Akira Kurosawa: Every Movie Ranked Worst To Best

30. Sanshiro Sugata Part II (1945)

The story goes that Kurosawa wanted nothing to do with his rushed-out sequel, but was effectively forced into it by the studio based on its predecessor's success.

Continuing the story of the titular judoka (Susumu Fujita), the film is notable only for its intense propaganda and stylistically flat structure, which for a Kurosawa picture is both uncharacteristic and disappointing.

There are some Kurosawa hallmarks scattered about here and there, including a fight set to a stunning natural backdrop, but this isn't enough to take away from the film's lack of cohesion and heavy-handed ideas about Japanese superiority.