The Samurai. Volume 7 [DVD]

Japanese television show from the 1960s, “The Samurai”, set in 17th century medieval Japan, revolves around the fortunes of Shintaro, a master swordsman and samurai. His eternal quest is hunting down enemies, namely ninjas, who dress in black and are armed with a diverse array of weapons as well as being schooled in the art of hypnotic illusion. This disc, Volume seven, consists of three episodes. “The Face-stealer”: As Lord Sadanobu continues his journey the Iga ninja organise a surprise assault on his party. Toma artfully disguises himself as Tombei (Shintaro’s faithful assistant) and attacks Shintaro. “The Mysterious pilgrims”: The ninjas hired to guard Sadanobu recover from poisoning at the hands of the Iga ninjas, who continue to obstruct Sadanobu’s journey. Shintaro, Momocki Genkuro, and their respective ninjas, engage in ruthless combat. “Hide and seek death”: Lord Sadanobu arrives at Mya shrine, just 108 miles short of Kyoto - as he is to complete his journey by sea, Momocki Genkuro and his ninjas plan an ambush. Authentic locations, inventive kung fu action and a wonderful score make “The Samurai” an imaginative and fun action series, a clever combination of action, martial arts, swordplay and magic in a historical setting. Cast includes Koichi Ose and Fuyukichi Maki; original music by Hiroki Ogawa; written by Masaru Igami and Yasushi Kato. Please note, dubbed into English.