If you follow the Shout Factory YouTube Channel, you may have seen evidence that “Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist” isn’t the only head-splittingly cool martial arts web series online today; we also have “Bushido Man: Seven Deadly Battles”. However, what you saw was only an appetizer for the main course that is the complete film, which has just arrived on DVD!
The film first made a splash at the 2013 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, and reactions have been nothing but phenomenal ever since. Directed by Takanori Tsujimoto with fight choreography handled by Kensuke Sonomura, the film follows the exploits of Toramaru, played by Mitsuki Koga, practitioner of the integrated martial art of Mugen Ga Ryu, who is tasked by his wise Master Gensai to travel throughout Japan to test his skills against the most formidable practitioners of a wide variety of different combat arts. Along the way, Toramura adopts the unconventional strategy of pinpointing his adversaries weak points by dining on their preferred cuisine.
With a plot that pays tribute to Bruce Lee’s “Game of Death” and “Scott Pilgrim vs the World”, the action boasts a wide range of different opponents for Toramura to face, each an exponent of a different method of fighting from Kung Fu to Bojutsu to the Nunchuku and Kenjutsu. Produced on a shoestring budget, the film has nevertheless earned rave reviews from anyone whose laid eyes on it so far. Have a look at the trailer above, and you’ll most likely feel strongly compelled to join the rapidly growing fan-base of “Bushido Man”!
