A kabuki actor dies on stage—was it the script, or murder most foul?
A kabuki actor is assassinated during a New Year celebration show, in front of everyone, fortunately the great detective Umon is among the audience. Along with his quirky assistant they set on the trail of revenge killing. Revenge for what? Who and where is the killer? And what does a treasure and swastika spider tattoos have to do with the case?
Acting
Ryutaro Otomo's dry wit as the unflappable Umon.
Production
Vivid 1962 kabuki-stage murder set design.
Writing
Tangled tattoo-and-treasure mystery plotting.
Director
Toshikazu Kono
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Japan's longest-running detective series, Kondo Umon predates Sherlock Holmes in Japanese popular culture by decades.
The 'swastika' here references the Buddhist manji symbol, common in Edo-period Japan, not the later appropriation.
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1962
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