Description: Kikuchiyo has been foolishly captured by the Bandits, and the samurai must leave the caverns to rescue him. When daylight approaches, the towering machines plan to ambush them. Clearly a traitor is in ther midst. Kambei knows legions of Nobuseri will be searching for them soon and decides to the group must get to Kanna, though the team of seven is invomplete. To survive the trek, new bonds of trust must be forged. As their journey begins, the samurai must confront an even more dangersious deception: betrayal from the farmers who hired them. Limited Edition packaged in collector art box with 4 story board books.
Amazon.com: As the 2004 broadcast series Samurai 7 continues, "water priestess" Kirara and the other peasant-recruiters fill their quota of seven warriors and lead them back to Kanna village to fight the crop-stealing bandits. Kambei and his comrades tell the villagers that their hamlet is now Kanna Castle, and they must join in its defense; the farmers reluctantly build fortifications and practice archery. But before they left the city, the samurai easily defeated several of the robot-bandits in a skirmish, so their threatened attack doesn't feel like much to worry about. Samurai 7 is supposed to be adapted from Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, but it's really just a flimsy sci-fi epic in which the villains sneer, "Keep your eyes in the dirt, where they belong," and the good guys portentously declare, "Because I am a samurai!" The Limited Edition includes bound volumes of the storyboards for each episode, but in Japanese with no translations. (Unrated, suitable for ages 12 and older: violence, alcohol use) --Charles Solomon
The epic re-telling continues... Synopsis: As the story continues, the Samurai become Seven on their way toward Kanna Village - but the path is not as easy as it may seem - and the Nobuseri have been alerted to their presence.
In the first episode of Volume 3 (Episode 9), the Samurai emerge from the Caves with the help snd guidance of Honoka - a local woman who quickly catches the eye of a sympathetic Rikichi - but just as the group finds an exit from the dark caverns, they are ambushed by a squad of Nobuseri, as well as a gun-toting Hyogo. Just as Kambei appears to have been cornered, Kyuzo suddenly rescues him. Claiming that he is the only one that will kill Kambei, Kyuzo decides to join the group after betraying Hyogo and the bandits - becoming the Sixth Samurai. However, Kirara fiercely protests to Kambei about their new enemy-turned-ally. Meanwhile, a group of Bandits offers mercy to the villagers of Kanna if they are willing to hand over the Samurai - inspiring many treacherous thoughts in the minds of villagers whose fear grips their souls.
In Episode 10, the group splits up to avoid pursuance and fool Nobuseri scouts as they near the village. While Kikuchiyo, Kambei, and Komachi torment Katsushiro with questions about his feelings toward Kirara, Gorobei, Heihachi and Rikichi have to disguise themselves as women when they are suddenly discovered by Nobuseri. Meanwhile, Kyuzo and Shichiroji accompany Kirara as they head through the mountains - but Kirara is still wary of Kyuzo - until he saves her Life.
In Episode 11, the group finally arrives in Kanna Village - but the village appears to have been abandoned. Seized by fear, the villagers have hid, and most are trembling with fear and second thoughts about going against the Nobuseri. Luckily, Kikuchiyo arrives and lures the villagers out, assuring them that if they have faith in the Samurai, they will prevail. Kambei then assesses the situation and inspires the villagers to rise together against the Nobuseri. The Samurai each go about their seperate tasks, preparing the Villagers for battle, as well as changing Kanna Village into a make-shift Fortress. But Farmer Manzo is still determined to sell the Samurai out to the Bandits - and it is up to Kirara and Katsushiro to stop him when he tries to notify a Nobuseri sergeant. Katsushiro must succeed in his first battle - or the Samurai are finished.
In Episode 12, Manzo is brought before the angry village and the disgruntled Heihachi, who knows of Kambei's ease and mercy. Katsushiro is still in shock from his first taste of combat - but with a sharpened sword and strong words from Kambei, his resolve is strengthened. Just as the alliance between the Villagers and Samurai is about to be broken by the conflict over Manzo's guilt, Kikuchiyo appears yet again to save the day. With an emotional speech defending Manzo, Kikuchiyo reasons that Samurai are at fault for making Farmers desperate and hungry - finally revealing to the group (indirectly) that he was once a farmer, before he became fully-mechanized and became a Samurai. Finally achieving Kambei's approval, the group is finally complete at Seven. But the fight is long from over - the Bandits are growing restless, and the Village will soon be harvesting their rice. But with their alliance secure, the Farmers present a battle flag to the Samurai - and the group prepares themselves for the first of many battles to come.
My Review: Although not really comparable to Kurosawa's masterpiece, this epic re-telling continues to excite and dazzle. This colorful and beautifully detailed work of art brings Kurosawa's message and inspiring story to the 21st Century. If you're looking for an identical clone to Kurosawa's original, you'll be disappointed, but most likely just as entertained.
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