In the film one of the female characters can be seen to have her teeth painted black. This was a custom in Japan; known as ohaguro, and it is to signify that a woman was married.
This was the third of four 'Lone Wolf & Cub' films to be released in 1972.
This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #841.
This film is part of the jidai-geki genre. Translated this means 'period drama', and such films are usually set during the Edo Period of Japanese history.
The three blades commonly associated with a samurai are the katana (long sword), wakizashi (short sword), and tanto (dagger). Katana: A long, curved, single-edged sword, iconic for its beauty and craftsmanship. Wakizashi: A shorter sword, often carried as a secondary weapon alongside the katana. Tanto: A dagger, used for close-quarters combat or rituals.