In the far distant future, on a planet that might have been called "earth", there was a war between samurai who mechanized their bodies. After the long war, people enjoyed a modest peace.
Facing starvation and abductions at the hands of fearsome mechanized bandits (Nobuseri), the farmers of Kanna Village make the dangerous choice to hire samurai for protection. The village's water priestess, Kirara, her younger sister, Komachi, and a heartbroken villager, Rikichi, set off to hire willing samurai with nothing to offer but rice from their meager harvests. Through dangerous encounters and a bit of luck, seven samurai of varying specialties and experience are gathered for an epic battle against the bandits and the merchants that influence them.
Samurai 7 is based loosely upon Kurosawa Akira's famous movie "Seven Samurai"/"Shichinin no Samurai"
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Comentários
Ria-
Samurai 7 is the anime remake of Akira Kurosawa\'s Seven Samurai, one of the most influential films in Japanese history. I\'ll be honest and say that I\'ve never actually seen Seven Samurai -- although I do know the plot very well -- and picked up Samurai 7 because it just looked so interesting and I\'d heard quite a few rave reviews. I was pleasantly surprised by the first four episodes, and it just kept getting better. I will say I didn\'t enjoy the ending, despite how well it fit for the series. It was extremely bittersweet, and I was hoping for a bitmore closure on Kambei\'s end. Still, the series was very enjoyable overall, and I\'m certainly glad I watched it.
---Story---
To me, the story of Samurai 7 is its strongest point. I love the melding of mecha and samurai; it makes for incredibly interesting settings. Everything was well thought out, even when the anime departed from the original film\'s storyline. In fact, my favorite arc was actually after the battle for Kana village.
As stated before, the only part of the story I disliked was around the last two episodes. I think, however, that this was more of a personal opinion than anything. I do appreciate the ending -- considering everything that had happened before, it fit beautifully -- but my romantic, happily-ever-after heart was disappointed.
---Animation---
Ah, and here we come to a love/hate relationship for me. I <i>adore</i> the CG and backgrounds of Samurai 7. In fact, I don\'t think I\'ve ever come across better. The mechanical aspects were beyond amazing, and the cities jaw-dropping. However... the character designs, at times, were less than pleasing. Sure, the faces were beautifully rendered. However, it seems the artists took some liberty with the bodies of some of the samurai (Katsushiro, Gorobei, and Shichiroji in particular). It\'s not a huge thing, but it is rather disappointing after such pretty backgrounds. No matter how much I love Shichiroji as a character, I always wince the first time we meet him at the Firefly House.
---Sound---
The sound is very fitting for the scenes, and the OP is a personal favorite of mine (the ED is so-so). Chinese drums are employed frequently, but they never really get annoying. Overall, the sound is nice, although nothing truly spectacular.
---Character---
All of the characters of Samurai 7 are fully fleshed out, which is a huge plus in my book. I liked most of them, especially Kambei and Ukyo, but some of the samurai were just... strange. Gorobei in particular comes to mind. He seemed to have some sort of blood-letting fetish, which (while interesting) was just strange to me.
One of the most impressive characters in the entire series is Ukyo. I won\'t give anything away, but this man is definitely not all what he seems. For most of the last half of the series (the last episode being an exception), Ukyo is simply brilliant (both in brains and otherwise). Perhaps that\'s one of the reasons I enjoyed the last half as much as I did: he just made everything so <i>interesting</i>.
---Enjoyment---
Yes, I did enjoy Samurai 7 quite a lot. It\'s not my favorite series for a few reasons, but I loved watching it. Usually I dislike the merging of two time periods/genres, but Samurai 7 managed to pull it off splendidly.
I do recommend this series, although I urge people to watch it through to the end. Perhaps it\'s a personal opinion, but the second half simply blows the first half away.
Pros: Lovely CG, wonderful story, engaging characters -- in respect to both the heroes and villains (Kambei and Ukyo <3)
Cons: So-so character design at times, bittersweet ending (although some may consider this a pro, hah), annoying characters (I will never like Katsushiro or Gorobei...)
Colonelfancy
Three things. One, I'm a really big fan of periodic adventures. Two, I am a huge fan of the Akira Kurosawa directed Seven Samurai film, it's one of my favorite movies of all time. And three, I absolutely hate Gonzo. They are the ones solely responsible for not only killing my overall interest in anime in general due to their insipid storytelling, joyless, mean-spirited and bitter characters, and their garish, irritating art style and visual effects that tries to be nuanced and cutting edge, but they have set the bar low for what made anime so unique during its biggest point here in theUnited States in the late 90's to roughly 2006. After they caught recognition for Last Exile, Gonzo's ego and confidence skyrocketed, and in my opinion, every succeeding title got worse in all of the aforementioned points. Samurai 7, while I don't think is their worst, is still probably one of the most offensive revisionist storytellers (though not as stupid and banal as making The Count of Monte Cristo into a damn blue vampire in Gankutsuo) they decided to put their grubby mitts all over.
STORY 6: In this degree, it follows the original source material well enough and is probably the most positive thing I will say about it. The only addition is the water priestess, Kirara, a water priestess from the Kanna Village, has taken it upon herself to search for ronin to save their town. It's pretty well-paced, I'll give it that. Perhaps if the main cast was represented in a more competent fashion, this could've been an even stronger plus. There is an even amount of focus from the heroes to the antagonist, Ukyo. The plight is pretty well laid out, what with the looming empire's reign stretching far throughout the continent. I really did like Ukyo's gradual rise to usurp the throne from his adoptive father, that was probably my favorite part of the show. more on him later. A shame that I could not take this empire seriously, because I am so distracted by the goofy-looking technology. Which leads me to the art and character designs.
ART 4: Gonzo's signature art style and atmosphere just kills everything for me, and Samurai 7 was the title that I finally just got fed up with it. I won't even get to the character designs yet and just rant for a bit about this show's setting. I know that as a director and production crew, you want to try something different as opposed to just giving everyone more of the same. But with a story that is so enriched with drama and impact, why in the holy mother of grilled cheese would you integrate a steampunk-inspired, futuristic dystopia complete with flying samurai hover units!?!? I could write a book about just how silly this looks and no matter how much I tried, I sputtered everytime one of these mechanical, armor-enforced teapots clumsily loomed into frame!! The CGI animation is not as bad as it was with Blassreiter (made years after Samurai 7), it's just distracting this time around, especially during the final episodes where a bunch of stuff comes crashing down. It's possible to mold two different settings into a new hybrid. Saber Marionette J does it well enough. Perhaps it is such a stark contrast to go from industrialized chaos to serene rice fields, the only reason to bully around the farm folk is just to be a jerk with too much time on your hands.
The character designs border on being alright to absolutely silly in regards to our main seven characters. Only Kambei, Shichiroji, Kikuchiyo and Katsushiro visibly resembled samurai while Gorobei, Heihachi, and Kyuzou's wardrobes and hairstyles looked like a cocktail mix of from Trigun, Last Exile, and Cowboy Bebop drank and vomited up all over my screen. And what the hell was up with Kyuzou's hair!? Was he supposed to look like an intimidating toadstool?
SOUND 6: The English dub of the show is pretty good (I don't often say that about Funimation dubbed titles) and the musical scores throughout are well done. Chris Sabat shines the brightest as Kikuchiyo as the character ranges from rambunctious in some episodes to anger and frustration in the series' darker periods. The other VAs, as said before, are good, but seldom stand out.
CHARACTERS 4: To avoid going into yet another lengthy tirade, I'll try and keep this one to the point of the good and the bad:
THE GOOD: I really liked Ukyo, as also said earlier, and felt he was a strong antagonist for the series. Instead of just acting strictly out of angst towards his origins, it felt deeper and more twisted the more he spoke. Almost Tim Burton-esque, Ukyo also proved to be even more of a chaotic threat than his father, who wasn't quite as ruthless.
And as for the Seven, Katsushiro stood out as he gradually became more of a seasoned warrior, growing up from the untested and almost childlike idolization of samurai at the beginning. I also enjoyed Kirara's little sister Kamachi quite a bit and was sad when next episode bumpers were no longer done by her writing letters about the unfolding events.
THE BAD: Kambei and Kirara were the most annoying characters in this show for me, which is ironic. Let us start at the begininng when Kirara is recruiting samurai and Kambei tells her he's a failed samurai. So what does she do? HIRES HIM!! Kirara is simply thrown in the show to have a female lead. Nothing she does has any bearing on the plot whatsoever and her presence only serves as cheap romantic fodder between her, Kambei, and Katsushiro. It's underdeveloped and uninteresting, to say the least. Kambei is one of the more ineffective leaders I've seen since Rodimus Prime. He lacks screen presence, is way too stoic to have a pulse much less a decent personality, serves as a poor mentor for the young Katsushiro and often gives the kid mixed messages and treats him like garbage.
Kikuchiyo was the only other expressive character off the top of my head. Shichiroji mostly provided punchy one-liners and traded philosophical nuggets with Kambei, but nothing else noteworthy later on. Heihachi seemed to be the ONLY character who lived by a bushido/samurai code (you know, like death to traitors), but was overruled by the worngfully arrogant Kambei, who at two points in this series shows mercy to people aiding in the destruction of the Kanna Village or treason!! What kind of crappy samurai is this guy?! No wonder you lost the war!! Gorobei was also there and he was the token weird character that was supposed to be the life of the group, but I found him unpleasant and his attempts at humor just left me annoyed.
OVERALL ENJOYMENT 5: Even if I take my bias aside, Samurai 7 is just barely mediocore and is just another one of the bloated, overproduced Gonzo titles that flooded this market way too much. I found it watchable, and the story was well enough for me to get through, but awful lead characters like Kambei and Kirara are major setbacks in my humble opinion. Gonzo's art continues to be my biggest gripe with this company. I just could not sink my teeth into the futuristic/rustic setting of a story that didn't need such asthetic enchancements when it needed to simply rely on solid writing and character building to set the mood, not god-awful quasi-technology. Samurai 7 was the beginning of the end for me and my personal relationship with newer anime titles that would be bookended by Casshern Sins years later and watching so many Gonzo titles in such succession, hoping for something tolerable has left me in the callous-covered, bitter husk of a man that I am today. I'm still sad that they are producing the anime cut scenes for BlazBlue, that just pisses me off, I hate it!!! Have a nice day
brass2themax
I'm a sucker for almost any show with samurai and loosely-based historical story-lines, so I figured I would give this show a go. That, and I saw the Blu-Ray boxset in a store, and I'm also a sucker for Blu-Ray. But I was pleasantly pleased with my purchase, which I will now discuss. STORY: 9 (Great) Samurai 7 is loosely based on an old movie, but also possesses an original story of its own. Basically, the story takes place in a world where samurai, merchants, and bandits rule the era. The samurai fight for honour, the merchants seek riches, and the bandits, who were once samurai, haveabandoned their bushido and are used as pawns of the merchants.
Our story revolves around a small village, one of many where the bandits allow the farmers to grow their rice, and take it back for the merchants to profit from. The people of this village have had enough, and a small party is sent out (voluntarily) to hire samurai to aid them in defeating the bandits and taking back their fields. Along the way, they encounter a diverse cast of characters who eventually form the final rescue party, and they meet with a variety of obstacles on the way to meeting their final objective: the save the village. These obstacles help in developing the story in greater depth, as well as give us a chance to see the real soul of each samurai, and even the courage of the supporting characters (who themselves are not samurai).
From start to end, the story keeps things interesting. The samurai are not only out to protect the village as they were hired to do, their honour compels them to help almost anyone they come across who is in need. It really gives you a proud feeling to know that they're not just in it for the money (or in this case, all the rice they can eat), but that they are downright heroes in their own right.
Not the deepest story ever told, but certainly the kind that will keep you wondering what will happen next. And that's admirable, considering the length of 26 episodes. It doesn't feel dragged out or too long, but just right.
ART: 9 (Great)
The art from time to time changes. The opening is among one of the best I've ever seen, and the fast-paced fighting scenes are extremely well choreographed, with not a lot of cut-away shots. The fluidity of these scenes is just spectacular. I gave it a 9/10 though, because sometimes when things have settled down, the animation style is adjusted to a more "relaxed", yet sometimes marginally "shabby" look. Mind you, it's not bad, I found myself to adjust to it rather quickly, and it never really bothered me all that much.
Overall, the animation was top-notch.
SOUND: 10 (Outstanding)
There isn't much to say here. The music is excellent, with a diverse number of tracks to be able to fit just about every scene when needed. Sad scenes, adrenaline-pumping action scenes, and even "WTF?" scenes have their own music suited properly to the moment. And the opening kicks ass.
CHARACTER: 9 (Great)
NOTE: I'm not going to cover other main characters like Kirara, Komachi, etc. I'm going to focus mainly on the samurai, because while these characters are indeed important, it's the samurai who develop the most, and are what really make this series what it is. Rest assured though, the above characters don't really suffer from any major flaws, as they develop well in their own ways.
I would have given this section 10/10, if not for the fact that there was one samurai, Gorobe, that I didn't find all that interesting. So it's because of him that I gave it a 9/10. It's not because he was bad or anything, but I thought he was too underdeveloped before he met his demise. Kyuzo, Katsushiro, Heihachi, and Kikuchiyo stole the spotlight of this series for me. Kikuchiyo especially. I didn't find Shichiroji or Kanbe all that interesting, but I have no real complaints with them, they do have their place.
Kyuzo - The "lone-wolf" of the group. He has vowed to be the one to kill Kanbe someday due to a sort of rivalry, but until that time, assists them in saving the village. He fights with honour to accomplish his mission, but is rather quiet and tends to keep to himself. You could almost say because of this he doesn't develop much, but if you think about it after following him through the story, he really does. He is extremely skilled, wielding two katana at once, and can take down a large gathering of enemies single-handedly.
Kikuchiyo - The comic-relief, over-the-top, hot-headed "let's kick some ass!" samurai, and my personal favourite character. He used to be a farmer, but had his soul infused into a mechanical body so that he could be not a farmer, yet not a samurai, but a composite of the two. Since his body is not flesh and blood, he can withstand a barrage of bullets, summon great strength, and piece himself back together if a limb is severed (with some help at times). He wields a katana with similarities to a saw, and is able to use it as such, but also as a regular sword. He is definitely one of the most interesting characters for his comedic relief, but also is frequently the character to bring the others back to being level-headed in a tight situation. At first introduction, he comes off more hot-headed than anything, but we soon learn he does have some wisdom kicking around in that metal head of his. He is the last of the others to be acknowledged by Kanbe as a true samurai, but in my opinion, he proves himself so on more than one occasion before that time comes.
Katsushiro - The novice samurai in training. He soon becomes Kanbe's apprentice, and learns to value of life and death through his first real battles. There are hints of him having a mutual affection for Kirara, but at times it's not all that well developed. This, however, does get developed closer to the end of the story. There's nothing truly spectacular about his character alone, but along with Kikuchiyo, he is considered to be one of the "tag-along" samurai, who usually ends up getting saved by Kanbe or one of the others due to his lack of experience. He does eventually become able to hold his own in battle, and his skills greatly improve over time.
Heihachi - He remains to be somewhat of a mysterious character, right up until the end. He excels in building and repairing machinery, and possesses great skill with the sword. For the most part, he uses his sword skills to cut wood or other materials for use in building some sort of gadget, but when he needs to cut someone down, he is able to perform well. It's revealed that he wants to help Kanbe's group so that he can atone for his past, in which he betrayed his comrades and sold them out to the enemy by leaking information. Until the end, he proves to be a resourceful and vital part of the group.
Gorobe - After the war, he puts his skills to use as a street performer, making bets as to whether or not he can survive various perils. His skill primarily consists of dodging kunai, bullets, or other obstacles. He comes across almost as a magician of sorts, without any sort of magic power, but more like a trickster. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to develop very much, and dies about half-way through the show. Fine with me though, as I didn't find him all that interesting. For the time he is there though, he does play a significant role in the party, bailing them out of tight spots here and there with his tricks.
Shichiroji - During the war, he fought alongside Kanbe. He is a most experienced samurai who wields a spear as his primary weapon. His fighting skills become more apparent towards the end of the show, as near the beginning and middle he spends most of his time building strategies with Kanbe, or hooking them up with accomodations from acquaintances. He is a necessary character, acting as a foundation along with Kanbe for the rest of the party, as his wealth of experience makes up for the lack thereof of some of the other characters.
Kanbe - The leader of this rag-tag group of samurai. Shichiroji is his former comrade and best friend. His skill with the sword is unmatched, save for Kyuzo. He has a reputation for losing every battle he has ever fought, although I don't think that's meant to be taken literally, as he has obviously won and survived previous his previous battles, and the war. For him, losing means having comrades die, even if the objective is accomplished. He is portrayed as the wisest of the group, always thinking one set ahead, and training the others as a sort of mentor for each coming battle. He is the last person to acknowledge Kikuchiyo as a true samurai, but eventually does so when Kikuchiyo shows his true wisdom after returning to the village and persuading the elders to let them fight the bandits.
So overall, the characters were extremely well developed for the scope of this series. I think they were all pretty deep, except for Gorobe, but some might disagree with that. When you're given this much to write about just 7 of the main characters (and I could have done much, much more), you can tell that they were really well thought out.
ENJOYMENT: 10 (Outstanding)
I rate a show 10/10 for enjoyment when I finish an episode and have nothing compelling me to stop: I don't feel bored in the least, and I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for more. This show kept me wanting more, right from episode one, which some shows don't achieve until a few more episodes in.
OVERALL: 10 (Outstanding)
This show was truly great, and as the Blu-Ray boxset case states, "a must have for every anime collection". I agree.
Some people have said in other reviews that they didn't think the ending was all that good. I beg to differ, as I thought it was perfect. Without spoiling it, I'll say that certain likeable characters die, and I believe that is the reason others don't feel as good about it as I do. I was extremely sad when one character in particular died (if you read my review you know who I mean), but I was proud of the way he went out. In my opinion, his was one of the most kick-ass deaths in all of anime. Yes, probably even more epic than Kittan from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (which was in itself pretty epic).
So to end this off, if you haven't seen this series, go out and buy it. Don't even bother renting it, because I know that once you finish it, you'll just wish you owned it in the first place.
"A must have for any anime collection."
suppavillan
I normally don't watch too much anime an my grammar is also very bad so this my first review. I will try my best not too include any spoilers. After reading the Plot line too this anime I found it very Interesting. I wanted a Anime where i can connect too the characters an connect too the anime which most people obviously want. I have an interest In samurai action type animes with a strong back story so I thought this was perfect judging by the plot. The anime started of alright, it was good enough for me too carry on watching it. The story seemedtoo be building its self but it was completely immature, When i mean Immature it the humor was not funny at all .As the story progressed The seven samurai were introduced, at this point I thought shits gonna start soon as in the important parts of the story. I was deeply disappointed. It lack any proper back story on most of the samurai, it was also very very immature like watching an Asian animated tv show for kids that would play on tv in the mornings. As the story went on , what suppose too be a big parts of the anime as in a important parts gave me NO trills or emotional movement at all WHY ? Because it was SOOOOOOOOOO obvious. ANother part came up which you can make out what the writer tried too do, they tried too make another emotional scene which was suppose too be major but it felt like noting , felt like a waste of time which was not needed. Most of the anime scenes were not needed. I was soo angry with the anime i wanted too stop but i told myself il finish it.
Surprisingly it got much better towards the end. I was shocked it kept me interested but it was too late.
I rate this anime extremely low an I would not recommend it to anybody who want too watch an anime where you will feel connected with the characters or deeply moved it failed too grasp an emotional feeling but anger for wasting my time watching this. It was extremely Immature an I do not recommend it too anyone above the age of 15. This anime could of been soo much better which is probz the main reason i hated it soo much. good potential gone.
Props too some of the artwork an action scenes though.
BetaEx
.:Story:. A simple yet touching story which incorporates social classes, samurais, mechs, devious/sly villain(s), and the idea that "dying itself does not make one a hero, but rather the legacy one leave behind." The story may start a little slow in the beginning but just hold out until around episode 11 since that's when the anime's action side really starts to pick-up, and it only gets better from there as you grow closer to each character. .:Art:. The utterly wonderful, I loved the mechanical samurai, Nobuseri, designs. What made it more interesting was the idea of keeping the basic traditional Japanese look while at the same time adding inmechanical components to give it that futuristic sci-fi feel.
Also the animation for the fight scenes were great since it seems the animators didn't try to make the samurai move so fast that they have a near vanishing appearance, you could see close to every aspect of the sword-play and I very much enjoyed it.
.:Sound:.
The music in an anime is supposed to help the audience feel more connected to the anime, but finding the perfect music to fit the perfect scenes can be difficult and I've seen plenty of animes that just tried to just drop a song into an episode and hoped it would work. Not Samurai 7, the music used throughout Samurai 7 was perfect and always gave you a distinct feeling which would often prepare you for what is to come.
.:Characters:.
In this series you will grow attached to many of the characters and each have their own unique backgrounds and distinct personalities. The anime did an excellent job "fleshing" out its characters, which makes them seem that more realistic and relate-able.
.:Enjoyment:.
With a set of well developed characters, wonderful animation, and spectacular sound I am pretty sure it is clear that I very much enjoyed this anime.
ggultra2764
Samurai 7 was a fairly entertaining action series that mixed around the traditional elements of samurai films and sci-fi anime in this re-imagined take on Akira Kurosawa’s classic film. The storyline first focuses on village priestess Kirara, her younger sister and another villager traveling around to seek out samurai to aid in protecting their village against giant mechanical bandits. The second half features the samurai aiding the village against the bandits and later, the merchants who had ties to the bandits. Essentially, sections of the series are adapted from the original movie while adding on its own material such as the later dealings that thesamurai have with the merchants. The plot did well enough at keeping me hooked on Samurai 7’s developments as it kept me wondering how things would turn out for the villagers of Kanna Village and the Seven Samurai as the show isn’t afraid to put its characters into dire situations and piling up a body count among the both friendly and enemy forces throughout the series.
The series is mostly plot-driven with character details only conveyed or hinted to when necessary to advance the show’s plot or providing enough to give a purpose for specific characters. In terms of personality, the characters of Samurai 7 are a colorful and diverse bunch between both the samurai and antagonists they confront. Some of them in particular display surprising traits that will have you surprised at just how cunning their characters are, in particular Ukyo who isn’t as carefree and easygoing as you would think from his earlier appearances in the show’s first half. Character personalities and whatever brief details are mentioned on said characters are the major thing that will make or break your care of them. If you are expecting fleshing out of these characters, then you could be disappointed with what you see throughout Samurai 7.
In terms of visual presentation, Samurai 7 does for the most part have above-average quality for a TV series. Scenery and character designs are well-detailed with subdued color shading, as well as sporting some impressive renderings of airships and mechanical samurai with CG-animation. Action scenes have their moments of fluid animation with the rendering of large fleets of mechanical samurai as they move about and the group of Seven Samurai dispatching their foes. The presentation isn’t always perfect as there are some scenes with animation errors with animating the details on character designs and some shortcuts with animation noticeable at points such as still shots used during intense action scenes.
While I wouldn’t exactly call the series a full-out masterpiece thanks to a lack of deep characterization and some issues with the visual presentation of the series, Samurai 7 still makes for a solid action series having its moments of slick action scenes, a plot that keeps you hooked on how things press on for the protagonists and characters you will be surprised with how they turn out compared to how they appear in early appearances. This is one of the better Gonzo titles I’ve had a chance of seeing, though it doesn’t hold a candle to the enjoyment and quality I got out of Gankutsuou and Bokurano.
PowerUpOrDie
It's not terribly controversial to say that newer fans of a medium are more easily impressed than more experienced fans. A trope or twist might look like THE GREATEST THING EVER the first time we see it, but after seeing it more times in different works the novelty starts to wear off and we can judge it more objectively. Eventually we build a far larger pool of references that allow us to get a better sense of where a work truly stands in the context of its genre and medium, and what first appeared to be a flawless masterpiece might not be quite so impressivewhen judged with more experience.
All this to say that even though I watched 'Samurai 7' when I was new to anime, I still realized it wasn't much good. It seems everyone has a reason to dislike GONZO- this show is mine.
-Story-
Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' is a centerpiece of world cinema- THE samurai movie. Then in the US it was adapted into the cowboy film 'The Magnificent Seven' and became one of the indisputable classics of that genre. And so GONZO figured if those baka gaijin could adapt it well, why not they? Well, enough GONZO bashing for now, here's why the plot of 'Samurai 7' fell flat on it's face: it's badly convoluted. The first half works well enough, mostly because it sticks somewhat close to Kurosawa's original plot and the post-apocalyptic mecha Sci-Fi setting is a fairly interesting twist. But the second arc goes off past the point where the movie ends into a ridiculous conspiracy involving the bandits, the emperor, a scheming prince, and a whole lot of rice. This is what I call 'Plot Pileup', there's too much going on, none of it is properly explained, and none of it is really engaging or memorable. Less really would have been more here.
-Art-
GONZO is essentially a 'Style Over Substance' kind of studio- that can be pretty hit and miss even on the style. The terribly integrated CGI is going to be the one thing you remember from this show if you remember nothing else. The character designs for the main protagonists are fine, but nothing special. However, the low-level bandit mechs looks flat-out stupid. Like something out of a cheap 1950's American sci-fi film. And the animation isn't above going noticeably off-model from time to time. The art isn't completely terrible the same way the plot is, but it's nowhere near good- maybe passable if you squint and remember this show is a decade old.
-Sound-
Nothing to see here, move along. It isn't bad, but there's nothing memorable.
-Character-
You'll remember Kambei because he's the leader, Kikuchiyo because he's the mecha-samurai, and Kyuzo because his character is the coolest in any version of 'Seven Samurai'. The rest... eh? Goals and motivations for the cast are pretty sparse. They have a quirk or two and a unique special attack, but that's about it. You won't find yourself deeply invested in any of them, or stay up late at night trying to crack the complex inner workings of their minds. The villains are even worse. The bandits are pretty straightforward, but that's forgivable in that they're bandits- they're simple men with simple goals. But the big 'final boss' is a convoluted mess who seems to do whatever the plot needs him to do. You can't even really bother to hate the guy as he's just so bland and his goal is so vague. The original movie cast worked because they were 1) interesting characters individually, and 2) they subverted nearly every popular samurai trope (most of which were the product of pre-WWII Imperial Japanese propaganda) in a movie that deconstructed the entire samurai genre. The cast here is neither interesting individually, or even functional in the service of some overarching theme (there ISN'T one).
-Enjoyment-
I saw the title, remembered how much I liked the movie, and gave it a shot. I liked it well enough at first, but by the end I was watching just to finish and because there wasn't much else available to me in terms of anime at the time. Fans of the original will despise 'Samurai 7', and those ignorant of the source material likely won't be terribly impressed either.
-Overall-
If you like Japanese culture you need to see Akira Kurosawa's original (in fact I'd recommend for any anime fan to occasionally get outside the 'anime/manga' bubble and sample a wider range of Japanese culture, you'll look more someone cultured and less like a fanboy otaku. Might I suggest some of Eiji Yoshikawa's novels, or a good translation of 'The Tale of the Heike'?). Forget this series. 'Samurai 7' isn't really passable on its own merits, but it positively STINKS in comparison to the work which inspired it. It may borrow its name from a classic film, but in terms of quality it has more in common with those cheap 'Magnificent Seven' sequels that were churned out here in the US.
Tsugan
Starts off very interesting; considering this is roughly based on one of the greatest movies of all time I expected no less. Not a fan of the shitty robot-CGI that was consistently employed in anime around this time, and this had a lot of it. Gets stronger and stronger through the middle, by this time you start getting really invested into the story and characters. The villain, IMO, is very good and fits the theme; the main problem is the protagonist that emerges is far from his "equal" in terms of personality and depth. So by the end I was almost rooting for the 7Samurai to lose due to main character falling flat. The ending did NOT leave me satisfied and I regretted how poor of a turn the latter half of the anime took.
punished_roku
(PREFACE) I will say, first and foremost: I'm a person who gets bored Very easily of anything that isn't to his taste, and also of anything that from the get-go is known for being more than 3 hours long all in one go. I've watched most big movies from when I was a kid (before 2010), for comparison and maybe it's a bad one, movies like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings around that time and even those at times bored me if it wasn't for some action packed scenes. Although I always loved anime, again, as a kid, I only watched big shounen shows orniche products but always those with very tight animations and back to back bloodrushing sequences or edgy setting (aside from the big 3 at the time Darker than Black comes to mind immediately for me).
I'd say I was a pretty average user up till that point, an average kid with average tastes and attention span. With that said...
I've been in a very dark period of my life 2 years ago, and while searching and scuttling about looking for something to entertain me and to make me feel better I stumbled upon Seven Samurai.
Not the anime but the Original movie by Akira Kurosawa, the one from 1954.
Why a completely average young adult found solace in a 3 and a half hours long jidaigeki is because of two things, I'll be honest: the "despair" I felt at the time, and "pride" in having watched something that in all likeness all my peers wouldn't dream of watching.
BUT
Maybe because of the situation I was in, maybe because I was very "tense" and "susceptible" to certain themes, I hella loved it. I stayed till the end and watched every second of it almost without blinking. The movie conveys many things you'd find in a sengoku-era jidaigeki: honor, trust, camaraderie and most of all to make a Stand, a selfless sacrifice for something or someone that is helpless or beyond hope without Any reward in return. A beautiful and forgotten concept portrayed flawlessly in a 1954, post world war 2, black and white, japanese movie with smelly farmers.
Since then, I revamped my appetite for curiosity, and watched a multitude of movies and anime (altho I haven't wrote a review for all of them ofc), not randomly, but always picking up whatever could really light the fire in my soul so to speak, and eventually I gave Samurai 7 a try, going in knowingly that it could never possibly surpass the original Of Course. Even so... Even knowing that... My disappointment was abysmal. It's been a while since I saw it, and I remember most of it, but now that I made an account (for completely different reasons tho) and while thinking of reviews to write as a practice I thought to myself that I could be doing good by saving some souls.
---I WON'T GO IN-DEPTH NOR GIVE ANY SPOILER---
(END OF PREFACE)
Samurai 7 takes you into a steam-punk sengoku era Japan... I guess, don't care. The anime itself aside from the first episode makes you stop caring about that, because when you take the same exact premise of the Movie but add crazy technologies into it... It'll boggle your mind with a myriad of questions and that's already a bad start.
If a sensible somebody, an average anybody, who comes in with any knowledge of the original movie and looks at the first, heck maybe even the second episode they'd leave. Immediately, they'd leave. Those who stay... They do probably because of the same reasons I stayed to watch Seven Samurai, pride.
That or you're really just really, really, new to the genre.
For fans of the original, it is... I was gonna say insulting but that's not exactly it, I guess they tried to take the original and add more flavor to the characters failing tremendously. Now I don't say that the characters are badly done I liked some of them and for a "re-imagining" I guess it can be ok, but my main problem is that you're taking an original property and changing things around, TOO many things around. I hate when they do that, it feels like a netflix western adaptation animated by a japanese studio instead of something that they came up with, hell if you're into that they already did a great job with Magnificent Seven just six years after.
Besides, the whole point of that would be to draw in people interested based on the original and to keep them interested, but so many, so many things are OUT OF PLACE or feel too forced. If you ever felt that 3 and half hours would be too much for a movie (even tho they weren't and you'd be glued to the screen every second in the OG) 26-episodes is way too much.
Many times I really, truly, felt like I was listening to an unfunny joke that was lasting way too long for it to be funny anymore. I'd say the anime should've ended halfway through after they've dealt with what the original movie was about but NO.
They just HAD to drag you and to force on you plot that... Adds nothing but misery.
------ TL;DR ------
Story:
If you come from the Movie, don't bother, you'll suffer. If you're new to... anime in general, your time is much better spent with Demon Slayer or Bleach if you're into samurai and katanas, or anything else really.
Art:
Maybe this is the only one I'll concede, the steam-punk elements are really nice, and the locations and settings feel very fresh and makes for good ambience, almost Kill la Kill-esque or Trigger-esque really, don't know if they worked together and really don't care but if this concept was taken and upon it they wrote an original story it would've been a hit, or it least it would've had a good following I guarantee it, because the quality art is there, 'tho nothing mind-blowing if you're a veteran but still.
Sound:
I don't remember it. I guess it was decent. When you don't remember something it means it really didn't made any impression on you. Not good, not terrible, just bland enough to be forgotten. Surely you've started humming something out of the blue or in a particular situation, that's when something is very good or apt in a given a case, that's what makes the sound department memorable, but here it just isn't.
Characters:
Ok -> if you've never heard of the original or you're very, very new to anime in general.
Unnecessary, forced, tropy -> anyone else.
That's the gist of it, If I were to go in-depth I'd commit verbal murder, third degree.
Enjoyment:
Again, if you're into samurais and fights, you already know there is better, if you're here is most likely because you've seen or heard of the original, in which case, there is Only misery here, not just for you but even the characters. There is no happiness, nor enjoyment here, I'm not sure they even know where they were going with this because even for a lesser mind (such as mine) you'd find or feel something at the end of a show. But here, there is either. Mu - nothingness. And it's not solace since you weren't actually trying to escape from anything but came here to enjoy something. Either that, or your disappointment would be so great, so deep that you'll try to forget it asap, or like me try to warn everybody before they waste, literally WASTE more than 9 hours of their lives.
Most of all, if you're a hot-head firebrand like myself and will watch it for pride in having it watched for yourself my first advice is "don't" there are no victors here, second DON'T do it in one go like binge watching because the misery you'll feel will be even greater.
Overall:
Why studios and anyone really would take and original property and f... Mess with it, therefore making absolutely nobody happy besides maybe those who are none the wiser, which aren't at fault, yet, is beyond me. If you wanted to make an anime out of this I'd say take the original, make a short season of heck a dozen episodes, or an animated movie sure, whatever, but don't go around putting unnecessary stuff in, focus on the animations, the sound, the art but don't change everything for the sake of inclusion or putting your personal view into it, if you wanted to do that, that's fine but create your own.
Fans of the original, stay as far as you can from this.
Fans of anime, go watch the original, don't let me catch any of you going around thinking this was the original thing (even tho it's written at the beginning that it isn't)
Fans of samurai and katanas and duels, you already know. What you're looking for is not here, look at the guy with the green-checkered haori.
Samurai 7 is a waste of your time.
And time is the only thing that we humans are given by nature to spend freely.
Don't do this to yourself. Stop at the original as nothing will top that.
newmansan
Man oh man, where to start. For those not in the know, this is a semi-steampunk adaptation of the beloved classic Seven Samauri. This is a 26 episode adaptation of a 3.5 hour movie. What starts out as an interesting retelling of the tale of a small village hiring seven samauri to protect their village from a pack of bandits slowly (emphasis on slowly) devolves into a padded, middling, uninspired mess of a show by the end. What could've been a fantastic 13 episode retelling of the film classic is instead a bloated, creaky 26 episode disappointment. CONS: Pacing is horrible. The show spends 13 episodes gettingthe samauri gathered and returned to the village. Rather then wrap up the climactic battle in a few episodes and put a bow on it, the show then spends the next 13 episodes getting to the final arc with little setup and no relation to the classic movie. I'm all for adapting with the times, but the last 13 episodes really drag on. I was wishing for it to end come episode 16.
Animation quality is adequate at times, only to dip down to hilariously bad at other times. It's clear they were given a budget and story for 13 episodes, but a demand for 26. Animation dips are noticeable, too frequent, and jarring.
Having had to pad out this show, there are several characters that were added specifically for the anime, and the show is worse off for most of them.
PROS:
Fortunately for this show, the characters that were in the movie maintain most of their same characterization. A lot of the great character moments are maintained, and the play between them is fun to watch. Kikuchiyo's "Reason everyone sucks" speech is maintained, and was great to see again.
The Japanese voice cast has done a fantastic job.
NONS:
Katsushiro undergoes a much different character arc than he does in the original movie. While I feel like it is much more appropriate to his type of character, in the end it goes on for too long and is bobbled. So a hit and a miss.
Final thoughts:
This anime had so much potential, but was ultimately defeated by an episode count twice what it should have been, animation that dips to the absurdly bad at times, a final arc that should've been excised, and numerous additions that made the show worse.
Go watch the movie instead.
Umm_what
An anime adaptation of Kurosawa's classic Samurai epic and this time around, most the samurai are giant robots, go figure. I knew this before even watching the show and I knew it was something I just had to get past though it still annoyed me a little, eh whatever. As the first half of the show plays out, I'm really liking it. The villagers are in the city looking for their samurai and honestly, the city itself is a great character. It's a stark, somewhat stoic, contrast to 18th/19th century Japanese cities. Each initial meeting with each samurai is great and makes for good character development.The score on the story begins to decline for me after the escape from the city and get back to village. I'm not even sure where to pin point why I feel this way. The scenes with Kikichiyo hurt my head after awhile. It seemed to drag on after they save the village the first time. The ending was too bittersweet with Kirara's decision.
The animation is very refined. I really appreciated it. My only qualm here is that the 3d animation used to draw the samurai marauder robots is going to really start looking dated. A lot people are saying the fight scenes look realistic. Realistic is a bit far fetched. A swordsman leaping 50ft in the air to cut a giant robot in half isn't all too realistic. I definitely preferred the fights that were sword to sword.
The characters are excellent mostly because they are almost mirror images to their inspired counter parts. Hayashida is my favorite, being very reserved and humble. The rivalry between Shimada and kyuzo give us one of the best fight scenes in the series. Shimada plays the part of the venerable and wise old samurai well. Another character I liked a lot was Shichiroji. His past injury and his woman make for great character devices.
As for the sound, not much to say other than good. I don't remember well enough about the music, that also means it didn't really make an impact on me but I do know all the sound effects were right on par. I watched the show with dubs, which were done very well.
The enjoyment was good the first time around, especially in the first 10 eps or so but I don't think there's a high rewatch value here so I give the enjoyment score a 7/10
Overall 7/10 and I wish so much I could give it higher. Just imagine the show as is, only the bandits are human and not giant robots and there's more sword to sword action.
jubzlol
these nerds talking about oh, its not as good as the movie its based on, GET REAL. this is a good anime by ANY means. i watched the original movie its based off of too and i PREFER the anime. come on, u guys are just stupid. its got a good story, that is DIFFERENT FROM THE MOVIE. good fight scenes and cool characters. the fight scenes arent as amazing as id like them to be, but its still worth it cuz altogether is cool. this anime gets wayyy too much hate. all im saying is that this anime shouldntbe judged off the movie its based off of, judge it as its own anime and then tell me this isnt like a 8-9. u guys are just being close minded.
u guys prolly liek the one boy goes to an all girl school animes. get a life nerds. im totally not a nerd tho
integra31
The original reason why I fancy anime is because I simply love the action and the fighting sequence. Don't get me wrong, I am not a sadist or even a masochist it's just that I fancy the animation as well as the realism of it. In fact that's the reason why I really enjoy SAMURAI 7. I daresay, for those who haven't watched this anime, they might assume that this is an ordinary samurai themed anime. Well you are in for a big surprise! This is not a just samurai themed anime, it's a sci-fi action themed anime. That's the perk! It's different from anyother samurai themed anime (correct me if I am wrong).
This series is adapted from a classic movie entitled SEVEN SAMURAI or SHICHI-NIN NO SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa. The main difference is the science fiction setting, as the series feature mechas, flying castle and other futuristics elements . The most noteworthy example is Kikuchiyo who has a mechanised body. In addition, the motley crew of seven samurais in this series are Kanbee, Gorobei, Heihach, Katsushiro, Kyuzo, Kikuchiyo, and Shichirouji. They are expert in different fields . For example, Heihach is an expert in mechanical items and object and Kyuuzo and an expert swordsman. In addition each character has different background, history and purpose to fight. The antagonists in this serial is known as Nobuseri and they are one heck of an enemy. These are not ordinary enemy, they are armoured with high-tech weaponry and armoury. BTW, there is a hint of romance in this anime however it is obscured by the main theme (war and survival) of this anime.
Paulwillson26
Samurai 7 is a futuristic version of Kurosawa Akira's classic film Seven Samurai. For those who do not know the film the story is set at the end of a civil where frightened villagers are terrorised by Samurai who have become a band of bandits. In desperation a handful of villages go to the city to hire Samurai with the only thing they have to offer, rice. There search is less than successful as they are often conned by poor Samurai who just want a free meal or dismissed wealthier Samurai. Eventually they manage to hire a less than inspiring group of 7 Samurai, Kambei theleader who has never won a battle, Kikuchiyo a wanna be samurai, Katsushiro a novice who hasn't experienced battle, Shichiroji Kambei's cowardly friend, Gorobei a samurai who has become a showman to survive, wood chopping Heihachi, and the mysterious Kyuzo. Not a group you would want to defend your village.
These are, except for Kikuchiyo and Katsushoro, men of violence struggling to come to adapt an age of peace. Why they accept the villages offer is mainly for redemption
Apart from the futuristic setting and the mecha bandits where Samurai 7 deviates from Kurosawa Akira's film is the introduction of Ukyo, the anime's best character. He is introduced as a spoilt brat but he soon becomes an opportunistic and ultimately ruthless character looking to benefit from controlling the bandits as a way to repress and control the villages.
However, the Samurai 7 keeps the spirit of the film and includes Kikuchiyo's key speech about who is to blame for the villages fear and distrust of the 7 Samurai when they have come to help them.
Ultimately though Samurai 7 is a what it could have been. It could have been great but the less than inspiring characters let it down. It was difficult to feel much for the characters. This meant what should have been emotional scenes leaving me cold.
Good anime but could have been great.
LHPN
This series is an adaptation of a film known for its excellence. It attempts to readapt its story over a longer period with a new setting halfway between traditional Japan and science fiction. The potential to create a good series was there but unfortunately, the execution is not up to expectations. The result is an adaptation that has not aged very well despite some good ideas. I nevertheless had a pleasant time although punctuated by some somewhat boring episodes. ==Story== 6/10 The story follows the original movie's storyline most of the time, and fills it all with lots of sub-plots to fill the 26 episodes. If you've alreadyseen the original movie, what you'll probably be interested in are the additions because most of the time, it's like the old movie but less subtle and longer. When it comes to the extra parts, sometimes we have good ideas, especially the additions related to the capital after the battle: the stakes are renewed, we have court intrigues and small plots that make you want to get back into the adventure. The world of merchants and the empire are probably the best additions. However, some filler plots are quite clumsy in their execution and often uninteresting. Overall, I'm not sure it's worth it compared to the original movie.
==Characters==
7/10
We have our famous seven samurai who gain in characterization for some but who generally respect the originals well. Kikuchiyo, Heihachi, Gorobei and Shichiroji are the most endearing with scenes and backstory that allow each one to express themselves and touch the audience. I particularly like the relationships that some can have with the villagers, it really highlights them.
Kambei and Katsushiro are on the other hand quite quickly annoying. The first is shown as a badass strategist and wise, but his way of behaving with Katsushiro makes him quite unpleasant. Katsushiro for his part has become unbearable and all attempts to give him an evolution often fall through. As for Kyuzo, he is perfectly anecdotal compared to the original film.
We also have a whole set of characters among the villagers, merchants or representatives of the empire whose interest can vary greatly. Kirara is one of the most important, she has a pretty good arc but unfortunately linked to the two least endearing samurai (although they are supposed to be the most important), and Ukyo is a good villain even if it borders on the ridiculous from time to time. The most positive contribution is perhaps Komachi and his relationship with Kikuchiyo which is comical and full of joy. On the other hand, the bandits are at the height of uninteresting.
One point that I regret is still the general treatment of the female characters who are almost all linked to love stories when they are adults, or little things to defend when they are younger. This is what prevents Kirara from being a really good character in my opinion.
==Art==
4/10
The artistic direction is really average for its time, which implies all the aesthetic problems of small productions from the early 2000s. The character designs are creative for some, but the sets are not very detailed and lack interest.
Moreover, the change of setting in a semi-scifi world does not offer much more. The mecha-bandits, on paper it's cool, in the execution we don't care at all. Even the capital that becomes a mothership is poorly exploited. And it does not help to make the battles understandable.
We also feel that the digital technology is not very well mastered at times. The 3D of the mechas really looks like a video game and does not integrate well. I noticed big compositing problems at the beginning of the series too but we don't have too many notable ones afterward (in fact there is not much compositing).
==Animation==
3/10 (but 10/10 on episode 7)
It's static most of the time. The characters move badly, float in the air, have no mass in the action scenes. And very frequent off-model issues (I'm talking about unjustified off-model). We also have all the 3D issues of the time, where 2D characters don't interact well with 3D mecha. It gives the feeling of a somewhat botched production.
But there are flashes of brilliance, Hisashi Mori's work for a few episodes is one of those little miracles that are appreciated. If you're interested in expressive, slightly surreal animations, episode 7 is highly recommended. We would have liked this level of quality throughout the series.
==Sound==
7/10
The music may not be very striking, but it is pleasant and serves the action well. I watched the series in Japanese, and the voices are generally good (except Rikichi's intonations which are annoying). And as for the openings and endings, the music is quite catchy but terribly average.
==Conclusion==
5/10
This is a terribly average anime for its time and it hasn't aged very well. The series isn't exceptional anywhere and the staging isn't very striking. I had to force myself a bit to finish it because by the middle, I was a bit bored. Fortunately, the series regains interest when it deviates from the original material after episode 17.
Speaking of which, the adaptation remains faithful most of the time but for someone who already knows the story, it doesn't bring much. The original is artistically much more accomplished, with its staging, its handling of black and white, its poetry. In comparison, this series is clumsy.
lawhosayher
Opinion - The story was a bit hard to get into from the first episode, most good animes are, but after the first 10 mins I really started to enjoy it. Heart touching, action, chivalry, and sort of reverse harem I mean why not. and the action was good. It's like one of those books that are hard to put down afterwards. art - it had very good art for the fight scenes, and definite features. It did seem to me that some characters where almost copied if you will, but hey what isnt now a days. dont worry you'll know what I mean after youwatch it.
characters - favs are kyuzo and Heihachi. I like odd balls Kyuzo is the silent type who always wants to fight and Heihachi is the goofy mechanic who really REALLY likes rice.lol. well they have a good base for their characters nothing completely unique though
Honorable-Stigma
I remember when I watched Samurai Seven, I was thrilled. I just couldn't get enough of the show, and I would keep watching. Some of the art was not to my liking, but that was not that important. Sometimes it will get boring, especially the part about economics and stuff like that, but this show really does show you true sacrifice, and I don't think I have ever cried for the ending like I did with this show. Clannad After Story had a sad ending, but this show just made me cry all night. But this truly is good show anda must watch.
shukketsushi
Samurai7 is a wonderful anime all around. It has a great story, good art, and the characters are all interesting and different from each other. I would especially recommend this to people who have seen the Seven Samurai movie, an old samurai movie that inspired this anime, but it isn't necessary to fully enjoy it, either. By far my favorite part of Samurai7 was the characters. The samurai covered a broad range of personalities from fiery and comical like Kikuchiyo to quiet and cold like Kyuzo. I admit that those two extremes seem overdone, but when they're with the other characters, it only adds to thestory.
The story itself was also quite strong. It starts out on a fairly small scope, and then widens as the story continues. I like the use of mecha in the shogunate era. It gives the setting a clashing yet engaging feel.
My only complaints with the series is that there are a few parts (most notably in the Firefly Inn with Shichiroji) that become really bad visually, as if their budget was suddenly cut and they had to have a kid come in and draw those parts. It was glaringly obvious and impossible to ignore. However, those parts usually only lasted for a few minutes. The other complaint that I had was how unnecessary and annoying some of the deaths were. They only added drama, which could have been added through legitimate means and not unnecessary, annoying deaths of otherwise strong and skilled characters.
Regardless of my complaints, this is an anime that I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone.
DonQuigeek
Adapting the core story and the protagonists of Shichinin no samurai in a fantastic world with a strong Moëbius feeling (and maybe a bit of Jodorowski) is a perillous feat. Fortunately, it is well-accomplished here. The world of Samurai 7 is both grandiose in its perspectives and simple in its ways, without showing off. Diluted into a rather slow contemplative atmosphere and sci-fi, the story becomes fascinating thanks to its characters, slightly imbued with shōnen stereotypes to hold its part even during fight sequences. Overall, the execution is remarkable to the exception of the CGI, which were not bad for a 2004 show but it was 12 yearsago. The soundtrack dwells into the old Kurosawa movie era, and the modifications in the original story bring the best.
There are few shows that work their decorum to the point where you have the feeling you could be there. It draws you in, as well as the characters; it reflects on them, and yet it remains intriguing. In a very different way, the Junkyard in Gunnm has that same feeling, or the world of Blame!. It looks delicately crafted and carefully thought upon, enough for you to want to go and discover more about it.
Samurai 7 allows you to become that kind of tourist.
Add a fantastic samurai story upon that and you've got something close to a masterpiece.
Even if it doesn't concern me personally, I'd like to point out that the rhythm and the (mostly) old-fashioned music may be a bit slow at times, if you're not absorbed by the show. And as magnificent (joke intended) as the art is, it differs from the usual and also brings western influences in the mix, which can be of less appeal to some viewers. Again: Moëbius seems obvious inspiration.
So, if you're okay with it, and if you enjoy being transported far away for 26 episodes of a good story with samurai: try this one.
