History YMMV / TheHiddenFortress

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The film was much more successful in the West than in Japan.

* CounterpartComparison: Tahei and Matashichi with C-3P0 and R2-D2, considering that both pairs are pretty ordinary. Although, C-3P0 is much smarter than Tahei, and R2-D2 is braver than Matashichi.
** Tahei and Matashichi can be compared to Langdon Towne and Hunk Marriner from ''Film/NorthwestPassage''. Like Towne and Marriner, Tahei and Matashichi stumble into adventure while going after (and away from) something else. Towne and Marriner meet a stranger in a tavern without realizing he's the famous Captain Robert Rogers, and Tahei and Matashichi chat with the stranger who hijacked their campfire without realizing he's the famous General Rokurota Makabe. Throughout ''The Hidden Fortress'', Tahei and Matashichi are only out for themselves, while Towne and Marriner stay loyal to Captain Rogers the entire time. Tahei, like Towne, provides an officer (General Makabe with Tahei, Captain Rogers with Towne) with a map that proves useful; Towne is a trained cartographer and Tahei draws a diagram in the sand of the safest way out of Akizuki. Their dynamic is different, too. Towne and Marriner are a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy duo. Tahei and Matashichi, who are additionally much more inseparable, seem to both be on the same page.

* MoralEventHorizon: Tahei and Matashichi agreeing to rape Princess Yuki. Even worse, it's never brought up again, because they are distracted by a procession, and they [[KarmaHoudini are sent off with a bar of gold]].

* MoralEventHorizon: Tahei and Matashichi agreeing to rape Princess Yuki. Even worse, it's never brought up again, because they are distracted by a procession, and they [[KarmaHoudini are sent off with a bar of gold]].
* JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarCharacters: Tahei and Matashichi can be compared to Langdon Towne and Hunk Marriner from ''Film/NorthwestPassage''. Like Towne and Marriner, Tahei and Matashichi stumble into adventure while going after (and away from) something else. Towne and Marriner meet a stranger in a tavern without realizing he's the famous Captain Robert Rogers, and Tahei and Matashichi chat with the stranger who hijacked their campfire without realizing he's the famous General Rokurota Makabe. Throughout ''The Hidden Fortress'', Tahei and Matashichi are only out for themselves, while Towne and Marriner stay loyal to Captain Rogers the entire time. Tahei, like Towne, provides an officer (General Makabe with Tahei, Captain Rogers with Towne) with a map that proves useful; Towne is a trained cartographer and Tahei draws a diagram in the sand of the safest way out of Akizuki. Their dynamic is different, too. Towne and Marriner are a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy duo. Tahei and Matashichi, who are additionally much more inseparable, seem to both be on the same page.

* SurprisinglySimilarCharacters: Tahei and Matashichi can be compared to Langdon Towne and Hunk Marriner from ''Film/NorthwestPassage''. Like Towne and Marriner, Tahei and Matashichi stumble into adventure while going after (and away from) something else. Towne and Marriner meet a stranger in a tavern without realizing he's the famous Captain Robert Rogers, and Tahei and Matashichi chat with the stranger who hijacked their campfire without realizing he's the famous General Rokurota Makabe. Throughout ''The Hidden Fortress'', Tahei and Matashichi are only out for themselves, while Towne and Marriner stay loyal to Captain Rogers the entire time. Tahei, like Towne, provides an officer (General Makabe with Tahei, Captain Rogers with Towne) with a map that proves useful; Towne is a trained cartographer and Tahei draws a diagram in the sand of the safest way out of Akizuki. Their dynamic is different, too. Towne and Marriner are a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy duo. Tahei and Matashichi, who are additionally much more inseparable, seem to both be on the same page.

* SurprisinglySimilarCharacters: Tahei and Matashichi can be compared to Langdon Towne and Hunk Marriner from ''Film/NorthwestPassage''. Like Towne and Marriner, Tahei and Matashichi stumble into adventure while going after (and away from) something else, although throughout ''The Hidden Fortress'' they are only out for themselves, while Towne and Marriner stay loyal to Captain Rogers throughout. Tahei, like Towne, provides an officer (General Makabe with Tahei, Captain Rogers with Towne) with a map that proves useful; Towne is a trained cartographer and Tahei draws a diagram in the sand of the safest way out of Akizuki. Their dynamic is different, too. Towne and Marriner are a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy duo. Tahei and Matashichi, who are additionally much more inseparable, seem to both be on the same page.

* MoralEventHorizon: Matashichi and Tahei agreeing to rape Princess Yuki. Even worse, it's never brought up again, because they are distracted by a procession, and they [[KarmaHoudini are sent off with a bar of gold]].
* SurprisinglySimilarCharacters: Matashichi and Tahei can be compared to Langon Towne and Hunk Marriner from ''Film/NorthwestPassage''. Like Towne and Marriner, Matashichi and Tahei stumble into adventure while going after (and away from) something else, although throughout ''The Hidden Fortress'' they are only out for themselves, while Towne and Marriner stay loyal to Captain Rogers throughout. Tahei, like Towne, provides an officer (General Makabe with Tahei, Captain Rogers with Towne) with a map that proves useful; Towne is a trained cartographer and Tahei draws a diagram in the sand of the safest way out of Akizuki. Their dynamic is different, too. Towne and Marriner are a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy duo. Tahei and Matashichi, who are additionally much more inseparable, seem to both be on the same page.

* SurprisinglySimilarCharacters: Matashichi and Tahei can be compared to Langon Towne and Hunk Marriner from ''Film/NorthwestPassage''. Like Towne and Marriner, Matashichi and Tahei stumble into adventure while going after something else, although throughout ''The Hidden Fortress'' they are only out for themselves. Tahei, like Towne, provides an officer with a map that proves useful; Towne is a trained cartographer and Tahei draws a diagram in the sand of the safest way out of Akizuki.

* MoralEventHorizon: Matashichi and Tahei agreeing to rape Princess Yuki. Even worse, it's never brought up again, because they are distracted by a procession, and they [[KarmaHoudini are sent off with a bar of gold]].

* MoralEventHorizon: Matashichi and Tahei agreeing to rape Princess Yuki. Even worse, it's never brought up again and they [[KarmaHoudini are sent off with a bar of gold]].

* AwesomeMusic: The score by Kurosawa's regular composer Masaru Satō.

* FunnyMoments:
** While scrambling frantically up a rocky slope, Matashichi at the rear grabs Tahei's leg. Tahei yelps at an impossibly high pitch and shakes him off.
** Tahei and Matashichi try to get Rokurota's attention after he hijacked their campfire:
--->'''Tahei''': ''Hey!''
--->''(Rokurota looks curiously around at the peasants. Tahei and Matashichi shrink back in fear)''
--->'''Tahei''' ''(cringing)'': ... evening.
--->''(Rokurota nods politely and goes back to tending the fire)''
*** Their silent "You go first." "No, you!" looks they exchange.
** A bitter argument causes Matashichi to lunge at Tahei with a pronged shovel, sending Tahei into a fit of spectacularly InelegantBlubbering. Matashichi then says that he hears water, and Tahei immediately shuts up.
** The peasants watching in despair as their gold disappears into the ashes during the fire festival. Tahei in particular has this big ugly gurn on his face as they're watching the wood burning.
** The peasants want to take the gold, by trying to get the horses to water. They assume that because the girl they don't know is the princess is mute, they assume she's deaf as well. So Matashichi tries to do a mime of a horse drinking water.
* HeartwarmingMoments:
** At the end, Tahei and Matashichi are rewarded with one gold piece between them. Tahei, carrying it, offers the piece to Matashichi to hold onto, but Matashichi refuses and lets Tahei keep it.
** The peasants' re-union after the break out of prison, establishing that despite their constant bickering and competition, they truly do care for each other.
** The Princess assuring Rokurota and the bought Slave Girl that their efforts weren't in vain, affirming that just being part of the Festival was wonderful enough to get out of life.

-->'''Tahei''': ''Hey!''
-->''(Rokurota looks curiously around at the peasants. Tahei and Matashichi shrink back in fear)''
-->'''Tahei''' ''(cringing)'': ... evening.
-->''(Rokurota nods politely and goes back to tending the fire)''

* FunnyMoments: While scrambling frantically up a rocky slope, Matashichi at the rear grabs Tahei's leg. Tahei yelps at an impossibly high pitch and shakes him off.

** The Princess assuring Rokurota and the bought Slave Girl that their efforts weren't in vain, affirming that just being part of the Festival was wonderful enough to get out of life.

* HeartwarmingMoments: At the end, Tahei and Matashichi are rewarded with one gold piece between them. Tahei, carrying it, offers the piece to Matashichi to hold onto, but Matashichi refuses and lets Tahei keep it.
** The peasants' re-union after the break out of prison.

** After a bitter argument which has sent Tahei into a fit of despair, Matashichi says that he hears water. Tahei immediately shuts up.

** The peasants watching in despair as their gold disappears into the ashes during the fire festival.

* HeartwarmingMoments: At the end, Tahei and Matashichi are rewarded with one gold piece between them. Tahei, carrying it, offers the piece to Matashichi to hold onto, but Matashichi refuses and lets Tahei keep it.

** The peasants watching in despair as their gold disappears into the ashes during the fire festival.

*** Their silent "You go first." "No, you!" looks they exchange.

-->''(Rokurota nods politely and goes back to tending the fire)''

* FunnyMoments: While scrambling frantically up a rocky slope, Matashichi at the rear grabs Tahei's leg. Tahei yelps at an impossibly high pitch and shakes him off.