The film stars Toshiyuki Niigaki as Seibei, a devoted father and husband who faces financial difficulties and personal struggles. Despite his circumstances, Seibei remains committed to his family and his own sense of honor.
Hiroyuki Sanada (known to modern audiences for Shogun and John Wick 4 ) gives a career-defining performance. He balances the exhaustion of a peasant with the hidden lethality of a trained killer. Beside him, Rie Miyazawa provides a luminous performance as Tomoe, a childhood friend who represents a hope Seibei feels he cannot afford.