Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)

The third Lone Wolf and Cub film sees Ittō get embroiled in the fate of a young woman sold into servitude, which causes him to upset a group of Yakuza.
The Yagyū Clan continue to pursue their target but they take a back-seat so that themes of honour, valour and the crippling contradictions in the Bushido code can be deeply explored, a situation that's preceded by a group of mercenaries abusing their privileges; they're wandering rōnin-for-hire like Ittō, but without the level of self-guidance that keeps the Lone Wolf steadfast. The film aesthetic complements the study, with long scenes filled with hesitation and thought-provoking weighing of consequences.
Young Daigoro has more of an influence on events than before, but it's done subtly, not like Hollywood fumbling. One scene in particular, the boy alone on a porch with his thoughts, is memorable; the series isn't just about killing.

4 paths that form a crossroads to hell out of 5