Review: ‘Sword of the Stranger’

Chad:

So on Thursday, Fathom Events held a special presentation of ‘Sword of the Stranger’ (Sutorejia: Mukà ´ hadan). In spite of some technical difficulties with the theater, the movie was great. The movie was being broadcast via satellite and was very dark, making some of the exciting action sequences hard to see clearly. The story was not as complex and convoluted in comparison to some of the anime greats like ‘Akira’ and ‘Ghost in the Shell’. It was straight forward and easy to understand. Which, I’m sure will help it’s appeal to the general audiences out there.

The story follows a young orphan who is running for his life from the Ming Dynasty. The Ming, as they are referred to in the film, have some nasty plans for the boy’s blood. The boy Kotaro and his faithful dog Tobimaru are racing across Japan to Mangaku Temple, a Buddhist monastery where brother Shoan said they would be safe. On his journey, the pair meet up with a wandering Ronin, samurai warrior without a master, who drops in on them while they are trying to have dinner. With Tobimaru’s help, the Warrior, who we find out later has given up his name and goes by “No Name”, joins their party. Moments later, the three are attacked by two of the Japanese soldiers assigned to help the Ming capture the boy. Kotaro eventually hires No Name to help get him to the monastery safely with one caveat; that he help save Tobimaru who was poisoned while saving No Name from a Ming dagger. Let me make one disclaimer for those of you who, like myself, love dogs and tend to avoid movies where dogs die. The dog lives, though it is a close call.

All in all this is an exciting movie. The story has some heart-warming sections where No Name and Kotaro become friends. These were few and far between but they really helped. They added an the intensity to the action by enthralling the audience with a true concern over how the fight sequences turn out. I really felt for the characters.

At one point No Name, striving through most of the movie to keep a vow he made to himself, lashes out in an effort to save Kotaro and the audience actually applauded, in the middle of the movie. I know. I know. I don’t blame them. If I didn’t find clapping in a movie distasteful myself, I might have as well. It was just the intensity of the scene that everyone was feeling.

Check out the official website at Bandai

Sword of the Stranger is definitely worth checking out when the DVD is released. I’ll see you in line!