Sadly Over-hyped

Fresh and Exciting

Fantastic!

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

This is Masahiro Ando's first and only animated feature . The movie is great with good sword fights with tons of blood. The animation is stunning and voice & acting are very good. The music is outstanding especially in the beginning fight of tittles . The colors, music, story, effects and sword fights are top class. This animation made me look for more action animations. This movie has deep characterization. Exceptional music, astounding cinematography. This is the greatest Samurai animation that i ever seen. I felt ending fight could have been better. A must-watch movie for anime and action movie lovers . this is time-less classic .

This is an amazing piece of Animation. The colors, music, storyline and effects were on the top of their tier. This movie reshaped the way I look at animation and encouraged me to search for more pieces like it. This is personally the greatest Samurai focused animation that I've seen.Although the story sounds a bit 'out there' it still hits all the right notes. The connection that the characters have with one another is astonishing, this movie literally compels you to feel sympathy, hate, love and longing for the characters!I sincerely hope that you watch this movie for it is an under deserved masterpiece!

I had to create a account here just to post this review. This movie is a incredible anime and should be reviewed and rated as such. To me this felt a bit like Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen meets Juubee Ninpuuchou but at the same time unique in it's own way. A young boy is to be used in a sacrificial ritual. Boy hires a rounin for his protection. Some Chinese Ming clan/army has been hired to catch the boy. The story, though not bad, is not mind boggling or very unique, it's a re-telling of stories we have heard before. However, the way that it tells it (sometimes just by pure action or visuals) is very decent. 8/10Art... easy. Very good. Good shadow work. Rich and detailed. Colors, backgrounds and scenery often felt very right. 9/10Sound... a bit harder. Ambient sounds are solid. The music was quite good and in some parts it felt just right in others... not wrong at all. However, not epic either. At parts I couldn't help but feeling other movies had moments like this, and with epic music lifting the whole scene. I would have giving it a 10 if it was a perfect match for every scene and moment. Still a very solid 9/10.Even though we have seen the types of characters before they still grow on you. This movie uses different ways to let you feel connected to them. What they have done is done before... but at least they did it very well. The characters don't develop a great deal over time, rather, you get to know them better and better. The Ming foreigner feels very unique. And his skills is popping on screen so hard, a split second I almost rooted for him (thus killing our main character...). A deserved 9/10.Enjoyment... 10/10! Epic! Delicious! We want more! More!!And now I wish there was a separate category for choreography. Because it was very, very, very good. The action was a real feast. The unique and different styles all are shown really well. The Ming warriors with their different weapons and kung fu and are main hero's kenjitsu (sword techniques, if I use that correctly )... they are all animated so spectacular, realistic. The fights are almost art at times. They have outdone and transcended themselves. So... choreography, a perfect 10/10.If only the whole movie was flawless. I really want to give it a 10/10, but I can't in all honestly. But I feel giving a 9 is selling it short. Because this is something you just have to have watched at least once. D*mn this system. I'm not going to choose between a 9/10 and a 10/10. I'll ignore the system and give it not only a 9.5/10 but also a VERY STRONG recommendation. Go watch this now. Seriously.

I watched this movie last night with my dad and we both loved it. I'm 27 and he happens to be in his 50's. I expect everyone younger, older and in between will love it as well.I'm sure you can imagine what an anime title like "The Sword of the Stranger" might hold in store for you. A young boy named Kotaru and his faithful companion Tobimaru. A deadly swordsman with blue eyes. A hungry samurai with a troubled past. The Sword of the Stranger doesn't re-invent the wheel but it is more than the sum of it's parts. All in all: If you enjoy anime watch it. You can also expect to hear a great score.