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Sword of the Stranger [Blu-ray]

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

List Price: ~~$39.98~~
Buy New: $19.98
as of 3/11/2010 15:18 MST details
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New (16) Used (3) from $19.98

Seller: deeveedees
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

35 reviews
Sales Rank: 21545

Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled
Languages: Japanese (Original Language), English (Subtitled), English (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Media: Blu-ray
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.4 x 0.5

MPN: 20010
UPC: 669198200106
EAN: 0669198200106
ASIN: B001W79MB8

Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Studio: Infinity Resources Inc Release Date: 06/16/2009 Run time: 102 minutes

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 35

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next »

Superb Anime March 3, 2010
Travis Harris (Sacramento, CA USA)
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.

4 out of 5 stars

Lovely, Introspective, Moving March 1, 2010
Ana Mardoll (United States)
Sword of the Stranger / B001W79MBI

We watch a lot of anime at our house, but "Sword of the Stranger" really does stand out in terms of artwork. The art is apparently all hand drawn; the final effect is a look that is incredibly crisp, clear, and beautiful. Definitely a great deal of time and effort went into making a superb production - the voice acting is just as gorgeous as the art.

Although the story line is not particularly new or innovative (a young boy of destiny must be protected by a jaded and master-less traveling warrior), "Sword of the Stranger" really encapsulates why this type of story is such a classic. Both the young boy and the traveling warrior are wonderfully characterized, and their developing relationship as the two come to depend on each other is beautiful to behold. "Sword of the Stranger" also scores points for being willing to depict pretty much everyone in a position of political power (Chinese and Japanese alike) as being equally corrupted by power - somehow, it's always refreshing to see movies that are willing to dump the usual "good country" vs. "bad country" makeup and just wash its hands of the political leaders of both sides.

If there is a downside to "Sword of the Stranger", it may be that some of the introspective travel sequences seem a bit slow and drawn-out. Despite all the action, the movie somehow manages to retain an almost dreamy feel, making the movie seem longer than it actually is. I definitely recommend a viewing (particularly on the Blu-Ray version, if you want to give your eyes a real feast), but you might not feel that the replay value of this superb movie is all that you might want.

~ Ana Mardoll

4 out of 5 stars

Great sound/battles..Story should've been also February 11, 2010
Darrin Squire (SEVERN, MD, US)
Let me start off by stating that this movie dialogue speaks in both Chinese and Japanese.You only hear this when they are fighting one another.English when dialog takes place among when they are talking among their own people.I thought that was hot personally but some might just opt for subtitles. The sounds and fight sequence are truly top notch and you really benefit from hearing this on Blu Ray (DTS soundtrack) The story should have match the tracks of this movie as well, as you have some quirky dialogue from the little boy that really slows the movie down.Once you get past this, the story once fully revealed is not bad. If you've ever watched Ninja Scroll( Laser Disc) than you will enjoy this

5 out of 5 stars

all the gore! February 4, 2010
Master baiter (sd)
good movie especially in blu ray. i wouldnt compare this with any other animes but its not very original. the fight scenes...dope! bloody squirts, bloody limbs, bloody mess. characters are cool, everyone gots their own fighting style. whats even cool is they speak chinese also. yeah, when the foreigners speak to the japanese its in chinese they dont understand each other they need an interperter, but the confusing part is when the foreigners speak to each other its in japanese (gotta watch the movie to understand what im saying). i believe they did this so the japanese audience dont have to read subtitles. oh by the way i watch english subs. havent seen this movie in english so cant tell you how that goes. anyway great movie i only wish i watched this before ip man (another great movie, if not awesome!) because i cant get enough of ip man, but if you got money check out ip man for blu ray and check this anime out too because it rocks.

5 out of 5 stars

SWORD OF A STRANGER December 31, 2009
D. V. Wasson
This story is set in the time when China dominated Japan. The Chinese emperor has his astronomer find a boy whose blood will be used to make an elixir which will make him immortal. The boy and his dog escape from a monastery. In his travels to another monastery, he meets a wandering, red-headed warrior, whom he hires to protect him on his journey.
The warrior has his own secrets and mysterious past. He and the boy's dog prove to be the boy's greatest allies and defenders.
The Chinese emperor has hired a mysterious blond warrior who is only looking for a good fight. I wondered if there was a connection between the two outsiders.
I bought this dvd because of the reviews on Amazon. It lived up to its reviews. I wonder if this was pilot for a show or intended to stand alone. It can go either way. It is a fast-paced story with lots a sword fighting, and just a bit of humor.

Showing reviews 1-5 of 35

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next »

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