Product Details

• Actors: Raizô Ichikawa, Kôichi Aihara, San'emon Arashi, Shinjirô Asano, Okuzan Asao
• Directors: Kenji Misumi
• Writers: Renzaburô Shibata, Seiji Hoshikawa
• Format: Color, HiFi Sound, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Animeigo
• VHS Release Date: June 10, 1997
• Run Time: 83 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: 6304389345
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,084 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #19 in	Video > Widescreen > Anime
  #23 in	Video > Cult Movies > International
  #58 in	Video > Art House & International > Asian Cinema > Japan > Action & Adventure

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An outcast swordsman in old Japan, May 1, 2001

By	Brian Camp (Bronx, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH: SWORD OF ADVENTURE, 1964 (aka SHOWDOWN) is the 5th entry in the Kyoshiro Nemuri/"Son of the Black Mass" series of Japanese swordplay films about a wandering outcast red-haired swordsman whose mother was Japanese and whose father was a European missionary.

In this one, Nemuri meets a local Finance Commissioner who runs afoul of the Shogun's high-living daughter when he cuts off her allowance. Nemuri is impressed by the old man's integrity and saves his life, thus making himself a target of assassins. It's an interesting tale relating the delicate dilemmas faced by public officials in old Japan trying to maintain public order yet not offend powerful interests. However, it gets quite convoluted as it involves a growing cast of characters, including at least five men who want to kill Nemuri, all for varying reasons, including one who just wants to test his swordplay skill against Nemuri's "Full Moon Cut" technique. Unfortunately, there's surprisingly little action until the big fight at the end, where Nemuri takes on all of his opponents.

It's all very well acted and beautifully photographed in color and widescreen (showcased well in this sharp letter-boxed video transfer). It's a proficient work by director Kenji Misumi, whose later films, most notably the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series, are less polished and less formal, but leaner, bloodier and more action-packed and more memorable to fans of the genre.