Sword of the Stranger Anime ReviewA Story by Carrie Ott A spoiler-free review of the anime movie Sword of the Stranger. I don't tell the story, I simply critique plot, characters, etc. A CHRISTIAN EVALUATION can be found at the end, for some viewers. Sword of the Stranger A spoiler-free review of BONES’ ambitious anime movie Title: Sword of the Stranger Alternate Title: Stranger Mukou Hadan Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/Military Episodes: 1 (movie) Run Time: approx. 102 minutes Synopsis: A powerful Chinese dynasty enters Japan to gain the secret to immortality. A boy with a secret runs from the hands of his pursuers. A warrior flees his bloodstained past on a journey for peace. When the three meet, each is thrown into a conflict that will decide the fates of both men and nations. Kotaro and his faithful dog Tobimaru are on the run. When they return to an abandoned temple that has been serving as their temporary home, they encounter a nameless warrior. After Tobimaru is attacked and becomes poisoned, Kotaro and his nameless friend journey to save the dog. In the meantime, warriors from the Ming dynasty of China search for the answer to immortality within the borders of Japan. They build a large monument with the goal of creating the power to live forever. When Kotaro becomes involved in this struggle, it’s up to the nameless warrior to save him. But will he, when he’s vowed never to draw his sword again? Will he kill to save only one life? And even if he is willing, can he overcome the fierce attacks of Luo-Lang, the strongest of the fighters of the West? Plot: Sword of the Stranger, for all its glory, has a basically average plot. Two people forced to work together to stave off the inevitable evil. While that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the plot, it certainly wasn’t as convoluted as some of BONES’ other movies have been. In this case, however, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As the synopsis states, Kotaro joins up forces with the nameless warrior (some refer to him as Nanashi). When Kotaro is put in danger by the Ming forces, Nanashi must make a decision whether or not to save him if coming to Kotaro’s rescue means breaking his vow never to use his sword again. All in all, this is Rurouni Kenshin condensed into movie form. For those who are really into obscure Japanese history, Sword of the Stranger can be considered a fictional retelling of some of the events in the life of Kawarisami Gensai. So, while the plot wasn’t by any means spectacular, it was satisfactory and kept me interested in the movie. Characters: The characters in this movie are both its greatest strength and weakness. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters for their broad diversity and mystery. Others, however, regard the lack of information about them to be frustrating. It’s true, you don’t get much a of glimpse into the lives of any of the characters, but the lack of insight makes them more intriguing. So depending on your tastes, you may or may not like the characters. Kotaro, for being a whiny child, actually provides some nice entertainment rather than the annoyance I first expected. The nameless warrior was joyously mysterious and sarcastic. And, of course, Tobimaru was a loveable character and actually served an important part in the plot, considering he is a dog. The only major downfall in the character department comes with Luo-Lang. We know nothing about him, other than the fact that he’s supposed to fit in the “tough guy” category. I personally would have liked to see more back-story on him, but some people enjoy him simply because he’s an awesome fighter and that’s all we care about. Animation: If you’re watching Sword of the Stranger, the animation is probably why. It is absolutely gorgeous! Although the animation is brilliant throughout the entire movie, the place where it really shines is during battle scenes. It looks like you’re watching CGI. It’s incredible. The colors are bright and flashy (or dull when necessary). This movie is one of few whose animation can truly be considered groundbreaking. Music: I truly enjoyed the music in Sword of the Stranger. Although I’ve heard some people say that the music did not fit the scenes, I have to strongly disagree. Traditional Japanese music on flutes, along with the dramatic pounding of drums, greatly intensifies the experience. The fluid animation combined with the hauntingly excellent music makes for an absolutely enjoyable experience. Ending: The ending of Sword of the Stranger is arguably the weakest part of the movie. It is very cliché, and while that may be all right for some people, I was not completely satisfied. The ending did actually bring closure to the movie " a trend which BONES does not often follow. However, the ending’s triteness did not stop me from buying Sword of the Stranger as soon as I could find it! Recommendation: I would recommend that everyone watch this movie at least once, if for no other reason than to enjoy the gorgeous animation. I think that many who watch the movie, however, will realize that there’s something unexplainable in the art and characters which really charms viewers. Audience: I don’t recommend Sword of the Stranger for viewers under 17. There is a LOT of blood. I’m not joking. It’s everywhere. While I personally believe that it adds a lot of intensity to the movie, it may be frightening to young children. Final Grade: 9 out of 10, for gorgeous characters and animation but a somewhat weak ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie (I did buy it, after all), and I debated with myself whether to give it a 9 or a 10. The weak ending kept Sword of the Stranger from grabbing a perfect score. For the Christian Audience: The copious amounts of blood may bother you, and graphic deaths (such as a sword stabbed through a man’s face) are not at all censored. While there is no swearing or sex, the violence of the movie may be an indication for some Christians to stay away, depending on their personal beliefs. Some may also find the concept of people seeking immortality through human means disturbing. Conclusion: View at Your Own Discretion!
Want to buy Sword of the Stranger? Click the links below. I’ve set up the links so that you’ll go to a new page to view the item, then you can click and go to the store to buy the item! Enjoy!
Click this link for the DVD: <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=wyvernwriter-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B001W79MBI" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> © 2011 Carrie OttAuthor's Note
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Carrie OttAboutWant some writing advice? Here's a link to one of my articles - http://www.squidoo.com/understanding-poetry-rhyming-meter-and-form UPDATE: Here's the link to my blog, where I will be recording my .. more..Writing
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