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Yojimbo is a 1961 Japanese samurai film directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune as the unnamed ronin, Sanjuro Kuwabatake. The film is set in the mid-19th century in a small village on the outskirts of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and tells the story of how Sanjuro manipulates the rival factions to his advantage.
Sanjuro initially wanders into the village and sees the two gangs, led by Tazaemon and Tokuemon, fighting each other in the streets. He approaches the silk merchant Tazaemon and offers his services as a bodyguard. Tazaemon quickly agrees, but is skeptical of Sanjuro's abilities as a swordsman. However, Sanjuro proves his worth by fighting off a group of thugs sent by Tokuemon.
Sanjuro then approaches Tokuemon and offers his services as a bodyguard. Tokuemon is initially suspicious of the ronin but eventually agrees to hire him. As Sanjuro works for both sides, hatching a series of schemes to pit them against each other, he also befriends a young woman named Nui and her husband, a farmer named Yoichiro. Their efforts to stand up to the gangs form a parallel plotline to the main conflict.
Sanjuro's plan to spark a full-scale gang war involves planting fake evidence that one side is planning to attack the other. Tokuemon's men then stage an attack on Tazaemon's house, killing several of his men. In retaliation, Tazaemon's men attack Tokuemon's sake brewery, burning it to the ground. Sanjuro also manipulates other key players, such as a corrupt local official and a mercenary for hire, to further his plan.
The final showdown takes place in a deserted street, where Sanjuro faces off against both sides, who are armed with swords, guns, and spears. Sanjuro emerges victorious, having killed many of the gang members, but he is badly wounded in the process. He then rides out of town, leaving Nui and Yoichiro to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the conflict.
Yojimbo was a critical and commercial success, both in Japan and internationally. It was later remade as the western film A Fistful of Dollars (1964), directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood in the lead role.
