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!

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.

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: death frenzy captivated me from the first episode. It's a slow burner, but every second is tense. The score is blended it to every aspect of it and sets the mood for every scene. I found myself having to rewind many times to understand the scene that goes by quickly, but the show rewards you paying attention. It's beautifully crafted and makes you feel like you're in ancient Japan. I don't know how this show isn't rated higher, maybe because it isn't your mainstream action packed anime. It is a mature, graphic and bloody tale that quite literally moves to the beat of its own drum. Yet it never lacks in pacing. If ghost of tsushima and basilisk ninja scrolls had a lovechild it would be this. 10/10.