Shogun and His Mistress 2

Set in 1786 under the Tokugawa shogunate, Shogun and His Mistress 2 follows Ochisa as she becomes a favored concubine and sparks jealousy among the other women in the palace. The narrative centers on how court life enforces status through ritual, gossip, and subtle power plays rather than outright rebellion. Ochisa's presence triggers rivalries that ripple through the domestic space, where attendants and eunuchs mediate hunger and politics, and the line between affection and manipulation blurs. When the ruler dies, the women face a stark shift in fortune and are displaced, a test of loyalty and faith under pressure. The film stays restrained in its depiction of sex and violence, preferring a cold, clinical atmosphere that heightens the cruelty of confinement. Its tone is grim without sensational showmanship, unlike some of its pinku peers.

Directed by Sadao Nakajima and released in 1967, this second entry in a shogun's harem trilogy features a script credited to Takeo Kunihiro and Takehiro Nakajima. It sits within the pinku eiga tradition, but adopts a more restrained, austere tone than its predecessors. The visual palette favors quiet interiors, shadow play, and carefully choreographed gestures over explicit exposure.

Box office data for this title is not publicly documented, a common fate for many 1960s genre films. Without measured grosses, its commercial impact remains unclear.

Within genre history, the film stands as a relatively restrained example of pinku eiga, choosing psychological tension over graphic sensationalism. It contributes to the picture of how sexual politics and power operate inside a shogun's palace, influencing later works that favor atmosphere over explicit display.

Reception notes the film's grim mood and austere presentation, with critics pointing to its unflinching look at hierarchy and the toll of court life. The themes center on control, desire weighed against duty, and the harsh realities women face within a rigid social order.