(L) Sword of the Stranger - Mukoh Hadan

[MrProphet]

Yeah, right. Like Geneon and Geneon USA?

Exactly. 8)

[duckroll]

I got my blu-ray set. I'll watch the film itself proper tonight before giving it a review, but I checked out the opening 5 mins and some of the stuff on the bonus disc. All I can say is..... holy shit. This is totally a sakuga fanboy release. Storyboards, script, complete keyframes for select action sequences, shitloads of character designs, setting art, selected cleaned up genga, etc, etc, etc.

The feature itself also comes with two commentary tracks, one with the cast and one with the ANIMATORS. Totally nuts. BONES went all out with this and I can't wait to watch the entire thing later.

[wao]

What the fuck, an interview with the ANIMATORS?!!

I'm almost thinking of hunting down and stalking duckroll just to beg, grovel, plead and watch the special features (I'm such a cheapskate)

Also I am too chicken to use BT and not rich enough to get the R2 (not yet - for something I haven't watched at all especially, and I'm not as sure about this as I was with Tekkon Kinkreet) so... uh...

I dunno, when am I ever going to watch this? You guys are tempting me a lot, I thought this'd just be a dark action flick for the most part but it sounds like the narrative isn't bad either.
(Although I guess I can't say the character designs are my favourite)

Not that I'd know, but it wouldn't help if the US release was expensive too, because frankly speaking how many R1 buyers have even heard of this title? There's next to no wide-scale promotion of it that I'm aware of (sure, I've seen the TV ads for it but I don't think they say a lot - tbh if I had watched only the ads I'd have probably not bothered to watch it)
If it's at R2 prices as well, I can't see a lot of people buying it unless some really good marketing happens from now on... or it airs on TV...

[solomon]

Originally Posted by wao

What the fuck, an interview with the ANIMATORS?!!

As young Hank Venture said;

OH BY GLORY!!

Man I hope Bandai Viz brings this to america

[duckroll]

Okay, I watched it. I'll probably watch it again in a few days with the commentary track, but it's going to be awhile before I can watch the whole thing again. The immediate impression it leaves me with is that I haven't seen an animation movie like this in a really, really long time. The script, the characters, the animation, the music and the action are all so synced, so focused, all working towards building the viewer up to a climax that not only delivers on every count but leaves you drained because it takes so much attention and focus from the viewer to simply keep up with what is being shown on screen.

Stranger is definitely an all out chambara action movie, it makes no pretenses of being anything else right from the start, but it's also as far from being a DUMB action movie as possible. While the movie clearly exists simply to show off how well the animators can animate various aspects of the film, it never forgets that the viewer is also there to watch a movie, and as such the narrative works well, and the music is amazingly keyed to the scenes to deliver emotional impact.

This movie puts to shame every single live action or animated Japanese swordfighting action movie I've seen since Kitano's Zatoichi. For those who worship Nakamura for his animation work on the opening of the Escaflowne movie, feel good knowing that he has finally managed to find the means of not only surpassing that, but reaching a whole new level as an action animator.

[orion]

Originally Posted by wao

Not that I'd know, but it wouldn't help if the US release was expensive too, because frankly speaking how many R1 buyers have even heard of this title? There's next to no wide-scale promotion of it that I'm aware of (sure, I've seen the TV ads for it but I don't think they say a lot - tbh if I had watched only the ads I'd have probably not bothered to watch it)
If it's at R2 prices as well, I can't see a lot of people buying it unless some really good marketing happens from now on... or it airs on TV...

Anime is niche here anyways though this title would fit nicely on IFC due to its violence level. The only ones that know about this so far are those who hang on AoD's Blu-ray subforum who have been waiting for the BR release. BV USA's BRs and DVDs are slightly cheaper in R1 and can be bought at discount prices which is different than in R2. The main stumbling block for BV USA in R1 is the non-existence of a dub for their releases.

Edit: Also Dentsu is the owner of Geneon USA and not Geneon Japan. The relationship of Bandai Visual Japan and BV USA is different.

[MrProphet]

Originally Posted by duckroll

While the movie clearly exists simply to show off how well the animators can animate various aspects of the film, it never forgets that the viewer is also there to watch a movie, and as such the narrative works well, and the music is amazingly keyed to the scenes to deliver emotional impact.

I agree.

Sword of the Stranger felt almost stripped to the basic epic-ness. Two men: one lives by the sword, the other lives in spite of it. One has no loyalty toward anyone, the other protects the ties that bind. They were pulled to one another with an almost gravitational sense of inevitability.

It was a struggle of ideals, rather than men. Thus, epic, timeless, beyond pure plot, not needing convoluted twists to propel it forward.

[duckroll]

Originally Posted by MrProphet

I agree.

Sword of the Stranger felt almost stripped to the basic epic-ness. Two men: one lives by the sword, the other lives in spite of it. One has no loyalty toward anyone, the other protects the ties that bind. They were pulled to one another with an almost gravitational sense of inevitability.

It was a struggle of ideals, rather than men. Thus, epic, timeless, beyond pure plot, not needing convoluted twists to propel it forward.

It's interesting that pretty much all the characters in the movie were pretty much archetypes representing different types of people, but never did they feel generic. Somehow in the little subtle differences in animation, the different little ways they handling their scenes, everyone felt like a person living in an era filled with turmoil and unrest.

I think the title of the movie couldn't have been more perfect. It is a story of 3 strangers in a foreign land, how they are drawn to each other, and how the threads of fate will force them all to decide what they will do with themselves in a foreign land. Rarou embraces his origins because he has never known fear in his life, Nanashi hides it because he wants to fit in and be left alone, Kotarou is filled with innocence and sees the new land as just another frontier.

The rational for Nanashi to want to protect Kotarou could have been very drawn out, but instead it is simply reduced to short flashbacks that showcase his raw emotion. He doesn't dwell on his past much or his pain, but it does drive him to do what he must. To put it simply, the entire scenario of Stranger really excells in its simplicity. It doesn't play the audience for fools, but it also doesn't hold back in giving the audience exactly what they probably came for.

[Same_Shark]

Okay, so I know Maaya Sakamoto & Mamoru Miyano were in the movie, but did they, along with Junko Minagawa, voice three of the Chinese warriors?

EDIT: Sorry. I got my answer about Maaya Sakamoto & Junko Minagawa.

[7Th]

Don't worry duckie, I'm not downloading the DVD rip.

[MrProphet]

Originally Posted by Same_Shark

Okay, so I know Maaya Sakamoto & Mamoru Miyano were in the movie, but did they, along with Junko Minagawa, voice three of the Chinese warriors?

Mamoru Miyano voiced Jyuurota Inui, the young samurai.
Akio Ohtsuka voiced Jyougen Itadori, the samurai leader
Koichi Yamadera voiced Rarou, the main antagonist.
Maaya Sakamoto voiced the princess

The Chinese sisters, Mokuyuu and Mokuhou (sp?) have no VAs listed on the website and I didn't recognize the voices.

[duckroll]

Originally Posted by 7Th

Don't worry duckie, I'm not downloading the DVD rip.

No honor, but at least you have taste! (lolz)

As far as the voices go, the Chinese warriors ALL had seperate Mandarin dub actors for the lines in Mandarin, except for Rarou and Kotarou. While it did make some sense for them to have really bad Mandarin since they weren't supposed to be native speaking characters, the Japanese seiyuu did such a terrible job that it was impossible to understand anything without reading the Japanese subs. orz

[MrProphet]

Originally Posted by duckroll

No honor, but at least you have taste! (lolz)

As far as the voices go, the Chinese warriors ALL had seperate Mandarin dub actors for the lines in Mandarin, except for Rarou and Kotarou. While it did make some sense for them to have really bad Mandarin since they weren't supposed to be native speaking characters, the Japanese seiyuu did such a terrible job that it was impossible to understand anything without reading the Japanese subs. orz

So, who voiced them when they spoke Japanese among themselves? (well, they spoke Chinese, but we heard Japanese)

2 voice-acting parts for each? Although, not everyone had speaking parts, so I guess it's possible.

[duckroll]

Originally Posted by MrProphet

So, who voiced them when they spoke Japanese among themselves? (well, they spoke Chinese, but we heard Japanese)

2 voice-acting parts for each? Although, not everyone had speaking parts, so I guess it's possible.

Byakkuran (Old dude) is Atsushi Ii.
Fuugo (Bishounen) is Hirofumi Nojima.
Gesshin (Disfigured dude) is Masaki Aizawa.
Mokubou (Chick with bow) is Fumie Mizusawa.
Mokuyuu (Chick with blades) is Junko Minagawa.

These characters all had Chinese guys dubbing their Mandarin lines. For Rarou and Kotarou, Kouichi Yamadera and Yuuri Chinen made a very strong case for why they should never play Chinese characters ever.

[MushroomSamba]

Originally Posted by duckroll

For those who worship Nakamura for his animation work on the opening of the Escaflowne movie, feel good knowing that he has finally managed to find the means of not only surpassing that, but reaching a whole new level as an action animator.

*Head explodes*

I was already aching to see this movie in the worst possible way, but reading your impressions only increased that drive. So, thanks and damn you at the same time.

[Same_Shark]

Originally Posted by duckroll

Byakkuran (Old dude) is Atsushi Ii.
Fuugo (Bishounen) is Hirofumi Nojima.
Gesshin (Disfigured dude) is Masaki Aizawa.
Mokubou (Chick with bow) is Fumie Mizusawa.
Mokuyuu (Chick with blades) is Junko Minagawa.

These characters all had Chinese guys dubbing their Mandarin lines. For Rarou and Kotarou, Kouichi Yamadera and Yuuri Chinen made a very strong case for why they should never play Chinese characters ever.

Here's a cap of the cast list.

Spoiler for Size:

[MrProphet]

And then, faster than you can say "Will someone think of the creators?", there are subtitles. 8)

[DonQuigleone]

Anyone know if any websites have reviewed this or not? I'd like to see other people's take on the movie. It's a pity it failed at the box office though.

[orion]

Well that's what happens if you're not One Piece, Bleach, Doreamon, Detective Conan, Ghibli...

Like MrProphet said before it's all about the glory of being able to do one. What they really need to do is sell DVDs, BDs, Cds....

Edit: I couldn't find any reviews so far.

[skaarji]

I really liked this movie! Any group announced it?