Jidai-geki, chanbara or simply samurai films are probably those that gave Japanese cinema the place it occupies even now in world cinema, with the entries of Akira Kurosawa, Kihachi Okamoto, Masaki Kobayashi and many others being included among the best films of all time. However, and with few exceptions, the majority of international audience are not particularly aware of the entries in the genre that were produced after 2000. This list aims to fill this gap with 25 five great movies presented in chronological order, that cover the whole spectrum of the category, from cult and splatter to arthouse and anime and everything between.

1. Versus

Ryuhei Kitamura directs a film where action is frantic and unrelenting, blending samurai, zombies and Yakuza elements, all of which are connected through extreme gore. “Versus” is evidently low budget; however, the choreography of the swordplay, the martial arts and the gun battles are intricate and the...