Aragami: The Raging God of Battle
by Ryuhei Kitamura
List Price:
Our Price: $14.99
You Save: $10.99 (42%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.44 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Kanae Uotani, Masaya Kato, Takao OsawaDirector: Ryuhei Kitamura
Brand: Media Blasters
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); English (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 80 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-16
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Tokyo Shock
Movie Reviews of Aragami: The Raging God of Battle
Movie Review: Supernatural Samurai Film: Duel Until You Die!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Aragami" is not only a great film, but one that is very much overlooked. The film itself was directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, and clocks in at about only 79 minutes. However, for a short film, it packs in more suspense and great drama than many supernatural films I have seen. And if you are like me and enjoy samurai films, you will like the action the film delivers in such a short time span. One thing I enjoyed about the film too, was that director Ryuhei Kitamura does not throw the film at the viewer in the opening scenes, but allows the dialogue of the films two main characters to build up the suspense, which will eventually culminate into a great action duel towards the end of the film.
When I first viewed "Aragami" a few years ago I was really impressed with it, and thought how smart Kitamura was in being able to get this films message across in such a short amount of time that the film allows. There is no wasted dialogue in this film. The films narrative follows two main characters: A wounded samurai (Takao Osawa), who has stumbled into a Temple deep in the mountains, and the caretaker of the Temple (Masaya Kato). This fleeing samurai is seriously wounded, and has with him a wounded companion. As the two samurai arrive at the Temple, they both collapse to the Temple floor--as their wounds are serious. However, upon waking up, the samurai (Takao Osawa) finds that his wounds are not serious, and that his comrade has died. But there is more to his healing, and his fellow samurai that I do not wish to divulge and spoil for you.
Further, this is not a typical Temple sanctuary that this fleeing samurai has stumbled across. The surviving samurai's host at the temple is very strange indeed. He claims that he is the great warrior Miyamoto Musashi, who can never be defeated in battle: The ultimate samurai. With this introduction out of the way, this Lord of the Temple begins to treat the samurai very good. Giving him food to enjoy, and much drink. However, this host is about to drop a bombshell on this samurai. This Lord of the Temple tells the samurai that a Japanese demon lives in the mountains near the Temple and feeds off the flesh of men. Eventually, this host tells the samurai that he himself is none other than this very Demon.
Moreover, he tells the samurai that his name is Aragami. He challenges the samurai to a duel to the death. This demon, Aragami, cannot leave the Temple until he is defeated. It is not known how long he has been there, but like others before him, he too wandered into the Temple long ago. However, he is tired of living. Further, he will not die of old age, and since he is forbidden to kill himself, or allow himself to die at the hands of another--his only way to leave the Temple is to be defeated by a worthy opponent. Now, the question is: Even if the samurai defeats this Aragami, will he still be free? And is there no other way out of the Temple other than having a duel with this demon Aragami? Moreover, is Aragami truly invincible? Has he finally met a worthy opponent? I do not want to spoil the film for you, so I will leave this for you to watch. The ending is very good, and in fact pretty different than what you might expect. Highly recommend.
Summary of Aragami: The Raging God of Battle
Studio: Media Blasters Inc. Release Date: 11/16/2004 Run time: 80 minutes Rating: NrSimilar DVD Movies
GantzVIZ; Release date: 2011-08-30; DVD
Best price: $14.55
Price in other shops:
Death TranceMedia Blasters; Release date: 2006-06-27; DVD
Best price: $9.86
Price in other shops:
Battle Royale (Director's Cut Collector's Edition)Release date: 2004-06-15; DVD
Best price: $45.99
Alive - Director's Cut EditionMedia Blasters; Release date: 2004-10-26; DVD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
GoemonFunimation; Release date: 2011-04-19; DVD
Best price: $14.56
Price in other shops:
Shinobi - Heart Under BladeFunimation; Release date: 2007-02-06; DVD
Best price: $4.79
Price in other shops:
The Great Yokai WarMBL; Release date: 2006-09-12; DVD
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops:
2LDKTLA Releasing; Release date: 2004-07-13; DVD
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Gojoe: Spirit War ChronicleMedia Blasters; Release date: 2004-09-28; DVD
Best price: $16.26
Price in other shops:
Versus (Director's Cut)MBL; Release date: 2003-07-29; DVD
Best price: $13.73
Price in other shops: