1985 comic issue. Written by Rich Margopoulos. Illustrated by Dick Ayers and Chic Stone.
Related reviews:
- The first issue of the series.
- The previous issue of the series.
"Invaders from Earth"
"Conspiracy"
"War of the Planets"
"Dregs of Defeat"
Long separated from their homeworld, the Mantech warriors are shocked to discover that humans, now using interplanetary gateways instead of starships, have made their way to the planet of Mekka. Though Solartech and Lasertech don't want to head back home until the threat of Tyranik has been resolved, Aquatech, long dissatisfied with his cybernetic form, is lured from the others by the promise of returning to a cloned body of flesh.
But, alas, things have changed on Earth. Pollution has made concentrated oxygen a rarity and the Orion Corporation, a ruling body these men represent, start setting up a factory to syphon Mekka's rich air supply back to our dying world. And Aquatech? His mechanized body will be dissected by the research department.
I was really blown away by this issue. The story is still cheesy, with all its blurted one-liners fully exclamated, and the art still childish, with figures hitting their wobbliest and eyes pointed in different directions, but it was a damn gripping read. The corporate plunder of a world, the shock that our heroes get at learning what their home has become, and the huge climactic battle with actual fatalities was something I didn't expect from a "Comics Code Approved" Archie title, and it got even better as the heroic Mantech had no other option but to team up with Tyranik and his hideous Terrotechs in order to face down a shared threat before the suffocation of their entire planet.
Sadly, this marks the last issue of the series. Clunky as it is, I was impressed by the thought and creativity Margopoulos slipped into his scripts, even as the art came back rushed and lacking conviction. There's promise of an issue 5 on the letters page, but it never came to be.
For more information about this issue, check out its page at The Comic Book Database. Though out of print, copies aren't very difficult to find at various online comic retailers.
November 25, 2009
November 18, 2009
Mantech: Robot Warriors #3
1985 comic issue. Illustrated by Dick Ayers and Chic Stone. Written by Rich Margopoulos.
Related Reviews:
- The first issue of the series.
- The previous issue in the series.
- The next issue in the series..
"The Lost Division of Technoliath"
"Reconnaissance"
"Rescue"
"D-Day"
Instead of a collection of smaller stories, the creative team structures their chapters into a big epic war piece that, while it never quite lives up to the potential it establishes, is still quite rousing.
Back in the days of war between man and machine, Technoliath had entire divisions of robotic warriors hidden away, just waiting to be activated by a master that's now gone. Having uncovered a bunker of one such division, the forces of Tyranik flip the switch and step aside as the soldiers move to the first target on their ancient list: the capital Enclave City.
It's all epic and grand, especially as the forces move in under cloak screens, keeping the city from summoning help until it's almost too late. The problem? Their leader. It would have been great to simply have an overwhelming stream of emotionless robots pouring through the streets, but they're all at the command of a bellowing four-armed juggernaut named Octobot who, for some reason, carries a whip, a sword, and a spiked mace in a world full of laser beams and artillery shells. I guess he's still a bit menacing as he bellows out "Death to the soft skins!" but he's more ridiculous than threatening.
But, hey, this is the era of such comics, where the robots bicker just as much as the humans, every sentence ended in an exclamation point, Solartech randomly flings out that he'd received Nobel Prizes back on Earth, and women named Raveena make our cybernetic heroes regret the loss of certain elements of humanity. I will say, though, that no matter how cheesy it gets, Margopoulos's writing is surprisingly rousing, a memorable sequence being Lasertech going all kamikaze on a chunk of the robot army, trying to take out as many as he can before they cut him down.
The art is still wonky and rushed at times, with moments best described as "scrawl", but there are some great panels in there of the larger forces, and a fantastic page of Solartech roaring with increased fury "Fire! Fire! FIRE!!!" as the forces he's leading blow the holy hell out of the robot army. Seriously, it's a surprising moment from a "Comics Code Approved" Archie title.
All in all, I like it. It's full of flaws and cheese, but pretty much admits so right from the front cover. As long as they make the cheese fun and engaging, I'm in.
For more information about this issue, check out its page at The Comic Book Database. Though out of print, copies aren't very difficult to find at various online comic retailers.
Related Reviews:
- The first issue of the series.
- The previous issue in the series.
- The next issue in the series..
"The Lost Division of Technoliath"
"Reconnaissance"
"Rescue"
"D-Day"
Instead of a collection of smaller stories, the creative team structures their chapters into a big epic war piece that, while it never quite lives up to the potential it establishes, is still quite rousing.
Back in the days of war between man and machine, Technoliath had entire divisions of robotic warriors hidden away, just waiting to be activated by a master that's now gone. Having uncovered a bunker of one such division, the forces of Tyranik flip the switch and step aside as the soldiers move to the first target on their ancient list: the capital Enclave City.
It's all epic and grand, especially as the forces move in under cloak screens, keeping the city from summoning help until it's almost too late. The problem? Their leader. It would have been great to simply have an overwhelming stream of emotionless robots pouring through the streets, but they're all at the command of a bellowing four-armed juggernaut named Octobot who, for some reason, carries a whip, a sword, and a spiked mace in a world full of laser beams and artillery shells. I guess he's still a bit menacing as he bellows out "Death to the soft skins!" but he's more ridiculous than threatening.
But, hey, this is the era of such comics, where the robots bicker just as much as the humans, every sentence ended in an exclamation point, Solartech randomly flings out that he'd received Nobel Prizes back on Earth, and women named Raveena make our cybernetic heroes regret the loss of certain elements of humanity. I will say, though, that no matter how cheesy it gets, Margopoulos's writing is surprisingly rousing, a memorable sequence being Lasertech going all kamikaze on a chunk of the robot army, trying to take out as many as he can before they cut him down.
The art is still wonky and rushed at times, with moments best described as "scrawl", but there are some great panels in there of the larger forces, and a fantastic page of Solartech roaring with increased fury "Fire! Fire! FIRE!!!" as the forces he's leading blow the holy hell out of the robot army. Seriously, it's a surprising moment from a "Comics Code Approved" Archie title.
All in all, I like it. It's full of flaws and cheese, but pretty much admits so right from the front cover. As long as they make the cheese fun and engaging, I'm in.
For more information about this issue, check out its page at The Comic Book Database. Though out of print, copies aren't very difficult to find at various online comic retailers.
November 17, 2009
Samurai 7 #26: The Era's End
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Yasuhiro Kuroda
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
I'm not sure what to say here. It was a fantastic finale, everything I could have hoped for, but I don't want to give any descriptions for fear of spoiling the last leg of the ride. So humor me as I use this opportunity to reflect on the series as a whole.
It must have been difficult for this creative team, particularly in the wake of the disappointing KAZE NO YOJIMBO, to take another Kurosawa classic, a film held up around the world as one of the greatest ever made, and say they were going to redo it, with spaceships and robots and a comical little kid sidekick. I can image the scepticism, the challenge thrown up by a broad audience, and I can't say that, in their place, I wouldn't have folded and run away.
But, man, did they know what they were doing. Unlike the earlier anime, which pitched out it's source and started from scratch, this series has, at its heart, an extremely faithful adaptation of SEVEN SAMURAI, which not only captures the scenes and dialogue - almost word-for-word at times - but the deeper layers of complex characters and politics of a classist society that are tricky to pin down. And they didn't stop there, adding and expanding and even having the balls to make a few changes along the way, until they had something that bowed before Kurosawa while still standing firm on its own distinctive feet.
The samurai here are every bit as memorable as those of the original. Shimada Kambei, the leader, who outwardly portrays every shred of honor and intelligence a samurai can hope to achieve, though he's always been on the losing side of war. Shichiroji, his right hand man with an artificial right hand, who shed his sword to work in the inn of his love, but didn't flinch when his old friend called for help. Katayama Gorobei, who used his training to forge a new life as a street performer, using tricks and thrills to keep his warrior blood pumping as he throws himself in the path of danger. Hayashida Heihachi, the good-natured mechanic, experienced in war but not in death, who's easy smile disappears at any reminder of the treason he committed in the past. Kyuzo, the steely corporate assassin, so drawn by Kambei's skill that he'll fight by the older man's side just so he can have a chance to cut the other warrior down.
Katsushiro, the young novice, the heart of the group. Though just a part of the ensemble, this series has partially been about his journey of becoming a samurai. What you have to learn. What you have to give up. What you have to look straight into the face of without screaming. More-so than the others, the lengthened screen time has allowed his character to be explored far more thoroughly than Kurosawa ever could have hoped to achieve in the course of a single movie, and, thus, he probably stands out as the greatest, deepest achievement of the creative team.
And then there's Kikuchiyo, a boisterous thug born of peasants, who lost his family to bandit raids and enhanced his body with mechanics in the hope of one day being recognized as a samurai warrior. For the most part, he's been a useful brute weapon and comical clown on the side of the heroes, with little moments of insight where his bluster uncovers hidden truths, so I was thrilled to see him come face to face with Emperor Ukyo in this ep, revealing a theme I was just starting to pick up on. These two are mirrors, you see, both raised in farming villages only to grow into the very thing the other loathes: a pompous aristocrat and a mechanical warrior. I won't say how it ended, but it was yet another fantastic flourish by the creative team.
There were a few stumbles over the course of the series, a rare episode from a wonky guest-director, or a bit of this world which wasn't explained, but, for the most part, this creative team delivered all around. The direction was largely consistent and commendable, the writing intelligent and engaging, the performances fitting, the designs striking, and the score perfectly subdued.
And then, after straying so far from the source the last few episodes (albeit marvelously so), it all wraps up as we return to the final few minutes of Kurosawa's masterpiece. The words and shots are the almost identical, though the meanings now stand apart. Some are deeper, some are different, some loop back around to something familiar. And all of it is so very much in the spirit of Akira Kurosawa.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Yasuhiro Kuroda
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
I'm not sure what to say here. It was a fantastic finale, everything I could have hoped for, but I don't want to give any descriptions for fear of spoiling the last leg of the ride. So humor me as I use this opportunity to reflect on the series as a whole.
It must have been difficult for this creative team, particularly in the wake of the disappointing KAZE NO YOJIMBO, to take another Kurosawa classic, a film held up around the world as one of the greatest ever made, and say they were going to redo it, with spaceships and robots and a comical little kid sidekick. I can image the scepticism, the challenge thrown up by a broad audience, and I can't say that, in their place, I wouldn't have folded and run away.
But, man, did they know what they were doing. Unlike the earlier anime, which pitched out it's source and started from scratch, this series has, at its heart, an extremely faithful adaptation of SEVEN SAMURAI, which not only captures the scenes and dialogue - almost word-for-word at times - but the deeper layers of complex characters and politics of a classist society that are tricky to pin down. And they didn't stop there, adding and expanding and even having the balls to make a few changes along the way, until they had something that bowed before Kurosawa while still standing firm on its own distinctive feet.
The samurai here are every bit as memorable as those of the original. Shimada Kambei, the leader, who outwardly portrays every shred of honor and intelligence a samurai can hope to achieve, though he's always been on the losing side of war. Shichiroji, his right hand man with an artificial right hand, who shed his sword to work in the inn of his love, but didn't flinch when his old friend called for help. Katayama Gorobei, who used his training to forge a new life as a street performer, using tricks and thrills to keep his warrior blood pumping as he throws himself in the path of danger. Hayashida Heihachi, the good-natured mechanic, experienced in war but not in death, who's easy smile disappears at any reminder of the treason he committed in the past. Kyuzo, the steely corporate assassin, so drawn by Kambei's skill that he'll fight by the older man's side just so he can have a chance to cut the other warrior down.
Katsushiro, the young novice, the heart of the group. Though just a part of the ensemble, this series has partially been about his journey of becoming a samurai. What you have to learn. What you have to give up. What you have to look straight into the face of without screaming. More-so than the others, the lengthened screen time has allowed his character to be explored far more thoroughly than Kurosawa ever could have hoped to achieve in the course of a single movie, and, thus, he probably stands out as the greatest, deepest achievement of the creative team.
And then there's Kikuchiyo, a boisterous thug born of peasants, who lost his family to bandit raids and enhanced his body with mechanics in the hope of one day being recognized as a samurai warrior. For the most part, he's been a useful brute weapon and comical clown on the side of the heroes, with little moments of insight where his bluster uncovers hidden truths, so I was thrilled to see him come face to face with Emperor Ukyo in this ep, revealing a theme I was just starting to pick up on. These two are mirrors, you see, both raised in farming villages only to grow into the very thing the other loathes: a pompous aristocrat and a mechanical warrior. I won't say how it ended, but it was yet another fantastic flourish by the creative team.
There were a few stumbles over the course of the series, a rare episode from a wonky guest-director, or a bit of this world which wasn't explained, but, for the most part, this creative team delivered all around. The direction was largely consistent and commendable, the writing intelligent and engaging, the performances fitting, the designs striking, and the score perfectly subdued.
And then, after straying so far from the source the last few episodes (albeit marvelously so), it all wraps up as we return to the final few minutes of Kurosawa's masterpiece. The words and shots are the almost identical, though the meanings now stand apart. Some are deeper, some are different, some loop back around to something familiar. And all of it is so very much in the spirit of Akira Kurosawa.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Samurai 7 #25: The Last Battle
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toru Yoshida
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Last battle, indeed. Everything comes to a head as Ukyo's mechanical swarm cuts loose, the villagers open up with their stolen guns, and the samurai soar into the fray. I won't go into too much detail, except to say that I was surprised at how quick things went. That's not a complaint, not at all, because the way the samurai pull together a strategy on the fly is believable, as is Ukyo realizing that his army of lobotomized machines just doesn't quite cut it without the minds of former samurai driving their gigantic bodies.
It's all marvelously executed with each character getting their chance to shine. As you knew would happen, we do lose some heroes during this fray, but I won't spoil who or how, only to say one is heroic and brave, and the other is sudden and shocking, bringing the ongoing arc of his killer full circle.
Elsewhere, I haven't taken the time till now to mention Tessai, the steely-eyed bodyguard of Emperor Ukyo, largely because he's ridden along with the plot instead of driving it. Here, though, we see that all his little moments of tense cautioning and strategy are truly the signs of a significant warrior as he finally gets to cut loose against our heroes, all while still puffing away at his little Popeye pipe.
But then there's the guns. We know they are a part of this society but have largely only seen brief use of huge cannons that most mere mortals can't even lift. That concept fits nicely into a world where swordplay is still dominant, but things have changed. Now we see soldiers laden with small machine guns, with no explanation for where they suddenly came from or why they hadn't been used before. It's a confusing slip on the part of the creative team, especially since one is featured in a rather key dramatic moment.
But, while a head-scratcher, it isn't enough to kill the first half of what promises to be a fantastic finale.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toru Yoshida
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Last battle, indeed. Everything comes to a head as Ukyo's mechanical swarm cuts loose, the villagers open up with their stolen guns, and the samurai soar into the fray. I won't go into too much detail, except to say that I was surprised at how quick things went. That's not a complaint, not at all, because the way the samurai pull together a strategy on the fly is believable, as is Ukyo realizing that his army of lobotomized machines just doesn't quite cut it without the minds of former samurai driving their gigantic bodies.
It's all marvelously executed with each character getting their chance to shine. As you knew would happen, we do lose some heroes during this fray, but I won't spoil who or how, only to say one is heroic and brave, and the other is sudden and shocking, bringing the ongoing arc of his killer full circle.
Elsewhere, I haven't taken the time till now to mention Tessai, the steely-eyed bodyguard of Emperor Ukyo, largely because he's ridden along with the plot instead of driving it. Here, though, we see that all his little moments of tense cautioning and strategy are truly the signs of a significant warrior as he finally gets to cut loose against our heroes, all while still puffing away at his little Popeye pipe.
But then there's the guns. We know they are a part of this society but have largely only seen brief use of huge cannons that most mere mortals can't even lift. That concept fits nicely into a world where swordplay is still dominant, but things have changed. Now we see soldiers laden with small machine guns, with no explanation for where they suddenly came from or why they hadn't been used before. It's a confusing slip on the part of the creative team, especially since one is featured in a rather key dramatic moment.
But, while a head-scratcher, it isn't enough to kill the first half of what promises to be a fantastic finale.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Samurai 7 #24: The Oaths
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Futoshi Higashide
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
On the flying citadel, Emperor Ukyo inspects his newly lobotomized mechanical bandits. They're wired to obey his every command, which he tests by having them goof off in battle.
In the village of Kanna, Katsushiro and the militarized farmers have built an impressive fortification of arms recovered from their previous battle with the bandits, and wonder if it will be enough.
In the desert wastes, the other five heroic samurai pass through villages where the people praise their benevolent new dictator, until coming across the remains of betrayed bandits that Ukyo himself blew out of the sky. Digging out one of those multi-storey, jet-propelled swords, they hotwire it as a speedy vehicle.
On a carriage circling around the pending battle, Rikichi, Sanae, and Kirara wait for the final outcome, while little Komachi tearfully wonders if the boisterous Kikuchiyo will fulfill his oath to to be her husband when she grows up.
And then the battle begins.
I've openly wondered in the past how it is that the samurai are able to enact the superhuman feats they do, soaring through the air and slicing down huge cyborgs or even entire starships. Though not explained, there's a scene here that suggests it's because the blades of their katanas act as a tuning fork of sorts, gathering and amplifying their energy once they've been properly trained. I really would like an explanation just to clear up the specifics, but they've been pretty consistent till now, and I love the moment where Katsushiro deflects a massive laser beam as a demonstration that he's finally become one with his blade.
We only get a hint of the battle to come, though, and I can't wait to see where things go from here. Ukyo knows he'll win. The samurai know they'll die. What could possibly go wrong?
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Futoshi Higashide
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
On the flying citadel, Emperor Ukyo inspects his newly lobotomized mechanical bandits. They're wired to obey his every command, which he tests by having them goof off in battle.
In the village of Kanna, Katsushiro and the militarized farmers have built an impressive fortification of arms recovered from their previous battle with the bandits, and wonder if it will be enough.
In the desert wastes, the other five heroic samurai pass through villages where the people praise their benevolent new dictator, until coming across the remains of betrayed bandits that Ukyo himself blew out of the sky. Digging out one of those multi-storey, jet-propelled swords, they hotwire it as a speedy vehicle.
On a carriage circling around the pending battle, Rikichi, Sanae, and Kirara wait for the final outcome, while little Komachi tearfully wonders if the boisterous Kikuchiyo will fulfill his oath to to be her husband when she grows up.
And then the battle begins.
I've openly wondered in the past how it is that the samurai are able to enact the superhuman feats they do, soaring through the air and slicing down huge cyborgs or even entire starships. Though not explained, there's a scene here that suggests it's because the blades of their katanas act as a tuning fork of sorts, gathering and amplifying their energy once they've been properly trained. I really would like an explanation just to clear up the specifics, but they've been pretty consistent till now, and I love the moment where Katsushiro deflects a massive laser beam as a demonstration that he's finally become one with his blade.
We only get a hint of the battle to come, though, and I can't wait to see where things go from here. Ukyo knows he'll win. The samurai know they'll die. What could possibly go wrong?
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Samurai 7 #23: The Lies
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
This seems to be the last of the transitional episodes, finally locking all our characters in place for what will be one hell of a finale. Emperor Ukyo has the flying Capital aimed at the farming village of Kanna, wishing to celebrate its victory over the bandits by burning it to ashes, and our heroic samurai have realized that the merchants can no longer be in control and vow to take the Capital down. Things so easily could have been contrived here, but the twist of bringing the struggle right back to the film's core concept of defending a lone village from attackers is marvelously well played and feels like a true extension of the original story.
The thread of Rikichi and his estranged wife continues to play out nicely, with him trying to convince himself that her "betrayal" is due to the understandable lure of fine clothing and food, but it's Mizuki, a young hand-maiden who was also kidnapped by the empire, that sets him straight, going off on a gripping little speech about how the girls were merely being used as farms for the emperor's seed. Twisted food for thought, but presented without a flinch.
And then there's Katsushiro, who continues his growth by returning to Kanna and starting a single-handed line of defense (amazing action scene) against forces that are likely to quickly overwhelm him if the others don't get there soon. A little tidbit about his character, that I've noticed but have yet to comment on, is how, through his costume and demeanor, he seems to employ many elements of Kyuzo, the lone swordsman, from the original film, even more-so than that character's namesake here. I'm wondering if this was intentional on the part of the creative team, merging the fledgling student with the stoic master so as to explore the journey taken from one to the other. If it's intentional, then bravo to them.
One problem, if I may, comes just after Ukyo is confronted by dying bandits, huge mechanical monoliths that he just betrayed. It's a great scene, topped by a classic bit with the Capital's main cannon, but then comes the notion that they can strip the "souls" out of the remaining bandits and make them mindless robotic warriors fully under the Emperor's control. I don't like this. Not only is it a plot device frequently explored, but it will rob the bandits of their last remaining dregs of personality, and characters without personality is so very against what Kurosawa was about.
But I'll wait and see how that plays out. It's a fantastic episode filled with great little moments (a game of croquet, an assassin slowly rotating his mechanical hand as he speaks, Kikuchiyo and Komachi playfully bounding from side to side on a barge as our remaining heroes plot in the foreground), and there's a particularly striking bit in the first half. Just after our heroes agree to take down the Capital, they pause and we take in a shot of our supporting cast, seeing these familiar faces as if for the last time. It's a perfect, honest moment of soldiers setting off to a battle they may not win.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
This seems to be the last of the transitional episodes, finally locking all our characters in place for what will be one hell of a finale. Emperor Ukyo has the flying Capital aimed at the farming village of Kanna, wishing to celebrate its victory over the bandits by burning it to ashes, and our heroic samurai have realized that the merchants can no longer be in control and vow to take the Capital down. Things so easily could have been contrived here, but the twist of bringing the struggle right back to the film's core concept of defending a lone village from attackers is marvelously well played and feels like a true extension of the original story.
The thread of Rikichi and his estranged wife continues to play out nicely, with him trying to convince himself that her "betrayal" is due to the understandable lure of fine clothing and food, but it's Mizuki, a young hand-maiden who was also kidnapped by the empire, that sets him straight, going off on a gripping little speech about how the girls were merely being used as farms for the emperor's seed. Twisted food for thought, but presented without a flinch.
And then there's Katsushiro, who continues his growth by returning to Kanna and starting a single-handed line of defense (amazing action scene) against forces that are likely to quickly overwhelm him if the others don't get there soon. A little tidbit about his character, that I've noticed but have yet to comment on, is how, through his costume and demeanor, he seems to employ many elements of Kyuzo, the lone swordsman, from the original film, even more-so than that character's namesake here. I'm wondering if this was intentional on the part of the creative team, merging the fledgling student with the stoic master so as to explore the journey taken from one to the other. If it's intentional, then bravo to them.
One problem, if I may, comes just after Ukyo is confronted by dying bandits, huge mechanical monoliths that he just betrayed. It's a great scene, topped by a classic bit with the Capital's main cannon, but then comes the notion that they can strip the "souls" out of the remaining bandits and make them mindless robotic warriors fully under the Emperor's control. I don't like this. Not only is it a plot device frequently explored, but it will rob the bandits of their last remaining dregs of personality, and characters without personality is so very against what Kurosawa was about.
But I'll wait and see how that plays out. It's a fantastic episode filled with great little moments (a game of croquet, an assassin slowly rotating his mechanical hand as he speaks, Kikuchiyo and Komachi playfully bounding from side to side on a barge as our remaining heroes plot in the foreground), and there's a particularly striking bit in the first half. Just after our heroes agree to take down the Capital, they pause and we take in a shot of our supporting cast, seeing these familiar faces as if for the last time. It's a perfect, honest moment of soldiers setting off to a battle they may not win.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
November 12, 2009
Samurai 7 #22: The Divide
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toshi Saga
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
In a slight nod to Kurosawa's YOJIMBO, it seems Ukyo's strategy as the new emperor is to play both sides of the coin for his own mutual benefit. To the bandits he gives orders to raid the towns out of season, plucking up any stray bales of rice the farmers have hid away. To the farmers he sends militias of hired samurai to follow the growing legend of our heroes and cut the bandits down. Thus, he creates a conflict that weeds out potential rivals while the farmers just hand over the rice in gratitude. It's a nice, Kurosawa-esque way to carry on the plot, showing once again that Ukyo is not to be underestimated, and I especially like the added touch of the villagers seeing right through the plan, but going along because it's no worse for them than it's ever been in the past.
And another ploy is that he holds our lead Samurai and the village of Kanna up as heroic icons, while still quietly trying to wipe them off the map. After all, once peasants start fighting for themselves, who knows where they'll stop. It's when a group of assassins fall before our heroes that Kambei, Katsushiro, and Kikuchiyo finally hook up with Kyuzo again, with Shichiroji and Heihachi coming across them soon afterwards. Our remaining heroes are thus reunited, realizing that the job they signed up for is still escalating in ways that need to be dealt with. But, alas, there's still tension in the ranks.
Young Katsushiro is starting to see the chinks in Kambei's armor, certain restraints and hesitations that may be the key to the older samurai's frequent losses of the past. I was a little miffed at their division the last episode, but it's interesting how they're spinning it in a way that finally adds a few shades of grey to Kambei's character. As for Katsushiro, I'm impressed to see how much he's grown, but he breaks away from the team in what still looks to be the last dregs of youthful impulsiveness, so it'll be interesting to see where he goes from here. My only problem is that it looks like everybody else (sans Kikuchiyo) is taking Kambei's side, which feels a tad too uniform.
Otherwise, though, it's still pretty damn great, with some nice spurts of action, continued development of Ukyo's fascinating plot, Rikkichi finally confronting his estranged wife (which they've only just begun, so I'll detail it later), and even the portly Aymaro, former magistrate of the city and adoptive father to Ukyo, hanging around as an odd little tag-along for our team.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toshi Saga
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
In a slight nod to Kurosawa's YOJIMBO, it seems Ukyo's strategy as the new emperor is to play both sides of the coin for his own mutual benefit. To the bandits he gives orders to raid the towns out of season, plucking up any stray bales of rice the farmers have hid away. To the farmers he sends militias of hired samurai to follow the growing legend of our heroes and cut the bandits down. Thus, he creates a conflict that weeds out potential rivals while the farmers just hand over the rice in gratitude. It's a nice, Kurosawa-esque way to carry on the plot, showing once again that Ukyo is not to be underestimated, and I especially like the added touch of the villagers seeing right through the plan, but going along because it's no worse for them than it's ever been in the past.
And another ploy is that he holds our lead Samurai and the village of Kanna up as heroic icons, while still quietly trying to wipe them off the map. After all, once peasants start fighting for themselves, who knows where they'll stop. It's when a group of assassins fall before our heroes that Kambei, Katsushiro, and Kikuchiyo finally hook up with Kyuzo again, with Shichiroji and Heihachi coming across them soon afterwards. Our remaining heroes are thus reunited, realizing that the job they signed up for is still escalating in ways that need to be dealt with. But, alas, there's still tension in the ranks.
Young Katsushiro is starting to see the chinks in Kambei's armor, certain restraints and hesitations that may be the key to the older samurai's frequent losses of the past. I was a little miffed at their division the last episode, but it's interesting how they're spinning it in a way that finally adds a few shades of grey to Kambei's character. As for Katsushiro, I'm impressed to see how much he's grown, but he breaks away from the team in what still looks to be the last dregs of youthful impulsiveness, so it'll be interesting to see where he goes from here. My only problem is that it looks like everybody else (sans Kikuchiyo) is taking Kambei's side, which feels a tad too uniform.
Otherwise, though, it's still pretty damn great, with some nice spurts of action, continued development of Ukyo's fascinating plot, Rikkichi finally confronting his estranged wife (which they've only just begun, so I'll detail it later), and even the portly Aymaro, former magistrate of the city and adoptive father to Ukyo, hanging around as an odd little tag-along for our team.
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Samurai 7 #21: The Rescue
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Kahoru Igusa
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Picking up from the exciting cliffhanger of the last episode, Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo are racing through the flying Capital in search of both the kidnapped women and their leader Kambei, all while the wise samurai is picking his locks as an executioner's axe plunges towards his neck before a crowd of spectators. But there's a twist! Right as one would expect a huge action scene to break out and swords to flash in every direction, Ukyo, the new emperor, publicly pardons Kambei, orders the women to be freed, and opens his stores of stolen rice up for the populace to reclaim and enjoy. As I'm sure you can guess, his public facade of benevolence hides a scheming political mind, though I'm not quite sure what his endgame is as of yet.
With the women freed, Sanae, the stolen wife of farmer Rikichi, finds herself in an awkward position. She genuinely fell for the previous Emperor, her captor, and nearly bore him a child, so they go a long way here to establish the conflict and turmoil she'll likely experience when she faces down her estranged husband. Her fate was far from a happy one in the original film, so it'll be interesting to see if they mirror or depart from it here.
My main gripe this episode is aimed right at Kambei. Katsushiro's grown quite a bit over the series, and launched a raid that would likely have succeeded where Kambei appeared to be failing, but does he get any props for it? No! Kambei scowls a lot and shoots him down for no good reason. If there was some reckless impulsiveness there, I didn't see it, so what's the deal?
Aside from that, it's still a great episode as we see our group starting to pull back together, stray plot threads beginning to wind up, and there's that looming tease of the flying Capital making it's way towards Kanna village.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Kahoru Igusa
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Picking up from the exciting cliffhanger of the last episode, Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo are racing through the flying Capital in search of both the kidnapped women and their leader Kambei, all while the wise samurai is picking his locks as an executioner's axe plunges towards his neck before a crowd of spectators. But there's a twist! Right as one would expect a huge action scene to break out and swords to flash in every direction, Ukyo, the new emperor, publicly pardons Kambei, orders the women to be freed, and opens his stores of stolen rice up for the populace to reclaim and enjoy. As I'm sure you can guess, his public facade of benevolence hides a scheming political mind, though I'm not quite sure what his endgame is as of yet.
With the women freed, Sanae, the stolen wife of farmer Rikichi, finds herself in an awkward position. She genuinely fell for the previous Emperor, her captor, and nearly bore him a child, so they go a long way here to establish the conflict and turmoil she'll likely experience when she faces down her estranged husband. Her fate was far from a happy one in the original film, so it'll be interesting to see if they mirror or depart from it here.
My main gripe this episode is aimed right at Kambei. Katsushiro's grown quite a bit over the series, and launched a raid that would likely have succeeded where Kambei appeared to be failing, but does he get any props for it? No! Kambei scowls a lot and shoots him down for no good reason. If there was some reckless impulsiveness there, I didn't see it, so what's the deal?
Aside from that, it's still a great episode as we see our group starting to pull back together, stray plot threads beginning to wind up, and there's that looming tease of the flying Capital making it's way towards Kanna village.
(series trailer)
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November 11, 2009
Samurai 7 #20: The Execution
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Jiro Fujimoto
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Natsuko Takahashi
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
The old emperor is dead. His cloned offspring, the sadistic Ukyo, is guilty of the crime and now declares himself emperor. Long live the emperor.
In the beginning of the series, Ukyo started off as little more than a reckless playboy goof who snobbed his way around town in typical aristocratic fashion, so it's been fascinating to see the change he's taken to an astonishingly intelligent and shrewd politician, albeit with the same smirk and strut as always. I'm still trying to figure out if he has an endgame, but he seems to be of the belief that if the people are happy, he's happy, so it's just a question of how to do so in a way he can control. He's already off to an interesting start, telling the bandits to keep doing what they're doing, after having just ordered samurai to each village to follow our heroes' example.
But, alas, Ukyo's still got the head of Kambei, the former leader of our samurai, on the chopping block because he needs somebody to take the fall for the crime that lead him to the feet of his late "father" in the first place. But Kambei's already got his fingers on a handy little hair-pin ...
And coming from another direction is the unlikely duo of Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo. They make a fantastic pair, with Katsushiro shedding the youthful uncertainty of earlier and becoming the focused planner Kambei was teaching him to be, and Kikuchiyo still rumbling through situations in his boisterous, temperamental way.
Though mostly setup for what will likely be a fantastic final arc, this was yet another excellent episode as all new dynamics and ideas fall into place. Oh, and we finally learn what all that stolen rice was for, putting the final touches on the deep cycle this society has sunken into.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Jiro Fujimoto
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Natsuko Takahashi
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
The old emperor is dead. His cloned offspring, the sadistic Ukyo, is guilty of the crime and now declares himself emperor. Long live the emperor.
In the beginning of the series, Ukyo started off as little more than a reckless playboy goof who snobbed his way around town in typical aristocratic fashion, so it's been fascinating to see the change he's taken to an astonishingly intelligent and shrewd politician, albeit with the same smirk and strut as always. I'm still trying to figure out if he has an endgame, but he seems to be of the belief that if the people are happy, he's happy, so it's just a question of how to do so in a way he can control. He's already off to an interesting start, telling the bandits to keep doing what they're doing, after having just ordered samurai to each village to follow our heroes' example.
But, alas, Ukyo's still got the head of Kambei, the former leader of our samurai, on the chopping block because he needs somebody to take the fall for the crime that lead him to the feet of his late "father" in the first place. But Kambei's already got his fingers on a handy little hair-pin ...
And coming from another direction is the unlikely duo of Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo. They make a fantastic pair, with Katsushiro shedding the youthful uncertainty of earlier and becoming the focused planner Kambei was teaching him to be, and Kikuchiyo still rumbling through situations in his boisterous, temperamental way.
Though mostly setup for what will likely be a fantastic final arc, this was yet another excellent episode as all new dynamics and ideas fall into place. Oh, and we finally learn what all that stolen rice was for, putting the final touches on the deep cycle this society has sunken into.
(series trailer)
(opening)
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(purchase)
(official website)
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October 28, 2009
Samurai 7 #19: The Mutiny
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Jiro Fujimoto
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Shuichi Koyama
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
With Kanbei and the team of Katsushiro and Kikuchio each on separate missions to locate the hidden Capital and recover the kidnapped women and children of several villages, steady Shichiroji and good-natured Heihachi have decided to stick with the town of Kanna for the moment, to help rebuild in the wake of their war with the bandits. Everything seems to be settling nicely, but then a conflicted Rikichi, still recovering from his injuries, tries to sneak past them with the swords of the fallen Gorobei. Earlier in the series, we saw the peasant take an unfamiliar sword in his hands and begin practicing in the art of a fighter, so it's great to see that thread continue to play out, suggesting he may follow in Kikuchio's footsteps as a farmer-turned-samurai. And it's great that the other two seem willing to join him on yet a third mission toward the same goal, but I wonder how our humble farmer will react when he learns his kidnapped wife is now the loving mistress of the Emperor ... and with child.
Speaking of the Emperor, we finally got to meet him in the last episode. Following the era of nonstop wars, he fell out of sight as the rule of merchants rose to unify the people in a corporation of peace. Of course, he's still pulling all the strings in the background, using the bandit raids on farmers to keep them in their place so they won't give the merchants competition. Oh, and it's also worth mentioning that he's trapped in a dwarfish, crippled body that moves and speaks through a mechanized capsule. It's implied that he's never once touched the outside world, which adds even more depth when ...
Ukyo, the gallant, sociopathic son of a magistrate, is brought before the Emperor for some intriguing revelations. As he's not physically capable of making love, it seems the Emperor, over time, had his seed implanted in dozens of women with the hope of one day finding the perfect heir: a clone of himself free from the disease that keeps him confined. So far, 48 of those offspring have attended a rite of inquiry, and all 48 have failed, leading to their executions. We learn Ukyo is the 49th, different from the others because he began life as a peasant; an intentional move to let him see the inner workings of life on the street. As his rite of inquiry begins, we learn just how deeply the young man's roguish recklessness has hidden a shrewd, politically ingenious mind.
All in all, yet another fantastic episode. We're completely out of the Kurosawa material by now, and the creative team once again shows just how thoroughly they studied the filmmaker by giving us original chapters that capture the same wit, layers, and flourish the master excelled at.
(series trailer)
(opening)
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(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Jiro Fujimoto
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Shuichi Koyama
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
With Kanbei and the team of Katsushiro and Kikuchio each on separate missions to locate the hidden Capital and recover the kidnapped women and children of several villages, steady Shichiroji and good-natured Heihachi have decided to stick with the town of Kanna for the moment, to help rebuild in the wake of their war with the bandits. Everything seems to be settling nicely, but then a conflicted Rikichi, still recovering from his injuries, tries to sneak past them with the swords of the fallen Gorobei. Earlier in the series, we saw the peasant take an unfamiliar sword in his hands and begin practicing in the art of a fighter, so it's great to see that thread continue to play out, suggesting he may follow in Kikuchio's footsteps as a farmer-turned-samurai. And it's great that the other two seem willing to join him on yet a third mission toward the same goal, but I wonder how our humble farmer will react when he learns his kidnapped wife is now the loving mistress of the Emperor ... and with child.
Speaking of the Emperor, we finally got to meet him in the last episode. Following the era of nonstop wars, he fell out of sight as the rule of merchants rose to unify the people in a corporation of peace. Of course, he's still pulling all the strings in the background, using the bandit raids on farmers to keep them in their place so they won't give the merchants competition. Oh, and it's also worth mentioning that he's trapped in a dwarfish, crippled body that moves and speaks through a mechanized capsule. It's implied that he's never once touched the outside world, which adds even more depth when ...
Ukyo, the gallant, sociopathic son of a magistrate, is brought before the Emperor for some intriguing revelations. As he's not physically capable of making love, it seems the Emperor, over time, had his seed implanted in dozens of women with the hope of one day finding the perfect heir: a clone of himself free from the disease that keeps him confined. So far, 48 of those offspring have attended a rite of inquiry, and all 48 have failed, leading to their executions. We learn Ukyo is the 49th, different from the others because he began life as a peasant; an intentional move to let him see the inner workings of life on the street. As his rite of inquiry begins, we learn just how deeply the young man's roguish recklessness has hidden a shrewd, politically ingenious mind.
All in all, yet another fantastic episode. We're completely out of the Kurosawa material by now, and the creative team once again shows just how thoroughly they studied the filmmaker by giving us original chapters that capture the same wit, layers, and flourish the master excelled at.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Samurai 7 #18: The Emperor
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Though they've already worked through the central plot of the film, there's one element they hadn't touched, and it's interesting that it would be the one to carry us into an original continuation of the story. Kanbe, having vowed to track down Rikichi's stolen wife, Sanae, set out by himself to find her and the hidden Capital that was the driving force behind the bandit raids. Taking the fall for a crime he didn't commit so as to gain entrance, Kanbe not only finds a content Sanae living in the lap of luxury, but finally comes face to face with the long-absent Emperor.
Meanwhile, back at the village, young Katsushiro and boisterous Kikuchiyo feel as though they've been excluded from Kanbe's plans and set out on their own to find the Capital and recover the kidnapped women. It's great to see the dynamics of the fellowship continue beyond their breakup, but I have a little problem with who they bring along. Kirara I can understand because she still feels in debt to the heroes and her powers of foresight may come in handy, but Komachi? I'm sorry, but the last person I'd bring along on an assault of the Emperor's hidden fortress is a rambunctious little kid.
Elsewhere, because you just can't have enough good plot threads, the psychopathic Ukyo continues taking advantage of his magistrate father's absence by holding our heroes' protection of Kanna Village up as an example of what society would be like under his rule. He rallies together dozens of samurai and orders them off to other farming villages to take out any bandit hordes that remain. Unfortunately, these are the jailed samurai who took advantage of our farmers early in the series, so I doubt they'll treat the villages with the same respect as our heroes.
Another great, great episode that gets the ball rolling on some fine original threads which cleverly pick up where the adapted material left off.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Though they've already worked through the central plot of the film, there's one element they hadn't touched, and it's interesting that it would be the one to carry us into an original continuation of the story. Kanbe, having vowed to track down Rikichi's stolen wife, Sanae, set out by himself to find her and the hidden Capital that was the driving force behind the bandit raids. Taking the fall for a crime he didn't commit so as to gain entrance, Kanbe not only finds a content Sanae living in the lap of luxury, but finally comes face to face with the long-absent Emperor.
Meanwhile, back at the village, young Katsushiro and boisterous Kikuchiyo feel as though they've been excluded from Kanbe's plans and set out on their own to find the Capital and recover the kidnapped women. It's great to see the dynamics of the fellowship continue beyond their breakup, but I have a little problem with who they bring along. Kirara I can understand because she still feels in debt to the heroes and her powers of foresight may come in handy, but Komachi? I'm sorry, but the last person I'd bring along on an assault of the Emperor's hidden fortress is a rambunctious little kid.
Elsewhere, because you just can't have enough good plot threads, the psychopathic Ukyo continues taking advantage of his magistrate father's absence by holding our heroes' protection of Kanna Village up as an example of what society would be like under his rule. He rallies together dozens of samurai and orders them off to other farming villages to take out any bandit hordes that remain. Unfortunately, these are the jailed samurai who took advantage of our farmers early in the series, so I doubt they'll treat the villages with the same respect as our heroes.
Another great, great episode that gets the ball rolling on some fine original threads which cleverly pick up where the adapted material left off.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
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(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
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October 27, 2009
Samurai 7 #17: Remembrance
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
As our last episode came to a close, the village suffered much damage and some striking losses, but, through the actions of the samurai as well as the bravery of the farmers themselves, the bandits were vanquished. But not without the samurais' number now dropping to six as Gorobei, the street performer who could deflect arrows, tried the same with a bullet and failed. As the rains clear from the heavens and the villagers pick up the pieces, we find ourselves treated to a clipshow.
Now, normally, I loathe clipshows and find the dedicating of an entire episode to recapping past events to be a terrible waste of time and resources; here, however, it largely works. With Kanbe mysteriously disappearing, the other samurai decide to help the villagers with repairs, and the old footage brings to life everybody's reflection of past events and uncertainty of where to go from here. The boisterous, mechanical Kikuchiyo is especially jaded by Gorobei's death and sincerely asks one person after another "What is a samurai?"
And it seems we've finally gotten to the end of Katsushiro's main arc of learning to deal with his chosen profession as bringer of death. He now knows what it means and the consequences of his actions, but there seems to be a determination there we haven't seen in a while, and it'll be interesting to see how things go as he and Kikuchiyo, the first two samurai we met, though the last pair to be recognized by the larger group as such, team up for a future course of action.
And we also get a little peek back to the city we haven't seen in a while. It seems that Aymaro, the magistrate, is being brought up on charges for the death of an imperial envoy under his guard. His potential replacement? The psychopathic young Ukyo, who still has his sights set on Kirara. This will not end well.
I agree that it's a controversial decision for the series to have already covered the entire plot of the film with nine episodes left to go, but the creative team has pulled everything off with exceptional skill so far and I'm very intrigued to see where they go now that all we have left are elements of their own creation.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
As our last episode came to a close, the village suffered much damage and some striking losses, but, through the actions of the samurai as well as the bravery of the farmers themselves, the bandits were vanquished. But not without the samurais' number now dropping to six as Gorobei, the street performer who could deflect arrows, tried the same with a bullet and failed. As the rains clear from the heavens and the villagers pick up the pieces, we find ourselves treated to a clipshow.
Now, normally, I loathe clipshows and find the dedicating of an entire episode to recapping past events to be a terrible waste of time and resources; here, however, it largely works. With Kanbe mysteriously disappearing, the other samurai decide to help the villagers with repairs, and the old footage brings to life everybody's reflection of past events and uncertainty of where to go from here. The boisterous, mechanical Kikuchiyo is especially jaded by Gorobei's death and sincerely asks one person after another "What is a samurai?"
And it seems we've finally gotten to the end of Katsushiro's main arc of learning to deal with his chosen profession as bringer of death. He now knows what it means and the consequences of his actions, but there seems to be a determination there we haven't seen in a while, and it'll be interesting to see how things go as he and Kikuchiyo, the first two samurai we met, though the last pair to be recognized by the larger group as such, team up for a future course of action.
And we also get a little peek back to the city we haven't seen in a while. It seems that Aymaro, the magistrate, is being brought up on charges for the death of an imperial envoy under his guard. His potential replacement? The psychopathic young Ukyo, who still has his sights set on Kirara. This will not end well.
I agree that it's a controversial decision for the series to have already covered the entire plot of the film with nine episodes left to go, but the creative team has pulled everything off with exceptional skill so far and I'm very intrigued to see where they go now that all we have left are elements of their own creation.
(series trailer)
(opening)
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(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
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Samurai 7 #16: The Storm
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toru Yoshida
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
As the early morning sky is drowned out by a raging storm, the bandits make their move. Despite their strength and intelligence and skill, not even the samurai could have planned for an assault from multiple fronts by enemies with the unanticipated arms of grenades and napalm.
What follows is the ultimate battle. Kambei leads the charge. Kyuzo tries to keep him alive for their pending duel. Gorobei tries to slice a bullet from the air. Heihachi supervises the farmers' meagre munitions. Kikuchiyo fights so hard that he shatters his massive sword. Katsushiro dashes from place to place, taking down the enemy as he spreads orders. Rikichi and several other farmers try to make use of one of the massive enemy guns. And Kirara uses the powers of her pendant to see and explain the horrific sounds to the women and children who are hidden away.
There truly is some spectacular stuff in here, and I fully applaud the creative team for realizing that the film's strategy of funnelling the bandits into a disposable line simply wouldn't work this time around, and coming up with a plan of attack that's intelligently vulnerable for both sides. My one gripe is a bit in the middle where we cut through each of the samurai as their ferocious fighting plays out in slow-mo to a soundtrack of little more than their heavy breathing. It's an interesting idea and could have been a very poetic image, but they never fully animated it, leaving it choppy and awkward.
But that's my only complaint. It's a fantastic episode as our heroes lose that gloss of perfection in the face of devastating odds. Come next episode, the samurai will no longer stand at seven.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toru Yoshida
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
As the early morning sky is drowned out by a raging storm, the bandits make their move. Despite their strength and intelligence and skill, not even the samurai could have planned for an assault from multiple fronts by enemies with the unanticipated arms of grenades and napalm.
What follows is the ultimate battle. Kambei leads the charge. Kyuzo tries to keep him alive for their pending duel. Gorobei tries to slice a bullet from the air. Heihachi supervises the farmers' meagre munitions. Kikuchiyo fights so hard that he shatters his massive sword. Katsushiro dashes from place to place, taking down the enemy as he spreads orders. Rikichi and several other farmers try to make use of one of the massive enemy guns. And Kirara uses the powers of her pendant to see and explain the horrific sounds to the women and children who are hidden away.
There truly is some spectacular stuff in here, and I fully applaud the creative team for realizing that the film's strategy of funnelling the bandits into a disposable line simply wouldn't work this time around, and coming up with a plan of attack that's intelligently vulnerable for both sides. My one gripe is a bit in the middle where we cut through each of the samurai as their ferocious fighting plays out in slow-mo to a soundtrack of little more than their heavy breathing. It's an interesting idea and could have been a very poetic image, but they never fully animated it, leaving it choppy and awkward.
But that's my only complaint. It's a fantastic episode as our heroes lose that gloss of perfection in the face of devastating odds. Come next episode, the samurai will no longer stand at seven.
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Samurai 7 #15: The Gun and the Calm
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Makoto Sokuza
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Having totally wiped out the first wave of attackers, destroyed the bandits' massive pair of floating headquarters, and killed several of their main generals, the last thing our heroes want to do is let the villagers get complacent. This was far from a final victory as they know the bitter bandits will quickly regroup to seek revenge.
After the non-stop action last episode, this is yet another necessary little breath-catcher in the wake of the looming war. The samurai force themselves to down a bitter farming dish as they give over their rice to the villagers. The children race around with the boisterous Kikuchiyo. Kirara prays to the spirits of her parents. And Kyuzo goes scouting to get a sense of the enemy's current strength, and see if he can do anything about one of their rare guns.
The thread about Katsushiro accepting the death he's brought takes some nice new steps as he gains some important lessons about perception from Heihachi who, despite being a bit older and having taken part in the great war, had never killed anybody before this day's events, either. Though I'm sure some see this little character arc as dragged out, I find it quite necessary. The lessons Katsushiro is absorbing are important for the path he's chosen, and we get the sense that all the older samurai were once in his shoes.
It's another great episode. And as people get what sleep they can and huddle away from the approaching rain clouds, the tension of the gathering storm looms over all.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Makoto Sokuza
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Having totally wiped out the first wave of attackers, destroyed the bandits' massive pair of floating headquarters, and killed several of their main generals, the last thing our heroes want to do is let the villagers get complacent. This was far from a final victory as they know the bitter bandits will quickly regroup to seek revenge.
After the non-stop action last episode, this is yet another necessary little breath-catcher in the wake of the looming war. The samurai force themselves to down a bitter farming dish as they give over their rice to the villagers. The children race around with the boisterous Kikuchiyo. Kirara prays to the spirits of her parents. And Kyuzo goes scouting to get a sense of the enemy's current strength, and see if he can do anything about one of their rare guns.
The thread about Katsushiro accepting the death he's brought takes some nice new steps as he gains some important lessons about perception from Heihachi who, despite being a bit older and having taken part in the great war, had never killed anybody before this day's events, either. Though I'm sure some see this little character arc as dragged out, I find it quite necessary. The lessons Katsushiro is absorbing are important for the path he's chosen, and we get the sense that all the older samurai were once in his shoes.
It's another great episode. And as people get what sleep they can and huddle away from the approaching rain clouds, the tension of the gathering storm looms over all.
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October 21, 2009
Samurai 7 #14: Run Wild
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Futoshi Higashide
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
As our last episode came to a close, the villagers kneeled before the enraged bandit horde, pleading for forgiveness. Three of our heroes were missing, three were tied up, and Kikuchiyo's mechanical noggin was resting in a basket.
It was one hell of a cliffhanger, and a nice twist following our heroes' first strike, but, predictably, it was all a clever ruse as the samurai now infiltrate the enemies' massive, mobile fortress, pulling themselves together, making introductions to their foes, and striking one hell of a strategic blow. It's all great stuff, executed with the skill I've come to expect from this show.
A particular bit I'd like to note is Katsushiro, the young samurai-in-training. A few episodes ago, he was torn up after having to make his first kill. Here, he's still grasping with the course he's chosen as he has to dive into his first real "kill or be killed" battle. I love how they've played this element of his role up much more than the film, allowing the new character to grow beyond his namesake.
I must say, though, that I'm surprised we've yet to have a death among our heroes. That's not really a criticism as there's nothing wrong with keeping them alive, nor do I want to see any go so quick, but this was around the point in the film where Kurosawa stripped the seven of one number, just so we don't feel too certain of their likely victory. I'm sure something will happen in the next few episodes.
Anyway, great, great work all around. No complaints. And a nice big "LOL" at Kikuchiyo for running through the big battle, eagerly calling for his lost katana so he could join the fray.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Futoshi Higashide
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
As our last episode came to a close, the villagers kneeled before the enraged bandit horde, pleading for forgiveness. Three of our heroes were missing, three were tied up, and Kikuchiyo's mechanical noggin was resting in a basket.
It was one hell of a cliffhanger, and a nice twist following our heroes' first strike, but, predictably, it was all a clever ruse as the samurai now infiltrate the enemies' massive, mobile fortress, pulling themselves together, making introductions to their foes, and striking one hell of a strategic blow. It's all great stuff, executed with the skill I've come to expect from this show.
A particular bit I'd like to note is Katsushiro, the young samurai-in-training. A few episodes ago, he was torn up after having to make his first kill. Here, he's still grasping with the course he's chosen as he has to dive into his first real "kill or be killed" battle. I love how they've played this element of his role up much more than the film, allowing the new character to grow beyond his namesake.
I must say, though, that I'm surprised we've yet to have a death among our heroes. That's not really a criticism as there's nothing wrong with keeping them alive, nor do I want to see any go so quick, but this was around the point in the film where Kurosawa stripped the seven of one number, just so we don't feel too certain of their likely victory. I'm sure something will happen in the next few episodes.
Anyway, great, great work all around. No complaints. And a nice big "LOL" at Kikuchiyo for running through the big battle, eagerly calling for his lost katana so he could join the fray.
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October 14, 2009
Samurai 7 #13: The Attack
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Yoshikata Nitta
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
After days of preparation - building fortifications, mapping out strategies, and training the villagers in archery - it all begins as the hulking, mechanical bandits appear on the horizon ... in far greater numbers than everyone was expecting. Time to break out that half-mile-long crossbow Heihachi's been building.
It's yet another great episode, allowing the change in setting and technology to alter the samurai's strategy without losing any of the depth and build-up Kurosawa handled so well. I was wondering how that giant crossbow would end up playing into events, and its use makes for one hell of a rich, unforgettable sequence.
Another great addition to the story comes in the form of Rikichi. He's largely presented as he was in the original film, as the first farmer willing to fight in the name of the wife he lost to the bandits, but they take it a little deeper this time around. Here, he not only starts getting sword lessons from the boisterous, cybernetic samurai Kikuchiyo, but actually breaks down and begs to learn where he himself can get his body replaced by machines, so as to better cut down the bandits who haunt his life and village. It's a great thread, and opens up a bit of regret on Kikuchiyo's part.
I have a few problems this time around, but I guess they're somewhat consistent with the setting, so it's likely just my personal opinion. First, after the villagers shoot down their first wave of bandits, they all break down with the realization that they've just killed people. I can understand that reaction from some of them, but it shouldn't be so uniform. Plus, they didn't have to kill a man up close like Katsushiro. All they did was fire a bunch of arrows at flying metal trash bins and watch them explode.
Secondly, why don't the women get to fight? I know, I know, this fits the backwater society of the village, but it also raises the question of why all the women are so beautiful and soft. In the original film, as in reality, the women were right alongside the men in the rice paddies, and had builds representing the equal labor. Here, they're all gorgeous and smooth. What I'm saying is A) they should look like they do just as much labor around town as they do, and B) that would leave them just as capable at swinging spears and shooting arrows as the dudes.
I'm not trying to get on a high horse of feminism here, but these bits just don't add up in the end. It's not a glaring flaw, though, and, those bits aside, it's still a fantastic episode as everyone rallies together and the battle finally begins.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Yoshikata Nitta
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
After days of preparation - building fortifications, mapping out strategies, and training the villagers in archery - it all begins as the hulking, mechanical bandits appear on the horizon ... in far greater numbers than everyone was expecting. Time to break out that half-mile-long crossbow Heihachi's been building.
It's yet another great episode, allowing the change in setting and technology to alter the samurai's strategy without losing any of the depth and build-up Kurosawa handled so well. I was wondering how that giant crossbow would end up playing into events, and its use makes for one hell of a rich, unforgettable sequence.
Another great addition to the story comes in the form of Rikichi. He's largely presented as he was in the original film, as the first farmer willing to fight in the name of the wife he lost to the bandits, but they take it a little deeper this time around. Here, he not only starts getting sword lessons from the boisterous, cybernetic samurai Kikuchiyo, but actually breaks down and begs to learn where he himself can get his body replaced by machines, so as to better cut down the bandits who haunt his life and village. It's a great thread, and opens up a bit of regret on Kikuchiyo's part.
I have a few problems this time around, but I guess they're somewhat consistent with the setting, so it's likely just my personal opinion. First, after the villagers shoot down their first wave of bandits, they all break down with the realization that they've just killed people. I can understand that reaction from some of them, but it shouldn't be so uniform. Plus, they didn't have to kill a man up close like Katsushiro. All they did was fire a bunch of arrows at flying metal trash bins and watch them explode.
Secondly, why don't the women get to fight? I know, I know, this fits the backwater society of the village, but it also raises the question of why all the women are so beautiful and soft. In the original film, as in reality, the women were right alongside the men in the rice paddies, and had builds representing the equal labor. Here, they're all gorgeous and smooth. What I'm saying is A) they should look like they do just as much labor around town as they do, and B) that would leave them just as capable at swinging spears and shooting arrows as the dudes.
I'm not trying to get on a high horse of feminism here, but these bits just don't add up in the end. It's not a glaring flaw, though, and, those bits aside, it's still a fantastic episode as everyone rallies together and the battle finally begins.
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October 13, 2009
Samurai 7 #12: The Truth
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Inuo Inukawa
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
In our last episode, Manzo, the frightened villager, decided the best way to save himself and his daughter was to rat out our heroes to the bandit patrols. Not only was he caught, but the inexperienced young swordsman Katsushiro was forced to make his first kill by cutting down a bandit scout. This was a clever addition to the story, taking a shocking moment that happened near the end of the film and bumping it up so the young hero has a chance to know death in the face of the big battle rather than as a result of it. I'm curious to see how they'll play it out, and they get things rolling nicely as Kambei has to take a few precise jabs to make sure the boy accepts the lessons he's just chosen to learn.
And let's not forget about Manzo. As he's dragged before the other villagers, his betrayal now made public, there's much debate about whether or not to cut him down. The bumbling cyborg Kikuchiyo, of all people, is the one who sets everyone straight as he flies into a rant that shows just how much attention this creative team paid to Kurosawa's classic film. Just as was the case there, the actions of the samurai and the bandits aren't so clearly cut, with both having been responsible for raids and atrocities in the past, the samurai merely doing so in the name of war. This has lead to farmers that are paranoid and who hide away what they can because they don't know who's going to sweep in and try to take it.
With everyone pulling together, continuing with the fortification, training for battle, and even hoisting the classic battle standard, our village has finally rallied around these heroes and risen up to fight alongside them instead of just hanging back while the samurai do all the work. All of this courtesy of a creative team that understands the layers that make up Kurosawa's works, the meticulous complexities that make every moment deep and essential.
Now we'll just have to see how it holds up as the battle begins.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Inuo Inukawa
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
In our last episode, Manzo, the frightened villager, decided the best way to save himself and his daughter was to rat out our heroes to the bandit patrols. Not only was he caught, but the inexperienced young swordsman Katsushiro was forced to make his first kill by cutting down a bandit scout. This was a clever addition to the story, taking a shocking moment that happened near the end of the film and bumping it up so the young hero has a chance to know death in the face of the big battle rather than as a result of it. I'm curious to see how they'll play it out, and they get things rolling nicely as Kambei has to take a few precise jabs to make sure the boy accepts the lessons he's just chosen to learn.
And let's not forget about Manzo. As he's dragged before the other villagers, his betrayal now made public, there's much debate about whether or not to cut him down. The bumbling cyborg Kikuchiyo, of all people, is the one who sets everyone straight as he flies into a rant that shows just how much attention this creative team paid to Kurosawa's classic film. Just as was the case there, the actions of the samurai and the bandits aren't so clearly cut, with both having been responsible for raids and atrocities in the past, the samurai merely doing so in the name of war. This has lead to farmers that are paranoid and who hide away what they can because they don't know who's going to sweep in and try to take it.
With everyone pulling together, continuing with the fortification, training for battle, and even hoisting the classic battle standard, our village has finally rallied around these heroes and risen up to fight alongside them instead of just hanging back while the samurai do all the work. All of this courtesy of a creative team that understands the layers that make up Kurosawa's works, the meticulous complexities that make every moment deep and essential.
Now we'll just have to see how it holds up as the battle begins.
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Samurai 7 #11: The Village
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Shunsuke Tada
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Shuichi Koyama
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
The time has come for the samurai to reach the focal point of all future conflict: the farming village of Kanna. And true to the original film, not everyone there is eager to meet their summoned heroes. One particularly paranoid farmer, Manzo, has managed to rile everybody up with notions that the samurai are only interested in their food stores and blooming daughters, leading the others to hide such precious items away and cower in their homes behind shut doors and windows as the samurai arrive.
Of course, the boisterous Kikuchiyo catches everyone off guard, settling the situation with his blunt humor, and we once again see an amazing mix of old elements collide with the new as the samurai guide the villagers into protecting their town. Archery is taught, spears are made, fortifications are mapped out, old mechanical wrecks are plundered for parts, and men keep looking over their shoulders as the women get excited and fawn over the handsome young swordsman, Katsushiro.
Though his design is a bit too much of a grotesque caricature, I like what they've done with Manzo, not merely portraying him as week and paranoid, but dangerous as he continues to secretly speak against the samurai and even sets out to snitch to the bandits. I'm sure he'll be an interesting thorn in the heroes' sides, already shown as his actions lead the inexperienced Katsushiro to face the possibility of his first kill much earlier than expected.
I'm also intrigued by Manzo's daughter, O-shin. They kept the bit of her father's over-protection, and she says she wants to marry a samurai one day, but she hasn't joined the others in going goggle-eyed over Katsushiro, her love interest in the original film. Instead, his eyes are set on the young spiritual leader Kirara, who, in turn, has taken an interest in the samurai's wise leader, Kambei. It's a nice, tangled web they're weaving and I'm fascinated to see where they go with it.
All in all, yet another fantastic episode.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Shunsuke Tada
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Shuichi Koyama
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
The time has come for the samurai to reach the focal point of all future conflict: the farming village of Kanna. And true to the original film, not everyone there is eager to meet their summoned heroes. One particularly paranoid farmer, Manzo, has managed to rile everybody up with notions that the samurai are only interested in their food stores and blooming daughters, leading the others to hide such precious items away and cower in their homes behind shut doors and windows as the samurai arrive.
Of course, the boisterous Kikuchiyo catches everyone off guard, settling the situation with his blunt humor, and we once again see an amazing mix of old elements collide with the new as the samurai guide the villagers into protecting their town. Archery is taught, spears are made, fortifications are mapped out, old mechanical wrecks are plundered for parts, and men keep looking over their shoulders as the women get excited and fawn over the handsome young swordsman, Katsushiro.
Though his design is a bit too much of a grotesque caricature, I like what they've done with Manzo, not merely portraying him as week and paranoid, but dangerous as he continues to secretly speak against the samurai and even sets out to snitch to the bandits. I'm sure he'll be an interesting thorn in the heroes' sides, already shown as his actions lead the inexperienced Katsushiro to face the possibility of his first kill much earlier than expected.
I'm also intrigued by Manzo's daughter, O-shin. They kept the bit of her father's over-protection, and she says she wants to marry a samurai one day, but she hasn't joined the others in going goggle-eyed over Katsushiro, her love interest in the original film. Instead, his eyes are set on the young spiritual leader Kirara, who, in turn, has taken an interest in the samurai's wise leader, Kambei. It's a nice, tangled web they're weaving and I'm fascinated to see where they go with it.
All in all, yet another fantastic episode.
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September 18, 2009
Samurai 7 #10: The Journey
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Yukio Okazaki
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Natsuko Takahashi
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
With roaming patrols of bandits scouring the lands in search of a large group of samurai, our heroes decide to divide into three groups, two samurai per farmer, and meet up just outside the village. Kikuchiyo is, of course, dismissed to do whatever he wants.
In the first group, Shichiroji does his best to calm Kirara, who openly confronts steely Kyuzo with her fears about his loyalties and his continued desire to cut Kambei down in a duel. While it's definitely a departure from the original, I very much enjoy their fresh take on Kyuzo, not only making him a skilled professional of the highest degree, but making his true goals unstated and ambiguous, allowing others to freely project their own hopes and fears against him.
The second group is led by Kambei, but mostly consists of boisterous Kikuchio and rambunctious Komachi teasing young Katsuhiro for a perceived crush he has on Kirara. It's all in good fun, but there's also some nice reflection from the rookie when Kambei challenges him with the question, "Why do you want to be a samurai?"
And then we get to the third, where Gorobei, Heihachi, and an embarrassed Rikichi get through some bandit patrols by disguising themselves as a travelling trio of drag queen performers. As I'm sure you can guess, hilarity ensues.
It's a good episode, acting as a nice final breath-catcher before everyone arrives at their shared destination and begins work. There's some action, some laughs, some moments of introspection, but by breaking everyone up into subgroups, we finally get a solid sense of how everyone has established their role in the broader team, and the dynamics that develop as a result.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Yukio Okazaki
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Natsuko Takahashi
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
With roaming patrols of bandits scouring the lands in search of a large group of samurai, our heroes decide to divide into three groups, two samurai per farmer, and meet up just outside the village. Kikuchiyo is, of course, dismissed to do whatever he wants.
In the first group, Shichiroji does his best to calm Kirara, who openly confronts steely Kyuzo with her fears about his loyalties and his continued desire to cut Kambei down in a duel. While it's definitely a departure from the original, I very much enjoy their fresh take on Kyuzo, not only making him a skilled professional of the highest degree, but making his true goals unstated and ambiguous, allowing others to freely project their own hopes and fears against him.
The second group is led by Kambei, but mostly consists of boisterous Kikuchio and rambunctious Komachi teasing young Katsuhiro for a perceived crush he has on Kirara. It's all in good fun, but there's also some nice reflection from the rookie when Kambei challenges him with the question, "Why do you want to be a samurai?"
And then we get to the third, where Gorobei, Heihachi, and an embarrassed Rikichi get through some bandit patrols by disguising themselves as a travelling trio of drag queen performers. As I'm sure you can guess, hilarity ensues.
It's a good episode, acting as a nice final breath-catcher before everyone arrives at their shared destination and begins work. There's some action, some laughs, some moments of introspection, but by breaking everyone up into subgroups, we finally get a solid sense of how everyone has established their role in the broader team, and the dynamics that develop as a result.
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September 10, 2009
Samurai 7 #9: The Bandits
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toru Yoshida
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
The central action of the series gets a bit of an early start as the bandits, having learned about the hiring of the samurai, ambush our heroes as they near the farming village. I love the idea behind these baddies, that they were once noble samurai who grew addicted to their power over cowering peasants, as well as an endless steroidal desire to cybernetically make themselves bigger and better and stronger until all that's left are these gigantic mechanized monoliths armed with swords five storeys long.
And, yet, our human heroes are still able to cut them down with ease. My one problem is that it's never explained exactly why samurai are capable of such superhuman feats. Is there a difference in gravity in this world? Is genetic engineering involved? Merely a statement on human evolution amongst the cosmos? It's great to see them hack battle ships in two and the use of their abilities is consistent, but I still wish they'd slip in some form of explanation as to why such things are possible.
Anyway, we get guns! Anybody familiar with the original film knows that firearms play a very important part when it comes to the seven samurai, their strategy, and their partial loss. Now, here, they do try to slip in a bit of a explanation as to why such devices aren't more common place in this steam punk society, but I don't think the answer that no samurai would dishonor himself by carrying a gun is enough. You just know the bandits have already crossed that ethical line and their mecha bodies would be laden with the things. Hell, they should just drop in a line that the chemicals needed for that particular form of projectile combustion is rare in this pocket of the universe.
So, yeah, we've got two little plot holes, but the series still has plenty of time left to fill them. It's more than made up for with the action of this episode, as well as steely samurai Kyuzo finally picking a side, Kikuchiyo hijinks, Katsuhiro showing off some skills, a farmer explaining why she's been snitching for the bandits, and the Shikima acting as mysterious as ever.
Great stuff.
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directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Toru Yoshida
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
The central action of the series gets a bit of an early start as the bandits, having learned about the hiring of the samurai, ambush our heroes as they near the farming village. I love the idea behind these baddies, that they were once noble samurai who grew addicted to their power over cowering peasants, as well as an endless steroidal desire to cybernetically make themselves bigger and better and stronger until all that's left are these gigantic mechanized monoliths armed with swords five storeys long.
And, yet, our human heroes are still able to cut them down with ease. My one problem is that it's never explained exactly why samurai are capable of such superhuman feats. Is there a difference in gravity in this world? Is genetic engineering involved? Merely a statement on human evolution amongst the cosmos? It's great to see them hack battle ships in two and the use of their abilities is consistent, but I still wish they'd slip in some form of explanation as to why such things are possible.
Anyway, we get guns! Anybody familiar with the original film knows that firearms play a very important part when it comes to the seven samurai, their strategy, and their partial loss. Now, here, they do try to slip in a bit of a explanation as to why such devices aren't more common place in this steam punk society, but I don't think the answer that no samurai would dishonor himself by carrying a gun is enough. You just know the bandits have already crossed that ethical line and their mecha bodies would be laden with the things. Hell, they should just drop in a line that the chemicals needed for that particular form of projectile combustion is rare in this pocket of the universe.
So, yeah, we've got two little plot holes, but the series still has plenty of time left to fill them. It's more than made up for with the action of this episode, as well as steely samurai Kyuzo finally picking a side, Kikuchiyo hijinks, Katsuhiro showing off some skills, a farmer explaining why she's been snitching for the bandits, and the Shikima acting as mysterious as ever.
Great stuff.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
September 9, 2009
Samurai 7 #8: The Guardians
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hirofumi Ogura
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Having escaped the magistrate's forces in the partially flooded caverns beneath and beyond the city, our heroes come across the Shikimori, bizarre mechanical mole men who build electric fuel cells for the city, as well as offer room and board to homeless farmers willing to grow their crops ... all while never speaking and hanging from the ceiling like bats, electric eyes always open. When we learn they also supply fuel cells to the massive cybernetic bandits, in exchange for some of that stolen rice, bitter farmer Rikichi snaps and threatens to break multiple uneasy truces.
After a bit of a stumble last episode, this series is back in top form, establishing a no-win societal scenario where a group of classes are forced to go against their better judgment and work together because it's the only thing that guarantees mutual survival. This is the type of place Kurosawa brought to life so well, where easy answers are hard to come by and one should never be quick to judge. Hell, even Rikichi, during a furious rant, reveals some shadier aspects of his own past.
It's yet another excellent episode with more stunning design work, a healthy blend of tones, solid characters that are settling into some perfect dynamics, and some damn good storytelling.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hirofumi Ogura
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Having escaped the magistrate's forces in the partially flooded caverns beneath and beyond the city, our heroes come across the Shikimori, bizarre mechanical mole men who build electric fuel cells for the city, as well as offer room and board to homeless farmers willing to grow their crops ... all while never speaking and hanging from the ceiling like bats, electric eyes always open. When we learn they also supply fuel cells to the massive cybernetic bandits, in exchange for some of that stolen rice, bitter farmer Rikichi snaps and threatens to break multiple uneasy truces.
After a bit of a stumble last episode, this series is back in top form, establishing a no-win societal scenario where a group of classes are forced to go against their better judgment and work together because it's the only thing that guarantees mutual survival. This is the type of place Kurosawa brought to life so well, where easy answers are hard to come by and one should never be quick to judge. Hell, even Rikichi, during a furious rant, reveals some shadier aspects of his own past.
It's yet another excellent episode with more stunning design work, a healthy blend of tones, solid characters that are settling into some perfect dynamics, and some damn good storytelling.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Samurai 7 #7: The Friend
2004 episode
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Shuichi Koyama
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Still pursued by the magistrate's son, Ukyo, and his armed police force, our heroes duck into the shady depth of the city's red light district. Right up front, things go a little off as the first few minutes are animated in a loose, lanky style reminiscent of Peter Chung. It's still well done, but glaring in the face of the clean style typically seen in this series.
But it's worth it as we meet the seventh potential member of our group. Kambei's "old wife", Shichiroji (Tohru Kusano) is a calm, dedicated man who served under the noble samurai in the great war. Renouncing his warrior status, he fell in love with a geisha and now lives a peaceful life as bodyguard of her inn. It's an interesting character with a romance that raises questions about bridging classes, something I'm sure will play out well down the road, and I like how he's the only one of the group who no longer has his sword.
It's not a perfect episode, being a little simplistic in it's plot, not playing up the dynamic of the team enough, and dropping the annoying Ukyo once again onto the front lines. Hell, even the class exploration of the red light district, declaring independence until the ruling merchants pay for blades to be drawn, could've been explore a bit more. But I still liked it. Uneven in both content and delivery, and the weakest episode so far, but still stronger than half the anime out there. And the antics of Kikuchiyo are always good for a laugh.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Toshifumi Takizawa and Hiroyuki Okuno
written by Atsuhiro Tomioka and Shuichi Koyama
based on the film SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
(1954 film)
(previous)
(next)
Still pursued by the magistrate's son, Ukyo, and his armed police force, our heroes duck into the shady depth of the city's red light district. Right up front, things go a little off as the first few minutes are animated in a loose, lanky style reminiscent of Peter Chung. It's still well done, but glaring in the face of the clean style typically seen in this series.
But it's worth it as we meet the seventh potential member of our group. Kambei's "old wife", Shichiroji (Tohru Kusano) is a calm, dedicated man who served under the noble samurai in the great war. Renouncing his warrior status, he fell in love with a geisha and now lives a peaceful life as bodyguard of her inn. It's an interesting character with a romance that raises questions about bridging classes, something I'm sure will play out well down the road, and I like how he's the only one of the group who no longer has his sword.
It's not a perfect episode, being a little simplistic in it's plot, not playing up the dynamic of the team enough, and dropping the annoying Ukyo once again onto the front lines. Hell, even the class exploration of the red light district, declaring independence until the ruling merchants pay for blades to be drawn, could've been explore a bit more. But I still liked it. Uneven in both content and delivery, and the weakest episode so far, but still stronger than half the anime out there. And the antics of Kikuchiyo are always good for a laugh.
(series trailer)
(opening)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(purchase)
(official website)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
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