Shogun Assassin

Description

In a time of evil and tyranny, a stone-faced ronin wanders the countryside with his young son (and a weapon-filled baby cart), hunted by the merciless minions of an evil Shogun.

Once a noble samurai, he is now the most feared assassin in Japan, known only as Lone Wolf.

Starring the legendary Tomisaburo Wakayama, Shogun Assassin is perhaps the most famous samurai film in the Western world. Created by editing together the first two Kozure Ookami (Lone Wolf & Cub) films, Shogun Assassin has sliced through pop culture much like the Lone Wolf slices through evildoers, influencing everything from GZA's 1995 Liquid Swords album to Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Volume 2. A quarter-century after its initial release, it remains one of the most deliriously violent and action-packed films of all time!

Now available for the first time in North America, Academy Award-winnning director Robert Houston's legendary epic has been reconstructed for this official release from new digital transfers of the original Lone Wolf & Cub films.

DVD Features:
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen
Dubbed in English

Bonus Material Includes:
Original Theatrical Trailers
Daigoro's History Lesson
Restoration Gallery
Program Notes

Customer Reviews:

Assasin.......2007-05-18

Another example of a good Japanese samuri film. This film quietly rolls along picking up speed and delivers the goods. Makes you laugh and smile at times.

Very cool!.......2007-05-14

In the 19th century in Japan, a lone ronin warrior named LoneWolf and his son travel across the countryside to fight off deadly ninja assassins so he can avenge the death of his beloved wife. A powerful shogun sends out minions to kill Lonewolf but can the one-man army deal with all of them himself?

One of the most violent and goriest movies of all time! This Japanese-American production is actually three films from the Japanese series "LoneWolf and Cub" into one movie and dubbed into English. A definite favorite of Quentin Tarantino as he used this movie as an inspiration to his "Kill Bill" movies, it's an entertaining and gory-as-hell is a visual action feast with some laughable English dubbing but the action is non-stop with heads being split open, slicing and dicing etc. I can see why this has got a cult following, you gotta see it to believe it.

This DVD has excellent picture and sound with the movie shown in it's widescreen presentation for the first time in the U.S.! the extras are decent like the theatrical trailer, restoration gallery, program notes and Daigo's history lesson.

Also recommended: "Ninja Scroll", "The Toxic Avenger", "Kill Bill Vols 1 & 2", "Fist of the North Star (Anime)", "Battle Royale", "Versus", "The Last Samurai", "Seven Samurai", "Ran", "Princess Mononoke", "Big Trouble in Little China", "Running Scared", "Cannibal Ferox", "Sin City", "300", "Braveheart", "The Patriot (2000)", "Street Trash", "Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky", "Ichi The Killer", "Conan The Barbarian", "Hot Fuzz", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Bad Boys 2", "Vampire Hunter D", "Commando", "The Punisher (1989 and 2004)", "Rashomon", "Crank", "Samurai Fiction" and "Troma's War".

For once, the American version is better.......2007-03-22

Yes, it's recut, rewritten, rescored, dubbed, and chopped down from two separate films. Yet even my Japanese friends agree: this version of "Lone Wolf and Cub" is better than the original Japanese films. Here's why:

1)That fantastic score by Marc Lindsay (of Paul Revere & the Raiders fame), which absolutely blows away the original.

2) The brilliantly-written and witty script ("Those swine will butcher anyone who walks in their way! It's just bad taste!"). The highlight is the narration of Daigoro, which is not found in the original.

3) A really first-rate dub. (Even Daigoro's pronunciation of "harakiri" is accurate.)

4) Wall to wall action! This is truly the "good parts" version of "Sword of Vengeance" and "Baby Cart on the River Styx."

5) Lone Wolf is actually a MUCH cooler customer in this version. The American editors have gone through and carefully removed all of actor Tomisaburo Wakayama's over-the-top emotional reactions, creating virtually a new performance in the editing room. This version of Lone Wolf is more self-possessed and calmly lethal than the original Japanese version.

That much said, there are two problems with Animeigo's presentation. The lesser is the idiotic unremovable "unrestored" notice plastered over the opening shot of Himeji Castle, which could have been handled much less intrusively by a title card before the start of the film.

Far worse, though, is the image quality. This version was constructed from Animeigo's transfers of the original films (also available on DVD), yet the picture quality is not nearly as sharp as the originals'. It actually appears to be a generation down in quality. After years of neglect and bootlegging, poor "Shogun Assassin" still can't get a break!

Probably the greatest samurai flick ever made........2007-03-13

See other reviews for plot(i don't write plots if they have been summed up well.Just buy this movie you need it for any collection,martial arts,foreign,etc...Themes for movie is that of retribution,distrust and corruption of government.Great action and cool story with minimal effects...flawless film!

best 15 bucks ive ever spent that i can remember.......2007-02-22

the reviewers above say it all.

Shogun Assassin 2 - Lightning Swords of Death

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Lone Wolf And Cub Installment Number Three: A Definite Must Watch!
I have the "red sun" version of this which is basiaclly a replica of the animeego one
This blade for hire
an exotic, lush, exaggerated world of Japanese and Samurai absolutes

Shogun Assassin 2 - Lightning Swords of Death
Starring: Kayo Matsuo , Tomisaburo Wakayama , Go Kato , and Yuko Hama
Manufacturer: Animeigo
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000LC3IQ0
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Description

Wandering the countryside with death never far behind, Ogami rescues a prostitute and offers to be punished in her place (which means being beaten to within an inch of his life). Impressed by his fortitude, a Chamberlain hires Ogami to assassinate a ruthless Governor, only to find out that the same Governor wants Ogami for a mission of his own.

When Ogami refuses the Governor's offer, he must face a series of assassins, including a dangerous gunslinger, a master swordsman and an army of soldiers. And to make matters worse, a former samurai keeps politely asking if they can have a duel!

To ensure that not a single drop of blood was omitted, this special collector's edition was created using a new digital transfer of the original Japanese film.

DVD Features:
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen
Dubbed in English

Bonus Material Includes:
Original Theatrical Trailers
Image Gallery
Program Notes

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-05-07

Classic feudal japan and samurai flick blended with modern weapons of the time. Well made.

Lone Wolf And Cub Installment Number Three: A Definite Must Watch!.......2007-01-03

Yes, they do get more violent. In fact, they are all violent. Yet their fun as hell to watch. If you are not one of those who likes violence in a film, and think that these films will be your usual fare of samurai action films, then you will be in for quite a surprise. Tomisaburo Wakayama continues where he left off: A one man army of destruction. As the third episode opens up, we find Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and his son Diagoro headed for their usual mayhem: embroiled in a power struggle with a landlord and governor during the feudal era of Japan. And although Ogami is an assassin in the true sense of the word, remorseless in his killing, he is also a man driven by a warrior code which compels him to seek out a sense of justice: Albeit his sense of justice.

This is one of the better ones of the 6 episode series. And although I have not veiwed the final two episodes in the series recently [somewhere in my vast storage] when I viewed this episode a few nights ago, I couldn't help enjoying this particular film, and would have to say it was the best of the four episodes that I have viewed recently. I would highly recommend this film to all viewers, as I have always found the Lone Wolf and Cub series to be a truly fascinating look at Japanese cinema during the early 1970s. Also, I think this episode is probably one of the better ones, however, don't stop there. View them all, starting with the first to the last. They are all interesting and fun. [as long as you don't mind the violence]. But hey, that is the nature of the characters in the film. Highly recommended.

I have the "red sun" version of this which is basiaclly a replica of the animeego one.......2006-08-06

The picture quality is as good as it gets and is anamorphically widescreened. It also has liner notes like the others in the series and lets you in on semi-important things like the Blackened Teeth. Time to upgrade your video tape and get this in the new and used section for $5.99 like I did.

I have to say that this is by far the most graphic in violence of these movies I have seen. And while one scene I didn't think was needed, it was worth it to see the aftermath.

This movie I would say is overall the best of the 3 I have seen. When Ogami is being tortured, I think it is my favorite scene of Lone Wolf and Cub. How many dudes do you know of on screen that can be beaten down until unconscious and you still think they are tougher becuase of it? But then when he starts slicing people up again, you know why you felt that way about him. And when Ogami has to face an entire army, will he stand a chance?

I have to say that I wasn't expecting this to be a shoot-em-up, it still hasd plenty of action and holds the spot for my favorite of the series so far.

This blade for hire.......2006-06-19

Ogami Itto is an expert swordsman, a ronin, an outcast mercenary who once served as the official executioner of the shogunate. Then something happened - I believe his wife was murdered, although the movie doesn't give details - and Itto, the Lone Wolf, now travels the countryside with son Daigoro, the Cub, in a niftily tricked out baby cart, selling his services to the highest bidder.

LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART TO HADES is the second Lone Wolf & Cub movies I've seen and I've enjoyed both of them tremendously. Even the confusing stuff doesn't really get in the way of appreciating this great action movie. Not only aren't we told why Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama) is an outcast, the film also throws a lot of feudal Japanese history at you, not a whole lot of which sticks. Japan, as I gather from the story, is a political hodge-podge, with a distant shogun and a number of local feudal lords, one of whom Lone Wolf is engaged to assassinate - for his standard fee of 500 pieces of gold. There are other bad guys who carry repeating pistols, so I guess this takes places sometime during the mid-19th century. Ogami is a samurai, though, and the Code as developed through him in this movie disdains guns. The True Warrior doesn't use them. My favorite mystery, though, concerns the different techniques used by samurai. Ogami uses the Suiouryu Style, or the Horse-Slaying Technique. The identification of it is used by his enemies to tell when he was the one who made one of the numerous corpses that populate this film.

The plot is functionally unexceptional. Ogami travels with Daigoro. While at an inn Ogami defends a young woman who murdered a man who was going to sell her into prostitution. To save her, Ogami undergoes a ritual torture in her stead. His torturers want a local governor murdered. This blade for hire. The governor has resources of his own to call to his defense - sleek and silent ninjas, samurai, gunners, archers, and hordes of sword wielding foot soldiers. Can our baby-toting hero match an army sent to stop him?

LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART TO HADES is pretty nonstop, exotic and engaging, with a charismatic star and son. In many ways it's similar to the proficient gunslinger coming into and cleaning up Dodge City, with the advantage of the expanded cinematic possibilities offered by sword fights. I can't wait to watch the rest of this series. Highest recommendation.

an exotic, lush, exaggerated world of Japanese and Samurai absolutes.......2005-07-06

In many ways, this is my favorite of the Lone Wolf & Cub movies. It was the first I ever saw, wherein I was trying to figure out the whole premise as it went along.

This one starts on a river trip, scenic, but I had no idea where it was going. I could not BELIEVE it when the hero cut down the first 3 assassins in the first 5 minutes... in an otherwise quiet forest, where he and his son were taking a "bathroom break". I replayed the scene twice, including slow-mo on the flourish with which he clears the blood from his sword and sheaths it.

I LOVE these movies and have watched them again and again. The photography is bright and lush when our heroes are traveling in the country. The spoken Japanese is abrupt and guttural (men) and pitched and inflected (women), and subtitles are placed well for non-distracting readability. I find myself grunting monosyllables (ooshh! yyoot!) in empathy. The costumes and side characters are bright, colorful, and medieval-Japanese folkloric (i.e., like watching "authentic" costume in a Shakespeare play).

It's an exotic, lush, exaggerated world of Japanese and Samurai absolutes that never really existed was but whose principles still appeal to some part of us. Lone Wolf & Cub are unique among Samurai movies for their exaggeration AND their not taking themselves TOO seriously.

I particularly like two things in this movie. The first is the touching interactions between father and son in simple settings like eating or washing. The second is the woman leader of the entertainment band which recruits the hero's help. She has got the best accent and attitude I have ever seen in a Japanese woman character! For that matter, NONE of the women leads in Lone Wolf & Cub movies are exactly shy, retiring types.

Be warned all the Lone Wolf & Cub movies have graphic gore (spraying blood, death throes, severed heads) and sex (rape scenes, bare bosoms).

I agree that internal and night scenes are darkly lit, but I found only a few hard to follow.

Average customer rating:

Not up to my expectations.

Shinsengumi: Assassins of Honor
Starring: Kinya Kitaoji , Keiju Kobayashi , Toshiro Mifune , and Rentaro Mikuni
Director: Tadashi Sawashima
Manufacturer: Animeigo
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NDFHVQ
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Description

Assassins of Honor is another strong Toshiro MIFUNE samurai film. In this historical drama, set at the end of the Edo period (late 19c), Mifune stars as Isami KONDO an idealistic leader who organizes a single-minded group who support the Shogun and his battle against the fiefs who want direct Imperial rule reinstated. But when the Imperial side wins, the Shinsengumi are declared outlaws.

Customer Reviews:

Not up to my expectations........2007-08-25

I absolutely adore the Shinsengumi and collected a great amount of japanese movies and books about them.
I also really like Toshiro Mifune movies, so when I purchased this movie, I was looking forward to watching it.

Unfortunately, it was really not up to my expectations, being much inferior to his other movies, and filled with historical inconsistencies that were really annoying for a history and Shinsengumi fan.

It's entertaining of course, but by far inferior to what I was expecting.
If you can find the TV series Shinsengumi Keppuroku, I recommend it over this movie.
His other movies remain excellent ones of course, and I recommend you watch them too if you haven't already. :)

Average customer rating:

great samurai film, bad DVD transfer
A Very Good Samurai Political Thriller!
Other reviewers are correct....
Fantastic Samurai Film
Classic Mifune

Samurai Assassin
Starring: Toshirô Mifune , Keiju Kobayashi , Michiyo Aratama , Yûnosuke Itô , and Eijirô Tono
Director: Kihachi Okamoto
Manufacturer: ANIMEIGO
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0006N0E4S
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Product Description

Based on the Sakurada Gate Incident of 1860, an assassination of a Shogunate official, that effectively marked the end of the Edo Period in Japan, SAMURAI ASSASSIN has long been considered one of the finest samurai films to come out of Japan. The film stars Toshiro Mifune as Niiro, a frustrated ronin who has agreed to take part in the coup against the Shogunate official in the hopes that it will secure him enough fame to earn him a position in a great Samurai house. A bastard child who has fallen into abject poverty despite his considerable skills, Niiro is willing to do anything in order to become a successful samurai, unaware that fate will never allow it.

System Requirements:

Running Time 122 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

great samurai film, bad DVD transfer.......2007-02-27

I was quite happy with this film once I got into it. Having seen others in this genre, like Yojimbo, Sanjuro, the Hidden Fortress, Incident at Blood Pass, this one holds up reasonably well. Mifune is quite good here, and he's given an extremely complex character to portray. While the other reviewers have a point that the film has only one real fight scene, there are smaller ones as well, and they're done with an incredible sense of suspense. Furthermore, there's so much intrigue to the plot, even beyond the main twists. Also, the fact that it's an important part of the end of the Tokugawa period should interest Japanese history buffs. The film does an excellent job portraying clan rivalries, politics, class structure, and most importantly, the psychological and sociological nature of small groups of people intent on causing political change in that society.

Unfortunately, the film really didn't look very good on my TV. Granted, it's an HDTV, using an up-converting DVD player, but the difference between black and white is too great, and it's hard to make out some of the detail in the scenes where there are a lot of characters and movement going on. It really didn't look good compared to Criterion's samurai films, which look great, despite the fact that they're ten years older than this film!

A Very Good Samurai Political Thriller!.......2007-01-01

"Samurai Assassin," released in 1965, is based on actual historical events in 1860. The film centers around a group of assassins who are attempting to assassinate the lord of the House of Ii Naosuke. Ii Naosuke is a very conservative and high ranking member of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The films narrative allows the viewer to witness the changes that are taking place in Japan, both internally and externally, as the film delves into the intrigue of the characters and the sudden changes that are taking place in Japan. For example, there is a power struggle between the factions siding with the Tokugawa Shogunate, who wishes to see Japan remain isolated, and those who side with the Emperor and favor modernization and ties to the west.

Moreover, the Tokugawa Shogunate is now in the last years of its long and nearly 300 year history: with the Meiji Restoration a mere eight years off. The assassins believe that one of them in their midst is a traitor. The main suspects are Tsuruchyo Niino (Toshiro Mifune) who is a ronin [a masterless samurai] and Kurihara Einosuke (Keiju Kobayashi). The film is a long dramatic narrative, and if you are looking for a lot of sword flashing and action, then you are looking for the wrong film. Although there are minor clashes dealing with the ronin Tsuruchyo Niino (Toshiro Mifune).

The film delves more into the character development of these plotters, with lots of intrigue and suspense, due to the changing nature of Japan. I found the film to be very good, and the character development to be top-notch. The cinematography is great, and the narration in the film is outstanding. One very small caveat, however, is that Criterion needs to do this film. They do a much better job with transfers, and this film could use their touch. Not that this is a horrible transfer, it's just that for a 1965 film, it could use that Criterion touch. Afterall, I don't think anyone could argue that they do a great job. This film is highly recommended, and is a worthy addition to your cinema collection: be it samurai genre, or great cinema period. Highly recommended. [Stars: 4.5]

Other reviewers are correct...........2005-10-13

It's a good film and everything, but would i ever watch this again? After many positive reviews, i decided to buy this and add it to my samurai film collection(which includes Seven Samurai, Sanjuro, Yojimbo, Ran, Kagemusha, Shogun's Samurai, Shogun Assassin, Sword of Doom, Shogun's Ninja, a Sword of Vengeance and Zatoichi film or two, etc). I liked the movie, was caught up in the story and characters enough, and the ending had a good pay-off with an extended fight that was well done(great to see so many characters involved in such a desperate battle to accomplish their mission).

But here's the problem, that was the ONLY major fight/action sequence in the entire (lengthy)film. Plus, once you get the 'twist' in the story line(which is pretty easy to figure out), and you find out what happens to everybody, and what it means to the future of the samurai in Japan; I'm not sure if I'll ever really need to watch it again, let alone over and over again(as opposed to me re-watching other samurai films ad nauseum). Don't get me wrong, I liked what i saw the first time around and never got bored. But with so much dialogue and so little action, repeated viewings is questionable(note: i don't need lots of action in my samurai films, but more than one big fight scene helps in the re-watch department). However, the dvd does have some brief bios of the many characters in the film and a nice in-depth background essay to help you understand the importance of the 'incident' for which this film is based upon as bonus features. Those features, and the thought of me maybe wanting to watch this again in the future has prevented me from selling this disc.

Overall, i'd recommend others to see the movie(rent or borrow). But if the only way you can see it is to buy it for 20-30 dollars, you might want to hold off a bit. Put it on the backburner while you buy other samurai films you've been dying to get. Then come back to this one at a later date. Btw, be sure to check out the upcoming 4-disc 'Rebel Samurai-60's Swordplay Classics' collection from Criterion, also available at amazon.com in 10-25-05. It's pricey, but it's 4 samurai films(supposedly: Samurai Rebellion, Samurai Spy, Sword of the Beast, and Kill!).

Fantastic Samurai Film.......2005-04-27

This B&W masterpiece chronicles the events of late Febraury and early March 1860, the beginning of the fall of the samurai. Toshiro Mifune stars as Niiro, a rumpled samurai looking for employment with a repsectable house, who ends up involved in a plot to assassinate the leader of the Ii clan. Beautifully filmed, the backstory unfolds slowly, emphasizing character over hack-and-slash action. Tension builds nicely throughout, leading to the climactic and bloody battle on a snowy field, where Niiro seeks to make his mark. He does indeed, but not how he had intended.

Anyone familiar with Mifune's collaborations with Akira Kurosawa will know what to expect here, as Mifune is completely gripping as the ultimately doomed hero. Fans of samurai action and classic Japanese filmmaking will love this.

Classic Mifune.......2005-02-16

If you love Toshiro Mifune samurai films as I do then you will not be disappointed with this one. I bought this film hoping because it stars Toshiro Mifune that it would be good.
Well I was right on. It is exceptional. I am sure you will enjoy this movie as much as Sanjuro and Seven Samurai.
Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

assassin swordsman
Good buy, but go for the long version
Good action/Poor dvd

The Assassin Swordsman
Starring: Zhao , Wu , and Shun
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000VJINE
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Description

From legendary action director Ching Siu Tung (Dragon Inn, The Duel) comes this dazzling martial arts/swordplay extravaganza starring Taiwanese pop idol Nicky Wu and Vicki Zhao (The Duel, Shaolin Soccer)! Whoever that retrieves the legendary Book Of Tai from the first Ming Emperor's tomb will conquer China. To get the book, however, one must first obtain the three keys that open the tomb. This leads to a battle between the Japanese Samurai and the evil East Chamber Eunuch Tsao, who trains his student into an assassin whose sole purpose is to get the keys and to kill those who are in his way. Filled with eye-popping fights and Ching's trademark knockout action!

Customer Reviews:

assassin swordsman.......2004-02-29

this movie sucked!!!! ITS IN THE TRASH CAN. DONT BUY THIS CHEAP MOVIE!!!!!!!!THIS WAS A 40 HOUR MOVIE SERIES EDITED TO ABOUT 90 MINUTES WHAT WERE THEY THINKING.WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.I COLLECT MARTIAL ART MOVIES AS AHOBBY.CHING SUI TUNG/YUEN WO PING MAKE SOME OF THE BEST MOVIES OUT THERE .. CHING SUI TUNG DID THE FIGHT SCENES FOR THIS MOVIE...DIDNT HELP....SEYA AT THE MOVIES

Good buy, but go for the long version.......2004-02-09

I thought this "movie" was good. However if you can find the 48 TV episode version of this "Adventures of Sword Girl" or "Treasure Venture" it'll be a lot better. I was hoping they'd keep the TV openning theme for this release, but that didn't happen. I was also disappointed when they left out the very end that the TV version had.

The story is good. The action was good, but I was hoping for more choices of subtitles and soundtracks.

Good action/Poor dvd.......2004-02-07

The case of this movie looked so good so I bought it. Well, when the first scene comes out it looks like someone grabbed a personal camcorder and started filming. What a big dissapointment. The action is great, but poor poor video quality. Rent it before u buy!

Average customer rating:

Samurai classic...but the print blows
IGNORE THE REST!!! THIS IS THE GREATEST SAMURAI FLICK
skip this one, you can order the whole series and get it in widescreen
Deserving of All Five Stars
Unauthorized

Shogun Assassin

Manufacturer: HKVIDEO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B0009TRRN0

Product Description

In 1980, the original SHOGUN mini-series brought historical Japanese culture into the living rooms of America. Ninjas, Samurai, and the Japanese martial arts became more popular then ever. It was at this time that New World Pictures acquired the rights to the first two Lone Wolf films, SWORD OF VENGEANCE and BABYCART AT THE RIVER STYX from Toho. Robert Houston rewrote the dialog in English, re-edited the films together, and added a new electronic score (by Mark Lindsay of the Mamas and Papas fame). Roger Cormans New World Pictures were the kings of hype, and they came up with a radical promotion for this violent action thriller. "The Greatest Team in the History of Mass Slaughter" was the tag-line most associated with SHOGUN ASSASSIN. "Sword and Sorcery--with a Vengeance!"

Customer Reviews:

Samurai classic...but the print blows.......2006-05-30

Roger Corman is legendary for dubbing and editing foreign films together for the American market. His company, New World, outdid themselves on this one. Unleashed on unsuspecting stateside audiences in 1980, Shogun Assassin has gained a mythic stature of it's own. Backed with a killer soundtrack by ex-Raider Mark Lindsay, this puppy is the sort of grindhouse picture that simply doesn't exist anymore. Cobbled together from the first two Lone Wolf & Cub movies, "Assassin" is the story of a renegade samurai in ancient Japan, travelling with his son, cutting down the Shogun's ninja spies who murdered his wife. The Shogun's men hunt them at every turn. Extraordinarily graphic stuff. Check out the Master of Death who praises The Wolf's technique even as a bloody mist sprays from his slit throat! Decapitations, impalations, heads cut in half, you name it, it's here. But...there's one big problem, kemosabe. This print looks atrocious, squeezed into the middle third of the screen by artifical letterboxes. Definitely get the two disc version that should be arriving in a few weeks. GZA fans NEED to see this movie. "Liquid Swords" samples it continously.

IGNORE THE REST!!! THIS IS THE GREATEST SAMURAI FLICK.......2006-05-28

This is an awesome movie , the dvd format was great . The plot and action is superb , it cant get better than this when it comes to sword slashing. The script was great , some memberoable moments . Viewers with light hearts should stay completly away as its gruesome and bloody. The music was brilliat and the only thing that this movie needed was the last part.

skip this one, you can order the whole series and get it in widescreen.......2006-05-19

this movie is how i discovered "the lone wolf and cub" series and they did a good job of putting the two movies together and it was very good.
this transfer here looks bad and really for the money buy the whole set of 6 and you'll do yourself much better!

Deserving of All Five Stars.......2006-03-08

This is one of the best movies I've seen. It has enough of everything to please all types of sword fighting martial arts fans.

Story line is great, acting is wonderful, and how can you go wrong with the kid narrarating the whole movie.

Fans of early work by Wu-Tang Clan would also recognize this move as the one used for all the sound bites for Gza's 'Liquid Swords'.

I Highly Recommend it to all.

Unauthorized .......2006-02-27

This presentation is muddy and not worthy of the DVD format and is unfortunately not authorized, which is why the transfer and print are of such subpar quality. But, there is no reason to dispair:

Currently, AnimEigo, a legitimate company that have released seven of the Toho-owned ZATOICHIs, and numerous Chambara films such as SAMURAI BANNERS, SAMURAI ASSASSIN, RED LION and LONE WOLF & CUB (the original versions of what became SHOGUN ASSASSIN), are busy at work restoring SHOGUN ASSASSIN to its original widescreen glory:

"The most famous samurai film in North America and probably most bootlegged one! You've begged us to do it for years, and we're giving it the full AnimEigo treatment - we're restoring it using our brilliant transfers of the original component films (LONE WOLF & CUB 1 & 2). We're literally going to replace every frame in SHOGUN ASSASSIN with the exact same frames from the original films!"

(...)

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