Set against the backdrop of the Boshin War, 11 Rebels (2025) is a gripping period war drama that unfolds during the fierce battle at Niigata Port. As Japan is engulfed in turmoil, lawlessness spreads, and criminals roam unchecked. In the town of Shibata, the people refuse to take sides, unwilling to align with either the Alliance or the Imperial Army.
When Lord Mizoguchi learns that both forces are converging on Shibata simultaneously, he devises a cunning ruse. To execute his plan, Irie and Heishiro recruit ten criminals, forming a desperate band of fighters for a diversionary skirmish. However, what begins as a mere decoy soon spirals into a brutal and unforgiving battle—one that threatens not only the rebels but also the Imperial Army and the very fate of Shibata itself.
This article contains spoilers.
11 Rebels (2025) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The movie opens with a commoner, Masa rushing to his deaf wife’s aid as a Samurai man has raped her. Elsewhere, Lord Mizoguchi from Shibata is asked to make a move by sending Shibata troops to the battlefield as the Northern Alliance Army of Ouetsu Domains has united, and the Imperial Army needs to be stopped in Echigo. Another leader, Saito, is annoyed as Mizoguchi promises to send troops, but on the field, Shibata’s army is always missing. The excuse Mizoguchi makes is that the soldiers did not reach their destination because of a peasant uprising. Since Mizoguchi is serving an adolescent Lord, the Alliance leaders warn Mizoguchi to get the Lord’s approval to send an army; if not, the Alliance will consider Shibata a traitor and wage war.
That night, the Shibata men realize they need to fight. Masa arrives in anger and kills Zenemon Sengoku (the one who raped Masa’s wife). After that, Masa is arrested and taken to Shibata to be executed. In the fourth year of Keio, the Samurai era is coming to an end, and Japan is immersed in the Boshin War. The new government led by Satsuma and Choshu supported the Imperial Court. These members call themselves the Imperial Army. Tokugawa Shogunate were made to surrender. Among the many battles within Japan during the Boshin War was the Nagaoka Castle battle. The supporters of the Shogunate are close to Nagaoka. Many more clans around the area have formed the Northern Alliance Army of the Ouetsu Domain. This group confronts the Imperial Army.
Why does Masa not want to fight alongside Shibata?
Shibata is a crucial town, and since they are sitting on the fence, the Shibata are asked to either fight with the Alliance or the Imperial Army. In Echigo that night, a woman is arrested and thrown inside a makeshift prison for committing arson. Since the Alliance won’t relent, Yamagata targets Niigata Port — a key weapons supply route for the Alliance Army.
The Lord of Shibata wants to join the Imperial Army. However, Mizoguchi thinks otherwise. On the execution grounds, a prisoner named Noro looks at Masa and starts calling him brother. For some reason, Noro feels like Masa is his brother. So Noro rushes out and frees Masa. As Masa tries to escape, he is caught. Since both the Alliance and the Imperial Army are set to arrive at Shibata on the same day, Mizoguchi decides to send Heishiro with his clan to Niigata Port to delay the Imperial Army’s arrival to Shibata.
As Heishiro and Irie need men at Niigata Port, they ask the 10 rebels, including the woman who committed the arson, to be the rebels/ suicide squad who will fight alongside Shibata. The Shibata clan baits these criminals by saying once the battle is over, they will be pardoned for their crimes. Because Shibata’s man raped Masa’s wife, Masa is unwilling to fight with them. So, Heishiro gives Masa two options: the first is to fight with Shibata or be put in a cell with cholera patients and die. Ultimately, Masa agrees to fight with Shibata. Instead of raising the Shibata army flag, these men raise Nagaoka’s flag.
Why does Heishiro spare Masa’s life?
It’s the first day of protecting the fort. At Shibata, Mizoguchi misled the clan, declaring Shibata’s allegiance to the Alliance’s war effort. At the fort, the suicide squad strengthens the defenses. As a few men practice their shooting stances, Oroshiya, the son of a doctor who tried to flee the country, suggests they burn the bridge in front of them as that will buy the clan two days. Hearing this, Irie is annoyed and slaps Oroshiya. In the forest, Noro finds an almost black water stream. Seeing that Noro is excited. During dinner, Oroshiya reveals that he wanted to flee the country to study medicine.
A while later, Masa tries to escape, but Noro calls out to Masa, making everyone aware of Masa’s action. As Masa gets on the bridge, he notices that the Imperial Army is heading their way. So the whole clan hides in the bushes. As the Imperial Army gets close to the gates, they hear noises in the bushes. Soon, the suicide squad and the Imperial Army break into a fight. Eventually, the Imperial Army retreats when their Lord Sera is killed. Later, Heishiro and Masa talk. Masa says even if he goes back to his wife, what has happened cannot be changed. So Masa does not mind dying. However, Heishiro gives Masa one last warning as he had saved Heishiro’s life during the fight.
What tactics do the rebels use to fight the Imperial Army?
Elsewhere, Iwamura is mad at his men for retreating but Yamagata understands the situation as these men did not arrive with an intention to fight. In Shibata, Mizoguchi and his daughter Kana argue as she thinks Mizoguchi does not approve of Irie as his son-in-law. Once Mizoguchi leaves, Kana’s mother realizes Kana is pregnant with Irie’s child. It’s the second day of defending the fort.
The arsonist woman convinces Masa to play along with the Shibata’s orders so he can go home to his wife. Meanwhile, Arai is annoyed with the criminals for making a fool out of him while gambling. Since Heishiro understands the need for the criminals, he stops Arai from hurting the suicide squad. In the forest, Irie tells Arai that once the mission is over, he can kill the criminals the way he wants. The arsonist woman hears this.
Suddenly, Oroshiya sees an Imperial Army troop marching towards the fort, so he alerts the rest of them. What the suicide squad did not anticipate was the Imperial Army’s usage of a cannon. The suicide squad realizes that they are outnumbered, so Heishiro has an idea to fight the Imperial Army. By creating smoke, the Imperial Army’s vision is unclear. Using this as an opportunity, the suicide squad fights the Imperial Army. Soon, the commander of the Imperial Army realizes where the smoke is coming from and fires at Noro and the woman. The situation now gets difficult for the suicide squad. In this battle, Irie is severely injured. While Masa struggles to fend off the soldiers, Noro comes to their rescue with his firebomb.
How does the Imperial Army lure the rebels?
Heishiro captures one of the leaders of the group and ties him up to the watchtower for the Imperial Army to see. Other than Irie, Nimaime’s half face is burned. That night, Masa confronts Irie as the arsonist woman has informed Masa that the plan is to get rid of criminals once the job is done. It seems only Irie and Arai knew of the plan, as Heishiro is surprised as well. More truths come out as the suicide squad is just a decoy, and Shibata will be welcoming the Imperial Army wholeheartedly once they get a signal from Mizoguchi. Right now, Irie promises to free the criminals and apologizes. After going through so much together, the group trusts Irie again.
Meanwhile, Kana has arrived at the fort to meet Irie. On the third day of protecting the fort, the Imperial Army promises to forgo any criminal charges if the rebels join them and release the hostages. Hearing this, the rebels find hope and decide to fight with the Imperial Army, which Irie also approves. However, Heishiro shoots the hostage, making the rebels stay and battle with the Imperial Army. Heishiro says he did this to protect all of their hometowns; if the rebels don’t stop the Imperial Army, then Shibata will get into a war. The suicide squad comes together and fights. It starts raining that night, so the suicide squad knows the Imperial Army will not attack.
What happens to Noro?
Meanwhile, Mizoguchi puts up a show in front of the Alliance by killing the peasants to prove that Shibata has always been on the Alliance’s side. In reality, these are people who were infected with cholera. While the rest of them are making firebombs, Masa once again tries to escape. The idea is to blow off the bridge so the Imperial Army cannot pass through. Masa informs Yamagata that he possesses the head of the Shibata troop’s commander. Saying that, Masa brings out Arai’s head. Yamagata is surprised to hear that the rebels inside are the Shibata clan and not Nagaoka. As this is going on, the suicide squad sets up firebombs on the bridge.
Unfortunately for Masa, Yamagata wants to kill Masa. Noro comes to Masa’s rescue by throwing a firebomb. As Masa and Yoro escape from the bridge, Nimaime volunteers to light the firebombs. As they cannot wait any longer, Nimaime lights the firebomb, and it explodes. Along with the Imperial Army, even Masa and Noro drop into the water. The Alliance leaders find out about Mizoguchi’s antics. Inside the fort, Irie dies. The next day, Masa drags himself and Noro to the fort. There, Oroshiya checks Noro’s pulse and declares him dead. At night, Masa cries because of Noro’s death as well as his fate. Suddenly, Noro comes to life, and Masa is thrilled. The suicide squad sees an oil well right above the enemies. So they decide to throw a firebomb to destroy the enemies once and for all.
11 Rebels (2025) Movie Ending Explained:
Although the bridge is destroyed, the ropes are good enough for the suicide squad to pass by. Elsewhere, Yamagata plans to reach the Fort/Shibata through a long route. There are preparations made to execute Mizoguchi. However, Mizoguchi is spared because the Alliance leaders need to defend Nagaoka castle. The suicide squad digs near the well, and oil comes gushing out, and it flows near the Imperial Army. A soldier informs Yamagata to reach the castle as the Alliance is attacking there. However, Yamagata wants to finish the rebels. As Masa throws the firebomb, the Imperial Army members run, but because of the oil, the firebomb explodes. A battle ensues, and Masa kills Sugiyama, frustrating Yamagata. The remaining rebels cross over the bridge rope and cut it so no one else can cross over.
On the fourth day, Kana asks Mizoguchi to pardon everyone who fought in the fort. To seek revenge, Yamagata has come to Shibata. Luckily for Yamagata, Shibata has agreed to work with the Imperial Army. Barely any members of the suicide squad are alive. Now, Masa leaves early, but he notices Shibata members going towards the fort.
Why does Heishiro fight Mizoguchi?
The rebels are excited, but Mizoguchi kills the rebels except Heishiro. Seeing this, Heishiro is infuriated and decides to fight Shibata as the 11th rebel. By then, Masa and Noro try to gather firebombs to help Heishiro. Although Heishiro takes down many soldiers, he is injured severely. In the end, Mizoguchi shoots Heishiro. Masa sends Noro away and helps Heishiro. Unfortunately, Masa had to keep the firebomb close to him so that many soldiers could be killed. In the process, Masa is also dead, and so is Heishiro. In the end, the new government army, with the help of Shibata, conquered Niigata Port. Mizoguchi is spared and is loved by the people, not knowing of his crimes.
When Mizoguchi gets home, he sees Kana has killed herself because Mizoguchi did not keep his promise. The arsonist woman and Noro visit Masa’s wife to give her money and Masa’s scarf as a remembrance. In the end, only the arsonist woman and Noro survive among the rebels. Even though Mizoguchi got away with playing political games, he paid the price by losing his daughter. Masa’s wife receives closure even though it’s a sad one. The reason Heishiro fights with Mizoguchi is that he has grown fond of the rebels as they have fought battles alongside each other. Until the end, it seemed like the rebels were doing a better job, but the Imperial Army and Shibata joined hands and destroyed the lives of everyone. The film depicts the effects of civil war but also the political games that go behind it.
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