Samurai 7
- TV Series
- 2004
- Tous publics
A small village gets raided by bandits every harvest season. The villagers can't take it anymore, and decide to recruit samurais to defend them in exchange for rice. Will the villagers find ... Read allA small village gets raided by bandits every harvest season. The villagers can't take it anymore, and decide to recruit samurais to defend them in exchange for rice. Will the villagers find who would defend them from the bandits?A small village gets raided by bandits every harvest season. The villagers can't take it anymore, and decide to recruit samurais to defend them in exchange for rice. Will the villagers find who would defend them from the bandits?
Featured reviews
As for this series, Samurai 7, a futuristic recreation of the classic black-and-white masterpiece? I absolutely loved it.
Samurai 7, while taking some generous liberties with the original film (obviously there weren't giant mechs raiding villages back in any 30's film) stands on its own as an engaging story that uses top-notch animation and clever translation/writing to keep itself intriguing. The CGI for the numerous robots and the hand drawn animation for the rest of the characters all looks great, though I did notice in the later installments of this series that there were points of animation that suddenly looked sub-par. Don't ask why, my guess is that the better animator got sick or something and they called in a cheap replacement.
But what really makes this series stand out, and is also a feature I feel is desperately missing from the majority of the anime genre, is the simple, relatable humanity of the characters. As with any "team" film or series, which have large ensembles of interacting and different characters, Samurai 7 relies of the simple yet difficult art of human subtlty and foibles to deliver diologue and conflict that is above and beyond most animated features. Even for the characters that are mechanical (I don't believe its ever explained how the people are put in robotic bodies)you feel a definite attachment and understanding for them, and in the process, you care for them.
There are virtually no over the top anime-staple "weird faces," or whatever they're called by anime fans, where an over-the-top emotion causes the face of a character to become "super-deformed." I find this a welcome breath of fresh air, and its absence truly keeps the idea that these are actual people in the story alive, though some odd character designs do occasionally mar the experience, if only for a few brief, forgettable seconds.
As for the action, fear not. Fans of sword fighting hack-and-slash, beat-em'-ups will be well satisfied. Especially between the hand drawn characters, the fighting couldn't be better, with a beautiful mix of "Kung-Fu" and "Samurai-champloo" esquire combat that truly leaves you breathless. My one complaint in this aspect of the series is that the giant mech characters, who are each about the size of a building, seem a bit helpless to the small, faster human characters, who dice them up like cheese at a deli over and over again. Fortunately, as the mech characters are few, this never really bars anything down.
While the visual style may irk Seven Samurai purists, and the storyline is greatly molded to fit this post-war, cyber/steam punk universe the plot is set in, open-minded fans of Seven Samurai and its several spin-offs ("Magnificent Seven" anyone?) will find tons to love, as well as anime and animation fans in general who have never seen the film.
Dig up this vastly underrated series. Trust me, your in for one hell of a ride.
At first I was skeptical about the transference of the story to some sort of fantasy future. The city setting is impressive while similar to futuristic cities seen in other anime. The film "Metropolis" is one. In fact the whole production is of the highest quality in terms of art direction. This is one good looking anime series. The music and soundtrack are really good also. But it would be meaningless if the story and the characters didn't have something to offer the viewer. And something they do. While not in league with the strong characters of a "Cowboy Bebop" or other top animes, Samurai 7 has a well thought out and developed crew. The story is paced for a full series so your memories of the film have to be tempered. There is a new sub-plot and a number of invented incidents. The whole production has the integrity of the Zatoichi film series and other classic samurai dramas.
The creators of this series do experiment at some points with mixed results. One early episode seems to have been done entirely by an artist from the "Fooly Coolly" series. The expressionistic loose art style works and doesn't work at the same time. There are some other anime concessions (beautiful girls, mega destruction) but overall it doesn't hurt the series.
Some notes on the US DVD release: The video quality is excellent but the sound and translation are a mixed bag. The dubbed track is different compared to the subtitle track. A lot of dialog is dumbed down or changes the original intent of the Japanese writers. I recommend avoiding the English track for this reason although the voice actors are very well cast and do an excellent job. The sound mix is sloppy at times. With episodes 5 - 8, the Japanese track has the sound effects turned way down, giant crashes sound like small drops, but the English track has the music and sound effects overpowering the vocal track.
In order to have more of an appreciation for the show, I think, one has to take it sort of apart of the original film. The original 1954 classic takes from both samurai/Japanese lore, as well as the Western genre (originally some John Ford influence in there), forming into this big, but focused epic. Watching this series, I could see this owes a lot more to the dozens of other anime like this, where samurai are cast against the light of a science fiction backdrop (some of the opening animation made me think of Star Wars, also a connection to Kurosawa coincidentally), as technological forces of mass destruction face off against those ultra-skilled with a sword, or maybe more. The hero of this episode, for example, and who I can imagine has a much greater role in the course of the series, is like the Takashi Shimura character from the Kurosawa film crossed with one of the characters from an ultra-stylized Magma comic book, to give a generic comparison to be sure.
I'll keep on watching the series to see how and when the action unfolds, and I'm even intrigued enough to seek out the uncut, Japanese-language version of the DVD. But make no mistake, this will divide (or just make made) those who place the Kurosawa film in such high regard, as to whether such a work of art can be transposed into a well-made, if not that spectacular on a first go-around, anime show. Those who are already fans of the animation style anyway may gravitate to it, however when compared to programs like Fist of the North Star and Ninja Scroll it isn't quite the caliber either. My recommendation- if you have IFC, it's worth a view, but if you are expecting a literal translation from live-action film to animation, look elsewhere.
I didn't give it the full 10/10 only because like Ukyo - I am not a fan of robots - normally anything with robots in, is a turn away. However the characters and the relationships were brilliant, and it was good to see on UTube that others felt the same concerning the deaths of some of the characters.
Did you know
- TriviaThe story and title are based on Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai".
- Quotes
Kambei Shimada: How does it look?
Heihachi Hayashida: I think she'll fly for us.
Kambei Shimada: Good. As soon as the repairs are done, we'll head for the Capital.
Heihachi Hayashida: All right.
Shichiroji: Well, it might not be much of a warship, but it certainly is faster than that old wagon. It's too bad we don't have time to find something with defenses.
Kambei Shimada: The Capital isn't going to wait for us.
Kikuchiyo: So we're finally gonna strike?
Shichiroji: How many years has it been since we've taken on one of those airships? I'd say I'm nervous, but I keep thinking of what Gorobei-san would say if he were here.
Kikuchiyo: Yeah! He'd say, "Nervous? You gotta be kidding? Get out there and die with honor!"
[Komachi starts bawling]
Kirara Mikumari: Komachi, what's the matter?
Komachi Mikumari: I don't want Kiku to die with honor!
Kikuchiyo: Oh! W-w-listen, I- I was just- well... this is tough guy talk! Who could ever die and leave you behind, sprout?
Komachi Mikumari: Really, promise?
Kikuchiyo: Here, I'll tell you what. I want you to hang onto this for me. It's my proof that I'm a samurai.
Komachi Mikumari: The scroll that you stole?
Kikuchiyo: I didn't steal it, I found it! Anyway, it doesn't matter. You're the first person who ever accepted me as a samurai, who believed in me. So I want you to have my most valuable possession. Keep it safe for me and I'll be back for it. Promise.
Komachi Mikumari: It's a deal. But you have to promise me something even more important.
Kikuchiyo: Alright. Lay it on me.
Komachi Mikumari: 'kay, don't laugh, but when I grow up, I want you to be my husband.
Kikuchiyo: [Kikuchiyo gasps and is moved to tears] In this heap of metal? I can't even farm rice!
Komachi Mikumari: Well, I love you just the way you are, Kiku. I'll even cook for you!
Kikuchiyo: Oh, I'm so happy! Are you even sure about this, sprout?
Komachi Mikumari: I'm sure!
Kikuchiyo: Oh, if I get older, Komachi, I'm gonna be your husband! You don't know how happy you've made me!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Adventures in Voice Acting (2008)
- How many seasons does Samurai 7 have?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1