Flea-picking Samurai

In the whimsical 2018 comedy Flea-picking Samurai, viewers are thrust into the absurd life of Hironoshin, a samurai from the Echigo-Nagaoka clan whose unfiltered honesty lands him in a hilariously precarious situation. After attending a poetry recital hosted by his lord Tadakiyo, Hironoshin foolishly critiques a poem, branding it as plagiarized. This brazen honesty earns him a punishment that is far from honorable: he is condemned to live as a cat flea picker, a euphemism for a male prostitute. Rather than sulking in shame, Hironoshin embraces his new life, embarking on a journey filled with unexpected twists, colorful characters, and unanticipated lessons about honor, identity, and resilience.

The film beautifully blends humor with deeper themes of redemption and self-discovery. Hironoshin's transformation from an upstanding samurai to a flamboyant flea-picker is both comical and poignant, as he navigates the seedy underbelly of Edo while forging unlikely friendships with fellow outcasts. His mentor, the flea-picker boss, becomes a source of wisdom and encouragement, guiding Hironoshin through the intricacies of his new profession while inadvertently helping him plot a path to reclaim his lost honor. Flea-picking Samurai offers a fresh take on the classic samurai narrative, infusing it with absurdity and charm that invites viewers to reflect on the nature of honor and the value of embracing one's true self, no matter how unconventional the journey may be.