Kamui Gaiden

{{Infobox film

| image = Kamui Gaiden poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical poster

| director = Yōichi Sai

| producer = {{ubl|Akira Morishige|Yui Tamae}}

| screenplay = {{ubl|Yōichi Sai|Kankurō Kudō}}

| based_on = {{based on|Kamui Gaiden|Sampei Shirato}}

| starring = {{ubl|Kenichi Matsuyama|Koyuki|Ekin Cheng|Kōichi Satō|Hideaki Itō}}

| music = Taro Iwashiro

| cinematography = {{ubl|Tomoo Ezaki|Junichi Fujisawa}}

| editing = Isao Kawase

| studio = {{ubl|Horipro|Shochiku|Shogakukan|Shueisha|Yahoo Japan}}

| distributor = Shochiku

| released = {{Film date|2009|09|16}}

| runtime = 120 minutes

| country = Japan

| language = Japanese

| budget = $18 million{{cite web|url=http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2009/10/25/japanese-film-festival-in-australia-this-november/ |title=Japanese Film Festival in Australia this November « SciFi Japan |publisher=Scifijapan.com |date= |accessdate=2013-10-28}}

| gross = $11,891,739{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&id=_fKAMUIGAIDEN01 |title=Kamui gaiden (2009) |publisher=Boxofficemojo.com |date= |accessdate=2013-10-28}}

}}

{{nihongo|Kamui Gaiden|カムイ外伝}} is a 2009 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Sai, based on Sanpei Shirato's manga series of the same title. The film is written by Sai and Kankurō Kudō, starring Kenichi Matsuyama in the title role. It premiered at Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2009,{{cite web|url=http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2009/07/27/kamui-world-premiere-at-toronto-international-film-festival/ |title=KAMUI World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival « SciFi Japan |publisher=Scifijapan.com |date=2009-09-19 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} to mixed reviews. The English version was released as Kamui and the film was retitled Kamui: The Lone Ninja on the home video.

Plot

The young Kamui is a runaway ninja who has abandoned his clan, now constantly pursued by assassins. His travels bring him to a seashore village where he meets Hanbei, a fisherman who shares the former ninja's sense of honor. Though Hanbei's wife is wary of the stranger, the fisherman and Kamui become good friends. Life at the seaside seems idyllic but Kamui does not get to enjoy the peace for very long when his past life is catching up on him, and everything and everyone is not as it seems. Now he must draw upon his shadowy arts if he hopes to escape with his life.

Cast

Kenichi Matsuyama as Kamui
Kaoru Kobayashi as Hanbei
Koyuki as Sugaru
Kōichi Satō as Gumbei
Hideaki Itō as Fudo
Suzuka Ohgo as Sayaka
Ekin Cheng as Dumok
Sei Ashina as Mikumo
Yûta Kanai as Yoshito
Yukio Sakaguchi as Imperial Guard

Production and release

Kamui Gaiden was filmed in 2007–2008 at Nago, Okinawa. On April 1, 2011, Matsuyama married Koyuki whom he has met on the set of Kamui.[http://mdn.mainichi.jp/arts/news/20110420p2g00m0et108000c.html Actors Koyuki and Matsuyama get married] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420215957/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/arts/news/20110420p2g00m0et108000c.html |date=2011-04-20 }}, The Mainichi Daily News, April 20, 2011 In addition to Toronto Film Festival, it was also screened at London Film Festival{{cite web|last=Concannon |first=Philip |url=http://www.philonfilm.net/2009/11/london-film-festival-2009-final-round.html |title=London Film Festival 2009 - Final Round-Up |publisher=Phil on Film |date=2009-11-02 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} in 2009, as well as at Rotterdam International Film Festival,{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/459452/Kamui/awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029234033/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/459452/Kamui/awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-10-29 |title=Kamui - Cast, Crew, Director and Awards - NYTimes.com |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |date=2013 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} Sci-Fi-London,{{cite web|url=http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/strand.php?id=430 |title=Sci-Fi-London 2010: Full Feature Line up films section |publisher=Eye For Film |date= |accessdate=2013-10-28}} the Asian Film Festival of Dallas{{cite web|url=http://2010.affd.org/films/kamui/ |title=Kamui | Asian Film Festival of Dallas 2010 |publisher=2010.affd.org |date= |accessdate=2013-10-28}} and the Durban International Film Festival{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/33817717/Durban-International-Film-Festival-2010-Programme |title=Durban International Film Festival - 2010 Programme |publisher=Scribd.com |date= |accessdate=2013-10-28}} in 2010. The film was released as Kamui in the English version, and as Kamui: The Lone Ninja for the 2010 UK DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases by Manga Entertainment;{{cite web|url=http://blog.affenheimtheater.de/en/2010/01/05/summer-wars-kamui-gaiden-manga-entertainment-uk-dvd-blu-ray-disc/ |title=Manga Entertainment UK to release Kamui Gaiden and Summer Wars on DVD and Blu-ray Disc | Affenheimtheater |publisher=Blog.affenheimtheater.de |date=2010-01-05 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} it was also re-titled as Kamui - The Last Ninja by Cine-Asia in Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.de/kamui-the-last-ninja-Action-Thriller/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Kamui%20-%20The%20Last%20Ninja&rh=n%3A289093%2Ck%3AKamui%20-%20The%20Last%20Ninja%2Cp_n_feature_three_browse-bin%3A535463031&page=1 |title=Kamui - The Last Ninja, ab 2010 Action & Thriller |publisher=Amazon.de |date= |accessdate=2013-10-28}}

Reception

English-language critical reception of the film was generally mixed. Rob Nelson of Variety wrote that "this would-be epic needs more show and less tell" as it "comes to a crawl too often over its two-hour running time," but applauded Matsuyama as "perfect as the brooding title character."{{cite web|author=Rob Nelson |url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117941248?refcatid=31 |title=Variety Reviews - Kamui - Film Reviews - - Review by Rob Nelson |publisher=Variety.com |date=2009-09-27 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} Alternatively, DVD Talk's David Johnson said "it makes Scott Pilgrim vs. The World look like The Pianist" and "if you can get past the laughably bad effects work, there's ridiculous fun to be had with Kamui."{{cite web |url=https://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/kamuigaiden.php |title=DVD Verdict Review - Kamui Gaiden |publisher=Dvdverdict.com |date=2011-01-14 |accessdate=2013-10-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029210409/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/kamuigaiden.php |archivedate=2013-10-29 |first=Gordon |last=Sullivan}} Eye for Film gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, applauding its "immense visual beauty" which helps to "keep the viewer entertained and enthralled."{{cite web|url=http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/kamui-the-lone-ninja-film-review-by-anton-bitel |title=Kamui: The Lone Ninja (2009) Movie Review from |publisher=Eye for Film |date=2010-08-09 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} Tony Rayns even called it "probably the best ninja movie ever made."{{cite web|author=Colin Bartlett |url=http://londonkoreanlinks.net/2009/10/06/korean-connections-at-the-53rd-bfi-london-film-festival/ |title=Korean Connections at the 53rd BFI London Film Festival |publisher=London Korean Links |date=2009-10-06 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} However, EasternKicks.com, which gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, commented on Rayns' opinion by saying this would be true only if "your reference point is Ninja Assassin or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," but called the film enjoyable.{{cite web|url=http://www.easternkicks.com/reviews/kamui-the-lone-ninja |title=Kamui: The Lone Ninja Blu-Ray / DVD review |publisher=easternkicks.com |date=2010-08-05 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} Kurt Halfyard of Twitch Film wrote that "function and value of art is a pretty high minded premise for a simple, populist action-melodrama" and "the collection of underwater, tree-top and sea-side ninja battles are not enough to enliven the whole turgid affair," adding that "Shinobi offers a more compelling scenario and characters and that is not saying much."{{cite web |url=http://twitchfilm.com/2009/09/tiff-09-kamui-review.html |title=TIFF 09: KAMUI Review |publisher=Twitchfilm.com |date=2009-09-17 |accessdate=2013-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201417/http://twitchfilm.com/2009/09/tiff-09-kamui-review.html |archive-date=2013-10-29 |url-status=dead }} Heroic Cinema, rating the film 6/10, stated that "when it comes to a movie that could have been great —should have been great— that’s a whole new level of disappointment."{{cite web|url=http://www.heroic-cinema.com/reviews/kamui-2009/ |title=Kamui (2009) | Heroic Cinema 3.0 |publisher=Heroic-cinema.com |date=2010-09-20 |accessdate=2013-10-28}} Cinema Verdict reviewer rated it 5/10, also finding Kamui to be a disappointment, "built upon a story and characters who didn’t capture my attention with its overall fake look."{{Cite web |url=http://www.cinemaverdict.com/2009/10/15/viff-review-kamui/ |title=VIFF Review: Kamui — Cinema Verdict |access-date=2012-06-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215190739/http://www.cinemaverdict.com/2009/10/15/viff-review-kamui/ |archive-date=2011-12-15 |url-status=dead }} Nevertheless, James Mudge of BeyondHollywood.com wrote that Kamui "stands out as one of the better examples of the ninja genre," stating that Sai brought "Sanpei Shirato’s vision to life without too much grand standing, and the film is all the more enjoyable for paying equal amounts of attention to character and excitement."{{cite web|url=http://www.beyondhollywood.com/kamui-the-lone-ninja-2009-movie-review/ |title=Kamui: The Lone Ninja (2009) Movie Review |publisher=BeyondHollywood.com |date=2010-07-23 |accessdate=2013-10-28}}