“…No genre cinephile worth their salt has any reason not to know these films. This is a gift that AFS has given Austin, so you better not waste it, or there may be a coolly coiffed kid careening toward you in a blade-wielding cart of death, followed by the precise cut of a samurai’s sword. Come and live at the crossroads to hell.” – Josh Kupecki, Austin Chronicle

The inaugural film in the LONE WOLF & CUB series immediately thrust Itto Ogami into the ranks of the all-time great samurai movie icons. In this installment, the Shadow Yagyu clan plots to solidify its power by taking Ogami’s coveted position of shogun’s executioner for its own. The legendary assassin escapes with his infant son, Daigoro, and swears vengeance. (Janus Films)

About the series:

Originating in a manga by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima, the LONE WOLF & CUB series is one of the definitive Japanese genre creations. When the Shogun’s assassin Ogami Ittō is betrayed by his own clan, he and his only surviving relative, his one year old son, hit the road to revenge. The great success of the films ensured that it was a long road indeed. Here we present the entire original series, which captures many different variations in tone and attitude, but always remains satisfyingly action-packed and bloody.