Rurouni Kenshin Live Action Movie Part 2 - Kyoto Arc

The ever popular Kenshin now have 2nd live action incarnation. Looks great, to be honest.

Kenshin real live action? Hmmmmm...

Can you see Kenshin in this guy? Maybe. Takeru Sato will be Kenshin in live action adaptation. Supposedly he is a big fan of the anime/manga while he is growing up. Warner Bros Japan is willing to invest on the movie, produced by this studio called Swan.

Seen Space Battleship Yamato and I am not too impressed by the movie. Most of my friends did not survive Gantz live action either so I am kinda cool to this development. It is about time, I suppose.

The buzz is high since this is highly regarded franchise.

Time will tell if this movie going suck like the examples I mentioned or not. 2012 release.

Source

anime

New Kenshin anime? Eh?

Perhaps the most explosive anime related news now, new Kenshin anime is on the horizon. I am not sure which studio gonna animate it, will it be a reboot or anything. All I know is the announcement on 15th anniversary of famous chambara anime.

I shall wait for it with some interest. I already can hear female fans shrieking with excitement.

anime

Katanagatari / 刀語

Animesuki forum has been buzzing excitedly about this upcoming series from creator of Bakemonogatari (Ishin Nishio). From this review, it does have a promising story with interesting hook and unique art style, but, my initial positive response is kinda dimmed when I don't see Shinbo or Shaft Studio here. Not helping when looking at the attached director (Motonaga Keitaro) is the dude who did few lemon series like boring Akane Iro ni Somaru Saka, overhyped School Days and horrid Amaenaideyo. In his defense however, he did direct some episodes of my top favourite space opera series, Seikai no Monshu and Senki. A relatively unknown studio WHITE FOX will be handling this series, their most recent release is Tears of Tiara TV. There are 12 light novel volumes out for Katanagatari with one spin off volume. So far from what I read or heard, this is not exactly his/her best work but this is just second hand opinion.

It has ambitious release schedule of 1 month per episode in OAV/OAD format with 20 expected total. One wonders if it is for quality control purposes or some new marketing idea to prevent pirating of the series. Or it could mean investors are confident this baby will make money. Afterall, it is kinda hard to miss Aniplex in the trailer.

Until then, it is remains to seen if this series able to give surprises like Bakemonogatari did in 2009.

Main Site

anime

Production I.G Musashi / 宮本武蔵 ―双剣に馳せる夢― Trailer

Slated for summer of this year, Production I.G's work 宮本武蔵 ―双剣に馳せる夢― / Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai envisioned and written by Mamoru Oshii (GITS, Sky Crawlers) should be interesting. Oshii's vision and intellectual approach of story is either sublime or obtuse for fans. Now we shall see how he handle one of Japan's most renowned samurai legend. Kill Bill anime sequence director Mizuho Nishikubo will be the one sitting on director's chair.

Why Oda Nobunaga (戦国BASARA / Sengoku BASARA) often depicted as villian in most chambara / samurai medias?

He is portrayed so because many Japanese samurai commentators regarded him as upstart usurper that destroyed harmony of Japanese idealized samurai hierarchy. In their view, he is the motorcycle gang leader complete with punk hair and bad attitude. He is ruthless, brilliant, unorthodox and uncharacteristically non conformist hence his constant portrayal as dark lord from another dimension.



Confucian influenced samurai commentators did not like upstarts hence they often written Nobunaga in rather bad light, only concede grudging respect when it warrants so such as his conduct in Battle of Nagashino 1575 CE (the battle that signified the end of famous Takeda clan) and his putting down of Ikko-Ikki monk rebellion. Not to mention his ruthless campaign against Iga ninja clan (as shown in GONZO anime series Basilisk) which some historian compare it to Mongolian genocide against feared Assassin clan during the Crusades. This is the man who hired an African as his personal bodyguard, he purchased him from visiting Portuguese missionary which brought him as slave. He is also the one promoted sandal bearer to general which later inherit his legacy and finish uniting Japan in his wake. The sandal bearer's name is Toyotomi Hideyoshi whom Nobunaga nicknamed him "Saru" which means monkey. This is why Hideyoshi was carrying a pet monkey in Sengoku Basara series.



However the one that upset so many samurai commentators is his liberal usage of gun on Japanese battlefield, they considered gun has changed the nobility of samurai warfare. The katana blade and bow is no longer elegant weapon of decision which celebrated in timeless samurai poetry, it is a simple peasant with arquebus can gun down even the mightiest warlord from safe distance riled samurai purists to no end. Hence it is no surprise that they look on Nobunaga with sullen disdain for this tradition breaking aspect.




In latest game inspired anime series Sengoku Basara / 戦国BASARA, it is an easy template for story writers to copy this popular casting of Nobunaga as badass baddie instead of more understanding examination of him. Just like how most Romance of 3 Kingdom media usage of Cao Cao as villain most of the time.

The series is fun to watch but don't take it too seriously. However the cast VA is like who's who in Japanese VA industry which is like Yang opposite of concurrent infamous Queen Blade which boasted very impressive female VA lineup Ying (the anime with lactating acid breast ahem). Nobunaga is voiced by famous Norio Wakamoto which considered by many fans as most macho male voice comparable to James Earl Jones Darth Vader.

It is basically a Gurren Lagaan with samurai setting with little homoerotic spiced relationships (Yukimura and Lord Takeda is perfect example).

Somewhat sufficient Wiki entry

Mamoru Oshii's Production I.G Musashi Teaser is out.

Oh! Beautiful! I am so looking forward to this. I wonder if they using the novel's template to tell the famous sword saint or not.

Production staff includes director Mizuho Nishikubo (also known by his alias Toshihiko Nishikubo) who has worked on numerous Oshii films including Ghost in the Shell (1995), Innocence (2004) and The Sky Crawlers (2008). He also directed the TV series Otogi Zoshi and Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato. Kazuto Nakazawa, director of the mind-blowing animation segment in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) and creator of innovative characters as seen in Samurai Champloo (2004), will design the characters for Musashi. The animation is supervised by Kazuchika Kise, the chief animator in Ghost in the Shell, Innocence and Blood: The Last Vampire.

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Ninja Scroll Live Action

Leo Di Caprio. I used to loathe this guy out of sheer jealousy because Titanic. The girls are singing lullabies and want to have sex with this guy for the damn ship movie. But...

He is a real big time anime fan and his company, Appian Way already go full time production on adaptation of Ninja Scroll and Akira anime into live action.

I have confidence in him. Despite my earlier dismissal, I later on watch Basketball Diary and Blood Diamond which impressed me a lot. Not forgetting Gangs of New York. Ah well.

This time though he is not acting in either of them.

Source

Miyamoto Musashi/ 宮本武蔵

Mamoru Oishi from his praised but not commercially successful Sky Crawlers will be directing Studio IG movie on most famous Japanese duelist, Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi who wrote treatise on swordmanship known Book of Five Rings, said to have won 60 duels against famous martial artists in Japan. Studio IG has made excellent chambara series "Guardian of Water Spirit" or Seirei no Moribito should be able to rival another excellent chambara movie released last year, Sword of Stranger animated by Studio Bones.

Due for release in early summer 2009, the title would be 宮本武蔵―双剣に馳せる夢― / Miyamoto Musashi - Futaken ni Haseru Yume (Miyamoto Musashi – A Dream of Victory with Two Swords).

Perhaps this will talk about his exploits when he fought the Yoshioka school where he is forced to use dual sword in mortal combat against whole school. The ending might be where he went one on one against a renowned rival, Genryu Sasaki Kojiro.

Wikipedia entry
Anime movie site

Blade of the Immortal Anime Promo, better quality version.,

Finally a better quality promo of Blade of the Immortal anime. Enjoy.

Sword of Stranger/Mukoh Handan/ストレンヂア －無皇刃譚－ (2007)

Story

Set in Period of Warring States of Japan, this is a tale of 3 foreigners in Land of Rising Sun. An entourage of Ming Dynasty vassals led by sinister Lord Byakoryu was in a maritime province of Japan seeking for a boy that touted to have blood that can prolong the Ming Emperor's life. They spare no expense for ritual and wrecking the province with their relentless search after suitable bribing of local daimyo to secure his cooperation. The child in question, Kotarou, was on the run and became very distrustful of people meet a vagabond ronin who called himself a "Man with No Name" or Nanashi, a salute to a certain famous Clint Eastwood movie, "A Fistful of Dollars". After a brief skirmish where the ronin skillfully dispatched few assailants without drawing his purposely tied down blade, the story is set. Throw in a little court intrigue, unrealized loves, tragic destinies and sheer bad-asses kicking each other's butt, the story uses these cliches to perfection.

A symbolic mantis, setting the mood of the movie

Story wise is pretty cliche but what makes up for it is fluid animation and good characterization, especially the dog, Tobimaru. This is the movie where cliche actually works when it is executed properly. From tortured cynical ronin, Nanashi to bloodthirsty lone wolf like persona of Lord Lan Rou, the storyteller succeeded in showing the story without resorting of explaining plot to the audience. Which is good, since movie suppose to show story, not narrate them endlessly. Directed by Mashiro Ando (End of Evangelion, Pani Poni Dash)and animated by Studio Bones ( Rahxephon, Darker than Black, Wolf's Rain) the movie has been in works since 2003.

A cold blue eyes of Lord Lan Rou

Steely glare of determined Nanashi

Story: 8

Animation

Oh yes, this is where the movie shines. Each of the fights were skillfully done and there is no repeat animations used in the movie. The surrounding was bleak, in tune with the movie overall theme on fraility of human life under stresses of destiny. The action was fluid and furious, the scenes where antagonist, Lord Lan Rou showing his Chinese sword fighting was awe-inspiring for quality of animation.

Studio Bones really showed why they are in the business with this movie.

Animation: 10

Soundtrack

The main theme was grand and epic like feel but the rest of soundtrack do not stand out that much in my opinion. In fact the movie's animation and character seem to overwhelm the soundtrack and there is nothing much to shout about really.

In this department, nothing really stands out except the main leitmotif of the movie.



Sound: 5

Conclusion

This movie moves me to tears of joy for sheer beauty of animation and able to press emotional switches in me especially scenes of bonding between Kotarou and Nanashi while they fighting off skillful warriors of Ming Dynasty. The dog, Tobimaru is the bridge between a sullen boy and tortured sword fighter which is a brilliant idea in my opinion. On the other side, the bored expression Lord Lan Rou underscores his pain that he is unable to test his sword skill against a worthy opponent. Hence it is perfectly understandable that he is very excited and alive when he met Nanashi, a meeting between 2 alpha lone "wolves" in wilderness of Japan. Lord Lan Rou is destructive force of nature and he has his own twist if audience can figure it out.

Story wise is not very different from much chambara movies but what makes it up as I said earlier is the characterization. It is joy to see the characters realistic development and catharsis with their personal ambition or nightmare in the movie. The movie also tried to portrayed the Ming warriors as tight knit, elite force which succeeded in some ways. Another big plus point for me here is the relatively realistic duels, no fireballs/hadouken or some stupidly ridiculously inhuman ability in fighting. Fast, brutal and unapologetic, I like it that way very much. A judicious play on irony of fates is done well here and it gives the character more colour in the largely merciless narration of the movie especially the title itself which emphasizes on word "stranger" as 3 principal players in the movie are strangers in their own way. The xenophobic of Japanese towards these characters also shown here.

Overall, this is a not to be missed movie for anime fans of chambara genre.



Verdict: 10



Pilot movie.

Sword of Stranger

Oh this chambara movie is absolutely gorgeous and beautiful.Action is brutal and fast with likable cast.

Will write more on this.



The TV interview of the cast.

Blade of the Immortal Anime Trailer

Here it is, enjoy. Still look at it with great feeling of "oh shit, it is gonna suck".