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Shigurui
Death Frenzy (2007)
It is the year 1629 and
a sadistic feudal overlord in search of amusement has summoned some of
the country’s leading warriors to do battle in the grounds of his
palace. Much to his surprise and disdain, the first to square off are a
pair of disfigured samurai, one blind and crippled, the other with only
one arm. Before a single blow can be dealt the viewer is taken back in
time via a series of flashbacks, and the history of the two swordsmen is
expounded in detail. Their initial bloody encounter, subsequent love
rivalry and the manner in which each came to be maimed are all explored
over the course of the series’ 12 episodes.
Visceral in the truest
sense, this is definitely not one for the kiddies, as blood, semen,
innards and gore are spattered liberally throughout. A combination of
traditional and computer techniques, Shigurui’s animation is,
however, truly superb and remains multifaceted and luminous without
degenerating into gratuitous exhibitionism. The minimalist and
percussive score is also a masterful affair, heightening the drama of
action sequences without distracting from the spectacle. The Japanese
voice actors do a convincing job, and though dialogue is somewhat sparse
it is employed effectively, complementing the predominantly visual
narrative exposition.
Based on a popular manga,
this vibrant and compelling series draws much inspiration from the 17th
century philosophical work The Book of the Samurai, which states
that ‘the way of the samurai is found in death’. Death Frenzy
certainly lives up to its name and the ethos of the text , with many
graphic (though artfully staged) encounters between its master
swordsmen. The series also contains some highly confronting subject
matter, with sexual violence, incest and pederasty all unflinchingly
depicted as part of the daily life of these complex and often morally
ambiguous characters. The storyline is an expansive one, incorporating
feudal lore, bloody conflicts, crises of conscience and perennial
figures of Japanese mythology such as the blind swordsman. Furthermore
the narrative has been deftly handled, and though it unfolds gradually
and contains some extremely weighty themes it maintains clarity and
avoids veering into obscure melodrama.
All in all this is a
challenging and richly rendered epic that will appeal to both hardened
anime buffs and newcomers to the genre alike.
Special Features
24-page booklet with
interviews, production notes and historical background
Audio commentaries with
writers, producers and voice actors
Artwork galleries
Character Bios
Trailers |
