Samurai Seven

Samurai Seven is an anime based on the masterpiece by Akira Kurosawa called Seven Samurai, and is produced in the United States by Funimation.  This anime has it all for the true anime fan; swords, girls in skimpy clothing, guns, and giant robots.  The creators of this anime managed to take Kurosawa’s story and tell it in a new way, yet remain true to the greatness of the legendary film. 

Samurai Seven, like the film, is a story of a small farming village who becomes tired of being raided by the nobuseri (bandits).  In this anime, the nobuseri are giant robot samurai who gave up their bodies to be placed in giant machines.  The village sends 3 of its members to the nearest city to search for samurai to defend their village from the bandits.  Kirara, the water priestess, Komachi, Kirara’s little sister, and Rikichi, a village peasant who’s wife was taken by the nobuseri, travel to the city with only some rice with which to feed the samurai they are to hire.  At first they have little luck finding anyone, until they witness an even where a man dressed in white saves a baby held hostage.  This man, called Kambei Shimada, joins their team after hearing their story.  He is to be the leader of the samurai.  While they are looking for the samurai, you meet Ukyo, a noble who falls for Kirara and wants to take her to his palace. 

Along the way the Samurai meet the Shikimoribito, or guardians. This race of beings produces large energy cells that are necessary for both the cities and the bandits. Due to this reliance on both parts, the Shikimoribito trade with both sides. The Nobuseri trade the rice they steal from the peasants for the energy cells. They use the rice to feed some strange trees, which the sap is the only food the Shikimoribito eat. Refugees from villages destroyed by the bandits harvest the sap in exchange for protection and a place to stay among the Shikimoribito.

 The series does not end with the battle at Kanna village.  Kambei heads off to the capital by himself to confront the Emperor.  The others decide to travel to find Kambei and help rescue the women who were stolen by the nobuseri.  When Kambei arrives at the capital he attempts to kill the emperor and is captured.  During his internment, events begin unfolding that show there is more going on than they understood.

Samurai Seven spans 26 episodes on 7 disks, which cost an amazing $300,000 each to produce.  Each disk features one of the seven samurai on the front cover.  The graphics for this series are among the best I have ever seen and the musical score is phenomenal.  Each of the 7 samurai are unique, yet play an important role in the story. Each episode is exciting and there is plenty of action going on. This is my personal favorite anime.