Beautiful homage to the way of the samurai

Rating: 9/10 (27 May 2004)

Wow, this film is really great. With a Hollywood budget and a quite anti-Hollywood ending. I mean, without wanting to spoil:
1. A truly unusual way of displaying a love story. It is not about the standard true love brouhaha. It's about devotion. No cheesy scenes, where you would somehow wish, they could finally get over with it.
2. A very metaphoric ending...especially Katsumotos words on the field when he sees the blossoms.
3. (SPOILER??) The fact, that they don't exactly tell you, what really happens.
I could go on and on, but these are the most important ones, that I can think of right away.