In a world with no guns, a mysterious drifter, a bartender and a young samurai plot revenge against a ruthless leader and his army of thugs, headed by nine diverse and deadly assassins.

Born in Osaka some 300 years ago, Japanese puppet theater—Bunraku—is a stunning yet refined spectacle. This program presents the story of Bunraku through two of its greatest masters, puppeteer Tamao Yoshida and chanter Sumitayu Takemoto. Brought together for the last performance of the 20th century, these two “living national treasures” transform ancient tales of old Japan into vibrant human drama. Cameras go backstage to capture the immense preparations and grueling, rarely seen rehearsals for their exquisite rendition of the masterpiece Shinju Ten no Amijima.

The Japanese art of bunraku puppetry dramatizes the existential crisis of a despondent denizen of a Kaiju-infested region of Japan; a rigorous theatrical tradition soaked in profound absurdism.