Bushido - GOBANGIRI

Pitch

In Edo (Tokyo's former name and seat of power of the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868), a ronin called Kakunoshin Yanagida and his daughter Kinu lead a simple, peaceful existence. A few years before, Yanagida was forced to leave his master's service after being falsely accused of a crime he had not committed. Even though he now earns a living making seals, in his heart of hearts he remains a samurai, steadfastly attached to his code of honour, honest and incorruptible. In the most delicate situations, the community always trusts his unfailingly precise judgement ... just like his moves when he plays Go, an abstract strategy board game which he particularly likes playing. The aim is to build territories to encircle your opponent. When the past resurfaces, and with it the desire for revenge, the game will no longer be able to ignore reality as it is indeed his sworn enemy that Yanagida will have to track down and confront, in a choreography of sabre strikes and masterfully placed Go stones. His enemy's presence will have to be sounded out in a feudal society, that is highly codified, hypocritical, plagued by cruelty and corruption.