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The Dagger of Kamui poster
5.8 / 10(31 votes)IMDb19852h 12mJapan

The Dagger of Kamui

カムイの剣

Synopsis

A young boy named Jiro finds his mother and sister murdered in his home. Falsely accused of the crime, he flees from his village and meets a priest named Tenkai, who has him kill a rogue ninja named Tarouza. After fulfilling that task, Jiro undergoes training to become a master assassin. Many years later, Jiro finds out that he was an orphan and his real father was Tarouza, who had worked for Tenkai until he aborted his mission when he fell in love with an Ainu woman. The young ninja discovers that the Shogunate was to retrieve the lost treasure of Captain Kidd and use it to once again isolate Japan from the rest of the world. Using the clues that Tarouza had kept secret, Jiro - along with the female ninja Oyuki and a slave named Sam - travels to Russia and America to search for the treasure in hopes of using it to extract revenge from Tenkai.

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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

Dagger of Kamui - Original Theatrical Trailer (1985)Official

Type: Trailer • Published 2025-12-26

Check streaming options on JustWatch

Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

Eiga-Sai Film Festival

Festival / Special Debut

4K UHD / Blu-ray Debut

July 6, 1987

Physical Home Media

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Rintaro
Screenplay & Story
Mori Masaki
Original Score
Ryudo Uzaki, Eitetsu Hayashi
Original Title
カムイの剣
Country of Origin
Japan
Spoken Languages
Japanese
Runtime
2h 12m
Production Studios
Madhouse, KADOKAWA

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Rintaro

Screenplay & Story

Mori Masaki, Tetsu Yano

Original Score & Music

Ryudo Uzaki, Eitetsu Hayashi

Film Editing

Osamu Tanaka

Producers

Masao Maruyama, Satoru Ikegami, Rintaro, Haruki Kadokawa

Literary Origin & Source Material
Novel:Tetsu Yano

Department Leadership Roster

Rintaro

Rintaro

Director

Masao Maruyama

Masao Maruyama

Production Design

Osamu Tanaka

Editor

Masao Maruyama

Masao Maruyama

Producer

Satoru Ikegami

Producer

Rintaro

Rintaro

Producer

Mori Masaki

Mori Masaki

Screenplay

Ryudo Uzaki

Ryudo Uzaki

Original Music Composer

Eitetsu Hayashi

Original Music Composer

Haruki Kadokawa

Haruki Kadokawa

Producer

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

International Certification Matrix

Australia (ACB)PG

Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Dagger of Kamui.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Dagger of Kamui

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is The Dagger of Kamui about?

A young boy named Jiro finds his mother and sister murdered in his home. Falsely accused of the crime, he flees from his village and meets a priest named Tenkai, who has him kill a rogue ninja named Tarouza. After fulfilling that task, Jiro undergoes training to become a master assassin. Many years later, Jiro finds out that he was an orphan and his real father was Tarouza, who had worked for Tenkai until he aborted his mission when he fell in love with an Ainu woman. The young ninja discovers that the Shogunate was to retrieve the lost treasure of Captain Kidd and use it to once again isolate Japan from the rest of the world. Using the clues that Tarouza had kept secret, Jiro - along with the female ninja Oyuki and a slave named Sam - travels to Russia and America to search for the treasure in hopes of using it to extract revenge from Tenkai.

Who directed The Dagger of Kamui?

The Dagger of Kamui was directed by Rintaro.

Who stars in The Dagger of Kamui?

The principal cast of The Dagger of Kamui includes Hiroyuki Sanada, Taro Ishida, Yuriko Yamamoto, Kaneto Shiozawa, Takeshi Aono.

When was The Dagger of Kamui released and how long is it?

The Dagger of Kamui was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 2h 12m.

Who composed the musical score for The Dagger of Kamui?

The original motion picture soundtrack for The Dagger of Kamui was composed by Ryudo Uzaki, Eitetsu Hayashi.

Is The Dagger of Kamui based on a book or true story?

The Dagger of Kamui is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Tetsu Yano".

What is the age rating and content advisory for The Dagger of Kamui?

The Dagger of Kamui holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.).