Watched this last night in all it's widescreen glory. Awesome movie. Of course, I love about anything Japanese, and Samurai. Good acting, good story, samurai AND ninjas, lovely scenery, fun battle scenes. Good stuff. I actually still understood some of the Japanese parts. Not that I didn't need the subtitles, but enough to know the translations were Americanized.

Even though it's a fictional story, I think it showed some of what was happening during the Meiji era in Japan. This is when Japan started coming out of isolation, and the Samurai, with nobody to fight in 200 years, were antiquated. Western things were all the rage. And, Katsumoto was based, sort of loosely, on Takamori Saigo. Katsumoto, like Saigo, supported the emporer during the Meiji era.. but then led a revolt against him in 1877. Saigo also died during the battle, but committed suicide in true Samurai fashion. Katsumoto had Cruise deal the blow.

Anyhow.. great flick, if you haven't seen it yet.