Sword of the Stranger (Mukoh Hadan) is an animated feature film directed by Masahiro Ando and produced by Bones.

The film has been shown at the Leeds International Film Festival, Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Asia Filmfest, Sci-Fi London's Oktoberfest, FANTASPOA, 24th Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival, Camera Japan, as well as the German anime convention Animagic. It won the award for Best Animated Feature at FANTASPOA and has been nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. It was also submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for nomination consideration for Best Animated Feature, but it didn't make the nomination.

Plot

Stranger takes place in the Warring States era, and it follows a young boy, Kotarou, as he flees with his dog from a group of elite Ming warriors from China who hunt him relentlessly through the Japanese countryside. They fight ruthlessly, feeling no pain by the grace of a drug they depend heavily on. By chance, Kotarou encounters a wandering ronin who goes by Nanashi (lit. "No Name") and he agrees to act as Kotarou's bodyguard.

Characters

Nanashi / No Name

     voiced by Tomoya Nagase; Michael Adamthwaite

Nanashi is haunted by his past as a warrior fighting in the battles between provinces, a profession he gave up when he was ordered to kill two children. He since swore to never unsheathe his sword, and he protects Kotarou as a way to redeem himself.

Kotarou

     voiced by Yuuri Chinen; Aiden Drummond

Kotarou is a rude, nightmare of a child who has lived on his own so long that he insists on being as independent as he can. His dog, Tobimaru, is his dearest companion, not to mention a completely awesome bodyguard.

Rarou

     voiced by Kouichi Yamadera; Scott McNeil

Rarou is the sole Westerner within the Ming warriors. He is blonde and blue-eyed and easily six feet tall; the Japanese who see him say that he is a monster. He is also the most powerful of the Ming, and he fights without taking their drug, insisting that pain is what makes him feel alive. From the moment he sees Nanashi, he decides that a fight is in order, and he nurses his completely unfounded rivalry with a psychotic intensity. He only speaks Chinese, preferring to communicate through brutal violence.

Shougen Itadori

     voiced by Akio Ohtsuka

As the local daimyo's general, Itadori holds a great deal of military power. He harbors intentions to seize as much power as he can, saying he prefers to "set my abilities at the peak of my aspirations." He spends a fair amount of time attempting to pick a fight with Rarou.

Release

Stranger was released in Japanese theaters at the end of September 2007. The DVD and Blu-Ray were released together on April 11, 2008. It saw a one-night-only release in the United States, showing in 360 theaters across the country on February 5, 2008.

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For a more spoilerish, albeit COMPLETELY EPIC, route:

See also: Anime

Sources: Wikipedia, Anime News Network, ANN release

 C.D.