Shurayukihime

Plot synopsis:
The scenes of this film do not appear in chronological order. Each paragraph below represents a passage of the film in the order it appears.
In 1874, a baby is born in a women's prison as snow falls outside. Her deathly-ill mother names her Yuki (snow).
A woman blocks the path of several men and a rickshaw, and kills them using a sword concealed in the handle of an umbrella. She tells the last man to die, Shibayama, that her name is Shura Yuki-hime. She appears in a poor village looking for a man called Matsuemon, the leader of an underground organization of street beggars, and asks him to find four people for her, having killed Shibayama for him.
In 1873, a teacher, his wife Sayo, and their son are attacked by four criminals. One of the criminals, a woman named Kitahama Okono, holds Sayo while the three men – Takemura Banzō, Shokei Tokuichi, and Tsukamoto Gishirō – murder the teacher and his son and rape Sayo. Tokuichi secretly takes Sayo far away to work for him. Sayo bides her time, kills him with a knife, and is sent to prison for life.
In the women's prison, after the baby is born, Sayo tells her story to the women inmates who helped deliver the baby. She has seduced a prison guard to conceive the child. She tells the other women to raise the child for vengeance, then dies.
In Meiji 15 (1882), the child Yuki trains in sword fighting with a priest called Dōkai.
Yuki, now twenty, finds Banzō's daughter Kobue. Kobue is a prostitute, and her father is now an alcoholic wreck with gambling debts. At a gambling house, Yuki plays cards with Banzō, who is caught cheating. He is about to be killed. Yuki persuades the owners to pardon him, then leads him to a beach and kills him herself.
Learning that Tsukamoto Gishirō has died, she visits his grave. She slashes the flowers and then the gravestone. Matsuemon and his friends notice that Gishirō died just when Yuki started trying to find him – three years ago.
A reporter named Ryūrei Ashio sees Yuki attack the grave and follows her. He questions her past, but she tells him to stay away from her. However, Dōkai tells Ashio Yuki's story, then persuades him to publish it. Ashio writes and sells the story (which, on the screen, is told using frames from the original comic). It is revealed that Dōkai planned this to get Kitahama Okono to reveal herself.
Okono sends men to kidnap Ashio. They torture him for Yuki's location, but he refuses to tell them. Yuki enters Okono's estate and kills several of Okono's men and is fired upon by Okono. While Yuki fights and kills Okono's men, Okono hangs herself. Yuki slices Okono in half before her heart can stop beating.
Yuki learns that Gishirō is still alive, having faked his death when he learned of Yuki's mission. She finds him at a masquerade ball and kills him, but the dead man is not really Gishirō. Ashio and Yuki find and follow the real Gishirō, who shoots Ashio. Wounded, Ashio grapples with Gishirō and stops him from shooting Yuki as she swings on a lamp between balconies. Yuki stabs through Ashio into Gishirō's chest. She then cuts Gishirō's throat, but as he dies he shoots her. He falls over a railing and onto the ground floor full of guests.
Yuki, wounded, stumbles outside. Kobue suddenly appears. She stabs Yuki, then runs away. Yuki falls on her face in the snow.
The film ends with Yuki opening her eyes the next morning.

Tags: murder, cult, violence, flashback, good versus evil, revenge

Review:
Like many of you, Id never heard the title Lady Snowblood before Kill Bill came out, so when I watched Kill Bill and saw Tarantino mention this film as one of his biggest influences, well I knew I would have to check it out sooner or later.
Many scenes show that this director took special care in making this movie special, like those scenes with Lady Snowblood walking in the snow with her dress filled with the blood of her victim.So even though this movie gets pretty gory and violent, visually Id say its very elegant.
That child is Yuki (Meiko Kaji), who after receiving years of training from a priest, becomes Lady Snowblood, a lethal assassin whose only thirst is for revenge.While this may sound similar to countless martial arts or samurai films to come out of Japan and China during the 1970's, there's something profoundly different to Lady Snowblood.
While it certainly offers scenes of outlandish violence (the blood spurts from the body like a gushing fountain), director Toshiya Fujita, taking inspiration from the manga Shurayukihime, seems more interested in building the foundation to the sweeping story than having scene after scene of flying limbs.
Toshiya Fujita's Lady Snowblood, (based on the manga of the same name) starring Meiko Kaji, is now most commonly known as the film that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies.
Tarantino is a notorious copycat, but I frankly don't find that to be a big deal, I mean other filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick copied from other films all the time yet nobody has a problem with that.Kill Bill lifted many elements from Lady Snowblood; the female revenge plot with four main villains (the one played by Lucy Liu is even inspired by Shurayuki), battles on snowy fields, fountains of watery blood, fights with the female villain's henchmen, an animated sequence (in LS it's a series of scenes from the manga because I assume the budget was too low for an animated scene), the protagonist killing a girl's parent, division into chapters, some of the music which was plain borrowed, and the non-linear chronology.
The color cinematography and costume work are all very memorable.The bloody scenes have the usual fire hydrant-like blood fountains common in many samurai films at the time, I mean that's just classic, I can't believe some people are having problems with that.
Meiko Kaji is great both in the leading role and on the film's soundtrack; the main song Shura no hana (translated by Tarantino as The Flower of Carnage) is amazing, probably one of the best movie character theme songs I've heard so far.Lady Snowblood also has a sequel by the same director, a Hong Kong remake, as well as a sci-fi re-imagining which came out years later.
Lady Snowblood isn't the most widely known Samurai Film in the International movie market, but it is certainly worth a viewing, particularly for those into Samurai/swordsplay pictures.
I was surprised to find a stylish film with a solid story (which can actually be unpredictable at times), adequate action sequences (spruced up by heavily stylized blood spurts) and good acting (particularly from the female lead).
Japanese / English subtitles.I probably would not have been able to see 'Lady Snowblood' had it not been for Quentin Tarantino and 'Kill Bill'.
I've seen the 'Lone Wolf and Cub' movies several times on SBS, and I think they're great, but I probably would not have been able to find a copy of Lady Snowblood without the popularity of 'Kill Bill'.
'Lady Snowblood' is an awesome revenge story.Despite the high amount of fake blood, 'Kill Bill' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' are better action movies than 'Lady Snowblood'.
The camera is shaky at times, and the action is often hard to distinguish, but any fan of 'Kill Bill' or the classic samurai movies should still be able to appreciate it.'Lady Snowblood' stands as one of the best classic samurai movies around.
Meiko Kaji who plays Lady Snowblood, also known as Yuki, doesn't spend the movie wrapped in evil and revenge with anger on her face.
It is laughable in this but laughable for the right reasons: it isn't corny or annoying, but it's a genuine charm of this genre.Many standards of this genre may stop you from watching this but watch it for the genuine heart-wrenching story of Yuki Kashima, also known as Shurayukihime, Lady Snowblood.A genuine piece of cinematic gold that is also entertaining and worth a watch..
Very similar title, but the two movies can't be further apart in their contents.In the original plot, there was some element of rebellion against the government that was the ultimate culprit of the conspiracy, but in the movie, this did not play a main role of the story except where Yuki kills the police force that captured Ashio.The movie which attracted little attention when it was released, now has world wide audience thanks to Tarantino giving it credit as inspiration for Kill Bill.
The back drop of battle between Oren Ishii and Black Mamba is almost verbatim copy of the last scene from this movie.There is little known part 2 of this movie released in 1974 which picks up after this one with Kaji reprising her role as Yuki.More recently a version done by Yumiko Shaku was released in 2001 with backdrop set in the future, and story which is almost unrelated to the original except Yuki eventually avenges her mothers murderer and that her organization Takemikazuchi was rebelling against the the government.Some of Kamimura's original artwork of Shurayukihime can be seen in his website at kamimurakazuo.comThe movie is unusually graphic for a Japanese movie of its era.
It was the 1962 Kurosawa movie "Sanjuro," I believe, that first introduced the "geyser blood" special effect to the world, but 11 years later, Toshiya Fujita's "Lady Snowblood" developed this image to a fine art.
Thus, "Lady Snowblood" gives us a compelling story, strong action and great visual beauty; it would be a perfect picture, I'd say, if only the anachronistic jazz in the background didn't occasionally pop up.
An obvious inspiration for Tarantino's "Kill Bill," the film is certainly deserving of a wider audience, and thanks to the widescreen DVD from AnimEigo that I just watched, with excellent subtitling, crisp images and many fine extras, that audience now has a chance to discover this winning entertainment in a perfect form.....
It's about this woman who was born in a prison and raised by a samurai priest who teaches her the deadly arts in order to take revenge on the people who killed her father.
If you liked Kill Bill for other reasons than that it had Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu in it, then you will love this film.If you watch the movie, you will probably have fun, but if you look at the whole picture (pun intended) there isn't much to it other than the actual revenge and death of everyone.
LADY SNOWBLOOD is widely known as one of the main inspirations behind Tarantino's KILL BILL, featuring the same plot (a woman tracks down the members of a gang, one by one, for the purpose of revenge) and stylistic flourishes (not least the separation into chapters).
It's another manga adaptation along the same lines as the LONE WOLF & CUB saga, and while it may not be quite as exhilarating as those films, it comes close at times.The story is mannered and carefully paced, so those looking for an action-packed thrill-ride along the lines of modern cinema might be disappointed.
As expected, there are also the requisite fight scenes containing the usual blood-spurting mayhem that Japanese samurai cinema is known for.Okay, so the story is slight, but many scenes resonate with real power, and my favourite bit sees Snowblood cornering one victim on the beach while he pleads for his life.
it's no wonder that Lady Snowblood was one of the main influences on Tarantino and his awesome Kill Bill.for anyone who wants to explore the japanese kung fu saga, this movie is a great start.
Lady Snowblood; great Japanese martial arts extravaganza which was the main inspiration for Kill Bill.
Although I marginally liked Kill Bill better, this is still an extremely good movie that I think everyone should see.This movie is set in chapters where we follow Yuki who is out to avenge her mothers rape and torture.
This film is truly brilliant, a tale of vengeance wrought by a tragic character.The direction, acting and plot set this film above almost all others.It's been a long time since I watched a film so engrossing, and the forty-odd year age of it doesn't show; the captivating cinematography and cuts, the unedited one-shot takes, the superb soundtrack, and the sheer power of the performances (particularly Meiko Kaji, and her strong, naturally fierce facial expressions), wrapped around an absorbing and absolutely astonishing artifice.This film is beautiful, and I wish I could have unseen Kill Bill just to see this film first..
Direction within the violence , and excellent direction in the story as a whole.Based on the Lady Snowblood manga by Kazuo Koike; a child is born an asura, born for the sole purpose of avenging her family's murder and humiliation by four bandits.
Born to a mother serving a life sentence on murder, and cared by a strict priest honing her assassin skills, she has all the tool needed to carry out her mission - a long bloody tale that drags police, a news reporter, brothels, and rivals , blood sprayiage everywhere all in the name of her mother's honor and redemption.The movie that inspired Kill Bill, Rurouni Kenshin, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Red Dead Redemption, among countless others .
"Lady Snowblood" of 1973 starring the incomparable Meiko Kaji is probably best known for being the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill".
While I liked Tarantino's film a lot when it was playing in theaters, I do not think that "Lady Snowblood" needs this attribute, as this one ranks even way higher in my personal appreciation.
Twenty years later, Yuki, the baby girl born in prison, has become a skilled swords-woman, born and raised for the sole purpose to take revenge for the fate of her parents: Shura Yuki Hime - Lady Snowblood...
"People say you can't wash away the mud of this world with pure white snow: You need asura snow, stained fiery red." Yuki is born of her mother's determination to exact revenge on those who perpetrated rape and murder on her and her family.
Supported by a friend of her mother, her severe teacher, an ambitious author and outcast villagers, she tracks down the three surviving persons responsible for her family's gruesome fate one by one.Aside of having inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill franchise, Lady Snowblood is a movie that manages to stand out among numerous other martial arts films of its time.
The movie is executed so perfectly that I could easily watch it once a month without getting bored.Lady Snowblood keeps the greatest elements of classic period martial arts movies and adds gloomy atmosphere, fascinating characters and excellent film-making to make this movie one of the greatest of its kind.
Female assassins are so successful because they unnerve their target by breastfeeding in front of them first.Sadly, the lady-killer in this action movie is more focused on revenge than starting a family.While in prison for attempted murder, Sayo (Miyoko Akaza) is impregnated by a guard so she can birth revenge on the thugs who killed her husband and son.
The child eventually grows up to become the title character; Lady Snowblood, and sets out to gain bloody revenge for her mother.The first thing you will notice about the film is that the idea of holding back just doesn't appeal to the director, and therefore the film is very gritty and very, very violent; which is a very good thing in my opinion.
Lady Snowblood is much darker then any of the Lone Wolf films just in the fact that much of the action happens at night or in shadowy places.The main character is set on a path of vengeance as a just born infant by her dying mother!
And maybe that's why a Mr. Quentin Tarantino loves this movie and hailed it as inspiration for his Kill Bill movie(s).This is also a story about revenge or avenge if you will.
Case in point, with this movie, Lady Snowblood and the comparisons with Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.
Yes, there are many similarities, that of which Tarantino even said that Lady Snowblood was a huge inspiration for him while creating Kill Bill, as well as other movies genres like spaghetti westerns and 70's style B-rated movies.
Lady Snowblood is born a "child of vengeance", and is forced through rigourous training throughout her early years, before eventually growing into a woman and seeking those who her mother had swore revenge on.This story is fairly simple, run of the mill 70's revenge movie, but it's the flair with which the film is shot that seperates it and makes it essential viewing for all those seriously interested in film, and particularily in Tarantino's interests.
Also Kaji Meiko has quite a presence in front of the camera and her portrayal of the cool Yuki is almost perfect.Penned by the creator of Lone Wolf and Cub and Hanzo the Razor Koike Kazuo, Lady Snowblood portrays the life of Yuki a young woman who was born to seek revenge for her mother whose husband was the scapegoat of a plot set up by for villains so they could extort money from a poor village.
Trained by a stern priest in martial arts and swordplay the "child of the netherworld" Yuki begins her search for those who destroyed her family and her own life before she was even born.While it may seem threadbare to many of today's film viewers, Lady Snowblood should be considered one of the finest examples of films of its genre.
The sets, costumes and story-line are top-notch, and the film as a whole is a novel take on the rape/revenge exploitation genre also.LADY SNOWBLOOD surrounds a young woman whose family is killed by a group of outlaws.
On her deathbed, the mother swears that her newborn daughter's sole purpose of existence will be to seek revenge for the death of her family - and so LADY SNOWBLOOD is "born"...LADY SNOWBLOOD has all the beautiful sets, elaborate costumes, excellent performances, and high production values that films of this genre and era became known for.
I have spent most of my times watching revenge flicks and Lady Snowblood is pretty great film in its rights.
It's little known film that would not have received if it's not for Kill Bill and the story goes like this: the girl whose was born to dying mother who make her vengeance child and exact revenge for mother.It's pretty easy to see how much Lady Snowblood influenced Kill Bill, particular the training scenes.
For example, Lady Snowblood got her revenge by killing one of the men that had raped her mother and he died in ocean but it's literally full of his blood and it's only from 1 or 2 stabs.
Also, the direction is bit dull at times and it can be stiff when it comes to pivotal scene like when Lady Snowblood in the ending of the film.
It's got fights, guts, blood, and a story of vengeance...It's Lady Snowblood.Not a horror film, but what i like to call "Samurai Splatter Cinema".
Lady Snowblood: Blizzard from the Netherworld stars Meiko Kaji as Yuki, conceived and born behind prison bars and raised to take retribution against the four vicious criminals who raped her mother and slaughtered the rest of her family.Typical of the 70s Japanese exploitation genre, the film mixes stylish visuals with extreme violence, and as Yuki hunts down the guilty four, viewers are presented with stunning cinematography, masterfully staged fight choreography, and a copious amount of arterial spray and bodily dismemberment; director Toshiya Fujita even throws in some manga drawings for good measure.An exciting finalé at a decadent masquerade ball sees Yuki despatching her final target in suitably bloody style, only to be stabbed by the vengeful daughter of one of her earlier victims.
I promised myself I wouldn't compare my first viewing of "Lady Snowblood" too much with Quentin Tarantino's widely acclaimed masterpiece "Kill Bill", but the truth is you simply CAN'T think about anything else as I didn't expect the two films to be this similar.
I reckon it's a great honor to serve as the principal influence for a Quentin Tarantino film, but "Lady Snowblood" deserves to be even bigger than "Kill Bill" itself.
Conceived in hate and vengeance, Yuki couldn't merely just hide all emotion and live like a cold-blooded killer, she was fighting for a cause..the right wrongs caused by the ones who not only robbed her mother of a happy life, to die in a prison cell, but swindled her people as well.Essentially, Toshiya Fujita's film is a four-chapter tale of revenge, with Yuki an unstoppable highly-skilled assassin whose sword(..which slides from it's umbrella holster, a perfect-hiding place for a beautiful female killer)opens many wounds that gush blood.
This film and its sequel are the inspiration of Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies.
A female samurai revenge film from Japan, "Lady Snowblood" is certainly interesting, but doesn't quite work.
The Movie about Yuki called herself Lady Snowblood on it way to find the four mans who killed her father, her brother, and raped her mother for her Revenge and met the man named Ryurei Ashio who become writer before he got arrest and met Okono/Kobue Kitahama she the one who killed her family, and yes she already dead.
The girl begins training to be able to get revenge and after 20 years she sets out to find and kill the 3 remaining people that wronged her mother.
Meiko Kaji is stunning as the cold blooded yet high sympathetic character of lady snowblood.