Lobo Solitário - A Espada da Vingança

My knowledge in Japanese samurai films is a bit narrow, but I'll take the chance to draw a parallelism between east and west cinema that could sound blasphemous or stupid to somebody who knows more about it. But I suppose, if westerns had John Ford as a traditionalist filmmaker and Sergio Leone as a revolutioner who shattered that sanitized and mythic image and made it dirty and unheroic, I could apply that same logic to samurai films of Akira Kurosawa and then to what Kenji Misumi accomplished in this first chapter. I guess that shallow explanation could serve a newcomer to picture what kind of brilliant and bloody action film they'll find here. also judging from the bloody fight scenes its clear where Tarantino got his influence for his Kill Bill films.

Kozure Okami:Kowokashi Undekashi Tsukamatsuru/Lone Wolf & Cub:Sword of Vengeance(1972) is the story of an once distinguished samurai executioner who was framed for treason. Shows how the main character went into being an avenging assassin. After the death of his wife, Ogami Itto makes a vow of vengeance on the people responsible for the murder of his wife and his frame up. With his son Daigoro by his side, Itto tends towards the road of assassin as a way to get even with his arch enemy, the Yagyu Clan. His assignment in this story is to kill a few high officers of a samurai clan who plan on killing their future leader.

The action sequences are visually arresting and physically awesome. The sword play in these action scenes are fresh and imaginative. Many of these scenes are gory and violent but not as gory as in some of the later Lone Film & Cub films. Lone Wolf & Cub:Sword of Vengeance(1972) does an excellent job in being faithful to the visual style of the samurai sword fights from the graphic novels. The camera work on these action scenes are free flowing with style and booming with graceful movement.

The film combines the back story of volume one and volume six in the Lone Wolf & Cub comics. The prologue and the first flashback is from volume six. The second flashback later in the movie is from the first volume. These scenes for the most part are faithful to the original source. The dialogue, however is slightly different in the film from volumes one and six.

The first flashback that depicts Itto's frame up by the Yagyu fills the screen with a sea of human emotions. This scene shows the relationship between Ogami and his wife to be caring and tender. The moment when Azami touches her son's face and then dies is very sad. One of the few times in the film and the series that Ogami Itto is highly emotional. Scene depicts Ogami Itto as a man who is bound by the code of Bushido.

Lone Wolf & Cub:Sword of Vengeance(1972) is not as polish or technically slick as the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa. Does not share Kurosawa's eye for the spectacle touch of his samurai pictures. Also, not deep in depiction of human nature and human error like Akira Kurosawa's Samurai epics. The mindset and the beliefs of the samurai is better depicted here. More an authentic look at the period of the Shogun and the fatalistic nature of the samurai warrior.

The scene where Ogami Itto gives his son the choice of the ball or the sword is intense and suspenseful. Its in this scene that Itto and his son Daigoro become the Lone Wolf & Cub. The choice given to Daigoro is cruel yet compassionate. When Daigoro touches the sword his path is more fatalistic and worst than death. A very emotional moment for Ogami Itto because of his love for his son and the fact that their path together will be of loneiness and tragedy.

The love scene with the prostitute and Ogami Itto is erotic yet not overly explicit. Effective in the use of camera movement and dissolves. Scene is well edited. The only love scene that Ogami Itto is involved during the entire Lone Wolf & Cub movies. Shows that Itto will sacrifice the feeling of shame to save a girl who is an outcast like himself.

The revenge motif dominates the motives of Ogami Itto as well as the plot development of Lone Wolf & CUb:Sword of Vengeance(1972). This motif is done in the same manner as in many Italian Westerns. The theme of revenge makes the film pretty much a Japanese Spaghetti Western. Honor and revenge are the two most important things for Ogami Itto. The motif of revenge is a strong force in both the comic and film version of Lone Wolf and Cub.

The Climatic battle scene builds up with an incredible amount of suspense. Awesome depiction of sword play with some gory moments. The camera moves around in a smooth fashion and acts as another member of the cast. The director, Kenji Misumi does the battle scenes in the graphic novel series. Tomisaburo Wakayama is excellent in doing this scene.

Contains a disturbing and harrowing rape scene. The cinematography, editing, and art direction are first class. Tomisaburo Wakayama was the perfect actor to play Ogami Itto because of his physical similarites. Akihiro Tomikawa is cute as Ogami Daigoro. The Violence here is on the level of the blood letting from The Streetfighter movies.

The foremost reason why this is a standout movie-series is because of it's unusual and highly original main concept. There are plenty of Japanese movies about a shogun, ronin or a samurai fulfilling their destinies and travel through the country, getting into all kind of adventures and troubles. The Kozure Ôkami-series has an original take on this type of movies by letting the main character carry and drive around his infant son in an armed and dangerous baby cart. His infant son even helps him in battle sometime. No big surprise that this all is being based on a manga-series, by Kazuo Koike, who also contributed to this movie its script.

It also becomes obvious that this movie is being based on a manga when you look at its violence. It's really deliberately being over-the-top and the entire series is well known for featuring fountains of blood, whenever someone gets struck down or gets a limb or head cut off. It's a pretty bloody movie but because it all gets down in such an over-the-top way, it's nothing too shocking to watch, even when you don't have the stomach for it.

It are really its action sequences that stand out and there is plenty of action in this one. All of the fights got nicely choreographed and brought to the screen and above all things they also often have something original to offer. Often Itto uses some tricks to fool his opponents and can strike down the best trained and most powerful shogun with one strike because of some clever and unexpected moves and tricks, sometimes helped by his infant son Daigorô.

The movie is good looking, thanks to its fine directing, that provides the movie with some nicely done sequences but also due to its great looking environments. The movie often uses nature elements and environments as a key part of the movie its climatic battles, such as water or the sun.

All in all, a great start of the series!

8/10

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The first entry in a series of master pieces. Based very strongly upon the manga series `Lone Wolf and Cub' is most likely the best film series derived from comics. And truly great films as well. One cannot base one story on a single comic. There are so many elements in each. There is a basic story, but often times there are mixed with others. Little things are thrown in as well. Normally it would make any less a film seem crammed or just forced in. But it is pulled off brilliantly.

This film, the first entry is largely a set up for the sequels but still brilliant, from its beautiful camera shots to the extremely gory ascetic fights. It tells the story of how the main character Ogami Itto was exiled from his royal position as the Shoguns decapitator. It flashes from past to present until the entire past story is told. The ending fight is a great climax.

The sword work although at times seems fake is brilliantly choreographed. The gore in the film is not overly done, but rather thrown in to give it an artistic feel, as if you're watching a moving painting. Often times one may think every scene could very well be a panting.

Some aspects of the plot may seem odd to most western audiences. The scene where Ogami gives his son a choice between a ball and a sword. Or rather life or death, may strike many people as cold. However one must understand bushido and know that the way of the samurai is life in death. Ask yourself what would be worse taking your son on a trip as you kill men beyond number, or giving somewhat of a choice.

This film is truly beautiful, and hold up today as not just one of the greatest samurai films ever made, but films period.

The first film in a great series of samurai films. Veteran Japanese actor Tomisaburo Wakayama, brother of Shintaro Katsu (Zatoichi), stars as the ultra-stoic hero Ogami Itto, who, along with his infant son Daigoro and a babycart with hidden spears and guns, wages a one-man war against the evil Yagyu clan who killed his wife and framed him for disloyalty to the Shogunate. A very well-made series of action films, some reasonably inventive direction, editing, and photography, a good soundtrack too. The action scenes are especially well-done, from the one-on-one sword duels to the Wild Bunch-style Ogami Itto vs. Everybody battles at the end of each film. A must-see for anyone who enjoys Spaghetti Westerns or martial-arts films.