Seven Samurai
“Unmatched for suspense and spectacle!”
A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
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Cast
101 people
Toshirō Mifune
Kikuchiyo
Known for
Rashomon
Yojimbo
Takashi Shimura
Kambei Shimada
Known for
Ikiru
Rashomon
Yoshio Inaba
Gorobei Katayama
Known for
Harakiri
Throne of Blood
Seiji Miyaguchi
Kyuzo
Known for
Shōgun
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Minoru Chiaki
Heihachi Hayashida
Known for
Rashomon
The Hidden Fortress
Daisuke Katō
Shichiroji
Known for
Yojimbo
Rashomon
Isao Kimura
Katsushiro Okamoto
Known for
High and Low
Ikiru
Keiko Tsushima
Shino
Known for
The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice
Yukiko Shimazaki
Rikichi's Wife
Known for
Repast
Kamatari Fujiwara
Manzô - Father of Shino
Known for
The Hidden Fortress
The Bad Sleep Well
Yoshio Kosugi
Mosuke
Known for
King Kong vs. Godzilla
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
Bokuzen Hidari
Yohei
Known for
Ikiru
Gamera, the Giant Monster
Akira Kurosawa Director · Shinobu Hashimoto Screenplay Hideo Oguni Screenplay
Worldwide gross $105M · Budget $2M · United States release November 19, 1956
Box office
Budget
$2,000,000
Worldwide gross
$105,000,000
Gross vs. budget
52.5×
Production
TOHO
Production
Japan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
七人の侍
Original language
Japanese
Spoken on screen
Japanese
Release dates
Japan · April 26, 1954
Theatrical
United States · November 19, 1956
Theatrical
United States · January 1, 1997
Physical · VHS
United States
August 5, 1998 · Physical · DVD
July 4, 2024 · Limited theatrical · 70th Anniversary 4K re-release
Australia
November 1, 1956 · Theatrical
October 3, 2024 · Theatrical · 70th Anniversary
Brazil
April 17, 2008 · Physical · DVD / VHS
Czechia
June 1, 2006 · Physical
November 16, 2008 · TV · ČT2
January 15, 2009 · Theatrical
Denmark
June 29, 1968 · Theatrical
France
November 29, 1955 · Theatrical
July 3, 2024 · Theatrical · 4K
Germany
July 12, 1962 · Theatrical
Indonesia
August 24, 2014 · Physical · Blu-ray
November 8, 2025 · Premiere · Japanese Film Festival
Ireland
February 3, 1955 · Theatrical
Italy
August 25, 1954 · Premiere · Venice Film Festival
August 19, 1955 · Theatrical
March 24, 2025 · Limited theatrical · Cinema Ritrovato 4K
Mexico
April 26, 1954 · Theatrical
Netherlands
April 26, 1954 · Theatrical
September 7, 2004 · Physical · DVD
December 14, 2016 · Physical · Blu-ray
June 26, 2025 · Theatrical · 4k restored
June 26, 2025 · Digital · Eye Film Player
Portugal
March 29, 1968 · Theatrical
February 20, 1998 · Premiere · Fantasporto Film Festival
South Korea
April 16, 2004 · Theatrical
Spain
April 20, 1967 · Theatrical
Sweden
September 19, 1965 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
February 3, 1955 · Theatrical
September 27, 2024 · Theatrical · 70th Anniversary Re-Release
February 3, 2025 · Physical · BFI Restored 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray
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Some details come from TheTVDB.