Runtime : 97 Min.
Genre : Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Action
Director : Ten Shimoyama
Movie Stars : Yukie Nakama, Joe Odagiri, Erika Sawajiri
Country: Japan
Language : Japanese
Watch Online: StageVu
Quality: Medium- Good
Subtitles: English
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To kick off my movie marathon weekend I decided to watch this wonder of a film. I'm not too interested in romances or Japanese history but the movie poster drew me in. From what I understand the film is based on Japaneses manga novel "Basilisk". I've never heard of that series but I'll be sure to check it out due to this film.
I loved the actors, especially Joe Odagiri. That man has some sexy hair. He kinda reminds me of the Japanese Johnny Depp. I couldn't keep my eyes off him, which is a problem when you need to read subtitles. LOL. Erika Sawajiri (Hotarubi) is the perfect little picture of the stereotypical Japanese manga woman or high school girl: round face and big round eyes. She was cute, so her ability to control butterflies was extremely fitting and pleasing. As you read on you will find I have some nicknames for a few of the warriors. I had quite a laugh at Yashamaru. He reminded me so much of Ozzy Osbourne, The Prince of Darkness, or maybe Marilyn Manson.
Set in the Sengoku period of Japan, the movie kicks off with the introduction of our two main characters: Kouga Gennosuke (Joe Odagiri) the male lead and head of the Kouga Clan; Oboro (Yukie Nakama) the female lead and head of Iga Clan. From their first meeting the two are one and continue to secretly meet. Kouga and Oboro dream of being married and living in peace but are unable to because of their clan's vendetta that has been raging on for hundreds of years. The Iga live near the river and are one with water. They wear bright blues and purple colors. The Kouga are people of the earth who wear earth tones such as greens,reds,browns,and oranges. They live in the mountain's glassless areas. The people of the two clans possesse special abilities and powers.
Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun, fears the two clans and in an attempt to control them tells the leaders of each to choose their five best warriors to fight to the death. Ogen, the elder of Iga chooses Oboro who holds the power of "eye destruction"; Yakushiji Tenzen, a man that is nearly immortal due to parasitic worms that heal all injuries; Yashamaru, prince of darkness, controls long and extremely sharp wisp like wires; Mino Nenk, the animal, has an keen sense of smell and sharp craws; Hotarubi, the fair princess, manipulates butterflies. Kouga Danjo, the elder, of Kouga chooses Kouga, superman, can move and react at very fast speeds; Muroga Hyouma can sense enemies at any distance; Chikuma Koshirou has no superpowers but can react and control weapons with great actercies; Kagero, the seductives, can kiss and blow out poision as it flows though her veins; Kisaragi Saemon, the mound man, can become anybody by touching their face with his hand. Both elders die and pass on the burden of war to Oboro and Kouga.
Kouga believes there is an alternative motive to Tokugawa Ieyasu's ruling of clans. He and his group of warriors journey to see the shogun. Iga hears of Kouga and his warriors and decides to follow because she believes their faiths can not be changed. Yashamaru and Mino Nenk are killed by Chikuma Koshirou and Kagero. Muroga Hyouma is killed by Yakushiji Tenzen. Kisaragi Saemon takes the form of Yashamaru; he attacks the Iga fighters and is killed by Yakushiji Tenzen. During this ambush Hotarubi is killed by Chikuma Koshirou. After Killing Hotarubi, Chikuma Koshirou escapes on horse back and is killed by Oboro's eye destruction. Yakushiji Tenzen allows Kagero to kill him after he reveals that the end of their people is near and unavoidable. The two die together in an embrace.
After the deaths of the warriors Kouga and Oboro accept their faith. It saddens them both but Kouga allows Oboro to kill him. Oboro continues the journey to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hidden behind a shield, Tokugawa Ieyasu listens to Oboro's pleads to save her village and stop the attack by his soldiers. Tokugawa Ieyasu will not agree to her pleads. Oboro raises her hand and jabs herself in the eyes, thus blinding herself to show her sincerity. Tokugawa Ieyasu calls off the attack and promises to protect the villages. The Iga and Kouga lived peacefully for a few hundred years.
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