Right off the bat I should probably tell you that I am no expert when it comes to Asian films, especially those that are adaptations from popular Manga. But while some of you might wonder what gives me the credibility to write about one, others might realize that as fresh perspective might allow the average moviegoer to try something new, as I have. Perhaps if I were to give a film a positive review it will open it up to a wider audience. After all, most film viewers are very picky in their taste and if they don't like foreign films, hearing from a foreign film expert certainly isn't going to change their minds. That said, this week I want to share a little with you about a film being released on DVD… that completely blew me away. New from Urban Vision's AsiaVision label is "Azumi", which weaves a tale of a young girl raised to be an assassin in 19th century feudal Japan. The film introduces us to Azumi (Aya Ueto), who is actually one of ten orphans who have been trained in this manner.

Their sole mission is to do the bidding of the State by assassinating troublemakers amongst the elite, thereby ensuring power remains in the hand of those who currently wield it. But Azumi is different from her comrades as she begins to question her actions and the teachings and traditions of her samurai trainer.

To the casual reader this description might seem a little cut and dry, but the plot of "Azumi" is far from it. Backed up by a well-written script, the movie's driving force is the visual ecstasy in which the action is presented. The production design, under the keen eye of Yuji Hayashida, is full of amazing scenery and costumes, while the action itself is an orchestra of precision stunts and gorgeous cinematography. The film offers a huge body count, for those who desire such things, which is highlighted by this stylized and sometimes surreal form of filmmaking.

"Azumi", directed by Ryhuhei Kitamura, was originally introduced in the form of a highly successful series of comics by Yu Koyama. While I cannot attest to how closely the story of the film stays to the story of the comics, watching this movie has given me a taste for what came before. I've already been in contact with some of the comic collecting friends to see if they can track down a few issues for me.

Interestingly enough, "Azumi" was produced back in 2003, where it became an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. It has since made the rounds of Film Festivals around the world and in doing so has cultivated quite the fan following. This is the first time it's been released on DVD here in the States and AsiaVision spared no expense in delivering a great set. The 2-disc Collector's Edition gives you the choice to watch the movie in Japanese 5.1 (with optional English subtitles) or an English dubbed version, also in 5.1. Personally, I always go for the original Japanese track with subtitles, but that's a matter of preference.

The second disc has several special features, including a lengthy 'making of…' featurette and a look at the U.S. production. The latter of these is interesting because it focuses heavily on the dubbing for the production. We are shown how the U.S. team worked diligently to make sure that the dubbed voices matched the mouth movements as much as possible to try and create a seamless look to the film. There is also an interview segment that pits director Kitamura against producer Mataichiro Yamamoto. Well, they don’t actually fight per se, but both speak candidly about their meeting and some of the disagreements they had over the project. You'll also find a featurette that gives a little background about the main actors, some cast and crew profiles, and a music video. Add to these some photo galleries and you have a pretty well-rounded DVD release.

I enjoyed "Azumi" immensely and hope that those of you who might not normally watch a film like this will give it a try. I can't guarantee it'll be to your liking, but what have you got to lose? As for me, I'm now waiting impatiently for the release of the sequel ("Azumi 2: Death of Love"), which will also be available from AsiaVision.

Directed by: Ryuhei Kitamura
Starring: Aya Ueto, Joe Odagiri, Aya Okamoto, Kenji Kohashi, Hiroki Narimiya
Extras: "Fighting on the Edge" - The Making of Azumi, "Azumi in America" - The U.S Production, "The Battle of the Creatiors" - Kitamura vs. Yamamoto, About the Actors Featurette, Cast and Crew Profiles, Hidden Music Video
Specifications: Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Optional English Subtitles
Studio: AsiaVision / Urban Vision
Release Date: 11/21/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website
Website

We'll give Azumi an A.