The first full-scale period film directed by master of the Japanese film industry, Yoji Yamada (The Tora-san series, A Class to Remember), which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards 2003. Low-ranking samurai Seibei Iguchi is a widower, barely supporting his two young children and old senile mother on his meagre salary. Every evening at twilight, he goes directly home after work to take in other jobs, declining all offers of drinking and feasting with superiors and colleagues. His co-workers call him ‘Twilight Seibei’ behind his back. One day, Seibei saves Tomoe, a childhood sweetheart, from her husband’s violent blows. Taking notice of his swordsmanship, the superiors of his clan order him to assassinate a certain samurai. On the designated day of his mission, Seibei declares his feelings to Tomoe and then takes off. The adversary hiding in a mansion is a swordsman of considerable skill, and the match is not an easy one. But Seibei finally manages to defeat the samurai and returns home where his two daughters, his mother and Tomoe await him.