Samurai Gun Vol-1 (2004)
Released by: ADV Films
Running Time: 100 minutes
By Dreamseer

Introduction

Let's not kid ourselves here. Many of us can say that we enjoy something with a socially relevant story and something that is filled with meaningful themes and causes us to question our existance in the universe... but every once in a while, you just want to watch something that kicks butt. I had this in mind as I dove into the preview of the "spaghetti eastern" known as "Samurai Gun"...

Story

In feudal Japan, the people are suffering from the corrupt activities of the Shogunate. With few who can stand against such ruthless power, there is only one thing that stands between these brutal opressors and their victims. An elite team of covert assasssins known as the Samurai Guns.

Review

Please note that this review was made based on an advanced preview copy of this release so some features and content may different in the final release.

Episode 1- "The Man with the Samurai Gun"
When a number of young women have been slain for sport by heartless villains, the elite group known as the Samurai Guns mobilize in order to deal with the latest threat to feudal Japan. But one of their most talented warrirors, a one-eyed man named Ichimatsu, is unsure if he wishes to enter another battle which he knows will ultimately end in bloodshed. A dark memory plunges him into the battlefield once more as he is forced to draw his gun...

Episode 2- "Experimental Railroad"
Once again, Ichimatsu is pulled into a mission against the Shogunate, who is believed to be conjuring a new and deadly plot. But what was only meant as a simple investigation turns into much more as Ichimatsu's comrade, Kurenai, makes a startling discovery about a man being held onboard the new steam engine train they are sent to infiltrate. Will Ichimatsu be forced to kill again...?

Episode 3- "The Sleeping Flower"
A series of prostitute murders has begun to sweep the town and it's up to the Samurai Guns to stop them. Meanwhile, the Shogunate is hard at work on developing the new anti-Samurai unit, whose sole purpose is to exterminate Ichimatsu and the others once and for all....

It should be noted that the official ADV release contains four episodes in the first volume. Each episode has something of a standalone feel to it, but they all have some sort of connective tissue that links them together. It isn't so much that, if you miss one episode, you will be lost in the next, but you can only benefit by watching them all.

One could say that "Samurai Gun" is like "Rurouni Kenshin" except with far more blood and harsh language, and with fewer cute characters. To an extent, that seems to be an accurate description. You get this wonderful feel of history, as specific events taking place in the era the story is set in are brought into the story in some fashion, which only serve to enrich the title overall. But don't come looking for any marvelous morality tales. There's just enough to keep us interested until the Samurais whip out their guns and rush into battle.

Watching the show for the first time, one can't help but be startled by the rocking opening theme song which immediately tells us (at least in part) what kind of story we're about to enter into. It isn't one that is going to take itself so seriously that it gets every last historical fact perfectly correct or be 100% realistic. At the same time, I couldn't help but feel disoriented when a certain character suddenly strapped on a jet pack and flew off in the middle of a battle.

The animation is not what I would call top notch, but I would say it is about on par with the way the story and characters are written. Speaking of which, the story might seem fairly standard to anyone who has seen or read a few samurai tales. In nearly every samurai story I've ever experianced, there is a nefarious villain who is taking advantage of the weak and the innocent, and the courageous, yet reluctant hero must swoop in and punish the wicked. That's pretty much how "Samurai Gun" seems to be playing itself out.

That being said there are certainly some interesting elements interwined in the story. Ichimatsu's unusual relationship with a mistress at the local brothel is of particular note, especially when you consider what has happened to this character in his past. It's easily the most fascinating part of the first three episodes, and something that I would hope is explored in more detail in future installments.

As for the action, well, it lives up to its samurai roots. When Samurai Gun whips out his gun, fountains of red spew across the battlefield and paint the trees before his enemies can even blink. The introduction of the gun, rather than the standard sword, as the protagonist's trademark weapon brought an interesting element to what (as far as I see) is the norm for samurai tales. The best part is the way in which the gun is portrayed as such a powerful device. When Ichimatsu pulls it from its sheath and points it at us, we feel the power he has just unleashed. The use of sound is paramount in these moments, as you really feel the impact as the shimmering bullet is released from the chamber and bursts forth. Fun stuff, I must say.

Then there's the dialogue. The Japanese language track has a few bits here and there of cursing, but after you sit through the english track, you will be washing your own mouth out with soap. I mean, practically every character in the entire show curses up a storm in nearly every scene. On some strange level, I found this oddly appealing, as I was not inclined to take the show *too* seriously from the get-go. Half the time, I found myself laughing out loud at cursing flowing from some of the characters' mouths. The climatic scene with the villain holding a little girl hostage is the craziest of all. Now, as much as I enjoyed being juvenile for an hour or so, I can see that there are some that would find such vivid use of "bad language" a turn-off, in which case I'd suggest the Japanese-language track.

Final Thoughts

I found the first three episodes of "Samurai Gun" to be mostly entertaining on a superficial level - it had the high-powered action and abruptly-startling dialogue that was fun to sit through for an hour. Beyond that, some of the characters still felt slightly vague, as though there was much more left to be told about them, which at least gives more hope toward future installments. Ultimately though, I think the best recommendation I can give for this title is to those hardcore samurai lovers, and those who just love a good action scene.

"It is a job for an expert. A job for... a Samurai Gun"

I'll See You In My Dreams
-Dreamseer