Bright: Samurai Soul

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Bright: Samurai Soul
Official release poster
Directed byKyōhei Ishiguro
Written byMichiko Yokote
Starring
Music byLite
Production
company
Arect
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)
Running time
80 minutes
Countries
  • Japan
  • United States
Languages
  • Japanese
  • English

Bright: Samurai Soul is a 2021 adult animated action film directed by Kyōhei Ishiguro and written by Michiko Yokote. It serves as a spin-off of Bright (2017). The film stars the voices of Yūki Nomura, Daisuke Hirakawa, Shion Wakayama, Miyavi, Maaya Sakamoto, Kenjiro Tsuda, Chafurin, Mamoru Miyano, and Kenichi Suzumura while the English dub consists of Simu Liu, Fred Mancuso, Yuzu Harada, Matt Yang King, Victoria Grace, Keone Young, and Paul Nakauchi. The film was released by Netflix on October 12, 2021.

Plot

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In 1868 at Edo Castle, Izou fights to protect Shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa from the New Government Army, but the battle stops when a spell from an elf named Bright illuminates the area. Years later, Izou works as a brothel guard and is told to lock up a rowdy elf girl. She demands freedom, but he refuses. Later, Izou visits High Courtesan Chihaya, delivering items, and she notices his injured hand, which he downplays. They visit the troublesome elf girl, Sonya, and Chihaya shows interest in having her as an attendant.

Chihaya feeds Sonya, who reveals she is from Russia and has a bird with her. Izou overhears and leaves, but soon two warriors murder his superior outside. Chihaya, also known as the Forgetful, explains she lost her memory during the Meiji Restoration and shows Sonya a map of Hakodate, an elven land across the sea. Suddenly, their brothel is attacked by an army of Orcs, Goblins, and Dwarves, killing many. Izou retrieves his katana and begins fighting back. The leader of the attackers, along with his Orc friend Raiden, promises freedom to Raiden if he finds the elf girl.

Chihaya hides Sonya as a man barges in wanting to buy her, prompting their escape. Meanwhile, Izou fights the invaders and is soon attacked by Raiden. Flaming arrows rain down, and Chihaya returns to Sonya, who is unconscious from smoke. Sonya awakens and reveals her elf nature by biting the leader's hand, leading to her capture attempt. Chihaya tries to help but is stabbed by the leader. Before dying, she asks Sonya to take her hairpin to Hakodate and casts a spell illuminating Edo Castle, halting the fight between Izou and Raiden.

Raiden finds Sonya by Chihaya’s body, and although she is surrounded by a dissipating light barrier, Izou arrives, fights Raiden, and then picks up Sonya. Raiden, who knows Sonya’s name, helps them escape. Later, Raiden is tied up while Izou buries Chihaya. Sonya offers to hire Izou with Chihaya’s hairpin, and Raiden disavows his previous employer for hunting elves. They flee to an inn, but they are soon ambushed by the leader of the invaders.

Izou is injured, recalling Kōketsu’s betrayal that caused him to lose an eye. In the chaos, Raiden nearly gets killed but is saved by his old boss. They refuse to surrender Sonya, and in the fight, they flee to a cliff, facing more danger. They fall into the river below. In a cave, an old centaur, Tsukuyomi, finds them and gives them their weapons back while mentioning Sonya’s fate is unknown. He leads them upward while discussing the hunt for magical Wands by two factions.

Tsukuyomi sends Izou and Raiden on a quest to find Sonya, who is revealed to be alive. Eventually, they reach Yokohama, where they help an injured boy and meet Chihaya's twin sister, who explains that Chihaya’s hairpin is a magical wand. They set off to locate Sonya, who has been taken by Kōketsu. In a confrontation at the Inferni estate, Kōketsu kills Izou, but Sonya revives him using the wand. They then vaporize Kōketsu, and Izou ultimately throws the wand into the ocean, believing that humans should solve their own issues.

Cast

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Character Language
Japanese English[1]
Izou Yūki Nomura Simu Liu
Raiden Daisuke Hirakawa Fred Mancuso
Sonya Shion Wakayama Yuzu Harada
Kōketsu Miyavi Matt Yang King
Chihaya Maaya Sakamoto Victoria Grace
Tōmoku Kenjiro Tsuda
Tsukuyomi Chafurin Keone Young
Rōshu Mamoru Miyano
Ōkubo Kenichi Suzumura Paul Nakauchi

Production

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Netflix first announced the project as part of their Geeked Week in June 2021.[2] Kyōhei Ishiguro was announced as the film's director from a script by Michiko Yokote and with character designs by Atsushi Yamagata. Arect served as the animation studio.[3][4] In September 2021, the cast of the film was revealed to star Yūki Nomura (in his voice acting debut), Daisuke Hirakawa, and Shion Wakayama;[5] and shortly afterward, Simu Liu, Fred Mancuso, and Yuzu Harada were announced to be voicing the English dub.[1] Miyavi also starred in the film, making his voice actor debut.[6] The film is animated using 3D computer graphics with art in the style of Japanese woodblock prints.[7]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 40% of 5 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.20/10.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 13, 2021). "Shang-Chi's Simu Liu Stars in Bright: Samurai Soul Anime Film's English Dub". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Squires, John (June 10, 2021). "Netflix Announces New Animated Projects Including Zack Snyder's "Twilight of the Gods" and a Space-Horror Series!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Robinson, Jacob (June 14, 2021). "'Bright' Netflix Anime Spin-Off Movie 'Samurai Soul': First Look Art & What We Know So Far". What's on Netflix. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 11, 2021). "Netflix Reveals More Staff for Bright: Samurai Soul Anime Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 8, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 13, 2021). "Netflix's Bright: Samurai Soul Anime Film Reveals Promo Video, Cast, October 12 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 25, 2021). "Miyavi Joins Cast of Bright: Samurai Soul Anime Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  7. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 13, 2021). "'Bright: Samurai Soul' Trailer, Premiere Date: Simu Liu Cast In Netflix Anime Film Based On David Ayer's 'Bright'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Bright: Samurai Soul". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
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