Paula Hammond - Features EditorArguably no-one does weird and wonderful quite like Japanese filmmakers… and this June one of Arrow’s latest cult offerings includes an unseen gem of Japanese cinema.
The Invisible Swordsman, is a mystical tale of vengeance and adventure, directed by Yoshiyuki Kuroda (Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare) and beautifully shot by Hiroshi Imai (The Haunted Palace).
In Edo-era Japan, Sanshiro diligently hones his sword-fighting technique at the kendo dojo, but no amount of practice can hide the fact that he is both clumsy and cowardly. When his samurai father encounters a gang of murderous phantom thieves while on night watch duties, tragedy strikes.
In a fit of despair, Sanshiro is drawn to the banks of the Sanzu River that separates the worlds of the living and the dead. There, he encounters a strange, otherworldly apparition who offers advice on how Sanshiro can avenge his father.
The secret is a mysterious potion with the power to turn him invisible… and perhaps boost our hero’s flagging courage. All Sanshiro has to do is collect the potion’s ingredients, and track down th mysterious gang.
With sumptuous attention to historical setting, and costume design, meticulous fight choreography this is a rip-roaring fantasy and adventure, guaranteed to be nothing like your usual Japanese sword and shogun fare.
Don’t be put off by the curiously cheesy theme tune, and the slapstick opening sequences … this is a hugely fun slice of vintage cinema. So, order the pizza, put on the kettle, and settle down for a perfect night in.
