Skip to main content
Celluloid
ActionDramaHistory Editor's Pick

Harakiri Review (1962) — 86% Celluloid Score

Directed by Masaki Kobayashi · 1962 ·

LLM fact sheet (.md)

Answer Summary: Is Harakiri worth watching?

Harakiri (1962) earns a 86% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict: What is the Celluloid Score for Harakiri?

Averaged from five public sources (critic, audience, Metascore, Letterboxd, IMDb). See how we calculate scores.

86%
Celluloid Score Recommended

Five-source breakdown

88% Critic Score
90% Audience
82 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.1
8.6 IMDb /10
Runtime
2h 15m
Cast
Tatsuya Nakadai , Akira Ishihama , Shima Iwashita , Tetsuro Tamba , Masao Mishima , Ichirō Nakatani , Kei Satō , Yoshio Inaba , Hisashi Igawa , Toru Takeuchi

Where to watch in the United States

Not yet streaming in the United States — check local listings.

Why this score?

  • Majority of critics rated it fresh (88%).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (90%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (82/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.1/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.6/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded action, drama, history pick

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Is Harakiri worth watching?

    Yes — Harakiri earns a 86% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

    Critics Consensus

    IMDb Top 250 #39 (8.6/10) — Harakiri remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

    Celluloid Critics Consensus

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is Harakiri about?

    Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin’s resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.

    Critic Reviews

    critic Harakiri

    Harakiri (1962) Review

    Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri (1962) remains a defining Action landmark from Japan, with scores that still shape how audiences discover the title.

    Strongly recommended — holds up for new and returning viewers.

    Dr. Amara Okonkwo World Cinema Editor

    More Like This