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Trail of Blood

amsterdamaged | 11/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Animeigo stikes gold yet again. The company that gave us "Lone Wolf and Cub", "Lady Snowblood", and "Shadow Hunters", releases another winner with the unbelievably entertaining "Trail of Blood", the first installent in the Mikogami trilogy.

In medieval Japan, a member of the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) decides to go straight. He marries a woman of ill repute and attempts to put his past behind him. I don't like to spoil the plot for anyone, so lets just say that his attempt at a domestic existence comes to a screeching halt. He embarks on a path of revenge which takes three films to complete.

Now, I haven't seen parts 2 and 3 yet, but if they're consistent with the quality of the 1st installment, then they're going to be great. Like the previously mentioned releases by Animeigo, this film features great acting and stunning cinematography. The story isn't terribly original (Kill Bill and A History of Violence are recent films with similar themes), but it works, and works beautifully. This film could easily be remade into an American gangster film with very little changes in the actual plot.

If you're a fan of bloody as hell Samurai action (you know who you are), or if you just like good movies that are different from the mainstream, then you're going to love this movie. Highly recommended!"