One of the new samurai-themed TV series caught my eye and I wonder if anyone has seen episodes from Shigurui?
It's by Madhouse studios and seems to be a typical shonen anime featuring a lot of fighting and gore. Personally that doesn't appeal to me as much as the visual style and period setting but if the action is realistic I'm in favour of it.
Here's a little general info on Anime News Network with a small gallery of images here on Jamaipanese.com
I won a couple of storyboards from Mandarake today in order to get a feel for the story and am currently DLing a fansub of episode 1. Is it worth persuing this series? Could you recommend any other similar newish series to me?
Cheers!
Samurai series - SHIGURUI
-
Krafty
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Samurai series - SHIGURUI
Out of the gloom a voice said unto me;
"Smile and be happy, things could be worse".
So I smiled and was happy
and behold;
things did get worse...
"Smile and be happy, things could be worse".
So I smiled and was happy
and behold;
things did get worse...
Re: Samurai series - SHIGURUI
wow Thanks Krafty! I will have to get my hands on that one. I haven't watched much of anime this year, but this one awoke my interest finally again. I let you know what I think after watching it.Krafty wrote:One of the new samurai-themed TV series caught my eye and I wonder if anyone has seen episodes from Shigurui?
It's by Madhouse studios and seems to be a typical shonen anime featuring a lot of fighting and gore. Personally that doesn't appeal to me as much as the visual style and period setting but if the action is realistic I'm in favour of it.
Here's a little general info on Anime News Network with a small gallery of images here on Jamaipanese.com
I won a couple of storyboards from Mandarake today in order to get a feel for the story and am currently DLing a fansub of episode 1. Is it worth persuing this series? Could you recommend any other similar newish series to me?
Cheers!
-
Cloud
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Cool.
The Three Laws of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
-I, Robot (Asimov)
-
Cloud
- Himajin - Get A Life
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Pretty much, eh?
The Three Laws of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
-I, Robot (Asimov)
I’ve only seen the fansub of Shigurui’s episode 1 …
There’s this great moment, where you hear a dojo’s rules of etiquette when facing an opponent from another dojo, intercut with scenes of a man’s face being sliced-up by a katana. As if the rules are an easily broken restraint, which tries (in vain) to suppress man’s desire to fight and kill each other.
It starts with a duel (arranged to appease Shogun Iemitsu’s bloodlust) that looks similar to how the fight between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro is often depicted, except in this case they’re world wearied and their bodies are battle ravaged (but their desire to kill is still strong). It’s kinda interesting to me that one guy is named Gennosuke; I’m wondering if that was referencing Basilisk, or if both usages of this name are paying homage to someone else.
The character design is highly detailed (sometimes pretty, at other times grotesque); animated movement is limited; 3d models look bad; but there are many awesome looking lighting effects, and the overall look is “Samurai cool”
Samurai honor seems to be a façade, but after seeing ep.1, Shigurui’s reasoning didn’t seem as interesting as the 1962 film Harakiri. I’m guessing the subsequent episodes go into the duelists’ back-stories??? Maybe it gets better???
I found it, like a lot of other anime, to be blatant and preachy with its moral stance. But I enjoyed ep.1 and it’s worth watching.
As for newer stuff…
I’m watching Claymore (from what I’ve seen, it’s like ‘what if’ Rei from Eva was Guts from Berserk and the major conflict was mother-daughter) and Koutetsu Sangokushi (it works best for me if I just delude myself into thinking that Sonken [good girl] and Koumei [dragon lady] are really girls, instead of guys
). Koutetsu is based on Romance of the 3 Kingdoms so it uses the classic themes of honor, loyalty, and respect found in samurai lore 
; though its look is girly, bishy, yaoi. 
There’s this great moment, where you hear a dojo’s rules of etiquette when facing an opponent from another dojo, intercut with scenes of a man’s face being sliced-up by a katana. As if the rules are an easily broken restraint, which tries (in vain) to suppress man’s desire to fight and kill each other.
It starts with a duel (arranged to appease Shogun Iemitsu’s bloodlust) that looks similar to how the fight between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro is often depicted, except in this case they’re world wearied and their bodies are battle ravaged (but their desire to kill is still strong). It’s kinda interesting to me that one guy is named Gennosuke; I’m wondering if that was referencing Basilisk, or if both usages of this name are paying homage to someone else.
The character design is highly detailed (sometimes pretty, at other times grotesque); animated movement is limited; 3d models look bad; but there are many awesome looking lighting effects, and the overall look is “Samurai cool”
Samurai honor seems to be a façade, but after seeing ep.1, Shigurui’s reasoning didn’t seem as interesting as the 1962 film Harakiri. I’m guessing the subsequent episodes go into the duelists’ back-stories??? Maybe it gets better???
I found it, like a lot of other anime, to be blatant and preachy with its moral stance. But I enjoyed ep.1 and it’s worth watching.
As for newer stuff…
I’m watching Claymore (from what I’ve seen, it’s like ‘what if’ Rei from Eva was Guts from Berserk and the major conflict was mother-daughter) and Koutetsu Sangokushi (it works best for me if I just delude myself into thinking that Sonken [good girl] and Koumei [dragon lady] are really girls, instead of guys
). Koutetsu is based on Romance of the 3 Kingdoms so it uses the classic themes of honor, loyalty, and respect found in samurai lore ; though its look is girly, bishy, yaoi. -
Krafty
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Thanks for the info, Chris. I've now watched episodes 1-3 and am enjoying it. It harks back to the black & white samurai movies with similar styles in terms of themes the period settings- typical locations are used, the dojo, clan homes, paddy fields, forest and water well but it has a contemporary feel to it. This is achieved with the visuals and the voiceovers- mostly when we hear the character's inner thoughts.
As was mentioned, the females play a very undermined and submissive role but that was a reality of Japanese culture at the time it's set [1630's]. The brief sex scenes agitated me just because I didn't approve of the way the women were mistreated. I tried emotionally separating myself from what was on screen, reminding myself that this base behaviour went on, but it wasn't easy viewing. But it does give an insight into the character's personalities and demonstrates what the men could get away with back then.
I read a small review online that suggested this series was overly gory but I don't come to that conclusion, especially when you consider the context of the action and what the violence is about and what the effects are on the human body.
Looking forward to seeing more of this series, that's for sure!
BTW, for anyone watching this series there seems to be two versions, a censored one and full one. I initially DL'd a version which had Spanish subs and since this was the first episode I watched half of it while DLing another version with English subs.
I noticed that the gory scenes early on were either cut or somewhat obscurred with pale colouring to hide blood and guts. I pressume this was done to alter the rating so it could be presented to different audiences.
As was mentioned, the females play a very undermined and submissive role but that was a reality of Japanese culture at the time it's set [1630's]. The brief sex scenes agitated me just because I didn't approve of the way the women were mistreated. I tried emotionally separating myself from what was on screen, reminding myself that this base behaviour went on, but it wasn't easy viewing. But it does give an insight into the character's personalities and demonstrates what the men could get away with back then.
I read a small review online that suggested this series was overly gory but I don't come to that conclusion, especially when you consider the context of the action and what the violence is about and what the effects are on the human body.
Looking forward to seeing more of this series, that's for sure!
BTW, for anyone watching this series there seems to be two versions, a censored one and full one. I initially DL'd a version which had Spanish subs and since this was the first episode I watched half of it while DLing another version with English subs.
I noticed that the gory scenes early on were either cut or somewhat obscurred with pale colouring to hide blood and guts. I pressume this was done to alter the rating so it could be presented to different audiences.
