Shura Yukihime (2001)

Director:

Shinsuke Sato

Writers:

Kazuo Kamimura (comic)
Kazuo Koike (comic)

Release Date:

15 December 2001 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In the near future, Japan is ruled once more by a monarchy. But, rebels opposed to this rule seek to overthrow the government...

Plot Keywords:

Rebel | Assassin | Gas Station | Female Warrior | Wound

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Hideaki Ito	...	Takashi
Yumiko Shaku	...	Yuki
Shirô Sano	...	Kidokoro
Yôichi Numata	...	Kuka
Kyûsaku Shimada	...	Byakurai
Yôko Chôsokabe	...	Soma
Yoko Maki	...	Aya
Naomasa Musaka	...	Kiri
Yutaka Matsushige	...	Anka
Shintarou Sonooka	...	Chain Wielder
Takashi Tsukamoto	...	Takashi's Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
L.B. Bartholomee	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Lowell Bartholomee)
Russell Bartholomee	...	Takashi's Friend (voice: English version)
Kimberly Dilts	...	Yuki (voice: English version)
Dom Elsnor	...	Chain Wielder (voice: English version)
Lyle Faubert	...	Anka (voice: English version)
Robert Fisher	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Robert S. Fisher)
Samuel Harlow	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Sammy Harte	...	Additional voices
Jessica Hedrick	...	Aya (voice: English version)
Joey Hood	...	Kiri (voice: English version)
Grant James	...	Kuka (voice: English version)
Judson L. Jones	...	Kidokoro (voice: English version)
Jason Martoni	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Ellie McBride	...	Soma (voice: English version)
Michael T. Mergen	...	Renkyo (voice: English version) (as Michael Mergen)
Russ Roten	...	Byakurai (voice: English version) (as Russ Rotan)
Adam Sultan	...	Takashi (voice: English version)
Chan Yeuw	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

The Princess Blade (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence.

Runtime:

92 min | Germany:92 min (Berlin Film Festival) | USA:93 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS | DTS-Stereo

Certification:

New Zealand:R16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:PG-12 | UK:18 | USA:R

Company:

GAGA

Trivia:

The statue in the industrial district of the town actually resembles the producer of the movie, not Stalin.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Yuki battles Byakurai in the forest, day in one shot changes to night in the next.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Shurayukihime (1973)

A Good Try

PRINCESS BLADE is a good try, with some good works by the female lead, who is actually quite impressive, perhaps more so because of her size. And yet, the movie isn't overwhelmingly good, with some very spotty sections and a lengthy background story concerning the main male character that manages to bore. Excise the male's story and concentrate just on the fugitive female lead, and PRINCESS BLADE would have seem more focus for it.

As it stands, the film offers a number of exciting sword action, and its anachronistic vibe is nicely done. Although for some reason the filmmakers through in a number of CGI scenes that shows a futuristic landscape.

6 out of 10

(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie and reviews of other foreign films)