Search - The Dagger of Kamui on DVD

All hail Kamui!

Andrew | KC, MO | 04/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This remarkable Japanese film stands on a plane above all other anime. It is a rich artistic masterpiece, underlain by universal archetypal themes; which make for an intricate, yet flowing plot with an inumerable number of pits and twists. Some people criticize this work, saying it is too long and boring and such. These small minded folks need to use the mature part of their brain, rather than waiting feverishly for sex and impossibly stupid violence (which are entertaing, but lack substance)."

Epic anime that surges with emotion and intrigue!

Virginia Blake | 04/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jiro was a foundling. Left with a note pleading for his care and a mysterious dagger that hid the nature of his identity, he was taken into a warm home and a loving mother and sister. Their murder shook his world apart. Blamed for their deaths, the other villagers drove him into the wilderness where he found his way to Tenkai, a Buddhist monk who has Jiro expertly trained in the art of the ninja. Tenkai, however, knows more than he reveals, and his benevolence hides a sinister plot to manipulate Jiro into solving the mystery of a legendary treasure. Caught in a web of intrigue with vast implications, Jiro must evade the pursuit of deadly assasins in his quest to solve a mystery wrapped within mysteries that will take him from his homeland, to the ice sheaths of Kamchatka, to the American plains and back again. This is terrific anime that takes various familiar elements and combines them to form a ingenious tale that reveals a broad canvas ripe with swashbuckling adventure and populated with a brilliant cast of characters. Although the animation is not up to current standards, the story, an interwoven mesh filled with passion, vengeance, élan, and malfeasance, more than makes up for the deficiency. Even so, Kamui still offers moments of visual spectacle and beauty as well as action. This is no ordinary anime, however. The plots and intrigue and emotions drive the tale and temper the violence rather than let it run away with the movie. In comparison to the likes of Ninja Scroll and Yotoden (both excellent in their own right), Kamui is rather more tame and features little nudity, no sex whatsoever, and a modicum of violence. Rather, the story draws us closer to sympathize with the characters while putting together the puzzle of Jiro's destiny and the tragedy of his family's fate. We are drawn to the illusion that these characters are genuine, driven by human frailties and desires. Well drawn, engaging characters and an epic, complex story make this memorable anime into something I was glad to have experienced."

Excellent, epic

Mousinator | United States | 04/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I watched the subtitled version of this and I thought it was excellent. It was longish, but in an epic way, I thought.The part where Mark Twain spoke Japanese and gave Kamui calm, zen-sounding advice was a little funny. Also, my brother says the ending battle was a little bit of a let-down, and I guess he was right, but it was still a great movie. It really built up. The hero gets to go all over the place, there's a lot of mystery, quest elements, and a nice ending. Kamui is really a hero. The secondary characters are engaging, as well. Some parts of the movie are sad, ... but there's a lot of good stuff here. Deep, blah blah, watch it, you'll like it. Also, it's not real dirty!Well, I liked it."

Blade of Kamui is fabulous!

Andrew | 06/28/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film, which is also called the Dagger of Kamui in its subtitled version, is a story based on some fiction, & some fact. Based in Feudal Japan, Blade...is about Jiro, a young man who is forced to search out his past for the truth, & for fortune. Yeah, the plot seems corny, but the action is quite good. The storyline, which takes Jiro to California, is great, & much credit is given to the writers on this one. No, I cannot give away the whole story, but keep an eye out for Jiro's evil adversary Ten-kai. He is a masterful Ninja who goes to no end to accomplish his goals. The only difficulty I had with the film was Jiro's outfit. Everyone else was in the traditional garb, yet Jiro was wearing something a little outdated & definitely out of sync. Blade of Kamui is a long film, but is a must-see."