Sword of the Stranger

Whoa!!! This one was a doozy!

Looking for something new as I continue to mix it up and try different types of Japanese animated features, I decided to go for Masahiro Ando's Sword of the Stranger. It came with the highest recommendation, and the film was in the top 10 of that Top 30 Japanese animated films of all time that Adam posted in the comment section of Spirited Away Canada, USA, Europe). I figured that I couldn't go wrong and I was right.

I commend Sword of the Stranger to the attention of anyone not familiar with animated features and, like me, who didn't know where the hell to start to find out what the quality pictures are. This one is gritty, bloody, with plenty of machinations and backstabbing, so it's not for children or those who are young at heart. If you want to give one Japanese animated movie a try, I suggest you give Sword of the Stranger a shot. I reckon that most people hanging around these part would probably enjoy the flick. If you can live with subtitles, that is. . .

The story occurs in Japan during the Sengoku era, at a time when the country is divided into numerous provinces ruled by feudal lords. A young boy named Kotaro and his dog Tobimaru are pursued by an elite force of Ming warriors from China led by a blonde-haired swordsman from the West. A nameless samurai haunted by dark memories from his past and who has sworn never to draw his blade again saves them from certain death. Soon, they are on the run, and little do they know what the Emperor of China has in store for the boy. But when Kotaro is betrayed by those meant to offer him sanctuary and the truth is revealed about his fate, it's up to the nameless ronin to attempt to save the boy's life.

I reckon that many aficionados loved this film because of the intricately staged action scenes. The various fight sequences are extremely bloody, and for a time I feared that Sword of the Stranger would degenerate into a senseless gore-filled affair that would border on the ridicule. Thankfully, I was wrong. The plot is engaging, and so are the characters after a while. Kotaro is a brat at the beginning, but Nanashi's (No Name) influence turns him around, albeit to a certain extent. Masahiro Ando toys with a number of character archtypes such as the Chosen One, and the silent warrior with a buried past, and overall it is well-done.

Visually impressive, though the various fight scenes are paced so fast that you seldom see more than blood gushing and members flying up in the air, but a notch under the visual impact that Hayao Miyazaki and Makoto Shinkai can achieve. Although the tale has depth, there are several plot holes throughout the movie, chief among them exactly why Kotaro is so important to the Emperor, and how did a Westerner like Luo-Lang end up fighting with a Chinese elite squad. But overall, the plot moves well and you're never really lost, just wishing they'd feed you a bit more information about various aspects of the story.

Once again (I've been lucky thus far), the soundtrack by Naoki Sato captures the different moods perfectly. The music is never overdone. It hovers in the background, adding layers and conveying emotions when it's needed.

As far as I know, few animated features have such cross-genre appeal, which is why I encourage you to give it a go! You should rent the DVD if you have the opportunity, of course. But if you are unable to find a copy, you can always try veoh.com, where you'll find versions with French, English, or Spanish subtitles. Or there is a version of YouTube with very good picture quality split into 11 parts. Here's a link to the first part, if you feel like having a glimpse. . .

And here's the trailer:



And here's the ending credits theme, reminiscent of Hans Zimmer's The Last Samurai:



For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe