I think it does this film a disservice to constantly compare it to Star Wars. The two are really not that similar, and thematically they share almost no qualities. I’d argue spaghetti westerns ripped more off than George Lucas.
That comparison threw me off for at least the first half of the film, and spoiled the enjoyment of the movie for me a bit. I was also (as usual) caught off guard by the theatrical Japanese acting style, especially compared to its western peers. While this was beautiful and elegantly told, I was frustrated by the hype surrounding it and how that hype points the modern viewer in the wrong direction.
All that being said, this would probably be a great introduction to Kurosawa’s samurai films for folks who haven’t seen one. I look forward to a re-watch one day, when I am able to properly judge the film on its own merits.