Plot: What’s it about?
He once held a position of immense power, but now Ogami Itto (Wakayama Tomisburo) walks the path of a shunned soul. His wife was murdered and he was accused of disgracing his order, so he was ordered to take his own life. Instead, he took his young son and set out on a dark path, one as a hired assassin. Now he is consumed by wrath and is determined to exact his revenge on the Yagyu clan, the ones who shattered his life. The Yagyu clan has unleashed numerous plots to take down Ogami, but all efforts have failed. The finest warriors, the sharpest blades, and the most detailed plots have all been foiled. Ogami and his son Daigoro have been able to defeat all those who have challenged, as well as keep ahead of Yagyu’s ambushes. The constant failures have pushed Lord Yagyu to the brink, as he wants to see Ogami eliminated, but he is running out of options on how to make it happen. His next plan involves perhaps his boldest attempt yet, as he dispatches his own daughter and stepson to kill Ogami. His stepson Hyouei is surrounded by supernatural warriors, who can travel in ways no man could imagine. This team is dispatched to end Ogami’s life, but if the mission is a failure, only one option remains. Lord Yagyu must send all of his men to Ogami, which means only one side can survive.
The sixth and final installment of the Lone Wolf and Cub series is here, which means the entire epic is now available. We can watch Ogami’s tale from start to finish, with excellent new visual treatments to boot. As fans of Asian cinema should know, the Lone Wolf and Cub series is a classic one. A line of six films makes up the series and AnimEigo plans to release the complete series. The series has a very cool premise, two wicked lead characters, and above all else, tons of blood and gore. When Ogami starts to spin his sword, limbs get shorn, blood sprays, and all hell breaks loose. So if you’re squeamish at the sight of blood, this one will send you off the deep end, as it is soaked in the red stuff. The violence comes in bursts, as the fights explode and flare up, then burn out in quick fashion. The battles are wild and varied, with different numbers of enemies, styles of combat, and weapons of destruction. So while the violence is frequent, it never becomes tiresome in the least. That is also due to the visuals, which are well crafted here and add a lot to the experience. So it all looks good and since the action is so over the top, its hard to be upset by the all the carnage. After spending six films with these characters, its hard to close out the series, but White Heaven in Hell is a suitable conclusion. I cannot recommend this series enough, so make sure you grab all of the Lone Wolf and Cub films from AnimEigo.
Video: How does it look?
White Heaven in Hell is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is the kind visual effort I wish all studios would push out, as AnimEigo has spent a lot of time and resources to ensure this movie looks excellent. If you’ve seen previous editions of this movie, you’ll be blown away by how superb the material looks here. The image has been restored and remastered, so the print is cleaner than ever. A lot of grain and debris was removed, though some minor instances remain behind at times. Even so, this is a much cleaner presentation than expected and without question, the best looking home video release out there. The colors are well handled also, with bright and consistent hues throughout. No troubles with contrast either, as black levels come off as accurate and well balanced also. This is simply a phenomenal visual presentation, as AnimEigo has outdone themselves with this release.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Japanese language track is preserved here, via a stable, more than acceptable soundtrack. The audio is always solid in this release, but it never moves beyond the basics, so don’t expect much. The atmosphere is thin, which is a shame, as some scenes offer great potential, but that’s the shakes. This movie is over three decades old, so even with a new full on surround mix, I doubt it would sound that dynamic. The music is clean and sound effects are reasonable, with no real signs of age related defects I could detect. I found dialogue to be clean, with no errors of any kind to mention here. This disc also includes optional English subtitles, just in case you’re not up to speed on your Japanese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
