Member BlackLamaFaction Posted February 12, 2010 Member Share Posted February 12, 2010 Does anyone else think this film was great? I had put off watching it for so long and put it on as part of my snow'd in marathon on Wednesday. Nanashi was a perfect nameless Ronin, I thought the element that he refuses to draw his sword was great, it made the final confrontation all the more climactic. The storyline about the drug being made from the boy's blood was the only diversion from what was otherwise a fantasy free tale, which made it feel all the more like a traditional Samurai vs. Chinese (Ming) film. Not that I do not love the fantasy elements of anime samurai films, I just thought this was an interesting approach to an anime film. I also liked that on top of the violence and turmoil of the story the film had heart as well, the unlikely family of a nameless Ronin a young boy and his dog. It really is a great thing when a film exceeds all of your expectations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted February 12, 2010 Member Share Posted February 12, 2010 This movie sounds interesting, I'm going to have to check it out. Amazon.com Masahiro Ando's Sword of the Stranger (2007) is a no-holds-barred samurai action film that happens to be animated. Accompanied by his faithful dog, Tobimaru, Kotaro is forced to flee when the troops of a feudal lord and their Chinese allies attack the temple where he's been living. Taking refuge in an abandoned shrine, Kotaro meets No Name, a sardonic but extremely able ronin. Kotaro needs a friend, as both Japanese and Chinese fighters are hunting him; They're planning to sacrifice the boy in an elaborate ritual and use his blood to prepare "Xian Medicine," an elixir that is supposed to guarantee the Emperor of China eternal life. Although Kotaro fusses and tries to bully No Name, a powerful bond forms between the designated victim and the warrior who bears the physical and psychological scars of his battles. Their bond proves stronger than the ties that bind lord to vassal and ally to ally. Like Kenshin Himura in Rurouni Kenshin, No Name has vowed not to use his sword in penance for the blood he shed as a warrior. But he breaks the knot that binds the blade to its sheath when he rescues Kotaro in a spectacular series of fight scenes. Voice actors Aidan Drummond (Kotaro) and Michael Adamthwaite (No Name) offer winning performances that match their Japanese counterparts, Yuri Chinen and Tomoya Nagase. Ando uses CG to give Sword of the Stranger a sense of epic scale without detracting from the drawn animation of the characters. Dynamically staged and animated, Sword of the Stranger will delight devotees of live-action samurai movies as well as anime fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member kaleyboy Posted February 12, 2010 Member Share Posted February 12, 2010 This film is a real gem. Get the bluray if you can as the extra detail really brings the fluid animation to life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member LoneWolf Posted February 13, 2010 Member Share Posted February 13, 2010 Agreed. Very good flick...wouldn't put it in my top 10 or anything, but top 20 for sure. I too am not a huge fan of the 'fantasy' stuff....I like it, but the other elements of the movie far outweigh it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ronin Posted February 19, 2010 Member Share Posted February 19, 2010 Love this film - highly recommended. I really must pick up the blu-ray ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted March 8, 2010 Member Share Posted March 8, 2010 Does anyone else think this film was great? I had put off watching it for so long and put it on as part of my snow'd in marathon on Wednesday. Nanashi was a perfect nameless Ronin, I thought the element that he refuses to draw his sword was great, it made the final confrontation all the more climactic. The storyline about the drug being made from the boy's blood was the only diversion from what was otherwise a fantasy free tale, which made it feel all the more like a traditional Samurai vs. Chinese (Ming) film. Not that I do not love the fantasy elements of anime samurai films, I just thought this was an interesting approach to an anime film. I also liked that on top of the violence and turmoil of the story the film had heart as well, the unlikely family of a nameless Ronin a young boy and his dog. It really is a great thing when a film exceeds all of your expectations. I bought the movie soon after it came out and its up there in my favorite anime movies. The story was interesting and had lots of heart, the animation was breath taking, the music was inspiring, and best of all the end fight was one of the most climatic battles I've ever seen in an anime. Can you tell I really like this movie? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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