A civil war hero is coerced by a mercenary officer to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry.

Videodisc release of the 2003 motion picture. Special features: (disc 1): commentary by director Edward Zwick; (disc 2): deleted scenes with commentary; history vs. Hollywood: 'The last samurai' [History Channel documentary]; Tom Cruise: a warrior's journey; Edward Zwick: director's video journal; making an epic: a conversation with Edward Zwick and Tom Cruise; a world of detail: production design with Lilly Kilvert; Silk and armor: costume design with Ngila Dickson; Imperial Army basic training; From soldier to samurai: the weapons; Japan premieres (Tokyo & Kyoto red carpet); theatrical trailer; DVD-ROM web link.