Yojimbo,

Akira Kurosawa is considered a Japanese master film maker and by many, "Yojimbo" (1961) his considered his best.  

"Yojimbo" is basically a story about a wandering samurai looking for something to do.  He sees an opportunity when he discovers two quarreling gangs.  As he put it "I make money from killing.  This town has a lot of people deserving to die."  

There are a few instances where he demonstrates his killing ability, but mainly he set the two factions against each other.  He settles the town and at the end moves on.  He never really gave his name.  When he is asked he looks around and sees a mulberry field and proclaims "mulberry field."

It may seem fairly simple, but there were a lot of talented people.  Here are a few.

We have to start with Akira Kurosawa who was director, writer, producer and editor.  He began as a painter and later on he painted full scale story boards for his films.  In 1936 he worked as an assistant director and starting in 1942 he became a director and spotted a promising book, then got the movie rights ahead of competition, but he did run into censorship problems with the Japanese authorities claiming it was too British/American and eventually they got 18 minutes cut out.  His next film in 1944 he decided to direct a film on female munitions workers and the actresses rebelled at some rules with one actress chosen to voice their complaints.  He ended up marrying her for the rest of her life.  After the Americans took over he had a few problems with their censors, but he felt pointed in a new better way.  In 1990 he was awarded a special Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

In "Roshomon" (1951) depicted a crime from four conflicting perspectives.  Members of his cast confronted Kurosawa about the script wanting to know what it all means.  He responded that the movie is a reflection of life and life does not always have a clear meaning.

Akira has 85 credits as writer, 33 as director, 25 as assistant director and many as an editor including "One Wonderful Sunday" (1949), "Ikiru" (1950), "The Idiot" (1951), "Seven Sumurai" (1954), "The Hidden Fortress" (1958), "High and Low" (1963),  "Dersu Uzala" (1975), "Kagemusha" (1980), "Dreams" 1990) and "Rhapsody in August" (1991).

Masaru Sato was the composer.  He was raised in Sapporo,  He developed a taste for jazz, especially like Quincey Jones.  Masuru had 305 composing credits, 12 for the music department and 7 for soundtrack including "Seven Samurai" (1954).

Kazuo Miyagawa was the cinematographer.  He trained in ink painting.  He went from laboratory technician to assistant camera man.  Kazuo was the inventor of the bleach bypass optic and was also noted for his tracking.  He had 138 cinematography credits, 4 for the animation department and 1 for the camera and electrical department including "Roshomon" (1951). 

Yoshiro Maraki was the production designer.  He explained in the special bonus that he had been asked by Kurosawa to find a severed hand for a dog to carry for one scene.  With the help of one of the actors he was successful.  Yoshiro has 62 production designer credits, 16 for art directer and 4 for the art department including "Kagemusha" (1980) and "Rhapsody in August" (1990).

Toshiro Mifune played the lone samurai and was one of Kurosawa's favorite actors.  He was born in Japanese occupied China and consequently is fluent in Mandarin.  He was drafted by Japan and joined the Air Force and was involved in aerial photography during WWII.  A follower of American cinema he was critical of how the Japanese depicted the impact of a bullet; just a puff of smoke.  He had 186 acting credits, 15 for producing and 1 for directing including "The Idiot" (1951), "Roshomon" (1951), "Seven Samurai" (1954), "The Hidden Fortress" (1958), "High and Low" (1963) and "Shogun" (1980) plus at least one in Mexico.  

Tatsuya Nakadai played a leader of one of the gangs.  He was discovered by director Masaki Kobayashi.  A theatrical actor, he and his wife founded an acting school.  He has 184 acting credits and 2 for soundtrack including "When a Woman Ascends the Stairs" (1960), "High and Low" (1963) "Kagemusha" (1980).

Because of relatively poor resources before and just after WWII, the Japanese were innovative and the world wide cinema has benefited greatly.  I watched this film on a DVD with some insightful extras.  I do recommend it, but especially for those who appreciate cinema history.

I have done posts on many interesting Japanese films, but the following post gives a base:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/03/japanese-movies-are-more-than-godzilla.html