License to Kill(1980)

License to Kill is a Japanese historical series set in Edo-period Japan. The story follows the officers of Guardhouse 36, an elite unit renowned throughout the bustling city for their exceptional skill and compassion. Known as the "Kirisute Bansho"—literally those with the right to kill—these officers possess a rare authority granted even by the shogun himself. They balance their fearsome reputation against evildoers with genuine mercy toward the innocent. Stationed in the Shamisen-bori district, they navigate the complex moral landscape of their dangerous profession, using their lethal privilege not as a tool of tyranny but as a burden of responsibility. The series explores what it means to wield absolute power while maintaining one's humanity.