just watched Nitaboh movie, its great i enjoyed it,is it based on true story??? thanks for that
Eric Davis,
Thanks for mentioning the film Birth of California Shamisen. I will drop filmmaker Nao Nakazawa a line and guilt trip him into making the film available here on this site as long as it`s OK with mr. Abbott!
Sid and Everyone (regarding Nitaboh)
Yes! One of my favorite films about the history of Tsugaru Shamisen.
Beautifully done and Agatsuma sans playing is Amazing as always. As far as its historical accuracy there are a few things to keep in mind.
The Bosama culture of over 100 years ago which forms the historical basis of the Nitaboh film and story was almost completely wiped away in terms of any records and historical facts about that time period. There was a purposeful forgetting of the past which overwhelmed the people of Tsugaru who regarded having a Shamisen playing bosama in their family lineage to be Shameful. Thus what we know about the actual Nitaboh is almost …well… to put it plainly Nothing.
We know there was a Shamisen player named Nitaboh who indeed lived and probably had some influence on the emerging music of Tsugaru Shamisen but I think what we have today is probably 99% legend and fantasy.
IN my opinion the story of Nitaboh is the story of ALL the poor destitute Shamisen players who lived in the snowy region of Tsugaru and who struggled with blindness and opression. And so focusing on one of them and calling him
NITABOH is more of a way to put a face on an otherwise faceless story… and although we may not know who the real Nitaboh was the story of his struggle is more or less true in the sense that Shamisen players in those days really were poor and practiced their asses off in the middle of raging snowstorms because that was their only way to survive!
But of course, my dear sir! 
If you get permission and stock, I’d be happy to offer them here! It was a nice film, and always wondered why it was never available on DVD or anything.
Talk about reviving an old thread…
Sorry but the link above was not working for me so I decided to put a new one.
Not sure if everyone has seen this yet but in case you haven’t , I recently noticed the “Entire film” has been uploaded. and with German subtitles nonetheless !!!
Highly recommended animation from Japan all about the birth and early history of the mysterious music we now call Tsugaru Shamisen.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/d0AcwUkuX4k
Although I am not too pleased with the idea of offering the whole movie for free on YouTube, still it is a great chance for us here on bachido to watch and enjoy the full length story.
Thank you for the full anime, sir Kevin. This is what I have been wondering how to get access. I saw as far as I can on U tube.
looks like you might lose your nighthood ‘Sir Kevin’ ;)… the movie seems to have gone.
Oh wow. It just got taken down by the user.
great film, especially the aiya bushi and jongara bushi at the end!
I have it as an mp4 but it might be abit big to send to people (now the vids gone down)
. . . damn . . . wtf did I get here just a couple of hours too late . . .
Don’t mind me. I was just passing by.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13252342/nitaboh.torrent
or pm me for direct link.
oo thanks KH 
Thanks KH!
And sorry folks. I swear the user must have taken down that video like an hour or so after I posted that link.
Don’t worry folks! All is not lost!
Though the link for the Nitaboh video is down, we still have a charming clip of a monkey washing a cat!
omg kyle, Brilliant
Oh yes… A monkey washing a cat! wow.
Speechless!
Actually this clip could be more interesting than the Nitaboh movie. And surely has much more re-watchable value.
I heard Nitaboh movie was very slow and the only interesting thing was only the music and graphics , well i’ll make my own opinion by watching it. speaking about movies , do you know where i can buy a version of the movie Three string samurai , with at least english subtitles ?
I see that film, and I didn´t understand how in a shamisen´s movie there are so few shamisen music ¿?¿? And in the final scene, it seems to me that the two players are interpreted by the same shamisen artist.
Anyway, the last solo is amazing. But really I expected more from this movie. At least more shamisen´s songs.
Florian: I think you can get Three String Samurai on iTunes.
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ha great , thank you Kyle !