Reviews (55)

They fought and never look back
Fatal Fury the movie is one of a kind anime mix with a video game. Street Fighter is still the other anime that I like because bringing the favor into the character is wonderful. Terry is the calm, street fighter, Andy is stressed out because of Mai, Joe acts like a bonehead and Mai is a bit pighead sucking up to Andy to protect her. When one of the pieces of "Armor of Mars" was founded by "Laocorn" he plans to use all six pieces to become a god. Not only that his twin sister Sulia asked Terry to help her brother to be free of the cruse. Terry and his team went on to find the armor to prevent Laocorn to be controled by the armor. Fatal Fury action, drama,and some comedy to impress the fans. Special apperances by Kim Kapwhan, Duck King, Billy Kane and others from FF2. What makes also makes this movie special is the song "Oh Angel" at the credits. sounds romatic.

If you like Anime, But this Movie!
After Fatal Fury 1: Legend of the Hungry Wolf, and Fatal Fury 2 this third installment was a welcome addition to the series. Picking up where the second left off it takes our heroes into the hardest fight they have encountered yet; an new emerging mad man equipped with the armor of Mars.

Despite dragging a little bit in the middle this movie has high paced action mixed in with great directing calls by Masami Obari. With a plot worthy of a Greek Tragedy, Terry Bogard yet again struggles with both the finding of a new love and the struggling question of why he fights. Is it because he knows no other life or because he protects those around him? Subtle innuendos like that run through the movie and help to make it what it is. A story of four incredible fighters in a quest to help a complete stranger save her brothers' life and quite possibly his soul.

High paced figths, well thought plot, and well designed characters both good guy and bad guy alike, this is well worth adding to your video collection.

Do You REally Want Anime? Buy This!!!!!!
For those old that remeber animes like Robotech or maybe relative new animes like Evangelion or Magick Knight Rayearth, well they are great But this Fatal Fury Anime is The God Of The Animes, Mixes all Adventure,Action,Martial Arts,SciFi Power Battles, and a Great Story, Indiana Jones wold be Jealousy if he saw at this anime and the adventure story in it, and the personality of the characters is very well made comparated to the game story, if u are a fan or not of Fatal Fury Games u will Love this DVD, last to add is that if u are smart and wannna keep a great video Anime in your DVD colection u will buy this for sure

IF only Hollywood could be this good
It is pretty much a solid fact that most Video Game movies tend to suck. Even in the Anime world there are some that are at best Mediocre, however despite some criticism this is truely one of the better action Anime videos available, as well as Video Game inspired.

The story is that Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi, and Mai get recruited by this frightend girl Sulia to stop her Brother Lalcorn from gathering the armor of Goddamous, and ancient God back in the Days of Alexander the Great. Throughout the movie they search for clues as other Warriors get taken out in the meantime. Eventually the four of the Square off against Lalcorn and his Henchmen in an action packed finally.

This movie did what hollywood could not, capture the essence of the video game inside the movie and create an incredible story around it. To date from my personal viewing the only other Anime series to date that has done this task was Street Fighter 2V. If you are just getting into Anime, or an Action Anime fan than this is a title to check into.

Awsome anime
When I first got this movie I had thought I was some kind of sequel to Street Fighter but I was wrong. Fatal Fury was 1 of the best I've seen. This is my second best anime next to the Street FighterII series. Kids who can't really watch a PG-13 movie or R I suggest you shouldn't watch this because there are some blood and gore scenes and a hott shower scene. I hope this was helpful. ... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Only the japanese...
Hanzo the man made of steel (and I really mean the whole man). He fights evil and corruption in Edo-Japan in his own ways. Untouchable as Eliott Ness, but with the very strange habit of tortureing Women with his... well... real big schlong. And of course torture leads to pleasure because Hanzo the Blade knows how to use his tool right. Yes, this is political uncorrect japanese Trash at it's best. A kind of japanese Shaft (even the funky score reminded me a little of Shaft), just a little bit naughtier... Don't even try to take it serious or you'd have a problem watching these movies. 3 Parts to the series (every one an own movie for its self), part 2 (this one) and part 3 are the better. Don't look one after the other in too short time, because the buildup is pretty similar to every movie.

interrogation has many sides
I have been trying to find out just how many of these films exist. I've seen 3 of them.. They combine all the familiar elements of the midieval japanese samurai (I don't have my Alain Silver guide handy) drama.. with some funny and very welcome twists.. The main character is a constable with a kind of rogue ethic, a Ronin cop, if you will, who holds corruption over his bosses heads so he can get his way...He also has a kind of rogue aesthetic.. especially in his interrogation techniques.. the 3 films I have seen start with him "conditioning" his sexual organ with various techniques which could only be described as masochistic.. but you see, this uh, tool, is his interrogation device, and he uses sex to interrogate the females in the particular case.. These are not porno movies, but rather a very wonderful Bawdy Samurai/Comedy Action Thriller Hybrid.. The tone is totally serious.. but it comes off hilarious.. especially his rube-goldbergian security devices that protect his house.. Please if anybody knows tell me where to get more of these films.. I'm definitely a fan.. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An outcast swordsman in old Japan
SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH: SWORD OF ADVENTURE, 1964 (aka SHOWDOWN) is the 5th entry in the Kyoshiro Nemuri/"Son of the Black Mass" series of Japanese swordplay films about a wandering outcast red-haired swordsman whose mother was Japanese and whose father was a European missionary.

In this one, Nemuri meets a local Finance Commissioner who runs afoul of the Shogun's high-living daughter when he cuts off her allowance. Nemuri is impressed by the old man's integrity and saves his life, thus making himself a target of assassins. It's an interesting tale relating the delicate dilemmas faced by public officials in old Japan trying to maintain public order yet not offend powerful interests. However, it gets quite convoluted as it involves a growing cast of characters, including at least five men who want to kill Nemuri, all for varying reasons, including one who just wants to test his swordplay skill against Nemuri's "Full Moon Cut" technique. Unfortunately, there's surprisingly little action until the big fight at the end, where Nemuri takes on all of his opponents.

It's all very well acted and beautifully photographed in color and widescreen (showcased well in this sharp letter-boxed video transfer). It's a proficient work by director Kenji Misumi, whose later films, most notably the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series, are less polished and less formal, but leaner, bloodier and more action-packed and more memorable to fans of the genre. ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Both Sub and Dub Are Awesome: a Must for Tenchi Lovers
I saw both the subtitled and dubbed version of this movie, and they were both VERY good. The story is about a girl, Mayuka, who comes from the future claiming to be Tenchi's daughter. Of course the whole household is upset by this, Ryoko especially. The main villian was Yuzuha, a demon from Grandfather's past on Jurrai. If you enjoy Tenchi, you have to get this. The animation is top quality. The dubbing is good, although a few voices were recast. And the subtitled version gives you the original feeling of the movie, with easy reading. (And only one mistake through the whole hour!) This was a truly great movie, and a must for anime lovers! Also, if you've seen the movie and enjoyed it, you might be interested in getting the soundtrack for it, which is also available and is very good too.

Tenchi Muyo the movie 2: Daughter of Darkness
This tenchi movie is probably as good as the first movie. There is a lot of comic relief in the beginning and more serious issues toward the end. The music and effects are very good, though i think that the first movie had more fighting and action than this does.The movie takes place at Tenchi's house and it is beautiful summer day. As tenchi and the rest of the gang rest peacefully in the sun, a mysterious person (you really couldn't consider her a person) watches over them. This woman of darkness creates a girl a little younger than tenchi by a strand of her hair and a strand of tenchi's hair. As tenchi is talking a walk, she appears before his eyes. Washew is very suspicious the way she appeared and royko is VERY suspicious of her. For some odd reason, she calls tenchi daddy which makes everyone sort of crazy. If your a royoko fan, you'll like this movie. In many parts, many of the issues deal with royoko both in good ways and bad ways. Anyway this movie is excellent and I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars maybe because of personal interest of more battling between vilians and good guys and the length. It should have been longer like the first movie, this was too short for me especially at the very ending Other than that, it is a great movie

A girl walks out of the forest...
and claims to be Tenchi's daughter. Mayuka not only looks kind of like him, but she can even call up Jurai power in the form of a Light Hawk Wing, just like Tenchi! As Ryoko and Ayeka become jealous and see the young girl as a new rival, will Washu and the others find out what's going on?
In the end it turns out of be a grudge over 700 years old! And it happens to be against Yosho!
How will Tenchi save his friends against the Demon of Darkness and will he also feel the need to save Mayuka, daughter or not?
Talking toys, adult scenes and a mature plot makes this movie something the kids might NOT wish to watch.

A cool movie.
It was true to the original TV series, Tenchi universe, and was fun to watch.

Yay!
This movie is amazing! I love the animation. The storyline does move a little fast, but thats ok! I really love it and would watch it anytime. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The artistic dance of death
What a find! This is the kind of samurai movie that I've been searching for! This film is a samurai bloodfest along with bits of black comedy and some beautifully poetic scenery. The story of a self-proclaimed "evil" man and child. Even though it is obvious the "Lone Wolf" loves his "cub" even over his thoughts of revenge. The "Wolfs" fighting abilities are absolutely jaw-dropping, and will have you reaching for your slow-motion control button. Yeah, the bood fountains are a little over the top, but I believe it conveys the actual horror of being sliced and/or diced up with any assortment of weapons. I really can appreciate Ogamis (Wolfs) superb swordsmanship and especially like the little flourish he does with his katana before he sheathes it. Samurai buffs: this series is the answer to your dreams.

Best of The Samurai Flicks
Based on a classice Japanese comic of over 7000 pages, Lone Wolf and Cub is an essential Samurai film series. In America it achieves at best a matinee status. The International Channel once aired the entire series- A huge Japanese franchise of nine films- in the format seen here to lackluster success. The story is simple: The shogun's private executioner, Itto Ogami, enjoys a post envied by all of his retainers. One night the assassin clan destroys all of the Ogami clan save Itto and his infant son, Daigoro. The father and son both swear revenge, following the assassin's road to hell. What happens after is a long list of assassin's campaigns highlighting the background of this period of Japan's history, known as the Meiji era, right before the fall of the feudal system. The films are simplified, but contain all the striking elements of the comic. The action is straight from the best exploitation films of this era; bloody and to the point. For those who have only sampled modern films like Kill Bill, this will really satisfy the jones for blood and lightning fast samurai action. THis DVD is a must own!

freaky fountains of blood!
If you only buy one Samurai-action slash-fest blood-gushing film this year, this is the one to get. My favorite in the Lone Wolf series- I first saw it years ago in S.F. on poor quality VHS- It's wonderful to see it released on DVD! It has the prerequisite quick editing, tension, action, and wanton severing of limbs, i.e. the fantastic opening battle with the wicker-masked assassins. I especially like the 1970's style photography and psychedelic effects- i.e. when the female ninja team is trying to freak out our hero with their swirling colored fabric. See where Tarantino got his ideas from!

Dan's review
Baby cart at the river styx is the second installment of the baby cart series,and is landmark film making at it's best.The realistic ballets of violence set the tone for an almost artistic angle for the film.Lone wolf proceeds to roam around with his son(Diagoro)in a baby cart,while slashing his way through enemies that attack him,and also collecting payments for requested killings.He comes up against three body gaurds that happen to be brothers,'The god's of death',and follows them into the desert for the last showdown of the movie,awsome!

Lone Wolf or Lone Wuf?
No biggie just the Best Samurai Flick of all Times.Edging out my 'Main Man' Zatoichi. Animingo good job except the Master of Death had a Nailed Fist. A MAILED FIST was pre Postal then and not of any threat. Also the Gasp by Lone Wolf after he encounters the Lead Ninja Woman Seemed out of charater and not Audible on any previous tapes.Is that dubbed? ... Read more

Reviews (136)

A viewer From RI
I still remember that the first episode I watch about Tenchi is Zero Ryoko of OVA series from Cartoon network -- after that I am hooked. The Tenchi Universe rocks. But I do not like Tenchi in Tokyo, the animation is really different (or, really bad), the whole storyline is not enjoyable (for example, what the hell is the story about beating a celluar phone spirit? some joke?) Even the episode "Ryoko's big date" (Yeah, I am a big Ryoko fan) which I had anxiously anticipated was not that good (mainly due to the bad animation, maybe).

Now that I have seen all 3 movies, Tenchi in Love, Daughter of Darkness, and Tenchi forever, I have to say I like Tenchi forever most. Even though its animation is a bit different (I wish it could have lived up to standard of Tenchi in Love), the storyline is more serious, the music is superb, the dubbing is quite excellent. The parts I like most is the last ten minutes of the movie, and the scene where Ayeka woke from a dream and then had a talk with Ryoko, who really showed her strong heart.

Action and humor, which I can live without since I have seen enough from the series, does not take much place in the movie. This really does not matter to me.

Great movie, depending on what your looking for.
If somehow you managed not to ruin the plot for yourself by reading the previous reviews, I'll try to avoid doing so for you.

Though this movie was developed as a conclusion to the Tenchi Universe series, and is considered by many to be the end of the Tenchi Muyo series. However, it does leave things "hanging" enough that the series can nonetheless continue. There are also some relatively confirmed rumors that a third OVA series is being developed, although that may not be related on the same timeline as this movie.

I really liked this movie. It had all the trapping of a good and involving story, and made use of the personalities of all of the characters of Tenchi's unusual family. It's important to note here that this movie explores the real ramificaitons of the relationship between Ryoko, Aeka, and Tenchi and so most of the character development you will see is there. By the end of your movie you will know who Tenchi is most in love with, perhaps even better than Tenchi himself.

For those interested in the technical aspects, the musical score, animation, and english voice dubbling left nothing wanting, they all were quite excellent. I will note here for those interested in anime movie music that the musical score largely favors piano which is more suited to a more sentimental tale, like in the first Tenchi movie. Being a movie, the animation quality is higher than any of the individual Tenchi episodes. You will notice that the characters are drawn differently, but when those characters were brought into motion I was not alienated by their appearance. I rather liked this look as it seemed to bring them a little more alive.

For Tenchi Fans, this movie will either be good or bad depending on what you expect. There are none of the elaborate fight scenes seen in earlier Tenchi series and movies, and humor while noticably part of the movie was not the emphesis of the movie. Most of the focus on this movie is in the personalities of the characters. There is quite a bit more adult content than any of the previous movies. This includes some upper body female nudity (, which is nothing new for Tenchi,) and implied intercourse (a first in the tenchi series). I think this was tastefully done enough that I do not consider this truely pornographic, but parents should be advised you will want to review this first. Because of these reasons I think that this is a movie that the more mature Tenchi viewers will enjoy the most.

I cirtainly enjoyed this movie, it was even good enough to make me want to go back and watch it again after the first time I finished it. That is as much as I could ask of any movie.

Beautifully done, albeit more drama than humor/action.
This is by far the best Tenchi Movie. Although i did enjoy the slapstick hilarity of the past shows/movies, this one captures you with a brilliantly done storyline.
First of all, those expecting rapid fire comedy and action be warned; this is about 95% drama, 5% humor/action.(far less balanced than the first and second movies)However, this does not detract from the movie whatsoever. This can be surprising, considering this is Tenchi we're talking about, but those willing to delve into this movie can see how mature and thought provoking the plot can be, and how caring Ryoko and Ayeka really are.
It starts with Ayeka and Ryoko fighting (as usual) over a broom. Tenchi tries to break them up, but ends up getting asked to choose between the two. Dumbfounded, Tenchi retreats to the woods, but doesn't return.
Definately more for the mature crowd than past installments. Nil on the sexual humor and violence scale, but there are some sexual situations and slight nudity, although it is not gratuitous, and it is only used to show Haruna's grasp on Tenchi.
Telling more about the story would be an atrocity to those who haven't seen it. But i can assure you that the ending says what needs to be said, shows the great sides of Ryoko and Ayeka (gasp!) and doesnt leave many questions to be answered. It's a beautiful wrap-up to the awesome series (Tenchi Universe). Also, the ending song is very good, and it was a nice touch to show parts from the series along with the credits.
I must say it's hard to believe that this continuity is over, but we can always look forward to new OAVs, right?

The best Tenchi by far (in my opinion)
Others have talked about the plot, so I will focus on other things. Such as the art. The art style has changed once again, but for the better. The colors are bright and solid where need be, and dark and brooding at the right times. The motions the characters make really look lifelike, as do some of the people, especially Haruna and Tenchi. And the dialogue is wonderful--not really as sappy as you think, but that made it even more moving. Love is expressed here in the simple ways of real people; meeting for lunch, or going shopping, or just spending an evening together. Tenchi doesn't save her from a world-dominating madman or a monster or an alien bent on revenge. And she acts a lot more human than many anime women I've seen. She seduces Tenchi whenever she feels his mind is wandering away from her and her world, and also is not above using her tears to get him to swing back over to her. She is excited to get the ring, jealous over the appearances of Ryoko and Ayeka, and becomes angry and vengeful when the two rescuers of Tenchi dare invade her world. She loves, she hates, she's petty at times, and that makes me love this movie even more. It's a fresh change from characters that show no emotion (though they have their place too) and characters that are consistently happy or sad or angry or whatever.

The tone of this movie is darker, but that is because it is necessary. Tenchi is aged quite a bit by Haruna, and so he is no longer acting like a clumsy teenager, but a mature young man. Haruna is a vengeful (wouldn't you like to know), and her methods show that. Yosho shows his wisdom and judgment, and even Ryoko and Ayeka grow up a little and actually become friends.

I loved this movie, especially since the tv series got a little too goofy for my tastes sometimes. My favorite dvd of all time is the Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X OVA Trust and betrayal, and I think that influenced my feelings a bit. I just go for the dramatic, makes-you-cry-at-the-end films.

Anyway, I recommend this to any fan of the more mature, thought-provoking anime. And any Tenchi fan.

Grade A Movie
This movie had real heart to it, much more than previous movies. It really made me smile/cry/whaterver. I loved it. ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Both Sub and Dub Are Awesome: a Must for Tenchi Lovers
I saw both the subtitled and dubbed version of this movie, and they were both VERY good. The story is about a girl, Mayuka, who comes from the future claiming to be Tenchi's daughter. Of course the whole household is upset by this, Ryoko especially. The main villian was Yuzuha, a demon from Grandfather's past on Jurrai. If you enjoy Tenchi, you have to get this. The animation is top quality. The dubbing is good, although a few voices were recast. And the subtitled version gives you the original feeling of the movie, with easy reading. (And only one mistake through the whole hour!) This was a truly great movie, and a must for anime lovers! Also, if you've seen the movie and enjoyed it, you might be interested in getting the soundtrack for it, which is also available and is very good too.

Tenchi Muyo the movie 2: Daughter of Darkness
This tenchi movie is probably as good as the first movie. There is a lot of comic relief in the beginning and more serious issues toward the end. The music and effects are very good, though i think that the first movie had more fighting and action than this does.The movie takes place at Tenchi's house and it is beautiful summer day. As tenchi and the rest of the gang rest peacefully in the sun, a mysterious person (you really couldn't consider her a person) watches over them. This woman of darkness creates a girl a little younger than tenchi by a strand of her hair and a strand of tenchi's hair. As tenchi is talking a walk, she appears before his eyes. Washew is very suspicious the way she appeared and royko is VERY suspicious of her. For some odd reason, she calls tenchi daddy which makes everyone sort of crazy. If your a royoko fan, you'll like this movie. In many parts, many of the issues deal with royoko both in good ways and bad ways. Anyway this movie is excellent and I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars maybe because of personal interest of more battling between vilians and good guys and the length. It should have been longer like the first movie, this was too short for me especially at the very ending Other than that, it is a great movie

A girl walks out of the forest...
and claims to be Tenchi's daughter. Mayuka not only looks kind of like him, but she can even call up Jurai power in the form of a Light Hawk Wing, just like Tenchi! As Ryoko and Ayeka become jealous and see the young girl as a new rival, will Washu and the others find out what's going on?
In the end it turns out of be a grudge over 700 years old! And it happens to be against Yosho!
How will Tenchi save his friends against the Demon of Darkness and will he also feel the need to save Mayuka, daughter or not?
Talking toys, adult scenes and a mature plot makes this movie something the kids might NOT wish to watch.

A cool movie.
It was true to the original TV series, Tenchi universe, and was fun to watch.

Yay!
This movie is amazing! I love the animation. The storyline does move a little fast, but thats ok! I really love it and would watch it anytime. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Fun movie, faithful to the manga
What a great, great movie. I've been getting back into samurai flicks after a long hiatus. I wanted to see this after having seen Kill Bill v.1 -- you can see the influence after watching Lone Wolf and Cub -- and boy, this movie and its vol. 2 sequel (baby cart on river styx) -- great!

Clean picture, clean sounds. This is an awesome DVD. I also read the manga before the DVD and can say: it is very faithful to the manga, doing a wonderful job of bringing the Kojima's artwork to the screen. Readers of Dark Horse's manga series, vol. 1 will recognize the care taken to adapt the manga.

I showed this film to a bunch of friends and they hooted and hollered. Great fun.

The film is excellent, the DVD transfer is...brilliant!
The DVD transfer is trash? Um, yeah...For everyone who owns an old VHS copy of the film, throw it out the window and purchase this version. The movie has NEVER looked and sounded better than it has on this brillant DVD transfer. You can't tell the film was made over 30 years ago. Animeigo did a great job restoring the film. The sound is great, the colors are vibrant, the subtitles are improved and easier to read; complaints do not apply here. You also get trailers for other LWC films and some Zatoichi films. And the liner notes are very long, but informative. You'll learn a lot about the setting of this film from the liner notes.

Lone wolf and cub fans need not hesitate to pick this one up. If you've never seen the series before, you're in for a treat. Any lover of samurai films, gorehounds (blood shoots out geyser style), or if you just want to see great action films with a great story and a lot of depth (style AND substance) you need to see these films. Pick it up before the rumored remake is released, although really the film has been "remade" several times ("Shogun Assassin," "Road to Peredition," "Kill Bill" etc.). But nothing beats the original. The "Lone Wolf and Cub" series takes "homage" films like "Kill Bill" to school.

(At the time of this writing Amazon doesn't offer the series, so check out Animeigo's website for even more samurai titles.)

Subtitles different than the VHS
The subtitles for the DVDs part with all established format for subtitles. The subtitles are placed higher on the screen, in the actual film image (!). On the tapes the subtitles are as they should be, in the black lower portion of the widescreen matte. Also, the subtitles' typeface has black borders, therefore increasing the amount of image intruded upon, and making the subtitles an irritating distraction. For some reason this company has completely trashed their excellent product. The graphic design of the DVD packaging makes the films look like B-movie rubbish.

LW&C DVDs are full widescreen
Just so there is no confusion, the AnimEigo LW&C DVDs (and all our samurai DVDs) are full widescreen in the original aspect ratio. NOTHING has been chopped off or pan and scanned.

NOTHING!

The DVDs are 16:9 anamorphic encoded, and since the original films are have higher aspect ratios than this, they are letterboxed.

The confusion arises from the fact that if your haven't configured your DVD player and TV correctly (in particular, widescreen TVs), the image can appear either squashed (the Toho logo at the start will be oval) or have the sides clipped off.

What you have to do to get the best video quality is

1) if you have a widescreen TV, configure the DVD player so that it knows this, and configure the TV so it knows it is getting widescreen video. Be careful about TV modes where it displays a 16:9 image in 4:3 with the edges clipped.

2) If you have a regular 4:3 TV, make sure the DVD player is configured this way, otherwise it'll send out a 16:9 signal which will appear squashed on the TV.

Excellent quality - but not Shogun Assassin
This must be one of the best quality DVD transfers I've ever seen for an "old school" martial arts movie. The picture is crisp and excellent.

"Sword of Vengeance" is part one of the "Shogun Assassin" version of the Lone Wolf and Cub movie that was released back in the 1980's and may be the version that most of us are familiar with. Shogun Assassin was dubbed in English, was faster paced, had a nice, energetic soundtrack and was frankly more entertaining. Sword of Vengeance is of course the Japanese original and is a great movie by itself. However, for those of you out there who are hoping to have "Shogun Assassin" on DVD will be disappointed. Sword of Vengeance is much slower paced and I found myself skipping ahead to the fighting scenes. Still a classic and a must have for any martial arts library. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

no where to rent this tape!
No where to find or rent this tape so I bought this tapes for its worthwhile coz i'm studying swordsmanship right now. but of course so differ from at home watching them duel. really easy to say than to do.they probably did so many takes to perfected the film.

Restore Order....Kill Everyone!
This is the 5th Entry in the Series of Lone Wolf & Cub, and this one starts off with 5 emmissaries testing our hero, former Shogun Executioner, Ogami Itto. Of course 5 emmissaries testing Ogami, means 5 duels, 5 sliced up and dead emmissaries, 500 pieces of gold and the 5 bits of information Itto needs to do the job.

These 5 gave up their lives for their Clan which is in peril because the Lord of the Clan favors his concubine and is passing off her DAUGHTER as his son. A major no-no. Especially since he HAS a living son. This information has been written down and given by the Lord to a trusted holy man, the Abbott Jikei, who turns out to be a spy in cahoots with the Yagyu Clan, Ogami's sworn enemies.

So Ogami sets out to restore order to the Clan by: killing the Abbott & stealing the document (nice bit that!), and later killing half the clan to get to the Lord and doing him, his concubine and the child. Of course, Ogami manages all this with his trademark ferocity & remorseless implacability. Our filmakers do not neglect the arterial blood sprays and lopped extremities here and there, and other traits of swordfighting messiness we've come to expect.

There is a sidestory about a pickpocket "Quick Change Oyoo" that serves no purpose other than to have Ogami's little son, Daigoro, take a flogging with the same stoicism of his old man.

Anyway, plenty of stylish photography, lots of spurting blood, and an authentic look as to period detail, and a grim look at the rigorous code of conduct in that period. The Liner Notes and Subtitles help a lot. Man, these people believed in their Clans!

I was in this movie
My name is Gerard Depardieu, and I had a small "bit" part in this film. Some people think it was my best work, but I had to wear a shirt, unlike in 1492. Anyway, it is hard for me to act in the, how you say, confines of my shirt. I like samurai, and eating babies,

gErArD

the best of babycart
this the best in the series and I haven't even seen the third title yet. The shear conflict posed by the clan in it's attempt to right the wrong of it's former leader before his actions are dicovered isalmost un believeable. this is the true meaning of the code of bushido. Ogamii embraces their plight as if he were a member of the clan. Going as far as to face the old lord and chastise him for his selfish and selfdestructive actions. the cinematography is excellent and choreography if top notch, using many different sword styles and weapons. And as always little Daigoro give us all alesson in being a true samurai at the ripe old age of 3 . Many seem to think that Ogamii is seeking revenge as he travels around japan. But they are mistaken. I think he is biding time til his son can come of age and then together they will takeRetsudo's other eye and his head as well. this is a classic and should be regarded as so by any true nipponaphile would agree.

The Babycart Assassin
This is one story from an amazingly detailed legend of a samuri and his 3 year old son. Itto Ogami (the samuri) was framed and his family murdered. Now Ogami roams like a ronin throughout Japan, with his son, as an assassin for hire. He seeks revenge against the clan that framed him through treachery and becomes a thorn in their side. This is a classic that anyone who enjoys martial arts, japanese legends, japanese comic books, samuri flicks, or action packed movies with beautiful scenery would love! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hmmmm.
Well I have been a fan of this series for many years and have watched each episode over and over again.....except this one. After watching this episode for the first time I felt like the producers of the show were busy watching "Shaft" or something in that genre to come up with the downhill skiing scene, not to mention the horrible 70's film overtones throughout the episode already. C'mon, any fan of LW&C would feel sick to their stomache when viewing this episode knowing it was the last. But on a good note, buy it to complete your series hehe, it will look good on your shelf.

I Think This Film Is Great Despite The Criticisms.
This installment of the Lone Wolf and Cub series isn't as deeply moving and thought provoking as the previous films. But it does feature some of the best swordplay in the series. I actually like this one more than 'Baby Cart In The Land of Demons', which I've found over-rated (at least by Ric Meyers). Maybe the sword wielding undead is too much; or the ski/swordplay finale is too over the top and corny - but hey, this is the Lone Wolf And Cub! The ending is somewhat touching, even though little Daigoro falls on his face trying to walk in the snow.

Overall, a satisfying conclusion to the film series.

Worst in the Series
If you loved the first five movies of this series, you'll be disappointed with this one. It is awful. The action sequences are nothing like, or comparable with those in the other movies. If Itto Ogami used his sword a bit more rather than the guns in the baby cart, with unlimited ammunition no less, this would be a better film. Also, the story is very disjointed and extremely hard to follow, unlike the previous Lone Wolf and Cub movies. Very disappointed with this.

Wind it Up with a Bang!
This is the 6th and last entry in the series Lone Wolf & Cub. This one not only has a different director than Kenji, who directed 4 of the others, this is the entry most like a comic-book (the series is based on a famous comic book series).
Not that that is bad.

The whole series fluctuated between great period detail, serious themes, and not taking itself too seriously. It was at once graphic and fantastic, realistic and wildly improbable, factual and imaginary. serious & silly. That's what made it so damn interesting.

Throughout the series the action has taken place in different locales and landscapes of Japan. Tracing actual historical roads and cities. Now we end the series in the mountains and the snow, the White Heaven in Hell of the title.

This entry has a lot of stuff going on: Lord Retsudo of the hated Yagyu Clan, Ogami's arch enemy, sends his last child, a daughter to do in Ogami with her "Falling Dagger" technique. When, predictably, she fails, he goes to an illegitimate son that was abandoned and raised by a mountain tribe. ...

The downhill ski battle may not be... intense and exciting but ...it ain't bad. That Ogami's Baby Cart guns never seem to need reloading etc. are minor quibbles. If Ogami doesn't shoot em he always seems able to bifurcate them, behead them, or run em through. Red sprays all over the white snow.

Anyway, they wind the series up with a bang. One of the strangest, most unique, and unusual series ever produced anywhere. Worth it if you don't mind the violence.

Not as good as the others
This is a great series but this one is my least favorite of them all. Its not that bad but it doesn't stand up to the first 2 in the series or the others. But hey this is Itto Ogami and even on a bad day he's good. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Only the japanese...
Hanzo the man made of steel (and I really mean the whole man). He fights evil and corruption in Edo-Japan in his own ways. Untouchable as Eliott Ness, but with the very strange habit of tortureing Women with his... well... real big schlong. And of course torture leads to pleasure because Hanzo the Blade knows how to use his tool right. Yes, this is political uncorrect japanese Trash at it's best. A kind of japanese Shaft (even the funky score reminded me a little of Shaft), just a little bit naughtier... Don't even try to take it serious or you'd have a problem watching these movies. 3 Parts to the series (every one an own movie for its self), part 2 (this one) and part 3 are the better. Don't look one after the other in too short time, because the buildup is pretty similar to every movie.

interrogation has many sides
I have been trying to find out just how many of these films exist. I've seen 3 of them.. They combine all the familiar elements of the midieval japanese samurai (I don't have my Alain Silver guide handy) drama.. with some funny and very welcome twists.. The main character is a constable with a kind of rogue ethic, a Ronin cop, if you will, who holds corruption over his bosses heads so he can get his way...He also has a kind of rogue aesthetic.. especially in his interrogation techniques.. the 3 films I have seen start with him "conditioning" his sexual organ with various techniques which could only be described as masochistic.. but you see, this uh, tool, is his interrogation device, and he uses sex to interrogate the females in the particular case.. These are not porno movies, but rather a very wonderful Bawdy Samurai/Comedy Action Thriller Hybrid.. The tone is totally serious.. but it comes off hilarious.. especially his rube-goldbergian security devices that protect his house.. Please if anybody knows tell me where to get more of these films.. I'm definitely a fan.. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pretty good
Well I thought it was pretty good, and I'm a fan of the genre too. Nowhere near as good as any of the Kurosawa films like Yojimbo and Sanjuro but better than most of the Baby Cart films.

If you watch this, you too will have Sleepy Eyes
. If you're expecting a dark, antihero samurai drama like the premise suggests, you will be sorely disappointed. Although the basic plot is potentially interesting, the dialogue is contrived, the acting is extremely overdone, the sets are amateuristic, and the action sequences are slow and stagey. It's like a bad TV episode. I am a big fan of the genre, but I could not sit through this film in its entirety. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

IF YOU LIKE INTRIQUE...
THEN THIS MOVIE IS FOR YOU.HANZO IS BACK IN A STORY INVOLVING A HIGH RANKING PREIST'S CONSPIRACY TO RIP OFF THE SHOGUNATE'S TREASURY.THE RAZOR GETS PERSONALLY INVOLVED WHEN THE PREIST HAS HANZO'S FRIEND KILLED TO OBTAIN HIS PRICELESS SPEAR(A FAMILY TREASURE).THIS TAKES HANZO THROUGH MANY TWISTS AND TURNS UNTIL HE TRACKS DOWN THE LEADS TO THE PREIST AND THE CHAMBERLAIN. GREAT SAMURAI FIGHTS,INTRIQUE,BEAUTIFUL CAMERA WORK,AND OF COURSE, THE SHOWDOWN WITH THE HENCHMAN WHO KILLED HIS FRIEND ,MAKE THIS MOVIE WELL WORTH PICKING UP. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Really enjoyable
I had never heard of these films until I started shopping on Amazon. I bought one out of curiosity and really enjoyed it. Kyoshiro to me is like a Japanese Clint Eastwood. I enjoyed the martial arts action as well as the story and plot in this movie.It has some great sword work and action as well as some very good acting. I'm a big fan of lone wolf and cub but I must say I found this film to be just as enjoyable if not more than the wolf and cub. Nemuri Kyoshiro is a great character and if you like martial arts movies with a good story and acting you will like this.

Sleepy Eyes Of Death - Sword Of Adventure
Another chapter in the very popular Sleepy Eyes series finds Nemuri Kyoshiro playing bodyguard to the shogun's finance minister who has been marked for assination by some corrupt officials within the government. And nothing makes Kyoshiro madder than corruption and people with priveledge taking advantage of those beneath them. He takes a shine to the elder minister and gets him out many attempts on his life. If your experience with samurai movies is limited to Mifune characters or Zatoichi, this is a sure change of pace. Kyoshiro's dialog is sometimes sarcastic, many times funny and sometimes dark. His sword work is great, including his signature "Full Moon Cut" and he takes on more guys at once almost anyone. If you are looking for something a little different with great cinematography, excellent subtitles and great widescreen action, this film is for you. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A touching and heroic film. Shintaro Katsu does it again.
The best entry I've seen so far in the Zatoichi series. The setting in these films seems so real and the stories touch the soul in a profound nature. I found myself tense throughout this entire movie, desperatley yearning for Zatoichi the blind masseur to distribute justice to those who wrong the innocent. The horrors that the villains commit become more and more unbearable and they really get under your skin. Zatoichi of course punishes the wrong doers in the end producing two very memorable fight scenes and leaving the viewer feeling completely fufilled. It should be noted that this episode contains a satisfying amount of blood and severed body parts, something the earlier entries in the series lacked. Great stuff.

A great film
This was an excellent movie. Great martial arts action with the sword as well as a good story, acting and characters. I really enjoyed this film and have ordered more of them to view. Zatoichi is a great character and the sword action is incredible.It's really a unique concept in a movie. I highly recommend it.

Zato Ichi & his flashing sword provides humor & fast action!
ZatoIchi, blind swordsman of Japan is at his best. The film portrays a historical period of Japanese history largely unknown to Western Audiences.

Ichi once again protects the weak while making fools of the corrupt and powerful. The film provides blend of interesting & unexpected turns of fate with fast paced action.

Definitely a film of the moral high ground. Recommended for all audiences, although some may find the film violent for young audiences. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Awesome
This film may be my favorite of the whole series. This film features such an accurate representation of issue #23 of LW&C: performers, and the story itself is very moving. O-Yuki is a very sympathetic character that whose quest for revenge is even more admirable than Itto's as she was not only disgraced but violated as a woman. (...) The ending battle scene is also magnificent. (...) While the battle is not as visceral as the one in the previous entry or part 6, this film's battle is still quite magnificent. As I said before, this is my favorite film in the whole series though all of them feature spectacular amounts of bloodshed.

Beware Topless Assassins!
This 4th in the Series, brought to you by the folks that let you know sword fighting was a messy and WET business, begins with a lovely young woman, topless and tatooed, slicing up some men in tip-top fashion. Our hero, the implacable and stone-faced Ogami Itto, former Shogun Executioner presently master ronin assassin, will be hired to dispatch the young lady to the next world.

This entry is the first not directed by Kenji Mishimi, and is told a little more elliptically with many flashbacks that fill in more detail on the backstory of the Yagyu Clan's enmity toward Ogami Itto that lead them to murder his wife and set him and his young son on the road as "demons at the crossroads of Hell". Lord Retsudo, Itto's arch enemy, reappears and there is much clan intrigue and skull-duggery going on.

There is still plenty of fighting and bloody mayhem, a fight in a temple has Ninja arms and legs being lopped off willy-nilly left and right. There is a lot of spraying blood, but there is also the same attention to period detail and the explanation of customs & codes of this long ago civilization, helped by great Liner Notes & Subtitles.

It all climaxes with a hellacious fight with Ogami wiping out another army of opponents, but this time by using the terrain of gullies and ravines to his advantage. He ends the fight by taking Retsudo's eye but is badly wounded himself in the process. But, of course, he will live to fight another day.

Graphic & fantastic, serious and silly, the Lone Wolf & Cub series is a kick if you've a mind for it.

One of the best
This is another in a series of Lone Wolf and Cub I have seen. I was first introduced to this series by watching Shogun Assasin. This one had a very good plot and allowed us to see more of the personality of the Cub. The fight scenes were excellent. The only one that was not up to par of all the ones that I have seen is the scene in the temple where you couldn't see clearly what was going on but know that this was realism as it would have happened that way. I have almost completed my collection of all six in the series and look forward to the last two.

Great, Superior, Samurai
The third of six Lone Wolf and Cub movies. From the opening scene in wich a topless, tatooed woman takes out a group of roughnecks with sword flashing ease, you cant help but be hooked. Consistent with the series trademarks, many fight scenes, lots of heads, arms, and legs roll, and, the obligatory, fountains of blood. Never drags. Big fight climax with Ogami Ito unleashing the baby cart full of weapons and then taking on an army. The best fight sequence though, has him against ninjas, in almost total darkness- all you see is limbs being lobbed off and ninjas hitting the floor. GREAT!

The person below mentions "Shogun Assasin", wich was released back in the 80's. It was basically the first two Lone Wolf and Cub movies horribly edited together(with some gore cut out of the fights) to make one movie.

This is a great traditional samurai flic! Bizzare...
I seen this movie when it first came out. But when it did it was titled " SHOGUN ASSASSIN " Does anybody remember that. Please reply. This was/and is a mind blowing movie. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Samurai movie fan must see.
If your a Toshiro Mifune fan or a Shintaro Katsu fan this movie will be entertaining. If you happen to be both, like myself, you'll find it fascinating.

Comparing this film to the likes of Yojimbo, Aka Hige, or The 7 Samurai isn't really appropriate. It would be like Classic American Western to Spaghetti Western, both are western genre but not really comparable.

Toshiro Mifune (the bodyguard) and Shintaro Katsu (the blind masseur Ichi) hook up as opportunists playing two yakusa syndicates against each other. Does this sound familiar?

The predictable theme and general story line lets the really subtle relationship build between Ichi and the Yojimbo. It evolves to be a bit more complex and fun than the typical Japanese morality play.

Excellent Movie
I loved this movie and found it very entertaining. I don't know what the other reviewer was griping about but Toshiro Mifune's character was very much like his hard drinking, money grubbing of a samurai in Yojimbo. The performance of both lead actors was enough to keep me watching the entire movie with total interest.

Great DVD of a fun movie!
This DVD is absolutely worth getting!

The picture quality is fantastic and the movie is fun too. Katsu Shintaro turns in his usualy good performance as Zatoichi, and Toshiro Mifune is always fun to watch, especially in roles similar to Yojimbo.

This DVD has some good extras, great video, and good audio. Add all that to a good film, and there's no reason not to buy this DVD!

Be warned!
First things first, for those that are concerned (and I'm sure you will be as I was), Toshiro Mifune is NOT playing the Yojimbo character from the Kurosawa movies. The title is purely a cash-in, though I'm not sure if it is for the modern Western market or the original title translates as such and was designed to con the Japanese market. The only other film I know of where Mifune genuinely plays the Yojimbo character is "Ambush at Blood Pass" which was the film the both actors completed after this one. In all respects, this is a bad film sadly. It has a few nice moments but its clear this was a commercial venture utilising the two most famous male Japanese actors and characters at the time. In all honesty, I know little about the Zatoichi character, but imagine that the original film must be far superior to this. I couldn't really recommend this film to anyone unless you're a hardcore fan of Japanese Cinema or of the two actors. There are many, many better films of the genre to choose from. Even "Ambush at Blood Pass" which is not a great film is still significantly superior to this one. "Zatoichi versus Yojimbo", like many Japanese films of the time seems confused over what audience its aiming at. The result is an unsatisfactory soup of part comedy, part slasher, part period drama, part morality tale which limps from moment to moment. As said previously, some of these scenes are nice in themselves, but the overall effect is somewhat bland with some scenes almost cringe-worthy. For the uninitiated, always try a Kurosawa film first, if not (and you are interested in Samurai films from an historical perspective) then you may prefer to look at the films of Mizoguchi or Kobyashi. If you just want to see a good samurai flick with Mifune in it, then you may want to look at films such as "Red Lion", "Samurai Assassin" or "Samurai Banners" which are more rounded films and are currently available. As said, I don't know much about Zatoichi, but I would imagine the original and early films are better than this one and worth the effort. Still, I hope this proves useful, it would have saved me money!

entertaining for the Toshiro Mifune/Samurai flick fan
Not your typical action movie. Fights scenes aren't spectacular but enjoyable. Must be able to pay attention to the not-so-obvious plot advancing scenes. If you are into Toshiro Mifune/Samurai movie, you will enjoy this long but entertaining movie ... Read more

Reviews (10)

NOT Lone Wolf and His Cub, Go Elsewhere for Them
AnimEigo, the primary outlet for Japanese animation has dug up a series of wonderful 1960s and 70s swordfight films. Most of the American viewers seem to know only Lone Wolf and His Cub, but this series has unearthed unexpected gems such as LADY SNOWBLOOD, RED LION and SAMURAI ASSASSIN, with remarkably pristine prints, widescreen presentation and extremely well-done subtitles (which come in dual colors of yellow and green to indicate ongoing conversations)which actually take care to explain historical backgrounds of these feudal dramas. SAMURAI ASSASSIN, penned by Hashimoto Shinobu, co-screenwriter of all of Kurosawa-Mifune Toshiro collaborations (except for RED BEARD)and the author of the incredible HARAKIRI, may well be the best period piece directed by Okamoto Kihachi, a John Sturges/Robert Aldrich of Japan. Mifune Toshiro plays a masterless samurai who wants to make it big by joining a band of Loyalist assassins, plotting to kill the arch-conservative Shogunate official, Ii Naosuke, circa 1860. Hashimoto and Okamoto portrays Mifune's character as a tragic anti-hero, and the band of assassins, who in real history are given the status of heroic figures comparable to the patriots in the American Revolution, are depicted here as political terrorists of the worst sort, led by a serpentine conspirator, who is the very personification of cold-blooded calculation. (Supremely played by Ito Yunosuke) SAMURAI ASSASSIN is actually a complicated political thriller and you wouldn't enjoy it at all if you don't like following subtitles closely. Those who are expecting body parts flying and blood gushing every five minutes will be sorely disappointed. However, because of the tight storytelling, when the violence does come it is jolting, savage and tragic. The very last sequence, as assassins rushing to attack Ii's palanquin and entourage as snowstorm rages, is one of the most incredible swordfight scenes ever filmed, and the last, insane, triumphant soliloquy of Mifune will remain etched in your memory. I do wish this excellent movie gets released in DVD (AnimEigo apparently will discontinue the release of non-animation output on VHS format) but I also hope that AnimEigo, Home Visions or some other specialty agencies release all of Okamoto's non-samurai films, including his outrageous, controversial and madly entertaining DESPERADO OUTPOST films.

Toshiro Mifune in a film based on the Saurada Gate incident
"Samurai Assassin" is based on a historical event in 1860 when a group of assassins waited by Saurada Gate inside Edo castle to assassinate the lord of the House of Ii, who is high up in the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate. This is a Japan on the verge of major changes, represented by the American ships in the harbor. However, the assassins think one of them is a traitor. The main suspects are Tsuruchiyo Niino (Toshiro Mifune), a ronin who wants to become a samurai so that his unknown father will declare himself, and Kurihara Einosuke (Keiju Kobayashi) a high-born samurai who strikes up a friendship with Niino. The characters are developed and the tension builds under the wonderful conclusion, which takes place in a world of falling snow that lends an unearthly beauty to the bloody carnage.

This 1965 film offers a nice mix between the historical samurai films of the Fifties (e.g., "The 47 Ronin") and Chan-Bara bloodbaths of the late Sixties (e.g., the "Lone Wolf and Cub" films). It is not so much a true marriage of the two traditions but more beginning in the one approach and ending more decidedly in the other. The film is two hours long but this is not really a concern because of the brisk pacing by director Kihachi Okamotoand the increasing complexity of the story. Of course in front of the camera is Mifune's riveting performance highlighted by Hiroshi Murai's cinematography. "Samurai Assassin" is a film that should appeal to fans of diverse genres of samurai films. I certainly appreciate the sense of history and the detailed narrative that is created, because for me the sword play and the blood-letting always ends up being secondary considerations. The significance of a person's death matters more than the creative way in which they are sliced and diced by the samurai hero.

pretentiously overcooked
People who think this is a great samurai movie aren't dumb, just deluded. Mifune bought the story for himself, probably thinking he could equal Kurosawa's humanist insight. That's not shameful; but the story ain't that good. The buildup takes forever, and the main plot device is lame beyond belief. Film students will love this, but not real people. This is to samurai cinema as Shane is to Westerns, beautifully produced, over-earnest and bloated, larded with the cliches rather than the vigor of the genre.

A Samurai Film That Stings Emotionally
I've never been as emotionally affected by a samurai film
as Samurai Assassin! The reason? The director made the
right decision to take his time and allow character
development! That's not all that common within this genre...

Philosophically, there is no right and wrong; these are
just men with conflicting ideas as to the right road for
Japan's future.

The snowy fight scenes in the final moments of the film
are well choreographed... [Bravo!!!] If you find yourself
thinking of William Shakespeare, with regards to poetic
irony, then you'll surely understand why I used the
phrase, "Stings Emotionally".

Mifune is in top form!! You'll watch this one more than
twice! I assure you......

Toshiro Mifune in a fantastic film.
This a wonderful movie with an intricate plot and storytelling. Not only is Toshiro Mifune great in this film but so is the rest of the cast. Great film work and an excellently filmed sword battle scene as a finale. This ranks as one of the top samurai films I have seen. A must see for anyone who doesn't mind following subtitles. The plot in this movie gets involved so you have to pay attention. It isn't hard to do though because this is a gripping powerful movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A flamboyantly blood-spattered samurai revenge picture with a twist: the implacable seeker of retribution is a slender female (Meiko Kaji) with a flawless ivory complexion and a dead-center killer stare. Born in prison, Snowblood is raised by a martial priest and trained to fulfill a single purpose: tracking down, and dismembering (or bisecting), the four cackling fiends who killed her father and persecuted her mother to an early grave. Adapted from another manga comic book written by Kasuo Koike, whose most famous work became the legendary Lone Wolf and Cub film series, this 1973 programmer stays close to its pulp-paper roots: images from the comics are deployed in a couple of montage sequences, and the story is divided into four chapters drawn from the monthly manga installments. Stalwart leading man Toshio Kurasawa plays a crusading journalist who writes a series of Japanese dime novels based on Snowblood's exploits, and manages to flush out a couple of the evildoers in the process. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (6)

BLOODY BLOODY VENGEANCE IS BLOODY FUN!
I, a huge fan of asian cinema loved this movie. It is definately one of the best asian movies and it is great. It is artistic and dreamy. It is a blood-soaked, beautiful revenge story, and it is great. I can see why quentin tarantino used it as inspiration for another one of my favorite movies KILL BILL!

superb dvd
I really must congratulate the producers of this DVD. The subtitles of most of the asian films that I've seen are definitely their weakest point. On this one, however, not only is the film transfer & sound amazingly good, but the subtitles are also nothing short of fabulous; with none of the usual gaffs, but more importantly with a genuine artistic sense of the use of language. Plus there are two 'levels' of subtitle available, one with additional context.

There are enough other reviews here I don't feel that it is necisary to go into to much depth about the story of the film, but I'll just close by noting that this film has the kind of silly blood special effect successfully mocked in Monty Python's "Salad Days". Apparently these victims of the sword have such enormous blood pressure that they spout great arcs of the stuff at the merest scratch. Don't let this aside deter you from checking out this excellent film. If you at all a fan of Japanese Action Movies, this one will not disappoint.

Female avenger cuts a swath in film that inspired Tarantino
LADY SNOWBLOOD (1973) is a starkly beautiful Japanese swordplay drama featuring a female fighter, Shurayuki Hime (Lady Snowblood), or Yuki for short, whose mission in life is to track down and slay three of the four villains who brutalized her mother and killed the mother's husband and son. It takes place in the 1890s, in Meiji-era Japan, and includes several helpful flashbacks to provide the context for Yuki's mission. Born in prison--her mother was there for killing the first of the villains and died after childbirth--Yuki is raised by a Buddhist reverend who calls her a "child of the netherworld" and trains her in the fighting arts. Tall and regal, beautiful and ghostly white, Lady S (played by Meiko Kaji) looks too pure to sully herself with bloodletting, a tack which gives her the element of surprise in her many swordfights.

The film is divided into four chapters and is based on a manga written by Kazuo Koike, who also wrote the "Lone Wolf and Cub" and "Crying Freeman" manga series. At one point in Chapter Three, Yuki meets a writer (Toshio Kurosawa) who publishes a newspaper ("a cheap little rag") and tells Yuki's story, accompanied by manga-like illustrations, making her a legend in her own time and causing her considerable dismay. There's a bit of stylization in the fighting as Yuki leaps up impossible heights and causes blood to gush out like a fountain whenever she slices or dismembers an opponent, but otherwise the film has a deceptive simplicity as Yuki moves like a wraith through small villages and the back alleys of Tokyo in her inexorable quest for vengeance. There is a lot of action and bloodshed, so fans of samurai and yakuza films should be satisfied. The tape is presented in a flawless letter-boxed transfer, in Japanese with English subtitles.

Meiko Kaji (who also starred in the FEMALE CONVICT SCORPION series) plays the title role and sings