Ranking the Seven:

1. Kikuchiyo - The heart and soul of the movie. One of the greatest characters in film history.

2. Kambei - Kurosawa's own analogue. A brilliant leader who is humble without being modest, an authority without being authoritative, and a man weary of violence who still does not shy away from it.

3. Katsushirō - The naïve kid. Has the fullest arc of the seven and his unwavering goodness is essential.

4. Heihachi - Easy to underrate, but the good natured kindness he brings serves as glue for the seven. A treasure in hard times, indeed.

5. Kyūzō - The badass. Highly capable action hero but also implies a lot of depth in his quiet nature.

6. Gorōbei - The first experienced samurai to join Kambei's mission. A very affable presence.

7. Shichirōji - Kambei's old friend. Has less to do than the rest of the seven but his long history with Kambei does bring weight, especially at the end.