"Akō Castle"

...Amidst all these all-star productions, the Genroku Chushingura two-part series (1941-42) directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, based on an original story by Seika Mayama and starring actors from Zenshinza and other theater groups, as well as Shochiku stars, attracted attention for its high artistic quality, and after this production, full-scale Chushingura films disappeared during World War II. After the war, Chushingura films were planned early on, but due to restrictions on period dramas imposed by GHQ (General Headquarters of the Allied Powers), they were not realized. In 1952, Toei's first Ako Castle two-part series was made, directed by Ryo Hagiwara and starring Chiezo Kataoka in the roles of Takumi Asano and Kuranosuke Oishi, without using the Chushingura title or depicting a revenge plot, but instead a drama of political criticism by the Ako Roshi. The Chushingura title was then revived in 1954 with Shochiku's Chushingura (directed by Tatsuo Ozone).

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Ako Castle" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…こうして各社のオールスター作品がつづくなか，真山青果原作で前進座などの演劇人と松竹スターが出演した溝口健二監督《元禄忠臣蔵》二部作(1941‐42)が，芸術性の高いものとして注目を集め，この作品以降，第2次世界大戦中には本格的な忠臣蔵映画は姿を消した。　戦後，忠臣蔵映画は早くから企画されたが，GHQ(連合軍総司令部)の時代劇規制のため実現せず，52年，〈忠臣蔵〉の題名を用いず，仇討を描かないで赤穂浪士による政治批判のドラマにするという形で，はじめて東映作品《赤穂城》二部作が，萩原遼監督，片岡千恵蔵の浅野内匠頭･大石内蔵助二役により，つくられた。そして54年の松竹作品《忠臣蔵》(大曾根辰夫監督)で〈忠臣蔵〉という題名が復活した。…

※「《赤穂城》」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報