Shigure Death Frenzy Complete Series

Released By: Manga Entertainment

Rating: 18

Running Time: 320 mins

Audio: English and Japanese 5.1

Release Date: Out Now

Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

As a Shogun who has committed many cruel deeds during his life as lord of the land in feudal Japan, Tadanaga Tokugawa was given orders to commit seppuku as punishment and also as being the youngest brother of the Shogun himself. There are tales of his misdeeds yet most of them are unconfirmed. Before a sword match is to be held at Sunpu Castle, a lord Torii pleads with the lord in the hope that he not force the competition to use real swords, hoping instead that he allow them to use wooden bokken as to kill such fine warriors as these in a mere game of chance would be a great waste of talent and expertise. Everyone who is about to compete in the match have looks of horror on their faces as they know their lord is using them in order to amuse himself and has little or no concern for their lives. Once the match begins the two fighters enter the scene, Fujiki Gennosuke and Irako Seigen, a man with one arm and a man who is blind and infirm. Both are bitter rivals, yet the most excellent fighters, yet both have been offered a chance at winning the hand of their masters daughter and a chance at happiness, yet both have a very dark and troubled past. They are an odd combination indeed, but who will be the victor?

Based on the intriguing original story by Takayuki Yamaguchi, it is based on the novel ‘Surugajyou Gozenjial’ which was written by Norio Nanjoj serially in the “Champion Red” by Akita Publishing and viewers will feel privileged to see this series more fleshed out in a full action anime. Directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki who brought fans the gritty and gory Texhnolyze and scripted by Seishi Minakami who brought us Paprika and the subversive Paranoia Agent takes it one step further in the nail bitingly bloody stakes by sending the viewer back several years to the beginning of the Edo Era of Japan where dangerously minded warlords played games with their warriors just to amuse themselves and pass the time. Of course there would be love involved as well as desire, but at the heart of this story is the power of the warriors who are being used by these warlords, and the fierceness of their moves when they fight. Also their past will be discovered at a time where love was just a brief interference in war. The story is both emotive and structured in a way as the viewer can understand the characters in this most extreme of anime series. At the beginning of the story of the sword match at Sunpu Castle it is mentioned in the narrative that only six survived from being twenty-two men competing in eleven matches who used real swords instead of bokken and of the six remaining men two were seriously injured. This is what makes it so cruel a match that a warlord would make his best men die in these trivial circumstances.

Bonus Material: Bonus Material comes as Episode 4 & 10 Commentary, Character Biographies, Settings Gallery, Text-less Opening and Closing Animations and Audio options.

Verdict: Shigure is gruesome, bloody and extremely gory. It takes anime to a new and exciting level – atmospheric and emotive, this captures the cruel and bloodthirsty era of old Japan perfectly.