autaku

Sword of the Stranger is a samurai action film that follows the story of Kotaro, a young boy on the run from soldiers from the Ming Dynasty. Initially accompanied only by his dog, Tobimaru, Kotaro soon finds an unlikely protector in the form of a ronin with no name (unless you count “No Name”). It’s a familiar set-up, but Sword of the Stranger has enough interesting characters and superb action to make it more than worth your time, whether you’re an anime fan or just looking for some exciting samurai action.

The plot may be built on fairly well-worn foundations, but there’s enough intrigue to keep things fresh. The film’s multi-national conflict is particularly engaging: Sword of the Stranger portrays Sino-Japanese relations with appropriate tension, and the placement of a Westerner as the chief villain is interesting. What makes the cultural interplay so successful is that no group is entirely “good” nor “evil”; there are characters on all sides with questionable morals and differing motives. Even Luo Lang, the blond-haired/blue-eyed soldier working with the Ming, is not simply the “Western barbarian” that he is occasionally described as. His coarse and often arrogant behaviour is countered by a sense of honour and a quest to find a challenge worthy of his abilities.

The initially distant master/bodyguard relationship between Kotaro and No Name warms and develops over time without becoming overly sentimental, and the interaction between the two provides many enjoyable moments. While the film’s premise may centre on Kotaro, No Name is the true star of Sword of the Stranger. A wandering warrior who keeps the hilt of his sword tied to its sheath so it cannot be drawn, it becomes clear quite quickly that there’s more to No Name than his roguish exterior suggests. He is, in the end, the centrepiece of a theme of honour and loyalty (and their opposites) that runs through the film as a whole, right down to Kotaro’s ever-faithful canine companion, Tobimaru.

While the plot and characters are enjoyable in their own right, the action will be the main drawcard for most viewers. Rightly so: the fight scenes are excellently choreographed and superbly animated, with none of the corner-cutting seen in some animation. The pace can become lightning-fast at times but the animation never has any trouble keeping up without losing any detail, making for combat that is as clear as it is frenetic and exciting. Sword of the Stranger does not shy away from depicting violence – you’ll see arrows pierce necks, limbs cut off and so on, all with the stylised arterial blood sprays you probably expect from a film like this – but it also knows not to overdo it, at times using techniques such as alternate camera angles to suggest violence rather than force it. The result is a film that is rarely exploitative despite being explicit.

Sword of the Stranger looks and sounds brilliant on blu-ray. Lines are clean and well-defined, colours are solid and the detail in the animation is well-defined. Overall the image quality is always impressive and sometimes jaw-dropping, especially as winter sets in throughout the film as it builds towards a stunning snow-covered final battle. I haven’t watched much anime on blu-ray yet, but Sword of the Stranger is a fine example that the medium can benefit greatly from a HD transfer and, indeed, show off some of the strengths of blu-ray in ways that live action perhaps could not. If you have the option of watching this film in high definition, don’t settle for anything less. The film impresses aurally as well, with clear and effective surround channel separation, accurate sound effects and ambience, and a rousing score (particularly during the film’s final act).

Sword of the Stranger is one of those films that doesn’t seem to be trying to be wholly original, and doesn’t have to. As a genre-piece, it excels by bringing an interesting enough period story with enjoyable characters and action to rival the medium’s best. On blu-ray the film makes a strong case for more traditional animation in high definition with a crisp and detailed transfer that invites a greater appreciation of the visuals on offer. It may not bring much to the table that you haven’t seen before, but Sword of the Stranger combines plenty of classic elements into a coherent and highly enjoyable package.