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To introduce the story of this strange pair of travelers to Western audiences, the first two Lone Wolf and Cub films were re-edited and combined into a single work re-titled Shogun Assassin. Eventually each of the further LW&C sequels would also be released in dubbed versions under the Shogun Assassin moniker, leading to a total five films in the Western released series. Now, marking the first release of the entire Shogun Assassin run in one collection, AnimEigo is releasing the five titles together in a truly awesome DVD box set in time for your Christmas list. All five films are presented here in their dubbed form (you want original language? Go get the Lone Wolf and Cub box set) with the original “R” rating for the first two films and the unrated versions of the last three. Keep in mind however, that producer David Weisman submitted those final versions to the MPAA for their ratings multiple times, thoroughly confusing the ratings board and eventually putting everything back in anyway (earning a spot on the UK’s banned video nasty list for a great while)! So you can rest assured that you are getting every severed limb, slashed torso, slit throat and decapitated head that come at the hand of Ogami Itto during his nomadic wanderings across the Japanese countryside. As the ronin Ogami, famed actor Tomisaburo Wakayama slices and dices his way across the screen in some of cinemas finest examples of chanbara filmmaking (period samurai dramas) and exemplifying what may be the best swordsmanship from an actor in film period. But before you go off thinking that the Shogun Assassin films were all style and no substance, you should know that there is plenty of the real nitty-gritty. Arterial spray flows across the screen at times, and there is no wanting for healthy helpings of sword wielding violence. Wakayama shows control of his stage blade that astounds the uninitiated and earns the respect of those in the know…there is no Hollywood influenced “swashbuckling” back and forth clanging and banging to be found here. But the real drive of Shogun Assassin is not so much the massive body counts (Wakayama’s Itto holding the single film record of 150!) as it is the story of vengeance and betrayal. When samurai Ogami Itto’s wife is murdered by the lackeys of a corrupt shogun when he refuses to offer the shogun his services, his happy life is replaced by but one focus…revenge for her death. Placing his young son in a wooden cart, the now disrespected ronin begins his non-stop journey across the Japanese landscape to both elude the shogun’s continued attempts to kill him, and also to offer his deadly services to those who need them as a means of employment and support for his strange little family. Through the course of the five films, Ogami is faced with female ninja, gunslingers, masterful samurai swordsmen, imperiled prostitutes, yakuza thugs, practitioners of black magic, a skilled knife fighter and even an entire army at one point. Having vowed to take revenge against the very shogun himself, Ogami faces off with governors, police forces, samurai and just about every other enemy that could be pitted against him…each time leaving behind a pile of bodies that attracts even more attention and raises the stakes of danger by the time he reaches his next destination. There is never a dull moment in these films, although you’d never guess it given Wakayama’s dour, subdued and often downright silent performance as the ticked off swordsman. While true Japanese cinema buffs will most likely turn their attentions toward these films in their original format and language as the Lone Wolf and Cub series, there is a lot here for the casual samurai flick fan. This DVD collection itself is treat enough for most, allowing viewers to pick up the entire epic drama in one purchase; but for the more discerning cinemaphile there are a couple really great inclusions AnimEigo has in store for you. My favorite is the seemingly innocuous booklet tucked inside. Through these 28 pages you’ll find the remembrances of cast and crew alike, tons of trivia, detailed plot descriptions and some great stills. As a true fan of these movies there was a lot of stuff in here that I haven’t come across on the fan sights and interviews that I’ve perused. Also new and unique to this set is an audio commentary with martial arts film scholar Ric Meyers and martial artist Steve Watson. Meyers was the first non-practitioner ever inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame and you can rest assured that if there is anything you’ve ever wanted to know about these films…this guy knows it and is prepared to tell you here. Included you’ll also find an interview with the English Dub director for parts 3 thru 5, Scott Houle. This guy has been around the dubbing block more than a few times and knows how to entertain a Western audience while still remaining respectful of the source material. The construction of the box itself is rather nice with a very cool foldout binder tucked within a so-so sleeve. The collage imagery on the fold out itself is so cool it had me wanting to display it separately, and is just a bit more evidence of how much AnimEigo truly cherishes their titles. So if you have a thing for samurai cinema, are a fan of the Lone Wolf series, or simply enjoy either the Japanese martial or filmmaking arts, you can expect to love this set. Honestly, at the price that I have been seeing this set selling for you can’t afford to NOT buy this five disc set. Blood, guts, gore and more follow one of Japan’s finest actors around these films spelling out a treat for all but the most weak stomached. On the back of this box AnimEigo has put the following warning: Contains violence, nudity & rivers of blood. If that hasn’t sold you on picking up this set…you aren’t ready for it. -aaron-
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