A revisionist piece of samurai drama. This is the story of a faint-hearted samurai who lacks both good swordsmanship and the proper sense of duty by which to avenge his father`s death. The plot and characters may be entirely different from your traditional samurai drama; however, Koreeda Hirokazu represents a much more positive and optimistic outlook on life. Aoki Sozaemon comes to Edo to search for Kanazawa Jubei, the man who killed his father. Spending time in the village, however, he grows close to the villagers, especially to a widow named Osae, with whom he falls in love. When he finally finds Jubei, living a peaceful life with his family, Sozaemon`s will for revenge falters. Through his relations with Osae and the villagers, Sozaemon comes to realize the true meaning of happiness and the futility of revenge. Through Sozaemon`s struggle, Koreeda affirms the power of weakness to change the world. (Kim Ji-seok)