3 stars (out of 4)

Released 2013 (in Japan)

This is the filmed version of a contemporary Japanese stage play which mixes elements of traditional kabuki with modern rock sounds in its tale of upheaval, set in the Warring States period following the death of Oda Nobunaga.

First of all, I’ll state that I’m not really into live theatre, so I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy this. I did, however, find the storytelling and plot twists to be actually quite good. The sword-fighting choreography was very impressive as well, especially when you consider that everything was performed live in front of an audience.