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Samurai 7 8August 18, 2004Title: Anger! In their journey to Kanna Village, our heroes enter the underground lair of the Shikimoribito androids, sole makers of electric storage units.
The Shikimoribito androids are tended by a group of tenant sharecroppers that harvest food for their masters.
While the Shikimoribito provide electrical power to the merchant cities, they also barter rice with the evil town-pillaging Bandits.
The End * * * RATING: B It seems quite odd to say this, but Samurai 7 is turning out to be one of the best titles of this semester -- whether one is looking for fast-paced action, gorgeous settings, or an intriguing plot, this title definitely delivers on all counts. Now that we've been introduced to all seven samurai, it's clear that this title is switching from the 'character development' phase and plunging straight into pure plot development. As a disclaimer, Kambei's group is still technically composed of five members (the dual-sword-wielding Kyuuzou and mecha 'uncle' Kikuchiyo have not been officially inducted yet), but it's neat to see this title gearing up for some serious mobility. Without a doubt, this particular episode is a hallmark example of the new pacing -- in a short 20-minute span, we infiltrated a secret water channel, discovered a group of Bandit victims, and learned about the personal demons of Rikichi. In addition to the suspenseful action, it's hard to overlook the gorgeous scenery, which resembles something straight out of the steam-punk pages of Jules Verne or the high fantasy of CS Lewis' Narnia. Given the uber-fantastical / organic landscape, it's quite a contrast to see the jarring intrusion of the giant Bandit mechas and their robot assistants. Judging from their prior work with Bakuretsu Tenshi, Gonzo Studios has definitely had prior experience in rendering huge 3D robots, and this clearly is shown here, as each mechanical creature is beautifully detailed down to the last rivet. Just as Kabitzin's review points out, I'm really pleased at the way that this series is turning out. There's a lot of angsty plot issues on the horizon, but on the other hand, there's a lot of quirky non-SPCA-safe humor mixed for balance. From the start, Gonzo's had to fill a large pair of shoes due to the sheer excellence of Kurosawa's original masterpiece, but as long as they keep up what they're doing, I'm sure they'll be just fine :) * * * disagree? read 14 comments! * * * Related Reviews
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