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Sword of the Stranger [Blu-ray]

Director: Masahiro Andô
Actors: Yûki Chinen, Tomoya Nagase, Akio Ôtsuka, Kyle Rideout, Naoto Takenaka
Studio: Bandai
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~$39.98~~
Buy New: $23.90
as of 9/3/2010 07:15 MDT details
You Save: $16.08 (40%)

New (12) Used (6) from $22.98

Seller: goHastings
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

38 reviews
Sales Rank: 17124

Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled
Languages: English (Subtitled), Japanese (Original Language), English (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Media: Blu-ray
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.4 x 0.5

MPN: 669198200106
UPC: 669198200106
EAN: 0669198200106
ASIN: B001W79MB8

Release Date: June 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
During the Sengoku, or Warring States, period in Japan, a nameless samurai defends a young boy and his dog from the Ming dynasty's hired assassins.

Amazon.com
Masahiro Ando's Sword of the Stranger (2007) is a no-holds-barred samurai action film that happens to be animated. Accompanied by his faithful dog, Tobimaru, Kotaro is forced to flee when the troops of a feudal lord and their Chinese allies attack the temple where he's been living. Taking refuge in an abandoned shrine, Kotaro meets No Name, a sardonic but extremely able ronin. Kotaro needs a friend, as both Japanese and Chinese fighters are hunting him; They're planning to sacrifice the boy in an elaborate ritual and use his blood to prepare "Xian Medicine," an elixir that is supposed to guarantee the Emperor of China eternal life. Although Kotaro fusses and tries to bully No Name, a powerful bond forms between the designated victim and the warrior who bears the physical and psychological scars of his battles. Their bond proves stronger than the ties that bind lord to vassal and ally to ally. Like Kenshin Himura in Rurouni Kenshin, No Name has vowed not to use his sword in penance for the blood he shed as a warrior. But he breaks the knot that binds the blade to its sheath when he rescues Kotaro in a spectacular series of fight scenes. Voice actors Aidan Drummond (Kotaro) and Michael Adamthwaite (No Name) offer winning performances that match their Japanese counterparts, Yuri Chinen and Tomoya Nagase. Ando uses CG to give Sword of the Stranger a sense of epic scale without detracting from the drawn animation of the characters. Dynamically staged and animated, Sword of the Stranger will delight devotees of live-action samurai movies as well as anime fans. (Unrated, suitable for ages 14 and older: considerable violence, alcohol and drug use, minor toilet humor) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 1-5 of 38

1 2 3 4 5 6 ...8 Next »

This movie was amazing and then some! August 31, 2010
Jah
My husband and I watch alot of anmie and finding stuff that he will sit with me for a while and watch sometimes is hard. Man the fight scences in this was so cool. The graphics were really good. There was blood, and adventure everywhere. This is not for kids its a lot of blood. I won't say its too much, but just alot of good clean kills. We really enjoyed watching it.

5 out of 5 stars

Great action scenes April 11, 2010
Megatron
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This is a fantastic anime feature film. Beautiful, smooth, animation and excellent fight scenes. It has a compelling story and the english dubs are great. Highly recommend to people that like historically themed anime and everyone else.

4 out of 5 stars

Action pak and more April 6, 2010
ai chan1 (ca)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Well I think the story could have been adapted better.Character development could be better.The animation could nave been better.They could made it a bit darker or a more artistic approach.

The fight sequence is not bad but my favorite part of this movie is the voice acting of the actors, even though the Chinese parts sounded a bit strange to me.
I love how Nagase delivered his lines.He sounded so natural and believable.Sometimes I would let the movie on and just listen .Sounded as if he is really acting out his lines , I could tell he is not a seiyuu, it is very refreshing.

5 out of 5 stars

The Compelling Story Of A Nameless Warrior, And A Youth With A Dog.. March 23, 2010
Rockstar Romeraux (Baker,Louisiana)
Sword Of The Stranger is nothing short of a great if not one of the best anime movies i've ever seen. The story is supurb, the characters are very likable, and some actually make you say "I can't wait till he dies", which is a good thing! The animation is breath taking, especially the final fight of the movie which made me jump outta my seat with excitement. The music is really what made the movie to me. Every peice is played at the right moment of the movie, and would bring tears to your eyes. I strongly recommend this movie to EVERYONE who want's to see a good movie, with intense action. 10/5!!!!

5 out of 5 stars

Superb Anime March 3, 2010
T-PAIN (Sacramento, CA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I can't speak for the special features, since I haven't checked them out just yet.

PLOT (no spoilers):
Pretty standard fare. A nameless swordsman must protect an innocent boy against the hostile battlefield of two warring factions. The main antagonist group consists of an elite bunch of highly-skilled Chinese warriors who feel no pain, at the head of which is a mysterious blonde swordsman ailing at his inability to find a worthy adversary. Lacking somewhat in the originality department, the story nonetheless draws you in by the sheer charisma of its characters. The characters themselves convey their archetypes well, without being overly obvious. The cliche factor is evident, but luckily it doesn't detract from your enjoyment of the film.

ANIMATION:
Though at times inconsistent (read: some of the battle clips appear noticably choppy, while others are smooth as silk), this feature is still head and shoulders over many of its contemporary counterparts. The characters' movements are believably natural, and their facial subtext succeeds in making you actually care about what they're thinking. At times, CGI is used for set pieces and background work, but it's so well-integrated that it complements without distracting, and is often unnoticable. Most memorable of all is the climactic battle between the swordsmen No-Name and Luo Lang: this is far and away the single most visually arresting swordfight I have ever seen in an animated feature. Ever. It invokes a tangible feeling of suspense and wonder, the choreography is brilliant, the scope is incredible, the pacing is thrilling, and their movements are positively GORGEOUS. It'll make the hairs on your neck stand up, mark my words.

SOUND:
I usually prefer subtitled anime over dubbed, as English voice-overs can be spotty, and often omit certain important nuances. However, Sword of the Stranger's English voice actors are all very talented, and they mesh perfectly with the setting and their respective characters. The sound effects are particularly well-done; at the moment when No-Name strikes the killing blow against his first Chinese opponent, the explosive crack of wood beams shattering and the brutal gnashing of bone pound straight through to your core. It gives every action scene a very visceral and immersive feel.

BOTTOM LINE:
Sword of the Stranger simply must not be missed. It's certainly not the most original thing out there, but its tried-and-true story formula can be appreciated by most anyone, and the action is definitely top-tier material. This isn't a film you can watch only once.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 38

1 2 3 4 5 6 ...8 Next »

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