Samurai Gun Volume 3: Lethal Influence (DVD) - Anime Reviews


	Number of Episodes 3 Language Options English/Japanese/English Subtitles Released by ADV Films Extras - Clean Opening/Closing Animation - Fun With Audio - Production Art Galleries - Character Art Galleries - Production Notes
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Samurai Gun Volume 3: Lethal Influence (DVD)

As Ichimatsu battles the demons within his soul, the fight for justice against the Shogunate continues. Lord Kozan’s new position has increased his power, and thus, the Anti-Samurai Gun Unit has become even more deadly. They have garnered even bigger and badder weaponry – and their counter-intelligence has moved them dangerously one step ahead of our freedom fighters. And that spells trouble. With three very important missions on the docket, the Samurai Gun warriors cannot afford to lose their technological advantage. A highly secretive package must be transported through enemy territory, an extremely valuable captive must be rescued from prison, and an entire village must be pulled from the clutches of ruthless killers. It’s time for the Samurai Gun!

Disc 3 of Samurai Gun is much more action oriented than the previous 2 discs, with the characters spending almost no time at home. Instead, the Samurai Guns are on a trio of dangerous missions that will not only challenge their abilities, but their minds. It’s going to be an action-packed group of episodes, so let’s go!

Episode 08: Valley of Ambition

Ichi’s dreams are being haunted by his guilt – he still feels as though he failed his sister, and his sleep is tormented by not being able to save her from rape and death. In the morning, all three members are called in for a briefing – their mission is to deliver blueprints as well as a scientist to another group of Samurai Guns who will meet them on the other side of a ravine. Unfortunately, the ravine has only one passing: a bridge that is heavily guarded by an entire battalion of Shogunate infantry. The scientist? Sutekichi. So Ichi and Sutekichi are heading towards their rendezvous, but are attacked by a pair of mystery assassins covered in black and wearing full facemasks – both hear them coming, and Ichi manages to down the 1^st and wound the 2^nd. The 2^nd then kills himself with an explosive. Back in the village, Daimon has met with an old man and tells him that Ichi has left. It turns out that Daimon is actually escorting the scientist and that Ichi’s team is actually a diversion to draw out any assassination attempts against the mission.

That night, Ichi’s having the same dream once again – and Sutekichi notices how much he’s thrashing around and asks him about it. Ichi’s defensive about it, but Sutekichi guesses correctly that it’s about his older sister, and reveals that he believes the killer responsible is Rekkai – a man highly placed within the Shogunate, who may be involved in the deaths of quite a few people involved in the Samurai Guns. The next morning, both teams are near the bridge but the defenses are in place and the guards have all been stationed on the far side of the bridge. The commander is called once they notice 2 members of the Samurai Guns sprinting on the bridge and carrying shoulder launcher tubes. As the guards open fire on the runners – they launch their ordinance into the defensive lines which kicks up both smoke and incense. The pair run in between the now confused soldiers, which causes them to open fire on each other while tightly packed; and the pair wearing

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the Samurai Gun uniforms make it into the forest and continue escaping (it was Daimon and the old man). Amongst the soldiers, Ichi and Sutekichi have managed to steal uniforms and are making their way normally through the lines. Sutekichi is caught by the commanding officer during the mayhem, but Ichi comes up behind him and knocks him unconscious allowing them to slip away unnoticed. As they escape, Sutekichi promises to help him avenge his sister and learn more about Rekkai.

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Episode 09: Running on the Shoreline

The Kawashima clan over time has developed a prediction method for determining rice yields. This method could be applied to speculative trading and make a fortune on those markets, to prevent any competition they have also captured a medium named Osei The Predictor (a beautiful woman who has an uncanny predictive ability). So the Samurai Guns have sent in Daimon and Ichimatsu to capture the technique information, while another group, the Satsuma group have sent in someone to get Osei away from them. Both assault teams end up bumping into each other outside the mountain area where the Kawashima clan are holed up. So for the meantime, détente, but Daimon slips off to get instructions from the council on how to proceed which leaves Ichi with the would be rescuer. The council is aware of the situation, but makes no decision one way or another so they tell them to proceed. Because working with a stranger could backfire horribly, both agree to work separately and head off on their own.

Inside the facility, Osei has managed to knock out her one guard and is preparing to be rescued (having seen that she will be rescued soon). The youngster finds her quickly and they head for the exit, but they find the Samurai Guns have knocked out most of the enemy with Sleeping Incense, which they are now succumbing to. As Ichi and Daimon take what they came for, Ichi notices the pair and decides to not leave them behind. Osei and the man wake up in an open field and he finally introduces himself as Ryoma Sakamoto.

Episode 10: A Doll’s House

Ushimatsu is working hard on a set of blueprints for some new type of mechanized weapon. But his older brother Hebizo arrives, shoots him and takes the blueprints. At dusk, Ichi arrives on the scene and finds that most of the village has been destroyed but finds a single survivor: Kenta. The entire village has been razed and the village leader as well as most of the women have been taken hostage. Hebizo has tried to deliver the blueprints, but instead learns that they are incomplete and are missing half of the instructions. So he heads to the prisoners and threatens to start killing them if he doesn’t give up the remainder of the information. The blueprints were intended for the Council who deals with this village to produce some weapons, but now Ichi’s going to head in to look for them. Inside the holding cell, the guards have fallen asleep and so the Village Leader decides to lift up the floor and sends out the young girl Natsumi to recover the stolen portion of the blueprints. She doesn’t make it very far until she is caught by one of the patrolling guards, but while he makes plans to take advantage of her, Ichi arrives and kills the man. So Ichi heads into the compound to try and recover the blueprints and hostages, but he steps on a mine but is saved from killing himself by the monk who received the 1^st half of the blueprints.

The monk seems to know much not only about what types of weapons the Samurai Guns use, but he is also able to identify Ichi by his service number within the organization. He asks him if he’s a part of the Shogunate’s information group and when he doesn’t deny it, Ichi puts two bullets into his helmet. Unfortunately, it is armored and the man in unharmed and he’s now going to have to fight his way out against all these guards when he can’t move. Ichi drops the first 2 guards that come near him but they are going to take their time against him as he cannot move. Hebizo takes the recaptured Natsumi back to the Village Leader and he’s now forced to reveal the true location of the blueprints. Meanwhile, Ichi’s finally forced off of the landmine when he has to jump away to avoid incoming machine gun fire.

In the secret area, the Village Leader reveals the hidden stash of maps and blueprints – the maps reveal the location of precious metal mines that the villagers have hidden to finance weapons manufacturing. As Hebizo tries to betray the deal he made with the Leader, the old man starts a fire with his lamp, which will prevent the information from being stolen. Hebizo and his underlings die trying to stop the fire while the prisoners escape. The monk has returned to the Shogunate forces, and his page calls him Lord Rekkai. Meanwhile, Ichi is given the completed blueprints and sent back home to mend his wounds.

A pretty good disc of Samurai Gun. The action has certainly picked up right now, and so the last disc should be rather intense. Definitely looking forward to it.

- Tazman

(March 20, 2006)

"Guns kill!"

"Oh, is that right? Well, let's see about that. Ok gun, kill. Go ahead, kill someone. Don't be shy!"

- Haley and Stan (American Dad)