[4] His father was a Kobe entrepreneur Fukujiro Misumi and his mother was a geisha from Kyoto's pleasure district who went by the name Shizu.

[4] While working there, he entered into conversation about cinema with novelist and playwright Kan Kikuchi who slipped him contact information with Nikkatsu Studios.

[5] The recommendation from Kikuchi was enough to have him enter employment at Nikkatsu however, allowing him to start work as trainee assistant director in 1941.

[5] The film industry in Japan had changed after World War II with Nikkatsu having been absorbed into the structure of Daiei where Misumi sought employment and was hired as an assistant director.

'Tange Sazen: The Moss Monkey's Jar'), a third film in a trilogy about a one-armed and one-eyed samurai portrayed by Okochi.

[6] Misumi's films has continued success at the box office in Japan which led him to direct more features often with the same crew.

[7] The crew included assistant director Toshinori Tomoeda, cinematographer Chishi Makirua, film editor Kanji Suganuma, and production designer Akira Naito.

[9][10] Misumi had already made Zatoichi at the Fire Festival the previous year for Katsu Productions and made his debut in television with the series Tenno no seiki in 1971, following it up with the first entry in the Lone Wolf and Cub series with Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance again for Katsu.