Azumi II : The Legendary Sanada Clan

U e t o--- A y a
I s h i g a k i--- Y u m a
K u r i y a m a--- C h i a k i

AZUMI II
DEATH OR LOVE

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These are Kato Kiyomasa's ninjas. They wear some Crusader-like battle-gears (of the years of Richard the Lionheart, i.e. eleven hundred) which must have felt literally infernal in the humid summertime of 1610. They also have pistols with them, and wear anti-radiation masks (or Hannibal Lecter's). Their sergeants add Wolverine's claws to the outfit that's already heavy-metal.		Captain Kanbei returns to lead his men to hunt for the killer of their lord in the previous movie. They find Azumi and Nagara, but lose them again in three minutes or so of cinematic confusion. The Kato ninjas obviously never watched Donald Duck, for they earnestly peek into the deep ocean below while Azumi and Nagara are where Donald always be in such a situation.


The hall of the Sanada clan's Ueda castle is approximately 0.0001% of the width of the real one. The clan's crest, which was usually plainly woody or black, is curiously gilded behind Sanada Masayuki's seat.		And Sanada Masayuki is convincing enough as long as he doesn't say a word. It's hard for a calculating historical protagonist to play an airheaded antagonist here.


Kanbei seeks alliance there, since he and his men no longer has a lord to serve. They all talk about wars and Tokugawas and Toyotomis as if everybody has just gotten a visit from brain-snatchers of Planet Zork. Like the 100% clueless Azumi, everyone here is either 'for war' or 'for peace'. It is evidently a tough job to make the Tokugawas protagonists while there is absolutely no historical reason at all. Azumi's mission is to kill those who are 'for war'. Sanada Masayuki is 'for war'. Tokugawa Ieyasu is 'for peace'. You are not invited to ponder upon such things as 'what war?' or 'what peace?' or 'why?'		This is supposed to be Sanada Yukimura, no matter what you think. The legendary maverick of the era is all alone in this movie -- nobody even mentions his famous league of Ten Braves that never went anywhere in real life without him, or vice versa. And because there is no mention of Yukimura's elder brother Sanada Nobuyuki either, Yukimura double-jobs as himself and his brother: he is 'for peace' (i.e. pro-Tokugawa). Understandably this radical change can't get reconciled with the real Sanada Yukimura's reputation as Tokugawa Ieyasu's worst nightmare in real life.


And this is Sanada Masayuki's confidante and mistress, named enigmatically 'Kunio', leader of the Ueno-kogashu in which Hattori Hanzo says nothing less than bloodthirsty monsters congregate.		Since the Iga ninjas here don't belong to any clan or school of respectable ninjas, Kunio is free to add scenes that didn't exist in the first movie. She is also free to call herself 'The Black Spider', like a teenage vamp in anime.


The Sanada clan recruits soldiers from among the rural folks via a loud public campaign. Literally. They erect some bamboo stage right in the marketplace.		The bandits led by another cryptically-named character ('Ginkaku', as in 'Ginkakuji' -- the temple in Kyoto) join in for the money.


The Sanada clan's banners in the wind are faithful to history, hence they look majestic enough, giving you a few seconds of a feeling like watching a samurai movie.		Though the 'General' under the fluttering banners badly needs fashion-consultants and a real hairdresser. She's wearing Madonna's metal breastplate with chains linking the tits.


We are told this Sanada file is going to war against Tokugawa.		Nevermind that the number of soldiers we see onscreen is no more than what is needed to escort a warlord when hunting wild fowls.


Sanada Masayuki doesn't notice that he only has one platoon, obviously. He sits as if in a battlefield behind 250,000 men.		This is one of the critters that belong to the Ueno-kogashu. He, too, badly needs hairstyling advice, which he will never ever get from the 'General' Black Spider.


She's not even cold; she screams hysterically whenever she is supposed to look scary.		So the little band of Sanada soldiers understandably gets confused when Azumi shows up; she talks in a very low key.


Kanbei almost gets Azumi this time. But Sanada Masayuki claims her. Inferior in rank, Kanbei retreats. He really does retreat, you know. Even almost amiable to Azumi.		Azumi is supposed to have been much 'humanized' in this movie, probably as a result of American consultancy. But she is still deadly even though now she is more like Buffy.


Sanada Masayuki says he will submit to the Tokugawas if Azumi can beat him in a duel.		Which is, of course, a very unwise decision even if he didn't watch the first Azumi movie.