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. In his travels, Ogami comes across a young woman who has just murdered her pimp. She did so in self defense, but even so, she knows the harsh punishment that awaits. Ogami steps in to keep her safe, but he is captured and almost beaten to death for his actions. He could have escaped his captors, but the code he follows forces him to endure the punishment. This is noticed by the Chief Chamberlain of the Kakegawa Clan, who decides to hire Ogami’s services. The target is Governor Sawatari, who arranged the death of the rightful Lord of the Kakegawa, stealing the clan’s holdings in the process. When Sawatari then tries to hire Ogami, the swordsman refuses and Sawatari realizes the situation. Now he seeks to capture Ogami and his son, to ensure he survives and keeps his wealth. But can he stop the Lone Wolf and Cub, or will he simply be the next victim?
It has been a long wait, but Lone Wolf and Cub have now landed on DVD, with this third installment, Baby Cart to Hades. 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. I had a blast with Baby Cart to Hades, as the movie is tremendous and AnimEigo’s new transfer is superb. So if you’re at all interested, be sure to check out this release and of course, the rest of the Lone Wolf and Cub movies can’t come fast enough.
Video: How does it look?
Baby Cart to Hades 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 yet another terrific treatment for Lone Wolf and Cub, thanks to AnimEigo.
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 no bonus materials.
