Welcome to the samurai action blog. The samurai films in Japan are like the Western film of the United States. Both were once very popular, but not as much now. Both themes pop up every so often bringing up the hopes for some sort of revival, but that has not yet happened. In 2010, I published a book, titled, Sword of the Undead, which re-told Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula, with a samurai twist. (Click here for excerpt)







Sunday, August 18, 2013

Anime: Inuyasha

This is more of a teen-age girl fantasy/romance, but it does take place during the Sengoku era.

It's one of the most popular animes from Japan.  It lasted for almost 200 episodes, and the manga, I think, went on for about 12 years.

Although the series had been going on for years, and ended a couple of years ago, I recently found a dvd of the first 54 episodes and I got hooked.

Basically, the plot is about a 15 year old girl who time travels back to the Sengoku era.  Apparently, she is the reincarnation of a priestess, who fights demon, but was killed. She resurrects a half-demon young man who wants to be a full-fledged demon.  But in the ensuing battle, she shatters a gem that has magical powers.  The entire series is about collecting all the fragments of the gem - for use - good or evil, depending on who gets hold of the whole gem.

As I write this, I realize it is pretty in-depth. Here is the wiki to the story: Inuyasha

Thursday, August 1, 2013

47 Ronin movie with Keanu Reeves

I just saw the trailer for 47 Ronin and this is worse than Frank Miller's 300. At least that movie had a connection to the Battle of Thermopylae (as fictionalized as that was). This movie has nothing to do with the revenge killing of Lord Kira for the forced seppuku of Lord Asano.

I'm sure it will be an enjoyable film, as I enjoy the movies of both stars, Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada.  But really, did they have to title the movie, 47 Ronin?

Normally, in a post like this, I would link to the preview, but I'm not going to do it for this one - Unless they change the title.