Movies like Shogun 1980
If you like "Shogun" you are looking for captivating, realistic and exciting movies about / with samurai, feudal japan, seafaring, shogun, jesuit, politics and war themes of Adventure, Drama and History genre shot in Japan or USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps:
1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
2. Look for them in the presented list.
Shogun (1980)
5K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 159 min.
Story:
In the 16th Century, a Dutch ship sails the Pacific from the Americas in order to escape the Spanish. Blackthorn is the pilot of the ship and the first to realize the possibilities of Japan. Japan is a feudal society which has a strong presence of the Portugese. A struggle is in the final stages for who will be the Shogun, the leader who, under the emperor, governs the land. Toranaga sees in Blackthorn things he can use to at least survive the struggle to come, and if both play their hands correctly, become Shogun.
Style:
captivating, realistic, exciting, serious, saga
Plot:
samurai, feudal japan, seafaring, shogun, jesuit, politics, war, heroes, betrayal, escapades, sword duel, samurai sword, edo period, battles, survival, ship, military, master warrior, rivalry, society, danger, culture clash, political unrest, dishonesty, state affairs ...
Time:
17th century, 16th century, middle ages, 1600s
Place:
japan, portugal
Most similar movies to Shogun
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out serious, realistic, epic and stylized films with plots about heroes, medieval, samurai, rivalry, martial arts, battles and state affairs mostly in Drama, History and Action genres. Some movies like Shogun: Samurai Banners (1969), The Hidden Blade (2004), Kagemusha (1980), With Fire and Sword (1999), Rikyu (1989). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
18K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 109 min.
TV show
Story:
An English navigator becomes both pawn and player in the deadly political games in feudal Japan.
Style:
atmospheric, mythical, costume drama, epic, serious ...
Plot:
samurai, shogun, jesuit, battles, chivalry, renaissance, historical event, tokugawa shogunate, martial arts, japanese history, samurai sword, interracial relations ...
Time:
17th century, medieval times, 20th century
Place:
japan, portugal, asia
Similarity:
83%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 165 min.
Story:
Feudal Japan, 1543 to 1562. Kansuke Yamamoto is a samurai who dreams of a country united, peaceful from sea to sea. He enters the service of Takeda, the lord of Kai domain. He convinces Takeda to kill the lord of neighboring Suwa and take his wife ...
Style:
serious, realistic, captivating, stylized, jidai geki
Plot:
samurai, power relations, politics, military, state affairs, betrayal, dishonesty, heroes, master warrior, fall in love, medieval, samurai sword ...
Time:
16th century, medieval times
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
Set in 19th Century Japan a young samurai who finds himself in love with a farm girl leaves his home to begin a new life. He has to take stock of his new life when he is put to the test and ordered to kill a traitor who just happens to be his ...
Style:
serious, stylized, sentimental, jidai geki, romantic ...
Plot:
samurai, martial arts, medieval, politics, feudal japan, caste system, asian history, love and romance, vengeance, family life, samurai sword, edo period ...
Time:
19th century, 1860s
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
100%
41K
Genre: Drama, History, War
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 162 min.
Story:
When a warlord dies, a peasant thief is called upon to impersonate him, in order to protect his clan from appearing weak and vulnerable. But he finds himself haunted by the warlord’s spirit as well as his own ambitions.
Style:
costume drama, cerebral, visually stunning, jidai geki, bleak ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
samurai, medieval, japanese history, battles, martial arts, warrior, warlord, doppelganger, death, emperor, samurai sword, feudal japan ...
Time:
16th century, medieval times, year 1980, 18th century
Place:
japan, east asia, asia, tokyo, india
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Poland
Duration: 175 min.
Story:
In the mid-17th century, Poland was the largest, most democratic, and most tolerant country in Europe. However, a tragic civil war brought about the gradual decline of the once glorious republic...
Style:
captivating, serious, mysterious, romantic, epic ...
Plot:
military, polish, cavalry, cossack, heroes, love affair, love triangle, medieval, rebellion, battles, politics, political unrest ...
Time:
17th century
Place:
poland, ukraine, eastern europe, europe
Similarity:
75%
912
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 135 min.
Story:
Late in the 1500s, an aging tea master teaches the way of tea to a headstrong Shogun. Through force of will and courageous fighting, Hideyoshi becomes Japan's most powerful warlord, unifying the country. Rikyu, through the tea ceremony and ...
Style:
contemplative, captivating, realistic, serious, stylized ...
Plot:
samurai, medieval, painting, painter, art, clan, great ending, buddhism, samurai sword, old man, biopic, tradition ...
Time:
medieval times, 16th century
Place:
japan, china, korea, asia
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: Russia
Duration: 131 min.
Story:
Set in the 16th century, this is a story about Ukraine's Cossack warriors and their campaign to defend their lands from the advancing Polish armies.
Style:
epic, realistic, exciting, serious, captivating ...
Plot:
cossack, political unrest, rebelliousness, battles, forbidden love, parent child relationship, sword fight, state affairs, medieval, heroes, father son relationship, betrayal ...
Time:
16th century, medieval times, 17th century, middle ages
Place:
poland, ukraine, europe
Similarity:
100%
239K
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min.
TV show
Story:
Set in feudal Japan, the series charts the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious female samurai: John Blackthorne, a risk-taking English sailor who ends up shipwrecked in Japan, a land whose unfamiliar culture will ...
Style:
period piece, captivating, psychological, historical drama, epic ...
Plot:
shogun, feudal japan, samurai, medieval, battles, warrior, army, power struggle, fight, fight for supremacy, japanese history, katana ...
Time:
17th century
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
67%
Movie in collections
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Country: UK, Japan, USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
A steel samurai blade that was to be given to the American ambassador by the Emperor of Japan is stolen. American sailors and Japanese samurai are sent to find it.
Style:
action adventure, independent film, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
martial arts, samurai sword, ninja, imperialism, tokugawa shogunate, woman with a gun, edo period, battles, political unrest, military life, heist, destiny ...
Time:
19th century, 1850s, year 1981
Place:
japan, asia, usa
Similarity:
30%
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
The Yang family, men and women, have served their country loyally for generations. During the war General Yang is ambushed and killed. His widow and the entire family set out to avenge his death and defend the country.
Style:
realistic, serious, captivating, exciting
Plot:
revenge, kung fu, sword, badass female lead, female warrior, martial arts, battles, generation, heroic mission, vengeance, intrigue, hopes ...
Time:
middle ages
Place:
hong kong, china
Similarity:
28%
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai (Kimura) and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.
Style:
psychological, serious, jidai geki, romantic, poignant ...
Plot:
blind character, samurai, medieval, hopes, social differences, asian history, blindness, vengeance, society, rivalry, political unrest, master warrior ...
Time:
year 2006
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
27%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Following the death of the second Tokugawa shogun, it is revealed that he was poisoned by retainers of his son Iemitsu in hopes of gaining him the shogunate despite the stammer and birthmark which undermine his respect. Iemitsu and his brother ...
Style:
perverse, epic, captivating, exciting, bleak ...
Plot:
samurai, ninja, martial arts, medieval, asian history, shogun, samurai sword, japanese history, kung fu, rivalry, conspiracy, strong violent content ...
Time:
17th century
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
27%
Genre: Adventure, Drama, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
People in a small German village in the last valley to remain untouched by the devastating Thirty Years' War try to exist in peace with a group of soldiers occupying the valley.
Style:
serious, exciting, suspenseful, suspense, captivating ...
Plot:
battles, anti war, village life, danger, military, society, rescue, heroes, chaos, german history, renaissance, colonialism ...
Time:
17th century, middle ages, medieval times, year 1971
Place:
germany
Similarity:
27%
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 207 min.
Story:
The story tells of a group of samurai who were left leaderless (becoming ronin) after their daimyo (feudal lord) was forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for assaulting a court official named Kira Yoshinaka, whose title was Kōzuke no suke. The ...
Style:
epic, bleak, harsh, atmospheric, serious ...
Plot:
samurai, vengeance, medieval, seppuku, brutality, justice, battles, martial arts, courage, redemption, society, righting the wronged ...
Time:
18th century, middle ages, medieval times, 19th century
Place:
japan, asia, tokyo
Similarity:
26%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
February 17 to March 3, 1860, inside Edo castle. A group of assassins wait by Sakurada Gate to kill the lord of the House of Ii, a powerful man in the Tokugawa government, which has ruled Japan for 300 years. They suspect a traitor in their midst, ...
Style:
captivating, realistic, serious, rough, gloomy ...
Plot:
samurai, ronin, medieval, samurai sword, asian history, martial arts, father, sword fight, badass, american civil war, politics, fight ...
Time:
19th century, turn of the century, 1860s
Place:
japan, tokyo, asia
Similarity:
26%
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
The Cossacks of Eastern Europe join the Poles to rid the Turks from the Steps of Europe. In return for their aid, the Poles agree to give control of the Steps to the Cossacks. After the battle, however, the Poles back out of their agreement and ...
Style:
epic, retro, serious, realistic, exciting ...
Plot:
cossack, cavalry charge, barbarian, chivalry, horseman, ancient, world war two, sorcery, mythology, knight, peplum, exodus ...
Time:
16th century, medieval times
Place:
ukraine, poland, europe, russia, kiev ukraine ...
Similarity:
26%
Genre: Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 143 min.
Story:
Kanichiro Yoshimura is a Samurai and Family man who can no longer support his wife and children on the the low pay he receives from his small town clan, he is forced by the love for his family to leave for the city in search of higher pay to support ...
Style:
atmospheric, captivating, realistic, bleak, serious ...
Plot:
samurai, japanese history, sword fight, tragic hero, human spirit, life is a bitch, political unrest, duel, emperor, martial arts, unfulfillment, hopes ...
Time:
19th century
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: South Korea, China
Duration: 158 min.
Story:
In 1375, China was in chaos between Yuan Dynasty and Ming Dynasty. Coryo (an ancient kingdom of Korea then) sent a delegation of many diplomats, soldiers and a silent slave to make peace with the new Chinese government. However, this delegation got ...
Style:
exciting, rough, suspenseful, stylized, captivating ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
martial arts, medieval, master warrior, war, survival, kung fu, wuxia, samurai, battles, exile, fight, betrayal ...
Time:
medieval times, year 2001, middle ages, 14th century
Place:
china, hong kong, korea, mongolia, asia ...
Similarity:
25%
Movie in collections
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
Follow the infamous ninja bandit named Ishikawa Goemon (Yosuke Eguchi) in an epic story. One night while looting treasure from Nanban (Southern Barbarians), Goemon finds a mysterious box hidden inside a secret grave. A forgotten relic from the past ...
Style:
exciting, epic, captivating, anime, tense ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
martial arts, samurai, medieval, heroes, betrayal, social differences, rich and poor, battles, rivalry, asian history, ninja, robin hood ...
Time:
15th century
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Drama
Country: Japan, UK
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
An tale of revenge, honor and disgrace, centering on a poverty-stricken samurai who discovers the fate of his ronin son-in-law, setting in motion a tense showdown of vengeance against the house of a feudal lord.
Style:
tense, serious, bleak, realistic, emotional ...
Plot:
samurai, feudal japan, medieval, revenge, hara kiri, vengeance, society, life is a bitch, loss of son, down on your luck, rivalry, samurai sword ...
Time:
middle ages, 17th century
Place:
japan, asia, seattle
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History
Country: Japan
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
Near the end of the nineteenth century, as the balance of power shifts from Shogunate towards the Emperor, Japan restlessly awaits the dawning of a new age. But not all are content...The Shinsengumi, a small army of samurai, farmers and peasants, ...
Style:
historical drama, grim, melancholic, jidai geki, period drama
Plot:
samurai, japanese history, tokugawa shogunate, medieval, edo period, sword fight, honor, loyalty, samurai sword, martial arts, betrayal, feudal japan ...
Time:
19th century, 1860s
Place:
japan, kyoto japan
Similarity:
25%

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
In the middle of the 16th century, Hideyoshi, a power hungry warlord sets out to destroy the Momochi clan. He sends his war commander in search of the clan's hidden gold only to find that two daggers are the key to the hiding place of the ...
Style:
jidai geki, serious, realistic, exciting, suspenseful ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
ninja, martial arts, samurai sword, ninja master, revenge, shogun, karate, kung fu, ancient, clan, master warrior, warlord ...
Time:
16th century
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.
Style:
tense, emotional, stylized, black and white, jidai geki ...
Plot:
samurai, father son relationship, feudal japan, rebellion, revenge, medieval, forced marriage, martial arts, violence, vengeance, kidnapping, family relations ...
Time:
18th century, year 1967, 70s
Place:
japan, asia, tokyo
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Italy, Yugoslavia
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Constantin is fighting against Barbarians with his father when he is called to Rome. In his way to Rome, he falls in an ambush planned by Maxence, who wants to become emperor.
Style:
saga, epic, realistic, serious, christian film ...
Plot:
ancient history, peplum, ancient, faith, medieval, roman, ancient world, bible, religion, belief in god, religious conversion, roman emperor ...
Time:
year 1961
Place:
rome italy, europe
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
A look at Genghis Khan's life, from his birth to conquests in Asia.
Style:
exciting, captivating, serious, realistic, epic
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
medieval, battles, genghis khan, conquering, mongol empire, heroes, escapades, rise to the top, betrayal, rivalry, haunted by the past, empire ...
Time:
middle ages, medieval times, 12th century, 13th century
Place:
mongolia, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
Warlords Kagetora and Takeda each wish to prevent the other from gaining hegemony in feudal Japan. The two samurai leaders pursue one another across the countryside, engaging in massive battles of cavalry and infantry. Younger and less brutal, ...
Style:
psychotronic, visually appealing, cult classic, epic, serious ...
Plot:
samurai, medieval, japanese history, katana, fight, legends and myths, ancient, siege, strong violent content, battles, family relations, chaos ...
Time:
medieval times, 16th century
Place:
japan, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: China, South Korea, Hong Kong
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
The aging Zhao embarks on his final and greatest campaign, a road to adventure that will crown his name in glory for all time.
Style:
exciting, realistic, atmospheric, serious, stylized ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
female warrior, medieval, war, battles, military, asian history, soldier, uninhibited rivalry, political unrest, rise to the top, state affairs, hopes ...
Time:
medieval times, ancient times
Place:
china, ancient china, east asia, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 81 min.
Story:
In the second film of the Lone Wolf and Cub series, Ogami Itto battles a group of female ninja in the employ of the Yagyu clan and must assassinate a traitor who plans to sell his clan's secrets to the Shogunate.
Style:
bloody, grindhouse, perverse, atmospheric, stylized ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
samurai, martial arts, master warrior, martial artist, sword fight, samurai sword, ninja, father son relationship, weapons, ronin, kung fu, fight ...
Time:
year 1972
Place:
japan, asia, tokyo
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Drama, History, War
Country: Kazakhstan, France, USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
The Nomad is a historical epic set in 18th-century Kazakhstan. The film is a fictionalised account of the youth and coming-of-age of Ablai Khan, as he grows and fights to defend the fortress at Hazrat-e Turkestan from Dzungar invaders.
Style:
rough, exciting, serious, epic
Plot:
nomad, battles, danger, war, tragic hero, heroic mission, folk hero, ambition, political unrest, rivalry, rise and fall, state affairs ...
Time:
medieval times, 18th century, 1800s, 19th century
Place:
kazakhstan, asia
Similarity:
25%
Genre: Action, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
Years of warfare end in a Japan unified under the Tokugawa shogunate, and samurai spy Sasuke Sarutobi, tired of conflict, longs for peace. When a high-ranking spy named Tatewaki Koriyama defects from the shogun to a rival clan, however, the world of ...
Style:
stylized, suspenseful, serious, realistic, exciting
Plot:
samurai, ninja, spy, swordplay, samurai sword, medieval, japanese history, clan, martial arts, espionage, swordsman, shogun ...
Time:
17th century
Place:
japan
Similarity:
25%
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