In the sixth and final episode Rentaro Mikuni steals the show as Baiken Shishido, Musashi's nemesis. Mikuni is the nominal villain of the film, but he is a devoted husband and father as well. He tries to kill Musashi only to avenge the death of his brother-in-law. While Baiken (who wields a chain and sickle against Musashi's sword) is a very human character and the emotions that Mikuni displays in his performance are quite believable and engaging
| Release Date | February 20, 1971 | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Released | |
| Original Title | 真剣勝負 | |
| Runtime | 1h 15min | |
| Budget | — | |
| Revenue | — | |
| Language | Japanese | |
| Original Language | Japanese | |
| Production Countries | Japan | |
| Production Companies | TOHO | |