Plot: What’s it about?
There is an evil threat that looms over feudal Japan and in this case, it is due to the evil sorcerer Yui Shosetsu and his horrific plans. As he wishes to gain control over the entire world, he knows he will need some help and in his plan, that help will come from beyond the grave, as strange as that sounds. Shosetsu plans to bring back seven legendary samurai warriors from the realm of the dead, after which they will do as he instructs and of course, this means they’ll be used to crush anyone in Shosetsu’s path. In order to make this all happen, Shosetsu must sacrifice seven young female virgins and in the process, the samurais will be reborn from hell, complete with bad attitudes and penchants for kicking some serious ass. This seems like a great plan, but Shosetsu won’t have a clear path to world domination, as master swordsman and eye-patch fashion model Jubei Yagyu stands against his efforts. But can even a maniac like Jubei somehow disarm the situation, especially when one of the undead warriors is his own father?
This is one heck of a movie, complete with an ass kicking samurai, lethal master ninjas, buckets of blood, undead swordsmen on the warpath, and perhaps most importantly, naked female virgins around every turn. I do think that Samurai Armageddon is a wild flick and one I could watch time & again, but I can see how some might feel left out in the cold. You see, this movie has a central plot and all, but often wanders off track, introduces characters as if they’ve always been in the picture, and more often than not, simply makes no sense. I don’t see these as negatives, as Samurai Armageddon is the kind of movie that thrives on these quirks, but some people could be confused, should they approach the film in a serious manner. But for those interested in outlandish samurai battles mixed with mystical fantasy & some hot topless (sometimes bottomless) virgins, then Samurai Armageddon is made to order, without a doubt. This disc from Tokyo Shock is no masterpiece, but it does offer an acceptable video transfer and English & Japanese soundtracks, so if you’re a fan, it is well worth the cost involved.
Video: How does it look?
Samurai Armageddon is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This disc contains two versions of the film, one in Japanese with English subtitles and the other an English dub, neither of which looks too impressive. The image is not bad considering the material, but I do wish Tokyo Shock (via Media Blasters) could have used an anamorphic edition here. The source prints look soft and show wear signs, but that is to be expected since this is an Asian film and of course, Asian films don’t often look pristine, even after only a couple of years of existence. The image is soft as a result, so contrast isn’t as refined as I would like, but in the end, the result is still acceptable. Yes, I would love a redone version with a cleaned up, anamorphic print, but until then, this one will have to suffice.
Audio: How does it sound?
As I mentioned, you’ll find English and Japanese audio options and while they’re solid, there’s nothing here worth writing home about. That’s not bad though, as the material is well served and no real problems seem to surface. I did some hiss in a couple places, but nothing serious and on the whole, the audio is clean and never falters much. The dialogue is well placed and never hard to understand, while the music & sound effects are also well presented. You won’t be dazzled here, but the material is covered and that’s what counts. It is worth noting that the subtitles are burned onto the Japanese version in poor fashion, so let’s hope future Tokyo Shock releases feature optional subtitles instead of this approach.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some liner notes, which reveal more about the characters, the Edo period in Japan, and the art of the swordsmen.
