He was sentenced not to death, but to life.
 
Expert swordsman KANEMI Sanzaemon is, first and foremost, a man of principle. In order to save his clan from the corrupting influence of his lord's favorite concubine, he publicly assassinates her, fully expecting it will result in his own death by seppuku. 

Instead, he is sentenced to solitary confinement for an entire year, then released under one inexplicable condition: he must now serve as the lord's bodyguard. 

This thrilling, masterfully stylized tale of honor, intrigue and betrayal culminates in an explosive battle in which nothing is as it appears to be. 
 
Directed by Hideyuki Hirayama
6 nominations for 2011 Japanese Academy Awards
Based on the novel by Shohei FUJISAWA, author of the Oscar-nominated "The Twilight Samurai"
 
"Sword of Desperation is one of the best films I have seen this year." -- vCinemaShow
"What makes Sword of Desperation special in this reviewer’s eyes is its magnificent conclusion." -- DC Film Review
"If you’re a bushido junkie, there’s probably no better film for you than Sword of Desperation" -- Washington City Paper
"Rating: A... From Acting to production, Sword of Desperation hits a home run or should I say cuts them down with beauty and style" -- Anime Radius
"A very cool contemporary samurai film.... another great samurai film, rich and rare and oh so very steeped in bushido. Savor it." -- Asia Shock
"This film is sheer excellence from top to bottom" -- About Heroes