Sumio Takatsu

The film revolves around the character of Hachiro Kiyokawa, a farmer turned master swordsman and scholar. We first meet him after his arrest for the killing of a detective working for the Shoganate. As a supporter of the Emperor and a conspirator plotting to destroy the Shogunate and kill all foreigners, he is most wanted by the Shoganate forces who are interested in gaining power thru foreign technology. (imdb)

Reporter Goro Arai covers the war for a Japanese newspaper. He follows the activities of Japan's top military leader, Hideki Tojo, and comes to view Tojo as a dangerous military tyrant. But anyone standing in Tojo's way is in danger, and so it proves for Arai. (imdb)