History Film / Kagemusha

* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Kagemusha is shot by Oda gunners while observing the ruination of the Takeda clan. He dies as he attempts to grab the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C5%ABrinkazan Fūrinkazan standard]] floating down a stream, and floats with it.]]

* ReplacementScrappy[invoked]:

* ReplacementScrappy:

* ReplacementScrappy: How Shingen's warlords viewed Katsuyori in his overblown belief that he is a better leader than Shingen himself. [[CurbStompBattle All of these turned out well-founded in the disastrous Battle of Nagashino]]. [[invoked]]
** RealitySubtext: Subverted, in a sense, on what happened on set. Originally, the role of Shingen and the ''kagemusha'' was to be played by Shintaro Katsu, a boiseterous comedic actor who has already portrayed badass, gruff and tragic characters (like the assassin Okada Izo in ''Tenchu!'' and ''Franchise/{{Zatoichi}}''). However, Katsu managed to [[EpicFail anger Kurosawa at first day of shooting]] and thus left the production. Tatsuya Nakadai was thus taken in to replace him. Critics would later on say Nakadai's interpretation of the role (both of the ''kagemusha'' and the late Shingen) lent it a somber, grave mien that worked better than if Kurosawa continued with Katsu.

* ZergRush: This is Katsuyori's strategy for the Battle of Nagashino at the end of the movie. [[spoiler:It gets Deconstructed badly with him sending waves of Takeda infantry and cavalry at Oda Nobunaga's army of matchlock troops hidden behind a long wooden barricade, where Katsuyori's troops end up getting massacred by sustained Oda volley fire in the space of ten minutes' screentime]].

* ZergRush: This is Katusyori's strategy for the Battle of Nagashino at the end of the movie. [[spoiler:It gets Deconstructed badly with him sending waves of Takeda infantry and cavalry at Oda Nobunaga's army of matchlock troops hidden behind a long wooden barricade, where Katsuyori's troops end up getting massacred by sustained Oda volley fire in the space of ten minutes' screentime]].

* BodyDouble[=/=]IdentityImpersonator: The thief is offered the role of warlord Takeda Shingen, in exchange for sparing his life. EmergencyImpersonation variety.

** This is probably why [[spoiler:Kagemusha tried to ride Shingen's horse which would end up ruining the impersonation. He was so sure of being Shingen that it didn't occur to him that the horse, established as refusing to ride anyone but Shingen himself, would have disagreed.]]

* BoxedCrook: The thief's life is spared in order to act as a top-secret double for an identical-looking feudal warlord.

* TruthInTelevision: The presence of Catholic Christians in Nobunaga's domains. Nobunaga, being a patron of Western culture and food, was very lenient in giving them living space and setting up churches, [[HistoricalVillainUpgrade in contrast to his reputation as a ruthless warlord]]. [[DeliberateValuesDissonance Considering the xenophobic tendencies of Japanese at the time]], though, it may have actually contributed to that reputation.

* OneWordTitle

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:All the heroes are killed in the final battle.]]

* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Kagemusha is shot by Oda snipers while observing the ruination of the Takeda clan.]]

* IdenticalStranger

''Kagemusha'' (影武者) is a 1980 film by Creator/AkiraKurosawa and Creator/IshiroHonda. The title (literally "Shadow Warrior" in Japanese) is a term used for an impersonator. It is set in the [[JidaiGeki Sengoku period of Japanese history]] and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable clan. The warlord whom the ''kagemusha'' impersonates is based on ''daimyo'' Takeda Shingen, and the film ends with the climactic 1575 Battle of Nagashino.

Produced by Creator/GeorgeLucas and Creator/FrancisFordCoppola, admirers of the Japanese master, the film was described by Kurosawa as a dress rehearsal for ''Film/{{Ran}}'', which was released five years later. (Nakadai and Ryu would later reunite as father-and-son Lord Hidetora and Saburo, respectively, in ''Ran''.)

** RealitySubtext: Subverted, in a sense, on what happened on set. Originally, the role of Shingen and the ''kagemusha'' was to be played by Shintaro Katsu, a boiseterous comedic actor who has already portrayed badass, gruff and tragic characters (like the assassin Okada Izo in ''Tenchu!'' and ''{{Zatoichi}}''). However, Katsu managed to [[EpicFail anger Kurosawa at first day of shooting]] and thus left the production. Tatsuya Nakadai was thus taken in to replace him. Critics would later on say Nakadai's interpretation of the role (both of the ''kagemusha'' and the late Shingen) lent it a somber, grave mien that worked better than if Kurosawa continued with Katsu.

* TheStoic: Nobukado, who is the only one of the Takeda leaders observing the Battle of Nagashino to maintain his cool while everyone else - including Katsuyori - are visibly panicking over the slaughter. A close-up shows, however, that he is utterly ''heartbroken'' at having to see so many brave and faithful Takeda retainers lose their lives for nothing.

* The Stoic: Nobukado, who is the only one of the Takeda leaders observing the Battle of Nagashino to maintain his cool while everyone else - including Katsuyori - are visibly panicking over the slaughter. A close-up shows, however, that he is utterly ''heartbroken'' at having to see so many brave and faithful Takeda retainers lose their lives for nothing.

* GeneralFailure: Played with, in tandem with GloryHound; initially defied as Katsuyori's audacity pays off when his risky attack forces the other Takeda leaders with a more experienced judgment to support him against their will and the clan succeeds in taking a fortress that Shingen himself never was able to take. In the end [[spoiler: Katsuyori Takeda disregarding the defensive strategy set by his father and the other generals leads to catastrophic results]].

* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Kagemusha is shot by Nobunaga snipers while observing the ruination of the Takes clan.]]

* KillThemAll: [[spoiler: The Takeda clan perishes under [[GloryHound Katsuyori's]] poor leadership in the final battle. Kagemusha dies too. It's implied some of the leaders [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere fled in time]] however.]] Serving as TruthInTelevision as well, as the Battle of Nagashino was the pivotal battle heralding the downward spiral of the Takeda clan.
* LossOfIdentity: Implied to be the tragedy of the ''kagemusha'' (as discussed by Nobukado above in AlwaysSomeoneBetter): in performing the role of Shingen so well and internalizing what he represents to the Takeda, [[spoiler: his dismissal after his status as a fake was discovered left him without anything to cling on too]]. Watching the Takeda get slaughtered at Nagashino [[spoiler: pretty much made him snap, pick up a spear and futilely charge at the Oda camp's gunners, [[MoreDakka where he was riddled with bullets]]. His last scene of trying to save the now-tattered [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fūrinkazan banner of Shingen]] from floating to the river (before succumbing and floating downstream himself) is truly TearJerker stuff]].

* WellIntentionedExtremist: At the beginning of the film, Shingen defends his [[OffscreenVillainy historical villainous acts]] as a mean to a good goal, the country needs a powerful ruler and the unification of Japan would stop the bloodsheds.

* ZergRush: This is Katusyori's strategy for the Battle of Nagashino at the end of the movie. [[spoiler:It gets Deconstructed badly with him sending waves of Takeda infantry and cavalry at Oda Nobunaga's army of matchlock troops hidden behind a long wooden barricade, where Katsuyori's troops end up getting massacred in the space of ten minutes' screentime]].

Portraying both UsefulNotes/TakedaShingen and the ''kagemusha'' is Tatsuya Nakadai, prized theater actor who has been working with Kurosawa as early as ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}''. Tsutomu Yamazaki, another well-known character actor, portrays Takeda Nobukado, Shingen's brother and a former ''kagemusha'' of Shingen himself. Daisuke Ryu plays the younger and more ambitious UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga.

* OffingTheOffspring: Shingen mentions he killed his son, and also [[TheExile exiled]] his father

* GrayRainOfDepression: Kagemusha's last scene in the clan compound, [[spoiler: when he is refused a goodbye with his "grandson" and expulsed]].

Portraying both UsefulNotes/TakedaShingen and the ''kagemusha'' is Tatsuya Nakadai, prized theater actor who has been working with Kurosawa as early as ''Film/{{Yojimbo}}''. Tsutomu Yamazaki, another well-known character actor, potrays Takeda Nobukado, Shingen's brother and a former ''kagemusha'' of Shingen himself. Daisuke Ryu plays the younger and more ambitious UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga.

* LossOfIdentity: Implied to be the tragedy of the ''kagemusha'' (as discussed by Nobukado above in AlwaysSomeoneBetter): in performing the role of Shingen so well and internalizing what he represents to the Takeda, [[spoiler: his dismissal after his status as a fake was discovered left him without anything to cling on too]]. Watching the Takeda get slaughtered at Nagashino [[spoiler: pretty much made him snap, pick up a spear and futilely charge at the Oda camp's gunners, [[MoreDakka where he was riddled with bullets]]. His last scene of trying to save the now-tattered [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C5%ABrinkazan banner of Shingen]] from floating to the river (before succumbing and floating downstream himself) is truly TearJerker stuff]].

* ZergRush: This is Katusyori's strategy for the Battle of Nagashino at the end of the movie. [[spoiler:It gets Deconstructed badly with him sending waves of Takeda infantry and cavalry at Oda Nobunaga's army of matchlock troops hidden behind a long wooden barricade. Predictably, it turns into a massive CurbStompBattle]].

* ZergRush: This is Katusyori's strategy for the Battle of Nagashino at the end of the movie. [[ [[spoiler:It gets Deconstructed badly with him sending waves of Takeda infantry and cavalry at Oda Nobunaga's army of matchlock troops hidden behind a long wooden barricade. Predictably, it turns into a massive CurbStompBattle]].