Runin: Banished (るにん, Runin) is a 2005 Japanese film directed by Eiji Okuda. The film is set in 1838, and follows the fate of various people exiled to remote Hachijo Island in the Pacific Ocean. The main character is Toyogiku, a courtesan exiled a number of years ago for arson, who longs to return to the mainland. The exiles often experience starvation, but are punished by death if caught trying to escape. The film's drama is provided by two new exiles, Kisaburo and Kacho, who upset the status quo on the island.

Runin: Banished
Directed byEiji Okuda
Written byIzuru Narushima
StarringKeiko Matsuzaka
Kazuhiro Nishijima
Mariya Ito
Jinpachi Nezu
Eiji Okuda
Mayu Ozawa
Production
company
Zero Pictures[1]
Release dates
  • April 6, 2005 (2005-04-06) (Method Fest Independent Film Festival)
  • January 14, 2004 (2004-01-14) (Japan)
Running time
149 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

The cast includes Keiko Matsuzaka (Toyogiku, the exiled courtesan), Kazuhiro Nishijima (Kisaburo, the gambler), Mariya Ito (Kacho, the prostitute), Jinpachi Nezu (Inaba), Eiji Okuda (Kinjiro, the rich man) and Mayu Ozawa (Ochiyo).

References edit

  1. ^ "るにん: Staff" (in Japanese). Zero Pictures. Retrieved 2009-08-26.

External links edit