The Twilight Samurai (たそがれ清兵衛, Tasogare Seibei; lit. "Twilight Seibei") is a 2002 Japanese historical drama film co-written and directed by Yoji Yamada and starring Hiroyuki Sanada and Rie Miyazawa. Set in mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration, it follows the life of Seibei Iguchi, a low-ranking samurai employed as a bureaucrat. Poor, but not destitute, he still manages to lead a content and happy life with his daughters and his mother, who has dementia. Through an unfortunate turn of events, the turbulent times conspire against him.

The film was inspired by the short story "The Bamboo Sword" by Shuhei Fujisawa. The Twilight Samurai won an unprecedented 12 Japanese Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. The Twilight Samurai was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards.

Low-ranking samurai Iguchi Seibei becomes a widower when his wife succumbs to tuberculosis. His wife receives a grand funeral, more than Seibei can afford. Seibei works in the grain warehouse, keeping inventory for the clan. His colleagues mock him behind his back with the nickname Tasogare (Twilight). When evening approaches, Seibei rushes home to look after his elderly mother, who has dementia, and two young daughters, Kayano and Ito, instead of bonding with his supervisor and colleagues over customary nights of dinner, geisha entertainment, and sake drinking. Seibei neglects his appearance, failing to bathe or shave his head, and being shabbily dressed, due to the well-being of his young daughters and medicine for his mother taking priority over new clothes or the monthly bath fee. One day, when the clan’s lord comes to visit the grain warehouse to inspect the inventory, he notices and points out how Seibei smells and is unclean, for which he and his superior have to apologise profusely. Word gets out and Seibei is made a laughingstock. The next day his uncle, the head of Iguchi family, visits their home and angrily lectures Seibei, telling him that had that been the lord's father, Seibei would have been ordered to perform harakiri. His uncle also tells him that he is arranging a new marriage for him, as a new wife would help his ‘miserable’ situation and he can’t be picky. Seibei refuses, being content. Later at night, he asks his daughters if they are lonely with no mother, but they both say they are happy as long as they have him.

Things change when Seibei's childhood friend Iinuma Michinojo, (and much higher ranked in the clan) returns to town after returning from Kyoto. Michionjo tells Seibei that he could get him a position in the emperor’s guard, due to the unpredictability of the changing times. Seibei refuses, saying even if he were no longer a samurai he’d be a farmer. Michinojo tells him that his sister Tomoe, Seibei’s childhood friend, is now staying back at his household. With heavy persuasion on Michinojo's part, the clan lord allowed Tomoe to divorce her abusive alcoholic husband Koda, the son of a samurai captain. Seibei returns home to find Tomoe at his house, where the two catch up, reminisce of times when they were younger, and eat dinner with his family. Tomoe is atypical; she was a tom-boy as a child, and as an adult questions points of etiquette, such as obeying her elder brother's wife and not attending peasant festivals. Tomoe finds comfort and solace with Seibei's daughters. Seibei walks Tomoe home where they see Koda, who has barged into Michinojo's household of Michinojo in the middle of night in a drunken demand for Tomoe. He challenges Michinojo to a duel which Seibei, believing Michinojo could not win, accepts on Michinojo's behalf, although the clan forbids duels and the penalty is usually death for the winner, as the loser is already dead. Michinojo arrives before Seibei and is facing Koda hesitantly. Seibei interrupts and fights in his stead, deciding to use only a wooden stick against Koda's katana.

Seiebi disarms Koda and asks if that can be the end of it. Koda picks up his sword again, so Seibei knocks him unconscious, sparing both their lives. A few days later, Captain of the Guard Yogo passes by Seibei while he is working in the stores. Yogo tells Seibei that Koda has asked him for help in seeking vengeance on Seibei. Recognising that Seibei has some skill, Yogo hopes they can duel someday. Word of the duel spreads, and Seibei's workmates wonder if they should stop calling him by his nickname. Tomoe finds out and sends him a letter of sincerity.

When Michinojo and Seibei are fishing, he asks Seibei if he wants to marry his sister, saying she has turned down many offers. When he jokingly brought up Seibei she agreed, and Michinojo says he will not stand in the way if they do, as a way to atoning for marrying her off to Koda. Seibei at first feels that Iinuma and Tomoe are teasing him for his strong feelings for Tomoe, like when he, Iinuma, and Tomoe were children. Iinuma knows Tomoe's feeling for Seibei, and insists, as he considers Seibei a kind man who would treat Tomoe well. He tells Seibei he will be leaving for Edo (Tokyo) in three days and to think about it. With deep regret, Seibei declines Iinuma's offer, citing his inferior social and financial status and how he does not want to see Tomoe share the burden of poverty in marrying a lowly samurai like him, despite Michinojo's protest that Tomoe is a grown woman who knows what she is in for. Seibei stoically regrets how his departed wife suffered in his care. Like Tomoe, she came from a wealthier samurai family. They witness two peasant bodies being thrown out into the sea across the distance because of famine, and decide to end the conversation there. Tomoe stops visiting Kayano and Ito.

In the middle of one night, Seibei is awoken by his supervisor, who tells him to get dressed, as he is requested by high ranking officials of their clan. When they arrive, three of the clan’s senior members explain the situation. Yogo, one of the clan’s greatest swordsman, has been "disowned" and stubbornly refuses to resign his post by committing harakiri. The lord of the clan had died from measles the month prior, and Yogo ended up on the losing side of the ensuing sucession conflict. He and all off his subordinates were ordered to commit suicide. Yogo was the only one who refused to do so, and is now isolating himself in his home, and has already killed a formidable samurai who was sent to kill him. The clan, having heard of Seibei's prowess, learns that he was trained as a disiciple under a incredibly skilled swordsman and was an instructor in his dojo, while Seibei had claimed to be merely a student. They ask Seibei to kill Yogo, and promise him a rise in rank and pay if he succeeds.

Seibei is reluctant to fight Yogo at first, asking for a month to prepare. He claims that because of the hardship in his life, he has lost all resolve to fight with ferocity and disregard for his own life, a skill required to be a true swordsman. As they continue to insist, he requests two days to get himself up to the task. One of the senior clan members is furious over this answer and orders him expelled from the clan, though his two other subordinates calm him. Seibei is finally forced to agree after the senior members proclaim the mission is now a official clan order. They tell him a clan officer will come to pick him up tomorrow. Upon parting, Seibei thanks his supervisor for all he has done and bids him a final farewell beforehand in the case he loses. He tells him to sends his regards to his colleagues from the warehouse. His supervisor promises him that he will make sure his daughters will be taken care of if the worst comes to pass.