JIPANGU

Veteran director Kaizo Hayashi made this post-modern samurai action adventure saga. The film centers on Jigoku-gokuraku-maru (Masahiro Takashima), a samurai on the lam. One bounty hunter hoping to collect the sizeable reward is Teppo Oyuri (Narumi Yasuda), a comely lass who is an ace shot with her pearl-laden pistol. Before she can set her sights on Jigoku-gokuraku-maru, he is attacked by a hoard of sword-wielding thugs also hoping to collect the reward. He dispatches them with bloody aplomb. Later, Jigoku-gokuraku- maru and Teppo Oyuri -- who has fallen for the master swordsman in spite of herself -- ventures to Zipingu -- the Land of Gold -- in search of a magical gold sword.