Katherine Saltzman-Li, professor of Japanese literature and theater at the University of California, Santa Barbara and co-curator of the current exhibition The Loyal League: Images from Japan’s Enduring Tale of Samurai Honor and Revenge introduces the film 47 Samurai, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki in 1962. The story of the 47 loyal samurai, who avenged for their master’s wrongful death, has been told ever since the fateful historical events that took place early in the eighteenth century. This 20th century version of the 47 Samurai (1962) directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, stands out among the numerous films and television series as a classic for re-creating the excitement and complexity of the story through lavish period settings and costumes, and with performances by some of the great stars of the era.