Stranger: Mukou Hadan

Sword of the Stranger is a great exciting action movie that will have you glued to your seat throughout the whole experience. As expected from Bones, the animation is incredible and the entire package comes together to provide one of the best anime movies ever made.

Story: 7.5
The story is probably the worst part of this anime. That is not to say it is bad, it is just nothing special. A samurai saves a child from those who are hunting him and the anime kicks off from there focusing on themes such as companionship and loyalty. The plot is a rather generic "king wants immortality ... by sacrifice" story but it still remains enjoyable despite not being fully impressive. However, this anime definitely gets a bonus for having no fan-service and romance (I hate romance).

Art and Animation: 9
The animation is simply top notch. Its hard to see how it can get better than this. The weather effects are amazingly animated, the fight scenes flow smoothly and are well choreographed. The general attention to detail is completely stunning. Everything from the blood spewing from the characters after they are struck and then sparks caused by clashes of blades show that Bones truly are animation gods. The art can use some work however. The whole anime felt a bit dull and grey looking and some of the characters looked significantly worse than others. However, the general scenery and backgrounds are great.

Sounds: 9
Sometimes I felt like the audio was slightly out of sync but maybe its cause I was watching the dub. Either way, no real issues and its worth mentioning that the movie boasts an excellent soundtrack. The sound effects are flawless as well, with everything sounding as expected.

Characters: 8
The main samurai character and the blonde haired chinese mercenary were the coolest and most epic characters in this anime. The rest are nothing special and just exist for the 2 warriors to show off their awesomeness. The kid got on my nerves as he felt like a spoiled brat. Quite weird for someone who was being raised in a temple. The character development was smooth and soon enough all the main characters became likable. I even grew attached to the dog. However, the supporting characters to the leads were still lacking and were simply there to hack meat and then be meat themselves.

Enjoyment: 10
Despite the criticisms, I can tell you that they are all minor things that wont stop you from enjoying this anime. I considered marking it off to a 9 due to the kid getting on my nerves in the beginning but he redeemed himself by the end and I was glued to my seat throughout the whole show. Absolutely EPIC anime.

Overall: Minor issues hold this anime back from perfection but its still probably the best action anime movie available. Watch it, you wont be disappointed.

Story
Nothing special, really. The story is one of the biggest weak points of the movie, so don't expect something you have never seen before. You might get the feeling of watching another recycled story, but be sure not to focus too much on it. Because sometimes it's not what you get, it's how you get it ;)

Art
Absolutely breath-taking. Very detailed backgrounds with the characters perfectly put into. Common use of blood in most of the more violent parts of the movie, but here and there it's not unusual to see some limbs flying through the air or heads getting cut off. Alltogether the violence is ... kept within bounds, neither showing too much nor too few. Be sure not to blink during the action sequences or you might miss some parts of the very sophisticated choreography!

Sound
Most anime movies contain too neutral music (at least in my opinion), but Mukoh Hadan convinced me: This movie has one of the most atmospheric and fitting soundtrack I have heard yet! It fits in every little corner of the movie, therefor supporting every scene you are confronted with. Without overstatement, the soundtrack is one of the reasons you'll get sucked into this movie, always being alert and focused on what will happen next.
No lacks in use of sound effects. Everything fits. Not much to say about this.

Character
Yes, you might say there's a lack of character development - but this only might be an result of not watching the movie carefully enough (it surprises me when people are able to this ^^ ). There are a lot of parts with the main characters keeping you in the dark, make you more interested and then.. well, no ultra boombastic surprises?! That's because the movie is not the right kind for something like that. Instead it raises the affiliation between characters step by step and pushes their actions more and more. Always bear in mind that this is a movie, not a series with over 20 episodes and if you still don't agree, think it over: doesn't it make everything much more realistic?


Summary
Leaving the 'little boy with his best friend dog' cliché aside, Stranger - Muko Hadan is a movie that points out due to its very likable characters, outstanding animation and really fitting soundtrack, thus creating a dense atmosphere that keeps you watching it to the very end.

Story: When boiled down, the story is rather simple. It’s nothing that crosses or recreates any boundaries already etched in stone by many anime before it. On the hand, it’s not presented like most other anime. In fact, the story develops in a fashion like many Hollywood movies. Before any enthusiasts consider it blasphemy and disregard it immediately, I assure you it’s comparable to a good Hollywood movie. It is emotionally charged, flippant at times and absolutely epic at some points in the movie. There is a synopsis provided to you by MAL so I won’t overstep my bounds.

Art: The art is almost perfect. The ... colours are vivid, alive and used effectively at the right times. It is almost impossible to miss the little details, like the colours fading with the distance in the landscape. Distinct facial colouring, accurate colouring of materials like cloth and fruit, and ultimately realistic colouring of blood are all refreshing to the eyes. Details of both the characters and the landscape are portrayed immaculately, for the most part. There are certain scenes where the details have not been given as much attention as the main characters. Overall, the art is very clean and crisp.
When it comes to animation, the anime takes the level up to top notch. The movie has its share of action sequences, and they are mastered perfectly and in ways in which most anime do not. You pick the trick. There are shifts in view from third person to first person. There are camera angles focused on the action from afar, and then there are camera angles following the character’s running legs up close and personal. There are camera jolts and hasty zooms. There is distinct movement and then slightly blurred animation. There’s a slower, more strengthening pace and then there’s a faster, more agile pace. And yet, all these styles have been mixed and matched so perfectly that at no time does the viewer get confused, or not awed by the experience. The little details in animation during non-action scenes are not forgotten either. Strangely, the only noticeable flaw would be in the walking. The characters seem stiff and turn abruptly at 45 and 90-degree angles.

Sound: The sound is consistently impressive, just like the animation. There are regularly differing ambient sounds, which help immensely in pouring life into the movie. Materials and textures like wood, boiling water, rain and even snow have their own dedicated sounds. The sound of incoming arrows, ripples in a pond, whips lashing against wood; these are all very diverse and placed perfectly in a 5.1 surround sound atmosphere. The voice-acting is also superb in its emotional delivery.

Character enjoyment: The focus in the movie is the building of a relationship between two characters, namely Katoro and the ‘Nameless Red Devil.’ It is an absolute delight to see the young boy Katoro and the ‘Namless’ one interact with each other. The boy’s character is so well portrayed; one cannot help but like him, despite the fact that he’s a brat. The ‘Nameless One’ is introduced in the very cliché relaxed ‘bad-ass’ manner. But from there on, it’s obvious they put in a lot of thought towards making him a complex character who can be flippant, gentle, despondent, dangerous and lovable at the same time. Unlike many other anime, where the action is separated by useless humour and pointless incidents, ‘Mukoh Hadan’ keeps you constantly glued to the television.

Overall: There’s very little to say about this anime other than the fact that there is something in it for everyone [well, let's just leave it at almost everyone], and you would be hard-pressed to find any major flaws. The attention-grabber is in the first minute and the climax is during the last minute, no stops in between. Simply put, it’s pure entertainment.

Should You Watch: Sword of the Stranger?

This movie.

It was badass.


First two minutes, BAM, arrow in your neck. Because fuck you that's why. The way the body knocks forward a little as it got shot with the second arrow was absolutely spectacular. No man, woman or child, animated this movie and made it out alive. If they did, their souls are now Satan's.

Sword of the Stranger is a movie that screams blood, sweat, and tears and its screams demands your full attention. Every fight in this film is elegantly choreographed and shot with precision. That's it, that's the review. It's a sick ass movie with sick ... ass fights. I don't know how to convince you to watch it otherwise. Nonetheless, there are some minor flaws with the movie. Main samurai guy's arc isn't explored fully to the point where the viewer can be 100% satisfied and I don't really give a damn about the kid. I'm rooting for dog.

To the anyone who said they fell asleep while watching this movie because it's too long and boring--

I'mma put you to sleep myself you edgy ass looking ass motherfucker

Should you watch: Sword of the Stranger?

Yeah, it's a pretty cool movie. 9/10 not bad could be better

Stranger: Mukou Hadan is a 2007 film brought to us by Bones. That's right, the studio behind Fullmetal Alchemist, Wolf's Rain, Heroman and more. So far, the works I've looked at by them have a strong track record. Will this one continue that tradition? Let's take a look and see.

Story:

We open with a boy, Kotarou, and his dog, Tobimaru, running away from some kind of danger. We cut to a strange group of travellers being attacked by bandits and easily staving them off. We then go back to Tobimaru and find him helping his boy steal some food. The two of them encounter a wanderer ... with a sword. They're sharing a meal, much to the boy's displeasure, when soldiers arrive to take the boy. The wanderer gets dragged into it and ends up agreeing to travel with Tobimaru and his boy. But who is this lad and why are these soldiers chasing him? For that matter, who is this strange wanderer?

Honestly, there aren't many narrative problems with this film. About the worst I can say about it is that it does delve into long action sequences for the spectacle of it a bit. There are also some kind of pointless scenes. The whole thing with Nanashi dying his hair, for example, contributes nothing.

That being said, those moments are few. On the whole, the film is very well paced. The whole mystery behind this kid and why they're chasing him does keep you interested. I also quite liked the ending and the specific way it uses ambiguity.

Characters:

There are some interesting characters in this. Tobimaru and his little group are pretty compelling and have interesting dynamics. There is also effort put into giving a lot of the side characters motivations. They aren't particularly complicated, but they work pretty well when you factor in the length.

Art:

The artwork mostly looks pretty good. The action sequences are bloody and intense. The character designs are good. The backgrounds are detailed. The animals look like what they're supposed to be. Tobimaru is bloody adorable. That being said, there are flaws to it. There are action sequences that go overboard with trying to be intense and end up being a bit silly. There's a scene where we see a bloke's hand hanging on by a thread of flesh and he starts lecturing the person who cut it. I'm sorry, Bones, but at that point it stops being an intense action sequence and delves into unintentional hilarity.

Sound:

There are some great performances in this film. From the likes of Nagase Tomoya, Yamadera Kouichi & Chinen Yuri. The music is actually by a bloke I've talked about this week, Sato Naoki. Yes, the same gent who was responsible for the music in Futari wa Precure. The music in this is completely different for obvious reasons, but it's still really good. Never let it be said that this man doesn't have range.

Ho-yay:

There's a little bit. One of the male antagonists is implied to be romantically attracted to another of the male antagonists.

Final Thoughts:

Stranger: Mudou Hadan is a really good film. While it is action heavy, it also has a strong underlying narrative to go along with it. As well as a good sense of character. The film actually reminds me a bit of Rurouni Kenshin, and that's not a bad thing. Ultimately, I give it an 8/10. Tomorrow, I'll end this year's film festival week with a look at Windaria.

Sword of the Stranger (2007) is a Japanese animated movie produced by the studio ‘Bones’. A studio well known for great works such as: ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ and ‘Wolf’s Rain’. And directed by the notable ‘Masahiro Ando’ known for being the key animator in the ‘Ghost in the Shell’ and ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Movies.

The story follows a swordsman (Nanashi) from a mysterious origin now caught in a nationwide struggle between morality, righteousness, and devotion as he reluctantly agrees to take a raggedy boy (Kotaro) to a remote, Buddhist temple.

Characters
Nameless (Nanashi) – A gifted swordsman wandering Japan with dark memories after he helped his faction win in their ... disputing war. His origin is unknown even to himself, a nameless foreigner with blood red hair.

Kotaro – A foreign child prophesized to be the key to the immortality the Chinese seek. He is forced to travel to Japan after his father died leaving him an orphan on the run from a nation, with Tobimaru as a companion.

Luo-Lang - A blonde swordsman working for the Chinese in search of the orphan who would grant immortality through the Xian ritual. He seeks a swordsman to rival him, going to Japan for that reason.

Shogen Itadori - A general under the Lord of Akaike while planning with his subordinate to overthrow him in order to achieve his goals. Noted to have sided with Nanashi during the days of war, and from it prospering in combat skill.

Byakuran (Bai-Luan) - The leader of Chinese search team dedicated to finding the boy so that the emperor of the Ming Dynasty can gain immortality. He commands the group of highly skilled warriors upon strategy and scenarios in Japan.

Art/ Animation
The artwork of this film is truly incredible, something one would expect from Bones. The director in charge of this was ‘Atsushi Morikawa’. The quality of his skill shines through to his work in other Bones productions such as ‘Wolf’s Rain’. The animation is sharp and well detailed, with explicit blood in scenes necessary it makes for a visual pleasure.

Music
This film had the incredible works of the Japanese composer ‘Naoki Sato’. Whose previous works also included that in the anime ‘Street Fighter 2’. Music is used here to set and enhance the atmosphere of the scene, especially during combat like the ending between the main characters.

Conclusion
I conclude with recommending this movie to anyone who likes a film of medieval Japan, samurai and the production studio ‘Bones’. This can be compared to the anime ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ with a cool main character skilled with the sword but haunted by a dark past because of it...

Sword of the Stranger is something unusual. But in a very good way. First of all, it's a movie and it came out of nowhere, that's why it's not known. I consider it a hidden gem, therefore I will explain why.

Set in Japan, the Sengoku period, we are introduced to Nanashi, a ronin. In his journey, Nanashi rescues a young boy named Kotaru and his dog. The boy is hunted by a mysterious, Chinese organization and convinces Nanashi to protect him.

One of the many reasons to love this anime, is the complete lack of supernatural abilities. The battles are pure swordmanship skills where each character's ... training, physical condition and experience determine the outcome. Japan of 16th-17th century is depicted in all its turmoil, as Kotaru will be targeted by many local lords. The landscapes, temples, towns and villages are very detailed and beautiful. The characters are beautifully animated as well and the battle scenes are full of energy and quick movements. The camera angle could have been a bit better though.

Every character has his own background, but the most interesting is Nanashi's. His past is dark and soaked in blood, therefore he chose to wander in Japan with his sword seathed. Kotaru wil dislike him at first, but they will slowly form a strong, brother-like bond. Through the characters you will witness the impact dedication to duty has on a man and how far some people will go to achieve their goals. You will have the feeling that Nanashi struggles between morality, righteousness and devotion.

The music is soft and some Japanese tunes are easily noticed. The soundtrack adds to the drama of the movie and puts you in the mood.
However, they could have chosen a more lively theme for the battles. But that is just my opinion.

I enjoyed it from the first minute to the last. However, I wanted more! You can't get enough of the atmosphere, the battles and the characteres. The climax at the end was incredible and Nanashi's choices proved that even a man that took many lives can still have a chance to do something good and redeem himself.

Story: 9
Art: 10
Sound: 9
Character: 9
Enjoyment: 8
Overall: 9

What makes a show special depends on a whole variety of aspects and qualities. And yet, in our haste to scrutinize details and the technical aspects of a work, we sometimes lose sight of how the AUTHOR wants us to perceive it.

Clean. Refreshing. Endearing. It's impressive how little work the show actually puts into making the audience care about its characters, but the simple presentation and small snippets of the past are all it took to make them seem... not so distant. One very noticeable quality of the show was in its efforts to keep the focus of the viewer concentrated on the primary ... characters. Very little background was shed on the supporting characters, and in a movie like this, it worked well in keeping the flow of the overall story and not diverging any of its main plot points. Would I have liked to have seen and understood a little bit more about the background of our main protagonists and why their situations were as they were? Perhaps. But in the grand scheme of the present plot, all of that exterior information seemed quite trivial and unneeded. A smooth ride from start to finish, it wasn't necessarily the most grand of scenarios, but definitely not forgettable. The story can be described as... focused. Aimed. Straight. Never looking sideways or backwards, and always keeping the audience where they need to be: at the heart of action and plot progression. You know what they want you to know at that moment in time, and it was the structure of the story that really elevated this movie to a higher level.

The good guy was the good guy, and the bad guys were the bad guys. But at times the lines seemed... blurred somehow, and made both sides questionable. The character development begged the question: What really makes someone good or evil? Perhaps their allegiance to the cause they serve? Or perhaps their individual mindsets, and what drives them as their own selves? Incentives and motivations to do what they can and must, it was an interesting part of the show to try and better understand the complexity of these characters, and what made them do what they did.

Although sometimes the art seemed a bit too mixed at times and the background looked a bit dark, everything that should have been there was there, and more. The characters looked like themselves, but not gleaming with light, if you know what I mean. It wasn't something I focused too much on, although there were many moments when I felt that the various locations fit just so well with what the characters were trying to accomplish. The shrines, the beaches, and the forests matched my imaginations impeccably, and I had no complaints. What I appreciated even more was the music.

Now, truth be told, the entire movie had maybe two music types. I exaggerate, but the music just sounded incredibly similar to one another, as if it was difficult to escape from the style. Not that there was anything wrong with that. The mood was set to perfection with its soundtrack, and I can honestly say I blinked back a tear at one point. Because the music was just that appropriate. APPROPRIATE, not a masterpiece (although I enjoyed listening to it very much).

This movie is to be watched, enjoyed, and watched again, if the person so desires. But its interpretation seems straightforward and obvious. A story of an unexpected encounter, and the guardian/friendship relation that is born from it. It may be too simple of a setting to some, but it delivered its message well and executed its ending with the most satisfying close. Sure, people may debate on the meaning of its ending, but to me it felt that the movie had done what it wanted to do, and I greatly appreciated the sense of finale.

Sword of the Stranger?
Sword in the hands of a stranger?

Well yeah, pretty much. The title actually explains more than might seem at first. But let's not discuss the title, let's explain what this show is about, or actually, what this movie is about.

Sword of the stranger, is it really worth all the ratings?

Yes, definitely. You see, this Anime doesn't cares much about other Anime's or budget for that matter. Because it is an extremely well animated movie made from a pretty high budget.

Does budget explains a lot?
Well, if it is indeed true to say "you get ware for your share", then yes, it is ... true. You see, there wasn't a penny/dollar/euro/yen misused in creating this movie.

The Animation is fluid, the sounds are great, the characters are exactly what you'd like them to be and the art pretty much is awesome. An Anime like this however could get it's downfall by a seriously lame plot or not enough action scenes. After all, it is still a samurai/action movie. And like most action movies, it has to involve action!

Which is quite obvious, but some just don't make it through with weak fighting and/or weak reasons as to fight. It's not about the duration of the fight, but whether the fight seems realistic enough, fluid enough and makes your blood throb by excitement.

After seeing one 'slice' of an action scene, you should be able to tell whether a movie is actually the 'bomb' or merely a time bomb waiting to explode and fuck things up.

Sword of the stranger, is the bomb. Like I said before, the animations are slick and fluid. Not just that, the story isn't hard to get and thus easy to follow; which fits 'action' just fine. Besides that, the action is well build-up with of course a nice sort of boss battle at the end.

It just does everything perfectly fine, but fine is worth a 6 or 7. Why a 9, why did I give this movie a 9?

Simply put, everything excels. If the art is better than most Anime's, same as the sounds, characters and enjoyment. What's stopping me from giving this a 9?
It deserved it, and it definitely is worth your 1 1/2 hour time.

More over, what is stopping YOU?

Grab some popcorn, a nice cool coke right beside you. Place your feet on your table. Put on your surround set with a high volume, sit back and simply relax. Turn on the movie and you are in for a great movie!

P.s: I didn't really do all the above. But hey, if you watch movies that way and enjoy doing it that way, be my guest. As long as you have fun right.

This movie was the most unexpected surprise I've encountered in a long time. Wow, what a ride!

I decided to watch it one night not really knowing anything about the story or plot. It had been hanging around for a bit and I never gave it much thought, so I went in not having any expectations.

From the very first scene I suddenly found myself thinking, "Wow...this is going to be good!". I have a strong love for samurai movies and shows, which is why I picked this up in the first place. I do believe this movie has escalated to be one of my favourite samurai ... genre animations ever.

This isn't a romanticized depiction of the sengoku era. Many shows choose to gloss over a lot of the gritty details and truths surrounding the violent period that this was. Not to say I mind that, but I have a certain affection for shows that don't hold back. This movie has all the blood and gore you could expect of intense battles between sword masters.

Speaking of the fights, they were probably the best aspect of this whole movie. The choreography was amazing, everything was fast and fluid. They really blew me away, probably some of the best swordsmanship and martial arts I've seen.

The animation is absolutely stunning. This was a high budget movie, and it really shows. The level of detail is so realistic. You notice the smallest things like the way a piece of bamboo splinters apart. Even things happening in the background or out of the line of focus are shown in this same quality.

The music is definitely a feature worth mentioning. It made your pulse quicken during the more intense scenes, and really set the mood for the somber ones. Many time I don't recall music in movies, it just sort of stays as part of the background and memory skips over it. This soundtrack was far from that though, I clearly remember how well the music complemented each and every scene.

I'll be honest, the plot itself wasn't anything drastically new or exciting. I still found it engaging, but don't expect anything phenomenal. I believe this movie is purely about the action, and you will not be disappointed by that factor.

I thought the characters were really outstanding for the length of time the movie had to familiarize us with them. Although it's only 1 hour and 45 minutes, you really get into the main characters and can fully sympathize with them all.

If you're looking for an intense, action-packed movie, then give Sword of the Stranger a chance. I don't think anyone could dislike this movie.

One of the best anime movies I've seen, with a very entertaining and intriguing, simple-to-follow storyline: it's about how a kid, who's being pursued, ends up being escorted by some nameless man, who used to be a samurai, to a place he had to reach. Pretty simple, eh? But trust me, you'll be very interested in following the plot.

The art is great overall, it is above respectable anime standards, both in the characters and surroundings. The music is epic; it always fits perfectly to the occasion it's played, and voice acting is great, specially Nanashi's voice. The characters are very captivating as well, in the ... way they act, talk, fight, everything. Fight scenes are great, by the way.

I really enjoyed watching the movie, I might even re-watch it in a month or two. I highly recommend it.

i loved this movie so much,
what do want from a samurai movie-1-a cool sexy samurai guy who you can dream about and wish you had by your side.
2-most important is it must have epic battles that makes you want to say wow.
3-have to have a good plot not that confusing,and a goal to the story focused on the characters past,present,future.swiftly moving art and animation would be like cherry on top.
4-sounds and background music have to go with the story otherwise the fighting seances would feel like dancing and nothing more.
AND IM HAPPY TO SAY THIS MOVIE HAS IT ALL,NOT ANYONE CAN PULL OFF SAMURAI ANIME ... BUT THIS ONE IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.also the COMEDY IS A LOT OF FUN.....(u have to have comedy otherwise its just dull) A MUST WATCH MASTERPIECE,some anime movies have good story but the ending is just full of shit BUT THIS MOVIE HAD POTENTIAL WHEN IT BEGAN AND KEPT IT GOING TILL THE END WITH PLOT TWIST AND WITH GREAT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!what more do you want and it touch my heart hope you'll enjoy!

Characters (9/10)

The characters in this movie were amazing, the acting was just astounding, truly an amazing script from the writers. Character development started out slow as most shows do but, it eventually grows into something phenomenal. You learn about each of the characters in different ways, Dreams, Stories, and just dialog. There were some questions that i had that were un-answered which left me disappointed from that point of view.

Art (10/10)

I must say, they did not skip out on the art. The art was one of the biggest points about this movie that i just loved. The scenes ... were crisp, characters well drawn and not out of proportion. The landscape itself is something to awe at. Even in fight scenes where it was fast and action packed there was no loss of quality in the animation.

Story (9/10)

The story that is presented to you makes you want to watch more and more of the movie without stopping. There were very few dull scenes that give you breaks to pardon yourself to go to the restroom (Yes i held my blatter throughout the movie!). Again, the story is just wonderful.

Enjoyment (10/10)

Did i enjoy watching this movie? Hell yeah i did! This is now my #1 favorite anime movie of all time. I suggest anyone that would like to check out an anime movie this would be the one to do it.

Overall (9/10)

This is truly a wonderful anime that Bones, And Banzai Entertainment went all out on. If you are looking for great art, this is the movie for you. If you are looking for samurai this is the anime for you. If you are looking for fight scenes this is the anime for you. If you are looking for an interesting story, THIS IS THE ANIME FOR YOU. I suggest everyone watch this.

There are movies that you will watch once and never again. There are movies that are simple casuals you will rewatch occasionally or by chance. And, last but certainly not least, there are movies made from diamonds that you will watch anytime. Movies that you may even watch right after you finished watching them.

And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have Sword of the Stranger. A film that personally lives up to the latter kind of films I mentioned above.

I admit at first, after I finished watching it, I was at loss for words and I wished -still wish- that I'd watched it earlier. Yeah, ... it stood there in my plan to watch list and I was yearning to watch it for so long, since I could see many people recommending it and praising it. It attracted me so much as a historical movie, I swear.

Ehem, I have to turn off my fangirl mode for now. Let's start from scratch to analyse it, shall we?


Story: (9/10)

A little boy named Kotarou and his faithful dog are being chased by a part of the Chinese army for unknown purposes. On his way, Kotarou meets a skilled swordsman that in the movie is referred as Nanashi (= 'no name') and after some things happen he decides to hire this man to 'guard' him from those people that chase him around, in exchange for a precious stone he owns. Meanwhile, that certain army's plans are disclosing slowly, along with the POVs from some other characters.

The premise is pretty generic at a first look. True. If you have watched a decent number of movies before, animated or not, then the story is not going to impress you and make you feel like "woah, this is original!".

However, I don't feel like I'm overrating this part at all. The base of the story is overused, yet heartwarming in its own way. It's greatly directed. The way the plot unveils itself is truly amazing and extremely interesting to watch. The atmosphere successfully transfers you to a medieval Japanese land, which is a rather harsh world, but with its beauty as well. It captures your attention and even though you might guess what can happen next, you're still into it!

Also, it does a great job at delivering certain messages about life, which is something quite important.


Art: (10/10)

Bones is a studio that has yet to fail me in terms of animation and artwork. Being the studio that has animated popular anime such as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Ouran Highschool Host Club, Soul Eater and so many others, it makes a great job here once again.

The artwork is so beautiful, the animation is fluid and the action scenes are perfectly animated. The sceneries were also awesome and I just wish we had more shots of it. I find its style somewhat refreshing in comparison to other Bones' works, especially since it's an anime-exclusive story and not based on some manga to decide on the art style.


Sound: (10/10)

I'm actually listening to the movie's soundtrack while writing this review. And let me tell you, the freaking soundtrack is the best part of the whole thing. It adds a huge charm on it. It's a masterpiece and I'm not exaggerating. Heck, I could write an essay on the countless emotions it causes me while listening to it!

The soundtrack is wavering in vibes of Lord of the Rings and Braveheart. I just listened to the first note of flute and LotR was the first thing that popped in my brain. You know, that familiar flute music that makes you feel like you're flying on a soft white cloud to a magical land and nostalgic to the point of crying? Yes, that's the soul of this film's soundtrack, for me at least. But add to that music a japanese/asian feeling. It's so emotional and dynamic, thus fitting to the movie's setting.

First work I've heard of Naoki Sato and I'm just extremely pleased. I bow to you, mister Sato, for making this majestic soundtrack.


Character: (9/10)

The characters were an almost perfect aspect of this film. They fitted the story and setting and their interactions were fun to watch.

A little bossy kid with a kind heart, a faithful dog that helps its master at any cost, a skilled man with secrets and gentleness, greedy leaders that seek and desire many forms of power... a big variety of people for a historical movie such as this. They were all serving their roles very well and they were captivating in their own ways, showing some of their motives.


Enjoyment: (10/10)

This movie offered me so many things and absolute enjoyment is the outcome of it all. A beautiful story taking place many centuries ago, with amazing characters, visual pleasure and breathtaking music is enough to keep me entirely interested.

Overall: (10/10)

It's a 9.6 actually, but who cares for that insignificant 0.4 that parts it from 10? Overall, it is a movie that you have to watch. Of course, opinions may differ and it might have no appeal to you, but you certainly should give it a try.

Thanks for reading my review and sorry for any grammatical mistakes. Feedback is appreciated! :)

There are times when a anime transcends the typical norm of the genre. Stranger: Mukou Hadan is a amazing film that after viewing became one of my favorite anime ever.

The story is well paced and unfolds well, just enough background is given to compliment the plot and characters. It is a perfectly tight-nit story for a action film especially within the confines of a sub 2 hour film.

Characters are also a highlight, likable and just enough dept to make you care for them. The main protaganist cast is only 3 characters but I prefer it for a film, instead of having overstuffed cast ... with underdeveloped characters. The relationship/interactions between the 2 main mc's is enjoyable and surprisingly heartfelt.

The art and action is really where the fim shines. Action scenes are breathtaking and choreography amazing. There is enough sword battles to even quench the most diehard action junkie and simply some of the best ive ever seen. Artwork/animation is geared toward more of the gritty/grim style where the film palette of colors are more grayish complimenting the films tone perfectly .

So conclusion: I honestly have watched this film 5 times and have not found any real flaws or dislikes that stood out. Im actually shocked at the time of this review Stranger: Mukou Hadan is only rated 8.43. Don't dismiss this gem and do youself a favor and give this movie a chance and see for yourself.
Note: I highly recommend you watch the film in blu-ray/1080p format to full appreciate all it has to offer.

So, for my first real cinema anime experience, I get to enjoy Sword of the Stranger! All you “otaku” out there might draw parralels to the story of Sword of the Stranger to that of Lone Wolf and Cub, or perhaps a smattering of Samurai X/Rurouni Kenshin here and there. If you know what I’m talking about, then this rant is for you!

We start off with some mysterious burning down of a temple, and one of the main characters, Kotaru, runs off with the aid of a monk. Yes, he just leaves his burning home with his dog Tobimaru in tow. I’m already not liking ... this kid and we’re only 10 seconds into this film. Cut to Kotaru and his dog Tobimaru, doing what they must to survive! After running away in direction of a temple the monk had sent them to, we see them living off the land….sort of. They’ve taken residence at an abandoned temple, where they find a slacker swordsman who later saves them from their pursuers. Yes, that’s how I meet all my heroes, at a run down old temple. What do a little boy and his trusty but rabid dog need saving from? Foreigners! Some imperial chinese folk to be precise. Oh, and one stereotypical blonde with blue eyes who also happens to be a master swordsman, better than even the Chinese or Japanese who have been practicing swordsmanship for centuries. The mysterious swordsman, from here on out referred to as No Name, tangles with this mysterious foreigner several times, all ending in one climactic battle. I sort of wish the movie had ended then, instead of the gratuitous riding off into the distance scene….but I’m getting ahead of myself. Don’t you want to hear more about No Name, the vagabond swordsman who defeats extremely skilled Chinese and Japanese warriors, and also has red hair and a troubled past? Wait…this is starting to sound a lot like some other super popular anime….X?

To cut the story short (and I really should, my ass was hurting from how long I had to sit in that chair) the foreigners want drain Kotaru. No, not in that Michael Jackson way, they just want his youthful good looks! Kotaru holds the secret to eternal life…Could it be the mysterious green stone that was entrusted to him by the monk as he fled the crumbling castle? Burning questions like this one, and the origin of the mysterious swordsman who save Kotaru, remain largely unanswered throughout most of the film, only being revealed in the last half hour. Yes, that’s how long this movie felt. Visually, it was stunning, but the pacing of the plot and the actual action left a bit to be desired at times. The characters just didn’t convey that much. It felt as if though your Uncle John who doesn’t know how to tell you a story was telling you about the most important battle of the century. The visuals keep you entertained while the story stagnates, the characters don't grow hair, much less a personality.

8/10 from me.

Let's not kid ourselves; a movie called "Sword of the Stranger" isn't likely to transcend the accoutrements of its fast-paced, steel-flashing samurai genre. There's a story, sort of, but it's poorly explained and the major antagonists (although there are two of them) lack motivation and depth. You get these vague descriptions of distant emperors, government politics, and immortality potions; a valiant attempt at forging an interesting plot, but there just wasn't enough screentime to stuff it all in, leaving the viewer more confused and puzzled than anything else. There are a couple of main characters, but any semblance of development is entirely ... scripted and predictable. The nameless ronin with a mysterious past, wandering Japan to simultaneously escape it and seek redemption. The smart-ass kid whose brash exterior belies the insecurities and fears of his age. We've seen this all before. The dog is pretty sweet though.

Fortunately the creaky narrative's punctuated by gorgeous set-piece fight scenes. By the first 10 minutes you can tell where 90% of the budget went into. I had the opportunity to see this when it premiered in New York, and the fights absolutely explode off the movie screen. It's hyperrealistic yet incredibly stylized; think Quentin Tarantino meets John Woo with katanas. The animation is crisp and smooth and little details like the condensation on a cold blade only heighten the atmosphere.

The movie saves the best for last; the scene near the end when the ronin finally unleashes his sword in the midst of the chaos and decapitates the poor guy standing in his way is an incredible moment of catharsis. This is quickly followed by an electric final duel between the hero and the villain. As the snow softly falls around them and blankets over the blood and ashes, a last clash of steel erupts, serenaded by a medley of swelling strings and horns, and the movie hurtles towards its inexorable conclusion (which itself is unsurprising but ultimately satisfying). Well worth your time.

One of my favorite feudal era samurai action movies ever! The animation is amazing. The story makes me think of Battosai (the manslayer) and also The Golden Child (the movie with Eddie Murphy). Characters were amiable even the villians. The plot was straightforward with great action scenes. Overall, great movie!

In my opinion, too many anime movies (particularly action movies) focus on the action and plot at the expense of character. So by the time our heroes are in peril, we really don't have an emotional connection to them.

Fortunately, "Sword of the Stranger" doesn't do that. While it is an action movie, it does a great job of letting us get to know and like our main characters before the "final showdown." Beautiful animation and music, engaging story, and high tension at the climax make this a very excellent historical adventure movie.

The big negative for me was the violence. ... It REALLY pushed my pain tolerance. Battles are highly graphic. While there isn't any viscera, the camera doesn't shy away as swords and other weapons stab, slice, decapitate and un-limb countless people. Blood sprays (with loud sound effects), and bones crunch. The one-on-one duels are less graphic. They are beautifully choreographed, and definitely one of the best parts of the movie.

The politics were a bit confusing the first time I watched it. I didn't really understand what it was all about until I watched it a second time. But it really didn't detract from my enjoyment of the main story.

The animation is very good. The backgrounds are superb. And of course the duels are done gorgeously. The choice of composition and camera moves were excellent and rival many live-action movies.

The sound effects are good (though the blood splatters and bone crunching is unnerving--I could almost smell and taste the blood). The musical score is orchestral and very beautiful. I kept playing the credits over and over again, just to listen to it. The English dub acting for the main characters was also excellent.

The story was pretty good. It was a while into the movie before the connection was made between our characters and the political issues going on. But it worked well. And as I said before, we get to know our characters before the serious peril begins. I will warn that there are some things left unexplained, but they weren't critical issues.

Overall, I highly recommend this. For mature audiences, of course.

***Synopsis***
A temple is burned. A little boy, Kotarou, escapes and is living as a vagrant with his dog. After they are attacked by strangers, the dog is poisoned, and Kotarou hires a nameless swordsman to get help for the dog, and guide them to Shinjuku temple. Meanwhile, the Chinese have come, and have a strange building project going on. And are searching for Kotarou...but why? After Kotarou is kidnapped, and a nefarious plan revealed, the nameless swordsman is impelled by his past guilt to rescue the child.

During the Japanese Sengoku period. The Ming (Chinese) emperor nears his death. He looks for eternal life in an old Taoist belief that a "child born once every one-hundred years" has to be sacrificed (his blood used) to make the Elixir of Immortality.

I'll begin by saying personally I think the anime is a bit overrated and I myself found it around a 7.5. But gave it an 8 to be generous and I will explain why below. I will split my review into the pros and cons to explain why.

Pros

Art (9)- The art is pretty mind blowing. It even kept up in the fight scenes. ... They even gave meticulous attention to the background. At times the background did fall off though and were simply blurry blobs. (However this could've been intentionally done, as their "style" of drawing)

Sound -(10) The background music was always spot on. Especially for the fight scenes with the low drums or the dramatic scenes with the woodwinds.

Enjoyment-9- This is where sword of the stranger really shines. The fight scenes are remarkable. And gore lovers will have their eyes wide open. (however for me it was a bit unrealistic, just how do you hack off so many limbs with one swing)

Cons

Story (7)- The story is unique and hasn't really been down before. The background for the plot has been explained pretty well in the intro above. Kotarou is this boy who is going to be sacrificed so hes on the run and runs into this samurai, Nanashi. However the Ming (Chinese) elite soldiers are after them.

The story was strong, but there were parts "low points" in the anime. While they were on the run, they didn't really do much some days but eat sleep and ride the horse.

Character-6- This is one of Sword of the Stranger's weak spots. None of the characters are really developed at all except Nanashi, with his 3 second flashbacks. The anime's name is truly fitting being "Sword of the Stranger" as Nanashi really felt like a stranger the whole anime. I had no idea who this guy was or why he kept his sword sheathed.

From his flashbacks we can tell Nanashi was an ex-soldier and he probably killed a lot to earn his name "No-named red-haired demon". Since then he has kept a lock on his sword but WHY? It didn't make sense to me. Did do the classic "vow to never kill again"? It didn't make sense to me why he didn't unsheathe his sword till the end. He showed in many instances that he was PERFECTLY CAPABLE of killing someone EVEN with his sword sheathed which totally ruined the reason why it was so. Like a murderer who promises himself not to use guns but has a dozen knives in his pockets.

The other interesting characters in the anime were the Ming Elite. Who, were not developed at all. And for some reason where so strong that they could easily go through a dozen Japanese in less than 5 seconds flat. Rarou especially was interesting as he was a 6 ft. Caucasian with blond hair and blue eyes. But hey, that was never explained. They simply left him as a barbarian who desired nothing but to fight strong opponents.

1 Very tiny problem I also had was the voice acting for the Ming(Chinese). Being Chinese myself, listening to it was a bit painful and at times I couldn't even understand just what in the world they were saying.