 SPOILER: The only three samurai survivors, Shichiroji, Katsushiro  and Kambei, were the first three title character actors to die in  real life: Daisuke Katô (I) (qv); (Shichiroji) died in 1975,  Isao Kimura (qv) (Katsushiro) died in 1981 and  Takashi Shimura (qv) (Kambei) died in 1982.