Stranger: Mukou Hadan (Sword of the Stranger)

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Alternative Titles

Japanese: ストレンヂア -無皇刃譚-

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Information

Type: Movie

Episodes: 1

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Sep 29, 2007

Producers: Bandai Visual, Shochiku, Sony Music Entertainment, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners

Licensors: Funimation, Bandai Entertainment

Studios: Bones

Source: Original

Genres: Action, Adventure

Themes: Historical, Samurai

Duration: 1 hr. 43 min.

Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)

Statistics

Score: 8.26¹ (scored by 164,498 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #303²

² based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #707

Members: 333,019

Favorites: 2,992

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Funimation

8.26

Ranked #303Popularity #707Members 333,019

Episodes: /1

Synopsis

In the Sengoku period of Japan, a young orphan named Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru steal from unsuspecting villagers in order to make ends meet. However, Kotarou is forced to remain on the run when he finds himself being hunted down by assassins sent by China's Ming Dynasty for mysterious reasons not involving his petty crimes.

Fortunately, the duo run into Nanashi, a ronin who has taken refuge in a small temple, when Kotarou is attacked and Tobimaru poisoned. Although the samurai saves the helpless pair from their pursuers, he feels that there is no need to help them further; but when offered a gem in exchange for his services as a bodyguard, he reluctantly accepts Kotarou's offer of employment—just until Tobimaru is healed and the two reach their destination. As the three set out on a perilous journey, it soon becomes evident that their path is riddled with danger, as the Ming Dynasty has now sent a terrifying swordsman after them to capture Kotarou and fulfill a certain prophecy.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Stranger: Mukou Hadan won the award for Best Animated Feature at Brazil's International Fantastic Film Festival and was nominated for the same categories at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. It also won the 2009 "Menzione Speciale" recognition at Italy's Future Film Festival.

The film wasn't nominated to the Oscars, but it was amongst the 14 finalists for consideration to the Best Animated Feature Award; however, the final nominees were WALL-E, Bolt and Kung Fu Panda.

Episode Videos

Episode 1

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	Stranger: Mukou Hadan
Other:	Stranger: Mukou Hadan Pilot

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Characters & Voice Actors

Nanashi

Main

Nagase, Tomoya
Japanese

Tobimaru

Main

Luo Lang

Main

Yamadera, Kouichi
Japanese

Kotarou

Main

Chinen, Yuuri
Japanese

Feng Wu

Supporting

Nojima, Hirofumi
Japanese

Mu Mao

Supporting

Mizusawa, Fumie
Japanese

Inui, Juurouta

Supporting

Miyano, Mamoru
Japanese

Itadori, Shougen

Supporting

Ootsuka, Akio
Japanese

Huo Chou

Supporting

Houki, Katsuhisa
Japanese

Yue Shen

Supporting

Aizawa, Masaki
Japanese

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Staff

Minami, Masahiko

Producer

Iizuka, Toshio

Producer

Tasaka, Hidemasa

Assistant Producer

Andou, Masahiro

Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

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Opening Theme

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Ending Theme

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Reviews

May 5, 2008

Washi

Recommended

Sword of the Stranger is both unusual and refreshing in the way that it seemed to come out of nowhere and prove to be a remarkable anime. It seems, lately, that anything warranting a large budget and a lot of effort from a studio is either a sequel, an adaptation based on a successful manga or novel, or the next dull addition to a creatively stagnant franchise. None of these things, Sword of the Stranger is an unexpected big-budget film, which leapt instantly to the forefront of my favoured anime movies with exhilarating action sequences, captivating visuals, raw, evocative music and simple but affective characterisation. ... The look and sound of the show will instantly grab you, and perhaps even carries the film over the insubstantial plot backbone.

Some people have already ordained this film as a classic of sorts, but I’d have to disagree with that, simply because, although it hits hard and fast with splendour, and resonates beyond mere eye-candy, it doesn’t have a crucial element to elevate it into that tier. The characters do have sufficient weight for the audience to empathise with them, and they are also very likeable, but I felt that my appreciation of the characterisation is due largely to the voice talent behind them. So, credit goes to the cast and not necessarily to the way the film was written, which perhaps had more featured characters than it should have. If the film had focused more on the central to characters, I feel it could have been a classic, or at the very least, deliver an even more powerful finale. Perhaps replacing some of the action scenes with more intimate, personal character moments could have helped. But that minor gripe aside, the big problem with the film was the gaping hole where the plot should be.

A plot should always be more than just a vague framework to drive a movie from one scene another all the way to the climax. It should give credence to the movie, so that the film has a certain importance or reason. As it was, the plot, both simple and relatively silly, told me that the film existed for the sake of great action scenes. It’s a valid premise for entertainment, but it means there’s no lasting impact on the audience because it doesn’t really have anything much to convey. There’s no story here I haven’t seen before in this genre, and for much of the time the plot is a little too confusing.

It seems I’d almost forgotten the potential for animation to be so visually compelling. On a technical level, the anime medium has frequent success, but transcending animation quality, it’s a very rare experience for an anime to be truly visually compelling, creating not just mood and detail, but also scenes of beauty. This film achieves that in a way that totally blew me away, and I don’t say that very often (I’m not one of those apt to calling every Kyoto Animation production flawlessly animated). The climax of the film, a roaring skirmish amidst snow and fire, is breathtaking and elegiac. More than just an impressive, visceral action sequence, it is tinged with emotion and dramatic tension, which drives the film up to its climactic pinnacle.

As I say time and time again, the concept of a conclusion is highly important to me. When anything ends I expect more than a bit of excitement, or an explanatory wrap-up, I want the climax to resonate and to pay-off the themes of the series/movie. This film does achieve that, and even though it is devoid of really challenging and engaging themes, it still manages to be moving with likeable characters and endearing score music. In my mind, an anime that can end on a powerful high note, with stunning production and consistent pacing, is a winner. Even though the film falls prey to a number of action film clichés, and at times feels like a rehash of bits of the samurai film genre, and even though its plot is undemanding and almost silly, it is irresistibly engaging. Beyond anything else, this should definitely be approached as an action film, and with that approach, I can safely say it is a great accomplishment in its genre. It is fast-paced and features fierce, clever battle sequences, but more importantly, overshadowing the violence (which any action film can claim on), it is rendered with artistry and beauty, and effortlessly tugs at your heart. Frankly put, the only flaw in this film is the slight lack of depth to the characters, and the completely unremarkable plot. But if, like me, you’ve grown tired of the relative mediocrity of most anime television and want something to renew your love for the anime medium as an art form, this would be a good bet.

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Jan 27, 2009

miscanime

Mixed Feelings

This movie did, as someone mentioned in their review, come out of nowhere. I actually learned of it because there was a poster for the dubbed version showing in the US theatres coming in Feb.

Anyhow, the animation is seriously like 10. It's got scenes that make me wish I were there--and not the lame super shiny Miyazaki way that everyone spazzes about. I'm talking things that seem to reach back into the Japanese past and bring scrolls to life sorta animation. It was excellent and I hope to one day own a DVD of this movie so as to see it in its true ...

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Aug 22, 2013

klasha

Not Recommended

Let me start by saying this movie has great animation and great action BUT that's where the praise ends for this movie.

(I personally think this movie is hyped for those reasons only if you want a movie with any dept avoid this now)

Characters - only one word to describe the characters in this movie and its shallow! there is no character development at all I know its a movie and they don't have a major time span to work with but seriously you won't see characters as shallow and dull as this.

Story - Cliché, Dull and predictable a group of about 10 Ming ...

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Poll: Stranger - Mukoh Hadan Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Liquid - Apr 16, 2008	260 replies	by DjDuubstep »» Nov 5, 2023 9:45 AM
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Sword of the Stranger ending (warning: spoilers!) ( 1 2 3 ) NamariKirei - Feb 3, 2009	111 replies	by Adampk »» Feb 15, 2021 9:37 AM
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Stranger: Mukou Hadan

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