Lady Snowblood

The Six Degrees of Kill Bill, Part II

n our Six Degrees of Kill Bill series, we’re exploring the films that Quentin Tarantino has cited—or outright lifted from—in crafting his 2004 revenge epic. And few films were more influential than Toshiya Fujita’s LADY SNOWBLOOD.

In this episode, we dig into the film’s origins as a cult manga, the surprising story behind its adaptation, and how Fujita and screenwriter Kazuo Koike brought it to the screen. We also take a brief (but fascinating!) detour into the Meiji era of Japanese history to understand how that context shapes the story, characters, and political undercurrent of the film.

From its operatic bloodshed to its chapter-based structure and visual homages, LADY SNOWBLOOD isn’t just an influence on KILL BILL—it’s practically its spiritual ancestor.

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Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.