True indicators of failure of feudal system

I love this movie! I think that it truly shows the final stages of decay of a feudal system. The central Barons (shogunate and retainers)had bled the locals dry with taxation and ceremonial expenses. Good men like Yoshimura-san,a man of high loyalty and courage, were reduced to mercenary tendencies to survive. The samurai didn't go out with a bang, they were just lowered to a hand-to-mouth existence and joined the rest of the working stiffs. Many samurai still stayed loyal to a system that had created their misery. This movie really hits you in the gut with their anguish and pathos. This is the definitive documentation of the passing of an era. This is a must-have DVD for any true samurai fan.