In 1964 Nagasaki, the orphaned son of a yakuza boss becomes an apprentice to a famous kabuki actor, but his exceptional talent threatens to displace the actor’s own son as the heir to the family tradition. Across five decades, the two young performers become both creative collaborators and rivals as each strives to become the greatest living kabuki master. This sumptuous epic is Japan’s highest-grossing live-action film of all time and was selected as the country’s entry for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards.