As Kurosawa's last epic, "Ran" has often been cited as among his finest achievements and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. With a budget of $11 million, it was the most expensive Japanese film produced up to that time. "Ran" was previewed on May 31, 1985, at the Tokyo International Film Festival before its release on June 1, 1985, in Japan. The film was hailed for its powerful images and use of color–costume designer Emi Wada won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work on "Ran". The distinctive Gustav Mahler–inspired film score was composed by Toru Takemitsu.