Short synopsis:

Kanjuro is a samurai without sword; he only has a scabbard. Because of the events in his past he refuses to fight and travels aimlessly with his daughter Tae throughout the country. But Kanjuro is a wanted man, as he has deserted his lord. He is sentenced to "The Thirty-Day Feat", according to which he has to make the lord's sad son smile. He is given thirty days time and one chance per day to fulfill his task. If he succeeds, he is free; if he fails, he must commit seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword). Days go by with gags of every kind, but still no smile is seen on the face of the child. Will the samurai be able to save himself and his beloved daughter? 

Why this comedy matters:
It might strike people as odd that a comedy features a samurai: a figure that is certainly not legendary for his sense of humor. But Matsumoto's new film, revolving around the typical themes of honor and pride, is about the art of comedy itself. Every comedian struggles with the crucial question: Is it funny or not? Whether or not one's (lack of) talent represents a death threat – the question stays at the heart of a comedian's career. Slapstick humor encapsulated in a one-samurai-show.