Watch Sword of the Stranger For Free

The Age of Commercialism

Disturbing yet enthralling

An Exercise In Nonsense

A Disappointing Continuation

Through the dense landscape of anime "Sword of a Stranger" is an exceptional piece or art. Mixing static imagery with seamlessly flowing animations (just slightly dabbled with and enhanced by CGI) brings out an masterful artistry to the moving tapestry of sword fights and interaction between the cast. Even in a world occupied by Miyazaki and his animation art-house, this is truly a work of brilliance for all eyes to behold.Within the confines of this animated painting lies a bloody, at times gruesome, but well scripted characters dancing to some story and astounding soundtrack music complimenting the overall effort. The story of a ronin reluctantly helping an orphaned child in dire need of assistance does falter as somewhat generic, while the unnecessarily convoluted plotting of the Mings and the local overlords distracts a bit of attention from the overall greatness of the movie. Crafted by débutant director Masahiro Ando this stylish artwork may not tread new ground - neither dramatically nor aesthetically - but the story and character captivate with this dedicated effort.Definitely a recommended watch and easily non-anime-fan friendly for those wanting to experience something from the genre of anime.

The concept in Sword of the Stranger isn't new. A wandering samurai who killed a lot of people during the war is tormented by his past and has "Sealed" his sword and decided not to use it anymore. Without having to look far you can already find earlier animes/mangas with the exact same concept (Rurouni Kenshin is the first that comes to mind).Still I really loved this movie and consider it a must watch, specially for people that like animated movies. The animation one of the best I've seen in recent animated movies, with great design, fluid animations and great image quality. While not many in number, the battles are masterfully handled by BONES (animation studio) with great (animated) choreography. As I've said the concept behind the story isn't new but it's enjoyable nonetheless, I really liked the trust relationship that forms between the main character and the boy he is escorting and there is also a special connection between Nanashi and the main antagonist. In the end you will be caring for the characters.Finally, and it should not be overlooked. The Soundtrack for this movie is truly wonderful. Composed by Naoki Sato, it's an amazing OST filled with emotion and fits the movie like ring.

For a long time, feature film anime had been lacking when it came to top-notch production. I found this title not expecting much but from the very beginning it had me. Everything that was great about the ninja/samurai animations in the 90's re-emerged onto this film and I think its safe to say that the choreography far excelled that of its predecessors. The story as vague as it may have been did enough to keep my interest ,but in the end it was the fight scenes that kept me compliant to watch further. Not often do you find a final battle to be so intense pushing the boundaries of fluid animation that your eyes are glued to every moment of the fight. I really can't say enough about this film. At a time where many anime have become primarily viewed in a TV series format, Sword of the Stranger was a breath of fresh air and nostalgic return to what I loved so much about anime feature films. For any fan of Ninja Scroll,Dagger of Kamui, Samurai X, and other great anime classics, this one is for you trust me.

I watched this movie last night with my dad and we both loved it. I'm 27 and he happens to be in his 50's. I expect everyone younger, older and in between will love it as well.I'm sure you can imagine what an anime title like "The Sword of the Stranger" might hold in store for you. A young boy named Kotaru and his faithful companion Tobimaru. A deadly swordsman with blue eyes. A hungry samurai with a troubled past. The Sword of the Stranger doesn't re-invent the wheel but it is more than the sum of it's parts. All in all: If you enjoy anime watch it. You can also expect to hear a great score.