This nongratuitously violent period piece was originally released in Japan as Kiru. Tatsuya Nakadai plays an ex-Samurai, forced to come out of retirement. His nemesis is a former ally, who has become a despotic overseer. Along the way, the old Samurai teaches his young protégé (Etushi Takahashi) a wealth of valuable life lessons. Director Kihachi Okamoto co-adapted his screenplay for Kill from a story by Shugoro Yamamoto.