is confronted with the original Lord - perfectly embodying the double's doubts about his own identity. As for the basics of the film, the viewer can hardly be dissapointed. The cinematography was spectacular - the battle scenes of course, but also many beautifully constructed scenes near or on the sea as well. Kurosawa's use of traditional Japanese instruments, especially the drum in the final battle scene is awesome, and the costumes and art direction were outstanding. The only serious fault with Kagemusha is its length: it could have been cut by a good 20 minutes and not lost anything. Yet that is really the only criticism I have here - all the rest is great. See it.
Rating:
Summary: Astonishing
Review: If it were possible for someone to construct a list of Kurosawa's best films this one would be near the top. Helped by a unforgetable performance by Tatsuya Nakadai, a dazzling use of color, and Kurosawa's camera floating above all the deceit and mayhem like an angry God, Kagemusha is a film for the ages and a blueprint of what action films can be. The closing sequence with Kurosawa killing men and horses is slow motion while an agonized Nakadai looks on is absolutely glorious and inspiring. A Must See!
Rating:
Summary: A REAL SAMURAI FILM
Review: If you like Japanese History and if you like Samurai, you shouldn't miss it. It is the most attractive film in general content of above. The message conveyed is foundamental mysterious story of Japan. Among Ran, all the films directed by Akira, other samurai film and TV programs, it is a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: An opinion from Japanese Criterion fan.
Review: It is about time to get this film's definitive version.
I am Amazon user in Japan and already own the original LD release and huge, expensive DVD boxes(cost me about $1,0000.....), and I can assure you that this Criterion version will be "THE BEST" one.
While Japanese version was created from same new Hi-Definition transfer, all features, three-hour movie and 45minits documentary, are bundled in dual-layered disc, which is too much to take in one, and the sound bit rate is 338kbps instead of 448kbps.
I expect, likewise "Red Beard","Hidden fortress" and "Ikiru", one disc will be devoted to the feature presentation and the extra to the other disc on Criterion version so that the quality can be maximized, and can be better than original Japanese release.
Still, among the Japanese original box set, I can say that the quality of "Sansiro Sugata" and two-disc set of "Seven Samurai" are great. I can't wait to see what the folks at Criterion will do to the rest of Kurosawa film releases.
P.S
For the first time, in documantary, Mr.Nakadai talks about taking over the title role from great Shintaro Katsu(Zatoich)who was originaly cast for Shingen and Kagemusha. Simply amazing.
Rating:
Summary: Fine precursor to the classic "Ran"
Review: Just before "Ran," Kurosawa got American funding for this movie about a "shadow warrior" who was assigned to impersonate Takeda Shingen should he die. This was to keep the Takeda clan's border secure and prevent enemies (of which Takeda had many) from invading. It is a wonderful film, and has two very strong points: the visuals, and the characters. The strong visuals should be obvious - an Akira Kurosawa film with no strong visuals is like a Monet painting with poor use of color. The battle scenes are stunning and seem to come out of a nightmare, with rifleman shooting down on soldiers with a bright light flashing behind them. The colored armor of Takeda's men were also nicely picked and, as Kurosawa would later do with "Ran", give their presense a hauntingly beautiful yet horrifying tone. The final scene at the Battle of Nagashino (which was wrongfully nitpicked in Stephen Turnbull's Osprey book of the battle) chooses to show us only the aftermath of the battle, with shots of cavalry charging to the gunners and then cutting to the horrified expressions of those who watch the unfolding massacre of Japan's greatest army. The shot of the fields of dead is some thing that could only have come out of the nightmare of war. I think the strongest part of the film, though, were the characters. The film has a slew of fascinating characters, from Takeda's generals (each with their own personality) right down to the rifleman who shot Takeda. Even the spies from Oda and Tokugawa interact and talk like real people, and I can't think of any one in this film I easily forget. I especially liked Oda Nobunaga, and I think this film has the best portrayal I've ever seen of him. He can be seen walking out with his army and stopping briefly to listen to a Christian priest give a prayer. There is another part where he rides around on an Arab horse, followed by a scene where he offers Tokugawa Ieyasu a glass of Western wine (poor Tokugawa chokes on it!). The best character is, of course, the shadow warrior himself. The actor did a wonderful job of playing Takeda and the imposter, and even though being a common thief that nearly quits his job in the beginning, you find yourself growing to like him. The scene where he confesses to the concubines he is an imposter, knowing they'll take it as a joke, and then winks at a general was hilarious! Also, notice in the scene where a retainer describes to Takeda's nephew what the meaning of the clan flag is...the imposter is listening just as intently as the boy is! He also comes out strong in the second-to-last battle sequence, where he watches as men fight and die for a man they strongly admire. The final Kurosawa metaphor at the end (which I won't describe because its a serious spoiler) also gives the whole point of the story. The man tried to undertake a role that was perhaps too big for him, a role only one man could really play. Overall, I was very impressed with this movie, and I would definately recommend it as viewing for those fans of the master of film himself. I hope soon a DVD will be released of it and I will be able to add it to my growing Akira Kurosawa DVD set. In the meantime, I happily own a video copy for viewing.
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