Sword of the Stranger was released on September 29th, 2007. Directed by Masahiro Andō and written by Fumihiko Takayama it is produced by the Japanese animation studio Bones (
Fullmetal Alchemist). In it a young boy named Kotaro (Yuuri Chinen) and his dog, Tobimaru escapes from mysterious pursuers with the help of a ronin named Nanashi (Tomoya Nagase).
Sword of the Stranger has a rather complicated plot. Taking place in the Sengoku period, a time of civil war in Japan, it involves several competing factions and our main characters are stuck in the middle of the conflict. On one hand there are the Chinese Ming warriors serving under Master Bai-Luan (Atsushi Ii) who are under orders from the Emperor to capture Kotaro and use his blood to create an elixir of immortality. Then there's the shogun Lord Akaike (Unshou Ishizuka), who plans to capture Kotaro himself and hold him for ransom. Serving under Akaike is Shogen Itadori (Akio Ōtsuka) who has ambitions to become a feudal lord himself. The film does a good job juggling all these threads while keeping the story centered on Kotaro and Nanashi.
Nanashi is an really interesting character. At first he appears to be a fairly typical sword-for-hire, only interested in profit. He only agrees to help Kotaro get the wounded Tobimaru to a doctor when he is offered a substantial reward. As the film progresses we are given hints that he has a more complicated backstory. We find out that he was the sole survivor of a shipwreck and doesn't even know his true name (Nanashi means nameless). A foreigner, he dies his red hair black to blend in with the Japanese population. He has served as a samurai in a province which no longer exists, and received many scars in battle. It is later revealed (via flashback) that he once executed two children, after which he swore to never unsheathe his sword again. He breaks this vow to save Kotaro when he is captured by the Ming, redeeming himself in the process.
Contrasting Nanashi is Luo-Lang (Kōichi Yamadera), a European mercenary working for the Ming. Though also brave he is completely self serving. The only thing he cares about is finding an opponent worthy of his skill. Shogen Itadori is also a highly skilled self serving figure. Between the three the film explores masculinity, honor, and the use of power. Itadori uses his strength and skills to advance his own power and position, Luo-Lang to challenge himself, and Nanashi to protect others. Other characters, like Lord Akaike and Master Bai-Luan, are without any sense of honor and simply use others to further their own ends.
The film also explores loyalty. At the beginning of the film, the monk Shouan tells Kotaro to seek help from Master Zekkai (Jun Hasumi) at the Mangaku temple. When Zekkai decides to betray Kotaro to the Ming in order to protect their sect, Shouan protests, insisting that it is against the tenets of Buddhism, but goes along with his master's will. Later when the Ming take Kotaro and Nanashi questions Shouan, he expresses regret for his actions and ultimately hangs himself in shame. He put his loyalty above his conscience. Similarly, Nanashi was left mentally scarred because he obeyed his lord and murdered innocents. Itadori and Luo-Lang, on the other hand, shows no loyalty at all to their masters unless it serves their own ends.
Despite it's complicated plot,
Sword of the Stranger is a fast paced and it's story is told with great economy. It's a violent film and the action scenes are handled really well. Copious amounts of blood are spilled, limbs are hacked off, even horses are slain left and right. The animation is dynamic, especially in the use of light and shadow. The backgrounds are breathtaking at times, the sweeping vistas, along with the stirring score by Naoki Satō, offering a welcome relief from all the carnage.
Fast paced, action packed, and featuring a strong story and wonderful animation
Sword of the Stranger is an underrated anime.
Score: 9/10
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