BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL

The prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike is well familiar with the Samurai genre, the Chanbara. In his one-hundredth (!) film he translates the Manga BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL into a two-and-a-half-hour-long, philosophically underpinned action-crescendo, including dizzying sword fights. Samurai Manji dreams of his own transience. And he has been doing so for some time, specifically since he was cursed after a legendary battle. Immortality dulls his spirits: it is only when the young Rin comes to him to ask for help that Manji’s apathy dissipates. Because just like her, he also lost his family. And if Manji can defeat the butchers who killed Rin’s parents, then he might have a chance of saving his own soul. When Miike’s name is on it, there is no ready-made in it: BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL interlocks almost naturalist-seeming battles with outlandish figures and weapon designs. Gigantic swords, axes, and shuriken in every possible form rush toward the characters and the audience, before a whole army of villains can be vanquished in the finale. Dear Miike-san, we look forward to the next hundred films! Banzai!