Oedo Sosamo
Encyclopedia
and are long-running prime time
television jidaigeki
programs that originally aired from 1970 to 1992. The series was broadcast on TV Tokyo
(Tokyo 12 Channel). The title literally translates as "Oedo
Dragnet" ("New Oedo Dragnet" for the second series). Early on, it carried the subtitle "Ōedo Untouchables."
group who serve as secret police
agents in Edo
. They work undercover
under the direction of a hatamoto
, and later, under Matsudaira Sadanobu
(1759–1829).
A 1979 film Onmitsu Dōshin Ōedo Sōsamō starred Hiroki Matsukata, included Toshirō Mifune
in the role of Matsudaira Sadanobu.
in a rare TV role.
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
television jidaigeki
Jidaigeki
is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...
programs that originally aired from 1970 to 1992. The series was broadcast on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
(Tokyo 12 Channel). The title literally translates as "Oedo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
Dragnet" ("New Oedo Dragnet" for the second series). Early on, it carried the subtitle "Ōedo Untouchables."
Characters
The central characters are a ninjaNinja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
group who serve as secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
agents in Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
. They work undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
under the direction of a hatamoto
Hatamoto
A was a samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the shogunates in Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred to as gokenin. However, in the Edo period, hatamoto were the upper vassals of the Tokugawa...
, and later, under Matsudaira Sadanobu
Matsudaira Sadanobu
Japanese daimyo of the mid-Edo period, famous for his financial reforms which saved the Shirakawa Domain, and the similar reforms he undertook during his tenure as chief senior councilor of the Tokugawa Shogunate, from 1787 to 1793....
(1759–1829).
- Jūmonji Koyata, masquerading as a vagrant from SagamiSagami Provincewas an old province in the area that is today the central and western Kanagawa prefecture. It was sometimes called . Sagami bordered on Izu, Musashi, Suruga provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Sagami Bay...
, Sanjirō. The male lead, Koyata was played by Ryōtarō SugiRyotaro Sugiis a Japanese singer and actor. He was born in Kobe. He is the father of actor Jundai Yamada.Among Sugi's roles is a role in Sukima Kaze, which sold over a million copies. His acting credits include eighteen films...
, Kōtarō SatomiKotaro Satomiis a Japanese actor from the city of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He appears in both contemporary and jidaigeki roles.-Selected filmography:Satomi has appeared in over 130 films...
, Hiroki MatsukataHiroki Matsukata, real name is a Japanese actor. He is the son of jidaigeki actor Jūshirō Konoe and actress Yaeko Mizukawa and has a younger brother Yūki Meguro who is also an actor....
, Shirō Namiki, and Jun Hashizume. - Isaka Jūzō, masquerading as a roninRoninA or rounin was a Bushi with no lord or master during the feudal period of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege....
of the same name. Tetsurō SagawaTetsurō Sagawais a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tateyama, Chiba. He is a graduate of Waseda University.-Film:*Dai Ninjutsu Eiga: Watari *Fūrinkazan *Onmitsu Dōshin Ōedo Sōsamō -Television drama:...
created the role. - Female leads: Konami (Meiko Kaji), Yūgiri (Miyako Koshiro), Kurenai Ochō (Michiyo YasudaMichiyo Okusuis a Chinese-born Japanese actress. She has been nominated for 4 Japanese Academy Awards, and won the 1981 Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role prize for her performance in Zigeunerweisen...
), Inazuma Oryū (Sanae TsuchidaSanae Tsuchidais a Japanese actress. She was born on July 26, 1949, in Toyonaka, Osaka.In film, Tsuchida had a role in Kore ga Seishun Da! . In another modern role , she appeared in the Norifumi Suzuki film Torakku Yarō: Hōkyō Ichiban Hoshi. The year 1979 saw her in a film based on the television series she had...
), Kazaguruma no Okiku (Yoko NatsukiYoko Natsukiis an actress, born 24 October 1952 in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan. She began to start her career on the movie, it was Karate for Life at 1977. One of her television roles was Osono, a ninja in the jidaigeki series Yoshimune Hyōbanki: Abarenbō Shōgun. She was also a regular star in Abare Hasshū Goyō...
), and others.
A 1979 film Onmitsu Dōshin Ōedo Sōsamō starred Hiroki Matsukata, included Toshirō Mifune
Toshiro Mifune
Toshirō Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 170 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, from 1948 to 1965, in works such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo...
in the role of Matsudaira Sadanobu.
TV special
The special episode Onmitsu Doshin: Oedo Sosamo was made in 1979, guest-starring Toshirō MifuneToshiro Mifune
Toshirō Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in almost 170 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, from 1948 to 1965, in works such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo...
in a rare TV role.