Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Shusuke Kaneko

Writers:

Yu Koyama (comic)
Mataichiro Yamamoto (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 March 2005 (Japan)

Genre:

Action

Plot:

Young assassins Azumi and Nagara continue their mission to prevent a civil war. In their hunt for Masayuki Sanada, who is protected by both an army and a dangerous clan, they meet Ginkaku, a person who shows a remarking resemblance with former friend Nachi. |

Plot Keywords:

Based On Comic | Martial Arts | Spy | Sequel | Blood

Cast

Aya Ueto	...	Azumi
Yuma Ishigaki	...	Nagara
Chiaki Kuriyama	...	Kozue
Shun Oguri	...	Ginkaku
Kenichi Endo	...	Kinkaku (as Kenichi Endou)
Kai Shishido	...	Hanzou
Eugene Nomura	...	Samurai Z
Tak Sakaguchi	...	Tsuchi-gumo
Shôichirô Masumoto	...	Saburouta
Kenji Takechi	...	Kiheita
Ai Maeda	...	Chiyo
Toshie Negishi	...	Yone
Toshiya Nagasawa	...	Sanada
Shigeru Kôyama	...	Nankou-bou Tenkai
Kazuki Kitamura	...	Kanbei Inoue

Also Known As:

Azumi 2 (Japan) (short title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

UK:18 | Australia:MA | Argentina:13 | USA:NC-17 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan

Company:

Nippon Herald Films

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of blood on Azumi's sword in the final fight scene changes.

Quotes:

Kozue: He told me not to kill you. Not that I made any promises.

Movie Connections:

Follows Azumi (2003)

Less action than the original, but a more emotional sequel

Azumi was one of the best in recent samurai movies in the last few years. This sequel, while not hitting the high points of that movie, is still a good follow-up. As Azumi and Nagara continue their hunt for the last lord, they meet up with a group of bandits, one of whom looks very familiar.....

The original had a plot that was more simple and straight forwards. Here there is actually more going on, and as a result, with a number of new characters introduced sometimes Azumi and Nagara are lost in the mix.

Having said that however, the action, while not quite as good as in the first movie, is still very impressive. But what has also been added is a bit more of an emotional, even love story with the character of Ginkaku. Loking exactly like Nachi (someone Azumi liked, possibly loved and had to kill in the first movie), it gives Azumi a possible chance of love, but as is always the case in movies like this, things never go to plan.

As in the first movie, Aya Ueto gives a strong performance in the lead role. The rest of the cast are just as good too. Shusuke Kaneko taking over the direction handles it well.

It may not be as action packed as the first, but it is a very worthy sequel.