Everytime I see this film, my appreciation grows

Last night I watched Masahiro Shinoda's "Ibun Sarutobi Sasuke (Samurai Spy)" for the fifth time on DVD.
My appreciation for this 1965 jidai-geki film grows with each viewing. The first time I saw it, the complex plotting actually made the film nearly impenetrable. Now, I want to follow a viewing by seeing it again.
Koji Takahashi stars as a ninja/spy caught between two rival clans and their spies. He becomes a target for both camps and the authorities when he is the last person seen speaking with a murdered double agent.
Shinoda and cinematographer Masao Kosugi combine to give a master class on shot composition. The pair handle a variety of overhead views, long shots, extreme closeups and artfully composed scenes with characters framed by architecture, trees or other characters.
Each shot could serve as a work of art.
While serving up these sumptuous views, Shinoda also deftly handles a challenging, often rather complicated plot of intrigue, double-crossing and mistaken identity.
"Ibun Sarutobi Sasuke (Samurai Spy)" could be the best-directed film I have seen.