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R2 DVD Reviews
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Written by maehara
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Tuesday, 25 March 2008 16:00 |
 As both clans continue to lose members, it begins to look at though the war will be over before anyone reaches Sunpu – until the Iga are boosted by the emergence of an unexpected ally, and the return of a warrior who seemingly just won't die...
17 - Wandering Hearts
Travelling under cover of darkness, Gennosuke spies a hawk flying past, carrying a scroll. The hawk used to belong to Ogen, the now-dead head of the Iga, and so Gennosuke assumes the scroll to be important and, along with Kagero, chases after it. It's a trap, though - with Gennosuke and Kagero away, Tenzen attacks the remaining members of the Kouga band - but Gennosuke has a few tricks of his own up his sleeve, as Tenzen makes what may be his final mistake. Oboro, meanwhile, is left to come to terms with Tenzen's attack on her...
18 - A Dawn Without Light
The battle between the Kouga and Iga may be intended to settle the Shogun's succession, but it seems there are some within the rival factions who aren't prepared to wait for events to run their natural course. The fight goes on, though, as Koshiro confronts the remaining Kouga, with his attention firmly on killing Hyoma. To give Kagero and Gennosuke a chance to escape, Hyoma stands & faces Koshiro's attack - and whatever happens, one of the clans will be down to just 2 names...
19 - Conspiracy
After defeating Hyoma, Koshiro hears the voice of Akeginu near him, telling him that Oboro has been killed. He'd sworn to protect his Princess with his life, but now he's learnt that he's failed in that mission - and given his feelings for Oboro, the news is too much for him to bear. As the last of the Iga, Koshiro and Akeginu decide to meet an honourable death together - but it's a trick, and Saemon reduces the Iga's numbers by one more. Meanwhile, Akeginu herself, having sensed that something was wrong, rushes to the scene with Oboro - giving the Kouga a chance to finish the war with one attack. Their plan is interrupted, though, when Ofuku - nurse to Takechiyo, the candidate for the succession that the Iga are representing - happens upon the scene. Aware that her charge's chance of gaining the succession would die along with Oboro and Akeginu, she quickly puts them under her protection, and heads for Sunpu Castle...
20 - River of Mercy
And then there were six - three Iga, and three Kouga. Tenzen's remarkable regenerative abilities have allowed him to live to fight another day, and if anything he's even more vengeful than before. Meanwhile, Ofuku and her new charge continue their journey to Sunpu, while Gennosuke and the remaining Kouga opt to lie low while Gennosuke considers what to do next. Learning the truth behind the end of the pact between the clans has given him cause to reconsider his plans - but not so Tenzen, who's soon manipulating Akeginu to ensure the war continues. But the situation becomes confused when a second Tenzen turns up at Ofuku's encampment...
Tenzen's inability to die continues to really irk me (this time around he's essentially decapitated, and still lives to tell the tale), although there are efforts made this time around to explain away his immortality, along with a little hint about just how long he's been on the scene – he's lived to see many years of the rivalry between the clans. In one way that maybe explains his eagerness to see the war to its conclusion – he's been on both ends of an awful lot of bitterness – but he's just too evil and too indestructible for my liking.
Away from Tenzen's scenes, there are two other notable battles – Hyoma vs Koshiro, and Saemon vs Akeginu. The first is a typically long, drawn-out affair, while the second sees Saemon making use of his form-stealing ability and is more about deception and betrayal than it is about an honest, straight-up fight.
Of the surviving characters, Oboro gets the raw deal – she doesn't get much in the way of screen time across these episodes, and what little she does get isn't used for much other than seeing how her mental state is coping. With her having no offensive abilities of her own, she just gets pushed into the background. Given she's one of the more likeable personalities in the show, that's definitely a shame.
Of course, all that fighting is really Basilisk's reason for being - I can't get too overworked about there being lots of it, and if it's the reason you're watching the show in the first place then you won't be disappointed. Thanks to the series' high production values, all the combat scenes look the part. Even when they're set at night and there's not as much scope for visual extravagance, the artwork and choreography of the fights combine to make something that is enjoyable in & of itself. I just wish there was less time spent on in-battle posturing and more on out-of-battle scenes.
Another volume of Basilisk gives more of the same content, as the show sticks to what it's good at and continues to ignore the possibilities that lie beneath the surface. It's set out its stall as a fighting show, and it does that very well – I'll just be forever frustrated that the promise that the setting and characters have to make the series something more than just a ninja clash look set to be overlooked entirely.
Watch the trailer for this release
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