Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril

Ogami Itto, a renowned assassin for hire, accepts a lethal job involving a tattooed female killer. As he tracks his quarry through a world of political clans and deftly strikes with icy precision, he crosses paths with the stern head of the Yagyu clan, Retsudo, and his son Gunbei. The assignment threads a high wire of family honor, rival loyalties, and brutal skirmishes, pushing Itto into confrontations that test his code and his capacity to stay ahead of relentless pursuers. The film blends stark period detail with choreographed action as Itto moves through shadowy streets and quiet, deadly duels, it's a lean, brutal ride.

Directed by Buichi Saitō, the film adapts the manga by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. Released in 1972 as part of the Lone Wolf and Cub series.

Box office data for this entry isn't widely documented; it appeared as part of a serialized run in theaters and no reliable worldwide gross figures are listed in available references.

The title sits within a landmark series that helped popularize brutal, stylish samurai cinema and spawned international adaptations and translations of the source material. Its stark visuals and precise action influenced later genre filmmakers and remains a touchstone for fans of the era.

Critics typically note the lean storytelling and cool, controlled mood, with themes of duty, honor, and the cost of violence. The film centers on a lone wanderer balancing his deadly skills against a world where loyalties shift and penalties are swift.