Shigurui

...it would be called Shigurui Death Frenzy.

This thing is a very atmospheric horror samurai tale. The baroque approach reminds me of Lynch on occasion, and the bloody and nasty violence certainly recall the icky tactile gore of Richard Laymon's books and some of Takashi Miike's best known work.

The narrative is not straight forward and there is a fair amount of ambiguity, so this is not thoughtless action fare. Typically, when things get this violent in anime (nc-17 kind of stuff), the creators have far lower aspirations than did the makers of Shigurui-- this is bold experimentation with the medium and dark/perverse storytelling. (Yoshiaki Kawajiri is involved, the man best known for Ninja Scroll and Highlander and Wicked City, but should be best known for directing the X TV series, which is the most nuanced and beautifully navigated television show of the last decade in any format).

Anyways, Shigurui is structurally diverse, very dark, graphic, engrossing and disturbing (really, there's some unsettling stuff here, not just 'blood fountains'). It compares to Berserk, though is more experimental and darker. Really.

This epic historical anime about conflict goes beyond the medium itself. I will try to be objective with my limited abilities. Hiroshi Hamasaki the genius behind Technolyze decided to adapt the first thirty two chapters of shigurui before giving up the project entirely. Now why watch an incomplete series, anyone might wonder. This partial attempt at adapting one of the most dramatic stories ever told is one of those rare instances where its failure to completion can be seen as a greater achievement than most successful adaptations of other stories out there. The literary scope of this project alone merits a one time viewing. The content maybe quite distasteful to some but I would quietly urge the casual viewer to please NOT simply take in the graphic violence at face value and instead look at them as symbols to what may unravel the conflict between the two principal antagonists. Unlike most hero worshiping stories out there, this story has no heroes, only villains with a unique sense of morality and justice. These are stories that can be endlessly dissected and with every viewing this new found perspective can serve aid you decipher a little of that vast unknowable known as Japan. The style of the anime is very decadent. And very much like the politics of Japan during the Edo period - was vastly tumultuous. This story serves as an allegory to that time period through the choices its antagonists makes and its consequences they eventually face. The anime has flawlessly taken in the elements, details and nuances from the manga, and taken it to the next level. The greatest achievement in my opinion was the foreshadowing of the events to come were executed to perfection, like a well aged single malt whiskey. These details can only be noted from repeated viewing. I have watched many animes in my thirty three years of existence, but at that moment when I finished watching the 12 episodes and then later eventually finishing the manga, I have never felt more alive and relevant. In conclusion - WATCH IT NOW!

This is a 12 part Anime series. I watched the Blu-ray (english 5.1) and thought it was "translated well", without knowing the original language (which is also on the disc in 2.0). Atmosphere and presentation is where this series really shines. The voice acting is good and ambient sounds can be great at times. The artwork and sound design is impressive and can be almost hypnotic. The story may seem a bit convoluted and i actually watched the 1st part again after finishing the series, but much of it comes together in the end.

This is not your average Samurai-Anime, if you're looking for something action-packed like Ninja Scroll, you won't find it here. If you like the more arty touch and trippiness of Ghost in the Shell and thrive on atmosphere and just enjoying the animated art, then you're in the right place. There aren't huge battles or war-scenes, the Samurai are mostly dueling, building up tension with dialog and the great score before bursting into short but intense fights. There is some pretty graphic violence, so only recommendable to adults, especially with the slower, more atmospheric style of the series, which can be interpreted as "boring" by viewers with a short attention span.

If you are in need of another Samurai fix, but with more action, then check out Ninja Scroll (1993) + Basilisk (2005)

Shigurui is an anime that centers around the lives of the 2 foremost disciples of the Kogan style - a form of swordplay that allows the user to deliver lethal strikes from extraordinary distances and with blinding speed. One disciple is driven by his ambition to ascend through the social rungs despite his common birth; the other is driven by his blind devotion to his master and to preserving the legacy of the sword school. They have been dubbed the twin dragons of the Kogan, but only one can emerge as the successor to inherit the school and its fortune, and for this honor only the strongest will be chosen.

-Key aspects:

The swordplay depicted in Shigurui is markedly different from the variety you'll commonly see in anime (where people smack their swords together while performing gymnastics). The katana is a weapon designed to kill with a single stroke, and Shigurui adheres to this basic principle. This is a large part of what sets the action in this anime a cut above its peers. Shigurui features true swordplay in which every stroke has meaning, and where the first clash is often the last.

The art, visual effects, and soundtrack are all top notch. Every scene is crafted with painstaking care and it all sums up to an experience that is nothing short of a masterpiece.

It is important to note, however, that this is not a simple anime, so unless you're prepared to invest yourself in the narrative, and possess a certain degree of 'mental refinement' (for lack of a better term) Shigurui probably won't speak to you as deeply. The anime is also gore-heavy; it shows you exactly what happens when a swords comes into contact with flesh and it isn't pretty. This may be a deciding turnoff for you, and that's understandable. Some people have a stronger stomach than others.I would encourage you not to simply dismiss the content as gratuitous however.

-In closing: Ever since Shigurui I have been searching for an anime in the samurai genre that could provide me with an experience on par with death frenzy, and sadly nothing seems to come close. I can't even watch most anime anymore because they bore me in comparison to Shigurui. I truly believe that this is the pinnacle of production in an anime to date.

Be prepared, Shigurui: Death Frenzy is not for everyone. It's gruesomely violent, has very few redeemable or likeable characters, it's rapey, shockingly gory and has pretty much zero moments of humour.

I also kind of loved it.

The story takes place in the 1600's in a dojo where the sensei is training samurai in order to choose his eventual successor and the backstabbing, murder and betrayals going on in the background. That's the basic gist of it, i don't want to spoil anything.

Pretty much every character is a psychopath especially the sensei, the fight scenes are so stylish and brutal and the tone and atmosphere so thick with dread and tension that i do not blink when i watch this show.

The violence really is extreme with dismemberment, eyeballs being slashed with swords (and eaten), jaws being detached from faces and characters having teeth stuck in their fists after delivering particularly hard blows to their opponents.

It really isn't for sensitive viewers but if that sounds cool to you then....well it is pretty cool.

I enjoyed the soundtrack too which is mostly traditional Japanese instruments and dark ambient drones which make it feel really intense. It's like watching a horror movie.

I can definitely see some people hating it due to it's slow pace, relentlessly downbeat tone and extreme content (including sexual violence) but i think this is an underrated gem.