Finally, in the last chapter of the Musashi Miyamoto, everything that has occurred up to now in the previous films, is finally concluded and all lose ends tied up.

Musashi is now famous around Japan, having won over 60 matches, without losing. However, far from the arrogant warrior we once knew, and the savage previous to that, we now see a humbled samurai continuing his journey for knowledge and understanding, while polishing his training.

After the events of how the last film concluded, Musashi believes he has wronged Otsu. Which technically he has, however, Otsu feels otherwise and blames herself. Perhaps a sign of the time, as the subordinate role females played not just during the Edo period of Japan, but also the role traditional Japanese women have lived in, until the change in shift in recent years to independence.

Taking Jotaro under his wing, the young boy from the first film that follows Musashi around, both them take a journey of both spiritual enlightenment and of peace. Musashi no longer wishes to fight anyone and everyone, nor does he wish to live the life of glory and popularity. Even when the opportunity presents itself, he refuses to work for anyone, and prefers instead to live a life of celibacy and one of a mere ronin.

However, the samurai Kojiro refuses to let Musashi rest, until they have both fought. For many years, as in the last film, he has trained with one aim: to duel Musashi. Musashi takes four bodies to a school that trains the Shogun, where they apparently resided from. The bodies were that of samurai that fought Kojiro and lost. The head of the school, lying through his teeth defers the body, and claims they are not from his school. Musashi understands that the Shogun is not all it is reputed to be, and this buries the bodies himself. Here he meets Kojiro and both agree to battle at another location.

Far from being totally serious, the script introduces a touching comic moment, where Musashi captures flies with chopsticks

Unfortunately for Kojiro, Musashi feeling lost and confused by the behaviour of the school decides to live a life away from samurai. He writes Kojiro a letter, asking to postpone the duel for a year, and in a year he will gladly battle him, as he believes it will be his greatest duel. Kojiro has little choice in the matter, and agrees rather than pursues Musashi.

Musashi now lives a life as a farmer, protecting the peasant farmers from bandits. With the Jotaro, and a newly acquainted subordinate, the three protect the village and help the fields to prosper, and build homes. It’s a simple life that Musashi enjoys. Not far behind, however, is trouble in the form of the saintly Otsu and the jealous Akemi. Both pursue Musashi for his heart, and of course Otsu wins.

What follows is a bitter rivalry between Otsu and Akemi, a fight between the two, a bandit raid organised by the man who tried to arrange Musashi’s assassination rather than letting Seijuro fight, and the brother of the bandits killed in the first film. Everything comes to a head, all hell breaks loose.

During all this, Kojiro has become a retainer for a famous leader, and continues to practice his fencing. In between all this, he finally charms the daughter of his vouch to be his. She refuses, but finally succumbs and falls in love with his direct approach to life. Both Kojiro and Musashi understand this will be their final duel, and one shall stand, while one shall fall.

The final battle itself on Ganryu Island is stunning, set against the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise on a beach, with the sound of the water crashing against the ground, the two samurai duel with each other, never giving an inch, and seemingly planning strategies. Initially Musashi even duels for the most part with a wooden sword he carved on the boat journey to the island. A measure of the chasm of skill that divides Musashi and Kojiro.

Once more cinematography is awe inspiring at times, with the gorgeous waterfalls at the beginning being in stark contrast to Kojiro’s sword antics. His behaviour towards Akemi is playful, but cold and callous, and this he let’s Akemi leave to chase after Musashi. We watch as every traverses the harsh rural regions of Japan, walking across dry farms and avoiding bandits. Also of note are the houses built, the sets and such, and you can see a marked difference between the sets and locations of the first film and that of the third film. There has been an a continual improvement in building bigger and better sets and set pieces.

Otsu feels otherwise and blames herself. Perhaps a sign of the time

We can only conclude that Matahachi ended up a vagabond or returned to the village with his mother. Though not making an appearance, it is perhaps because this film closely focuses on Musashi’s personal struggle with those he has killed and his feeling for Otsu. Indeed, there are moments where he creates sculptures which seem to capture her face, which is something he has done subconsciously. Musashi all but turns his back on the way of the samurai, preferring instead the life of a farmer. However, receiving a letter from Kojiro, he realises he must duel one last time.

The stark contrast between the two main samurai is quite beautifully striking. On the one hand you have a reformed savage, who has gone from wanting to risk his life, and wanting vengeance to becoming a recluse, a farmer and never wanting to pick up his sword again, preferring instead to live with his lover. On the other hand there is Kojiro, a calculating samurai who tries to lure Musashi into fighting him, all for reasons of selfishness. He kills to impress upon Musashi his own skill, and when the final battle begins, we see this contrast quite clearly with Musashi preferring to use a wooden sword than a metal one. In real life, Musashi continued to use a sword of wood, and eventually lived a life of a wise man rather than a samurai.

Far from being totally serious, the script introduces a touching comic moment, where Musashi captures flies with chopsticks, in such an understated manner, that it impresses the bandit that threatens him to the point of wanting to be Musashi’s disciple.

The final film truly, and succinctly cleans up and ties any loose ends. The jealousy of Akemi and Otsu ends and is concluded, Musashi finally finds peace, and Kojiro is given the duel of his life, which moves even Musashi himself to tears, calling it “The greatest duel he will ever have”.

Verdict: Stunning, beautiful, final installment of an epic trilogy.