A transfer of power in the clan's leadership leaves some on the outside and defiant of the new successor. Because of his newly renown fighting ability, Seibei is ordered to deal with the drunken Zenemon Yogo, who claims he isn't coming out of his house alive.

When samurais fight in battle, their code requires their personal appearance to be immaculate. Even though Seibei and Tomoe haven't spoken in some time, he requests her to come and assist him in making his clothes and hair presentable. They both know this could be the last time they see each other, but they make no mention of it or their feelings. It's a wonderful scene that expresses their love for each other to the audience without the characters revealing to each other.

When Seibei enters Zenemon's home, he finds a man very much like himself, a samurai in a society that no longer needs him, a man who has lost a wife and daughter to consumption. Seibei sympathizes, but still must carry out his task armed with only a short sword.

All aspects of the production of this film are of a very high quality and accolades should be lauded the director, Yoji Yamada. His time spent in the company of Akira Kurasawa has certainly paid off. Yamada and Asama do an amazing job with the script by taking parts of three different novels and melding them into one coherent story. The plot is well paced and takes its time revealing the characters to us, who are believable in their actions and emotions.

Even though the film is a period piece, the story is topical with its themes of love, commitment and responsibility. The fight sequences are realistic in their portrayal, both the actions and their outcomes, instead of the usual cartoon violence with zero-G acrobatics.

Twilight Samurai was Japan's entry for Best Foreign Film at the 2004 Academy Awards and could easily have taken a Best Nomination away from Mystic River if the Academy wasn't so ethnocentric.

In limited release across the country.