2002 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
As our last episode came to a close, the Ginzame cartel's attempts to kidnap old-blood Tanokura from his home were interrupted when police poured out of the woods to confront their mob. After several minutes of swinging clubs and smashing fists, everyone was shocked to a halt as a bullet ripped through the head of Detective Saeki, the only cop unwilling to turn the other way.
This episode begins as everyone starts picking up the pieces. Tanokura and his family is safe, the cops investigate as heavily as their payoffs allow, and it looks like Ginzame got away from the debacle clean. But then Fukajiro, one of the three Shirogane brothers who run the cartel, steps out the next day for a ridiculously exposed morning ritual (which would have worked had they established it earlier as a regular character routine), only to catch another bullet from the same sniper.
Once again, I have to wonder if this creative team actually watched the original movie. One of its greatest elements, the thread that went off and inspired numerous imitators, was the idea of the hero playing both sides as he set them against one another before picking off what's left. Our hero George, while cool, is such a passive drifter that, by episode's end, his single act of manipulation, one we waited over half the series for, has come to bite him in the ass. By contrast, this unknown sniper has scored two kills in as many episodes and already stirred up more conflict and confusion between the groups than George could ever dream of.
Now, to be fair, this complaint is more a reflection of the broader series than a negative aspect of this lone episode. Other then the reckless act of Fukajiro which I mentioned above, this was actually quite a tight, polished little transitional chapter as repercussions sink in, characters are forced to make certain decisions, and George takes a little stroll that, while it doesn't express anything with solid clarity, starts setting in motion certain ideas that would bring all the loose strands together.
We truly are starting to gear up for the end run and it'll be interesting to see how they bring it all to a close.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
July 28, 2009
July 23, 2009
Kaze No Yojimbo #18: The Vendetta
2002 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Following the lethal booby trap sprung on the Ginzame cartel by old-blood Tanokura, the situation escalates with each side taking deadly potshots at one another. It's believably chaotic with the increasing attacks driving people to send their wives and children away, and I have to wonder if they're taking the town to such lows so as to finally let the events of the film play out (was this all really just an expanded setup?). Unfortunately, there's the animation. I'm guessing the stunning, fluid stuff we saw in episode 13 must have been a special, one-time fluke to show off a new character, because things are back to their largely static choppiness, with epic concepts diminished through the execution of still-frame montages, and those bizarre camera tricks of drifting closeups against an electric snow background once again highlighting already obvious information. By trying to look stylish, they only reveal how little their budget really was.
Another thing holding the episode back, and this is true of the series as a whole, is that there's too much focus on this fight between individual characters without enough examination of the broader town itself. Bits like Miyuki having to apologize to her school mates as they're sent away or Ginzame swelling its ranks with outside strangers are great, but they feel impersonal without enough developed weight behind the broader workings of Kimujuku itself.
And then there's George. I like that he's finally starting to quietly manipulate the situation, but it feels under thought and lacks impact, especially in the wake of his passivity up to this point. And the way he, a guy of such simple means, suddenly whips out technology feels terribly forced.
Now, all this said, it's still a decent enough episode. The stakes are raising, the hero is starting to show his hand, and it all climaxes in a violent kidnapping attempt that leads to the show's first major death, the consequences of which I'm very eager to see.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Following the lethal booby trap sprung on the Ginzame cartel by old-blood Tanokura, the situation escalates with each side taking deadly potshots at one another. It's believably chaotic with the increasing attacks driving people to send their wives and children away, and I have to wonder if they're taking the town to such lows so as to finally let the events of the film play out (was this all really just an expanded setup?). Unfortunately, there's the animation. I'm guessing the stunning, fluid stuff we saw in episode 13 must have been a special, one-time fluke to show off a new character, because things are back to their largely static choppiness, with epic concepts diminished through the execution of still-frame montages, and those bizarre camera tricks of drifting closeups against an electric snow background once again highlighting already obvious information. By trying to look stylish, they only reveal how little their budget really was.
Another thing holding the episode back, and this is true of the series as a whole, is that there's too much focus on this fight between individual characters without enough examination of the broader town itself. Bits like Miyuki having to apologize to her school mates as they're sent away or Ginzame swelling its ranks with outside strangers are great, but they feel impersonal without enough developed weight behind the broader workings of Kimujuku itself.
And then there's George. I like that he's finally starting to quietly manipulate the situation, but it feels under thought and lacks impact, especially in the wake of his passivity up to this point. And the way he, a guy of such simple means, suddenly whips out technology feels terribly forced.
Now, all this said, it's still a decent enough episode. The stakes are raising, the hero is starting to show his hand, and it all climaxes in a violent kidnapping attempt that leads to the show's first major death, the consequences of which I'm very eager to see.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
July 21, 2009
Kaze No Yojimbo #17: The Great Sting
2002 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
After numerous episodes of wanting to see what old-blood Tanokura had hidden in the depths of his supposedly abandoned mines, the Ginzame cartel now have the deed in their hands and rush in truckloads of men to scour every inch of the tunnels. It's an interesting development for the plot, one that could have ended with a huge blow struck against the Shirogane brothers who run the cartel, but some poorly staged direction results in a booby trap taking such a ridiculous amount of time to play out that much of the power the climax potentially had was stolen.
That's really my only complaint this time around, though. While I could point out that the animation was back to its nonexistent norms, it's the type of episode that plays just fine with largely static images, so there's nothing really wrong with it.
Tanokura, who was only beginning to be fleshed out as a character last episode, continues to develop nicely. It's amazing the contrast they build in this man, opening the episode with him reading the local paper and sending flowers to a group of school children in honor of their accomplishments, then later grinning and gleefully playing with a matchbook as he waits to hear news of the lethal trap he set for Ginzame. This is a man who's capable of great goodness and who truly loves his community, but his old-fashioned sense of honor can turn him violent and territorial. Though even that aspect is dealt with a steady, thoughtful hand.
It's also interesting how they're building a conflict between him and Miyuki, who seems to realize there's much more to her father than what she's known over the years ... things she may not even want to discover. There's not much in the way of development on this thread, just the beginnings of a setup this episode and last, so it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
And then there's our wandering hero, George. He plays a small, peripheral role this episode, but there's a moment near the beginning that caught my attention. As the trucks full of men barrel down the street in the direction of the mines, he mutters, "So, it's begun." Could it be that he is playing up a manipulative master plan, after all? Something that would bring him back to the Sanjuro he should have been from the very beginning?
Only time (and less then 10 episodes) will tell ...
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
After numerous episodes of wanting to see what old-blood Tanokura had hidden in the depths of his supposedly abandoned mines, the Ginzame cartel now have the deed in their hands and rush in truckloads of men to scour every inch of the tunnels. It's an interesting development for the plot, one that could have ended with a huge blow struck against the Shirogane brothers who run the cartel, but some poorly staged direction results in a booby trap taking such a ridiculous amount of time to play out that much of the power the climax potentially had was stolen.
That's really my only complaint this time around, though. While I could point out that the animation was back to its nonexistent norms, it's the type of episode that plays just fine with largely static images, so there's nothing really wrong with it.
Tanokura, who was only beginning to be fleshed out as a character last episode, continues to develop nicely. It's amazing the contrast they build in this man, opening the episode with him reading the local paper and sending flowers to a group of school children in honor of their accomplishments, then later grinning and gleefully playing with a matchbook as he waits to hear news of the lethal trap he set for Ginzame. This is a man who's capable of great goodness and who truly loves his community, but his old-fashioned sense of honor can turn him violent and territorial. Though even that aspect is dealt with a steady, thoughtful hand.
It's also interesting how they're building a conflict between him and Miyuki, who seems to realize there's much more to her father than what she's known over the years ... things she may not even want to discover. There's not much in the way of development on this thread, just the beginnings of a setup this episode and last, so it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
And then there's our wandering hero, George. He plays a small, peripheral role this episode, but there's a moment near the beginning that caught my attention. As the trucks full of men barrel down the street in the direction of the mines, he mutters, "So, it's begun." Could it be that he is playing up a manipulative master plan, after all? Something that would bring him back to the Sanjuro he should have been from the very beginning?
Only time (and less then 10 episodes) will tell ...
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
July 15, 2009
Kaze No Yojimbo #16: Swapping Hostages
2002 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Over the course of the series, one plot thread has been hanging over nearly all events: there's something hidden in the supposedly dry mine owned by the old-blood Tanokura family, something tied to events 15 years back. Nothing, it seemed, would get Tanokura to give away the secret of the mine ... until Mamoru Araki comes into town. Hoping to save his sister, inn-keeper Sanae, from what he perceived to be a meddling threat in the form of our hero George, the young man has blundered onto the scene and found himself in way over his head.
And, to his surprise as well as ours, he seems to be the key. It's with him in enemy hands that Tanokura agrees to hand the deed to the mine over to his opposition, the Shirogane brothers of the Ginzame cartel. Why? What is it about him, his family, and his missing father, that's so damn important? And why does Tanokura seem to have such a fatherly attachment to the young man and his sister? We don't get these questions answered in this episode, but what we do get are some fantastic moments where secret meetings pull together many of the stray character threads into a woven strand that will hopefully carry us along to the conclusion without unravleing.
Most importantly, we finally get to know Tanokura. Aside from his endearing teenage daughter, Miyuki, most of the Tanokura household, especially the patriarch himself, has been little more than a surface image of a small-town emperor, proud and firm and fully in charge of surroundings that share their roots with him. I was wondering why it was that he was so under-explored while the Ginzame were fleshed out in full, but now we see why: his ties to the central mystery are so intricate that one can't be revealed without spoiling the other. So, now that we've got less than half the series left, the time is just right to start rolling it all out.
It truly is a wonderful episode, quiet and tense with much implied rather than stated outright. And in those final, fantastic moments, we may finally be seeing signs of what the series has lacked until now: a motivated hero who, in the way of the classic film upon which this series is based, has finally deepened his connections to the point where he's able and willing to manipulate the situation toward an outcome that's still not fully clear.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Over the course of the series, one plot thread has been hanging over nearly all events: there's something hidden in the supposedly dry mine owned by the old-blood Tanokura family, something tied to events 15 years back. Nothing, it seemed, would get Tanokura to give away the secret of the mine ... until Mamoru Araki comes into town. Hoping to save his sister, inn-keeper Sanae, from what he perceived to be a meddling threat in the form of our hero George, the young man has blundered onto the scene and found himself in way over his head.
And, to his surprise as well as ours, he seems to be the key. It's with him in enemy hands that Tanokura agrees to hand the deed to the mine over to his opposition, the Shirogane brothers of the Ginzame cartel. Why? What is it about him, his family, and his missing father, that's so damn important? And why does Tanokura seem to have such a fatherly attachment to the young man and his sister? We don't get these questions answered in this episode, but what we do get are some fantastic moments where secret meetings pull together many of the stray character threads into a woven strand that will hopefully carry us along to the conclusion without unravleing.
Most importantly, we finally get to know Tanokura. Aside from his endearing teenage daughter, Miyuki, most of the Tanokura household, especially the patriarch himself, has been little more than a surface image of a small-town emperor, proud and firm and fully in charge of surroundings that share their roots with him. I was wondering why it was that he was so under-explored while the Ginzame were fleshed out in full, but now we see why: his ties to the central mystery are so intricate that one can't be revealed without spoiling the other. So, now that we've got less than half the series left, the time is just right to start rolling it all out.
It truly is a wonderful episode, quiet and tense with much implied rather than stated outright. And in those final, fantastic moments, we may finally be seeing signs of what the series has lacked until now: a motivated hero who, in the way of the classic film upon which this series is based, has finally deepened his connections to the point where he's able and willing to manipulate the situation toward an outcome that's still not fully clear.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Kaze No Yojimbo #15: The Counterattack
2002 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
In the last episode, our hero George had largely been ostracized from the community as the two warring factions of Kimujuku seemingly overcame their differences and pulled together. Kicked out of every establishment and stuck with the sole option of leaving town, George finds himself pursued and attacked by a face we haven't seen since way back in episode 5. Mamoru Araki is the brother of mysterious inn-keeper Sanae, and the son of the very man whose disappearance George is trying to solve.
There's a lot of promise to his appearance, that we may finally get some answers and George will finally get the driving motivation needed to stop drifting from place to place and take action. Unfortunately, we don't really get much. In fact, after he appears, George unleashes upon him a brutality that feels out of character and then, instead of continuing to pursue the mystery, or bringing the young man to his sister who would likely trade information in return, he brings Mamoru to the sadistic Shirogane brothers of the Ginzame cartel. Why? What does this buy him? Sure, he's now once again welcome and employed in the town, but there's no sense of this being a part of a master plan on George's part as he once again just drifts into it.
So, no, this episode doesn't quite live up to the promise offered by the quality chapters that preceded it, especially with a bulk of the middle section being filled with a rather boring and annoyingly cryptic meeting between old-blood Tanokura and his new rival Rin, where they mainly just recap things we've already learned and suggest possibilities we've already guessed.
That said, despite some boring writing, it's still a half-way decent episode that, low as it is, never sinks to the depths we occasionally hit in the first half of the series. The story is moving forward, and threads that initially seamed like meaningless, stand-alone filler are starting to find relevance. That's good enough for me.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
In the last episode, our hero George had largely been ostracized from the community as the two warring factions of Kimujuku seemingly overcame their differences and pulled together. Kicked out of every establishment and stuck with the sole option of leaving town, George finds himself pursued and attacked by a face we haven't seen since way back in episode 5. Mamoru Araki is the brother of mysterious inn-keeper Sanae, and the son of the very man whose disappearance George is trying to solve.
There's a lot of promise to his appearance, that we may finally get some answers and George will finally get the driving motivation needed to stop drifting from place to place and take action. Unfortunately, we don't really get much. In fact, after he appears, George unleashes upon him a brutality that feels out of character and then, instead of continuing to pursue the mystery, or bringing the young man to his sister who would likely trade information in return, he brings Mamoru to the sadistic Shirogane brothers of the Ginzame cartel. Why? What does this buy him? Sure, he's now once again welcome and employed in the town, but there's no sense of this being a part of a master plan on George's part as he once again just drifts into it.
So, no, this episode doesn't quite live up to the promise offered by the quality chapters that preceded it, especially with a bulk of the middle section being filled with a rather boring and annoyingly cryptic meeting between old-blood Tanokura and his new rival Rin, where they mainly just recap things we've already learned and suggest possibilities we've already guessed.
That said, despite some boring writing, it's still a half-way decent episode that, low as it is, never sinks to the depths we occasionally hit in the first half of the series. The story is moving forward, and threads that initially seamed like meaningless, stand-alone filler are starting to find relevance. That's good enough for me.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
July 14, 2009
Kaze No Yojimbo #14: False Reconciliation
2002 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Over the last few episodes, the Ginzame cartel has lost their hold on one town business after another, quickly collapsing against the deeply rooted Tanokura family, which now has even the police fully on its side. From out of nowhere came Rin, the "lost brother" of Ginzame who'd spent three years in prison, and everything seems to have changed. We still don't know what it was that happened behind the scenes, but the Tanokuras have invited Ginzame to join them in a reconciliation ceremony, sharing the town as fully cooperating powers and giving the local government their word to stop all squabbles at once. Yes, it most certainly seems like a bright new day for the town of Kimujuku.
Unless you happen to be George.
While searching for clues about his missing friend, George had been spending the first half of the series as a bodyguard for hire, playing both sides fairly and equally as long as he felt the need was true. But now, with everyone joining hands and singing "Kumbaya" there's no need for his business. Hell, they don't want him there at all. Getting kicked out of every bar and tailed down alleys by shadowy figures, even his closest friends are telling George to get out of town.
While not the most complex episode, it's very much a necessary chapter as big changes established early on must be given room to properly soak in. Though I wish there could have been more exploration of George's motivation to stay, namely the continuing mystery of his old friend, the ostracism he smacked up against is sudden and overwhelming, but understandable given the pressures held over the townsfolk. And the mystery of why these two families suddenly decided to tie the knot really has me gripped.
While not as strong as the last few episodes, and the animation took a few steps back to its early choppiness, this was still a damn good entry in a much improved series, pushing the story over an exciting new hill and focusing on the characters as they take it in.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Satoru Nishizono, Daisuke Yajima, Michiko Yokote, Tamotsu Mizukoshi
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Over the last few episodes, the Ginzame cartel has lost their hold on one town business after another, quickly collapsing against the deeply rooted Tanokura family, which now has even the police fully on its side. From out of nowhere came Rin, the "lost brother" of Ginzame who'd spent three years in prison, and everything seems to have changed. We still don't know what it was that happened behind the scenes, but the Tanokuras have invited Ginzame to join them in a reconciliation ceremony, sharing the town as fully cooperating powers and giving the local government their word to stop all squabbles at once. Yes, it most certainly seems like a bright new day for the town of Kimujuku.
Unless you happen to be George.
While searching for clues about his missing friend, George had been spending the first half of the series as a bodyguard for hire, playing both sides fairly and equally as long as he felt the need was true. But now, with everyone joining hands and singing "Kumbaya" there's no need for his business. Hell, they don't want him there at all. Getting kicked out of every bar and tailed down alleys by shadowy figures, even his closest friends are telling George to get out of town.
While not the most complex episode, it's very much a necessary chapter as big changes established early on must be given room to properly soak in. Though I wish there could have been more exploration of George's motivation to stay, namely the continuing mystery of his old friend, the ostracism he smacked up against is sudden and overwhelming, but understandable given the pressures held over the townsfolk. And the mystery of why these two families suddenly decided to tie the knot really has me gripped.
While not as strong as the last few episodes, and the animation took a few steps back to its early choppiness, this was still a damn good entry in a much improved series, pushing the story over an exciting new hill and focusing on the characters as they take it in.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
Kaze No Yojimbo #13: The Man Who Returned
2001 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
For episode after episode, this series, while finally starting to find its own feet, has really failed as an adaptation of YOJIMBO, with a lead whose motives and actions run counter to that of the original's samurai, a town whose greed and corruption is subtle and quiet instead of odorous and overpowering, and a plot that, instead of inviting us to watch on in glee as the hero pits one side against one another just sort of ambles through a series of little meaningless skirmishes. It seems as though things are about to change.
One of the most memorable characters in the original was a new villain that popped up at the midpoint. With ties to one of the gangs, Unosuke was a leering psychopath who carried a revolver in a town full of swords and was the only character sharp enough to see through the hero's plans and give him trouble. Well, here, exactly at the midpoint of the series, we're introduced to his modern incarnation. Just released from a three-year stint in prison, Rin is a handsome young man with a piercing gaze who's on his way to rejoin the rapidly-failing Ginzame organization. But before he gets to our main small town, he decides to stop for a drink in a little bar, operated by the man who ratted him out those three years ago.
Rin is one of the most spectacular portrayals of a sociopath I've ever seen on the screen. In what's basically a single-location one-act play, he confronts the man, gives the dude's will a thorough working over, then plays Russian roulette with the only detective initially willing to put him away. This man is a force of nature, a beast in the guise of a beauty, who is sure to give our hero, George, the conflict we've been waiting for. And the way they reimagined his threatening use of a revolver is worthy of John Woo.
I really wish I knew what was going on behind the scenes of this show. It got off to a terrible, horrendous start, but over the course of the last few episodes, really began pulling together into something decent. With this episode, it rises to fantastic heights, using this time away from our established leads to brilliantly introduce a new major player and show just how much of a genuine threat he'll be. And the animation, which had been surprisingly sloppy and choppy given the sharp designs, has finally become fluid and consistent, the most striking moment being the beautiful shot of Rin walking into the bar and locking eyes with the snitch.
Now here's hoping they maintain this tremendous leap in quality for the second half of the show.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
For episode after episode, this series, while finally starting to find its own feet, has really failed as an adaptation of YOJIMBO, with a lead whose motives and actions run counter to that of the original's samurai, a town whose greed and corruption is subtle and quiet instead of odorous and overpowering, and a plot that, instead of inviting us to watch on in glee as the hero pits one side against one another just sort of ambles through a series of little meaningless skirmishes. It seems as though things are about to change.
One of the most memorable characters in the original was a new villain that popped up at the midpoint. With ties to one of the gangs, Unosuke was a leering psychopath who carried a revolver in a town full of swords and was the only character sharp enough to see through the hero's plans and give him trouble. Well, here, exactly at the midpoint of the series, we're introduced to his modern incarnation. Just released from a three-year stint in prison, Rin is a handsome young man with a piercing gaze who's on his way to rejoin the rapidly-failing Ginzame organization. But before he gets to our main small town, he decides to stop for a drink in a little bar, operated by the man who ratted him out those three years ago.
Rin is one of the most spectacular portrayals of a sociopath I've ever seen on the screen. In what's basically a single-location one-act play, he confronts the man, gives the dude's will a thorough working over, then plays Russian roulette with the only detective initially willing to put him away. This man is a force of nature, a beast in the guise of a beauty, who is sure to give our hero, George, the conflict we've been waiting for. And the way they reimagined his threatening use of a revolver is worthy of John Woo.
I really wish I knew what was going on behind the scenes of this show. It got off to a terrible, horrendous start, but over the course of the last few episodes, really began pulling together into something decent. With this episode, it rises to fantastic heights, using this time away from our established leads to brilliantly introduce a new major player and show just how much of a genuine threat he'll be. And the animation, which had been surprisingly sloppy and choppy given the sharp designs, has finally become fluid and consistent, the most striking moment being the beautiful shot of Rin walking into the bar and locking eyes with the snitch.
Now here's hoping they maintain this tremendous leap in quality for the second half of the show.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
July 8, 2009
Kaze No Yojimbo #12: The Echo
2001 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
When lovably bumbling goon Raccoon is given a gun by his Ginzame bosses and told to break into the home of opposing leader Tanokura so as to procure maps of the mines where treasure may be hidden, he fucks things up with his usual lack of grace and goes to George for help. Aside from it being ridiculous that he, of all people, would be entrusted with such a delicate mission, it's good to see Raccoon get the spotlight for another ep. He's the type of character who could be annoying, but there's just such a great air about him, the sense that he's a genuinely good fellow who's fallen in with the wrong crowd, and his boisterous hero-worshipping of George is hilarious.
And then there's Miyuki, the teenage daughter of Tanokura whose worship of George is more that of adolescent infatuation. I really have to applaud the writers for making these two oddballs into George's main teammates, and the scenes between the two of them are snappy and sharp and definitely stand as the show's greatest strength. There's even the sense that, if I may offer a prediction, the two will still stay friends once George finishes his business and heads out of town, thus forming a solid bridge between the two factions.
And props for some additional backstory on Raccoon's part. It may seem a bit of a contrivance to also give him ties to the mysterious train robbery from 15 years back, but it's handled with great skill and gives depth to a phobia that's haunted the thug since.
I almost want to say the plot of this ep was disposable, what with Miyuki running off to see George, causing a reactionary secretary of her father to declare her kidnapped and sending an army of goons to take our hero down, but unlike the other standalones, this was intricately tied to the central characters and conflicts that have been brewing and, while it doesn't really further the plot much, it gives us some extra bits of back story and helps lay further foundations between George and his main pair of sidekicks. And it's worth mentioning that the inevitable fight sequences is much more nicely choreographed and animated than the lame, choppy ones we've seen up till now.
I really must say, the show has picked up well over the last three episodes. I've finally been hooked, intrigued, and, most importantly of all, entertained. Here's hoping they keep it down this road without crashing off into a ditch.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
When lovably bumbling goon Raccoon is given a gun by his Ginzame bosses and told to break into the home of opposing leader Tanokura so as to procure maps of the mines where treasure may be hidden, he fucks things up with his usual lack of grace and goes to George for help. Aside from it being ridiculous that he, of all people, would be entrusted with such a delicate mission, it's good to see Raccoon get the spotlight for another ep. He's the type of character who could be annoying, but there's just such a great air about him, the sense that he's a genuinely good fellow who's fallen in with the wrong crowd, and his boisterous hero-worshipping of George is hilarious.
And then there's Miyuki, the teenage daughter of Tanokura whose worship of George is more that of adolescent infatuation. I really have to applaud the writers for making these two oddballs into George's main teammates, and the scenes between the two of them are snappy and sharp and definitely stand as the show's greatest strength. There's even the sense that, if I may offer a prediction, the two will still stay friends once George finishes his business and heads out of town, thus forming a solid bridge between the two factions.
And props for some additional backstory on Raccoon's part. It may seem a bit of a contrivance to also give him ties to the mysterious train robbery from 15 years back, but it's handled with great skill and gives depth to a phobia that's haunted the thug since.
I almost want to say the plot of this ep was disposable, what with Miyuki running off to see George, causing a reactionary secretary of her father to declare her kidnapped and sending an army of goons to take our hero down, but unlike the other standalones, this was intricately tied to the central characters and conflicts that have been brewing and, while it doesn't really further the plot much, it gives us some extra bits of back story and helps lay further foundations between George and his main pair of sidekicks. And it's worth mentioning that the inevitable fight sequences is much more nicely choreographed and animated than the lame, choppy ones we've seen up till now.
I really must say, the show has picked up well over the last three episodes. I've finally been hooked, intrigued, and, most importantly of all, entertained. Here's hoping they keep it down this road without crashing off into a ditch.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
July 7, 2009
Kaze No Yojimbo #11: Lurking in the Gloom
2001 episode
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Can it be? Is it even remotely possible that this series, which I've largely discarded as a stumbling waste of poorly executed missed opportunities, may actually bet getting halfway decent? With the last episode, things started coming around from a train of worthless stand-alone "plots", narrowing our focused to forces in the town which are starting to move into position for a big collision. With today's episode, we take another thankful step forward.
A few episodes back, a piercing, unnamed man with a pencil-thin moustache paid a visit to Tanokura, leader of the old-blood faction of town. While the execution was terribly lethargic, there was some good info in there about a train car full of gold that went missing 15 years back (on the very same day George met the friend he's now trying to find), and questions start to rise about why Tanokura is so eager to keep people away from the old family mines, which he claims have run dry. Well, the plot thickens as that same man shows up, this time heading to the new-blood faction of the Ginzame cartel, and things play out a bit differently.
For as long as we've known him, local Ginzame head Samekichi Shirogane has been a sharp, cooly sadistic bastard of a criminal, but one look at the visitor has him sputtering through an embarrassed sweat. Turns out this mustachioed man (still unnamed, though referred to as Sensei) is one of the top lieutenants in the broader Ginzame chain, and he isn't too pleased at how things have been playing out, what with Shirogane losing the casino train and being unable to persuade the police against fully siding with Tanokura. They stumble for an excuse, some element that caused everything to unravel, something they can focus all their blame and attention on.
Cut to our vagrant hero, George, completely unaware of just how deep he's fallen into things. While I still wish his involvement with the gangs could have been much more proactive on his part, with him being the driving force beyond their collapse instead of just some random spectator, I like that everything is starting to pull together, forcing him into a position where he'll have to act or run.
And in a separate plot thread, George has once again set his sights on inn-keeper Sanae. Noticing she has her own shotgun and belongs to a hunting club, George starts to wonder if the unseen sniper who attacked him near the beginning of the series and this woman whose past he's been digging into so deeply may possibly just be one and the same. Unfortunately, there's the promise of a major confrontation between the two, but they keep dancing around the issue in a bluntly subtle (that should be an oxymoron, but they somehow make it exist) date of sorts that ends in some close moments that are more awkward than touching.
So, no, the series hasn't made a miraculous comeback to full perfection, but it is on the right track to being something moderately worthwhile. If they can just keep the focus on the central story and the characters without visually experimenting beyond their budgetary means or veering off to senseless standalone stories that further hold back an already dragging series, then they just may have something here. We'll see.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
directed by Hayato Date
written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, Akatsuki Yamatoya, Michiko Yokote
based on the film YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima
(1961 film)
(previous)
(next)
Can it be? Is it even remotely possible that this series, which I've largely discarded as a stumbling waste of poorly executed missed opportunities, may actually bet getting halfway decent? With the last episode, things started coming around from a train of worthless stand-alone "plots", narrowing our focused to forces in the town which are starting to move into position for a big collision. With today's episode, we take another thankful step forward.
A few episodes back, a piercing, unnamed man with a pencil-thin moustache paid a visit to Tanokura, leader of the old-blood faction of town. While the execution was terribly lethargic, there was some good info in there about a train car full of gold that went missing 15 years back (on the very same day George met the friend he's now trying to find), and questions start to rise about why Tanokura is so eager to keep people away from the old family mines, which he claims have run dry. Well, the plot thickens as that same man shows up, this time heading to the new-blood faction of the Ginzame cartel, and things play out a bit differently.
For as long as we've known him, local Ginzame head Samekichi Shirogane has been a sharp, cooly sadistic bastard of a criminal, but one look at the visitor has him sputtering through an embarrassed sweat. Turns out this mustachioed man (still unnamed, though referred to as Sensei) is one of the top lieutenants in the broader Ginzame chain, and he isn't too pleased at how things have been playing out, what with Shirogane losing the casino train and being unable to persuade the police against fully siding with Tanokura. They stumble for an excuse, some element that caused everything to unravel, something they can focus all their blame and attention on.
Cut to our vagrant hero, George, completely unaware of just how deep he's fallen into things. While I still wish his involvement with the gangs could have been much more proactive on his part, with him being the driving force beyond their collapse instead of just some random spectator, I like that everything is starting to pull together, forcing him into a position where he'll have to act or run.
And in a separate plot thread, George has once again set his sights on inn-keeper Sanae. Noticing she has her own shotgun and belongs to a hunting club, George starts to wonder if the unseen sniper who attacked him near the beginning of the series and this woman whose past he's been digging into so deeply may possibly just be one and the same. Unfortunately, there's the promise of a major confrontation between the two, but they keep dancing around the issue in a bluntly subtle (that should be an oxymoron, but they somehow make it exist) date of sorts that ends in some close moments that are more awkward than touching.
So, no, the series hasn't made a miraculous comeback to full perfection, but it is on the right track to being something moderately worthwhile. If they can just keep the focus on the central story and the characters without visually experimenting beyond their budgetary means or veering off to senseless standalone stories that further hold back an already dragging series, then they just may have something here. We'll see.
(series trailer)
(opening titles)
(purchase)
(wikipedia)
(anime news network)
(internet movie database)
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