Kai Doh Maru
2001; Movie
Violence - particularly against horses and arms
Not Recommended
STORY: Set in feudal Japan. Kintoki is successor to her family's clan. She is being raised as a boy, to hide her from her vicious uncle. It doesn't work and the uncle kills everyone in the family, except Kintoki, who is rescued by a nice samurai. This samurai, Raiko, gives her battle training and lets her become a guard in f the Defense Ministry. When a person from Kintoki's past arrives in the city, her life and the lives of those around her, are put in terrible danger.
THOUGHTS: Did nothing for me. The story is poorly told. No mention as to what a Kai Doh Maru is, just that Kintoki is THE Kai Doh Maru. It isn't really explained why she is raised as a boy, you basically figure it out yourself. It also isn't explained why she continues with the charade after her family is killed. The reason is gone and she'd actually be safer living as a woman, but no - she continues playing a boy. Too much is left untold.. I don't mind extrapolating plotlines myself - but when a main character goes unnamed for the majority of the movie, you have problems. There is some wonderful artwork/poetry shown after the credits, I do recommend watching that.
ANIMATION QUALITY: I hated the anime style for this title. Very light and pastel, it has an almost bleached out look. The backgrounds are sometimes non-existant. It actually gave me a headache watching it, because my eyes kept wanting to bring the blurry, washed-out backgrounds into focus.
TRANSLATION: Both translations leave too much out, so it doen't help (or hurt) watching it subtitled.
SONG TRANSLATIONS: The music is the best part of this anime. Almost a Cirque du Soliel quality.
There is no opening song, but here is the closinge song
Loving is What Moves Me
:Buried under the ground
Numerous souls are
Quietly listening
To my footsteps
Soaring desires are
Smiling to ease one’s mind
Even when love hurts someone
And hesitation stirs up one’s mind
Love keeps me going
Tears soaking into my dry heart
Some day, for certain
I want to hold you
Forever
Question a big tree
That has witnessed the course of history
After so much bloodshed
What has one gained?
The wind that gently shakes
Nameless weeds only knows
My dearest one
Even when we are apart
We’re destined to be drawn to each other
My dearest One
I want you
Even for a lone moment like a shooting star
I want to see you
Strongly…strongly
I desire so
My dearest one
I want you
If we’re not destined to be united
Even in the coldest winter
I’d rather be alone
Even when love hurts someone
And hesitation stirs up one’s mind
Love keeps me going
Until the unknown tomorrow
I’ll keep going forward, without looking back
Someday…I’ll see you
Again
Pretty song....even though it sounds like it's sung by a stalker.
DRINKING GAME: take a drink whenever:
A horse dies
- Someone loses an arm
- There is a long, awkward pause in the dialog
- Your eyes cross trying to focus on the animation
- Someone discusses the weather
- The two kids totally creep you out
IN DEPTH EPISODE/MOVIE GUIDE (SPOILERS!):
The year is AD 889, 1st year of the Shoreki Era. We start with a horse chase. It looks like someone already wants to kill our lead character. Actually, LOTS of people seem to want to kill her. Kintoki, who is referred to as “young master”, but is, in fact, a girl, is running from her uncle. A helpful samurai happens along, saving her from certain death. As they ride to safety, the samurai asks Kintoki if she is THE Kai Doh Maru. We don’t get an answer, but I’m assuming she is.
Cut to five years later. Ohni, a very strange woman, and her incredibly creepy companion, are watching dead bodies float down a river. Creepy (we’ll call him that, since his name isn’t given until the last act of the anime) in particular, is enjoying this pastime. Ohni flashes back to her childhood, where she was keen on Kintoki. I guess she never noticed that Kintoki was a girl. Ohni had hoped to one day marry Kintoki. Yeah, I'm not sure that's going to work, Ohni.. Young Ohni professes her love of Kintoko – who stares at her blankly. Awkward.
In the capitol city, all is not well. Bandits roam the countryside, killing people. Some of these bandits are using magic in their dastardly deeds. Plague fills the air, even the emperor is sick. The task of keeping the peace is left to the Defense Ministry, lead by Lord Raiko. Raiko is the samurai that saved Kintoki from her uncle. He has now trained her to be a member of the Defense Ministry. They are sticking with the story that Kintoki is a boy – even though she doesn’t look or sound like one. I'm not sure why, since it would be safer for Kintoki to just change her name and start acting like a girl. Guess she likes wearing pants.
While parading through the city, Ohni notices her beloved Kintoki and immediately goes into stalker mode.
Two monks discuss the weather….and fashion.
Speaking of fashion, here’s Raiko, whose robe has HUGE sleeves. I’m surprised he isn’t tripping over them. He instructs Kintoki and two other Ministry soldiers to go on patrol. He is obviously attracted to Kintoki, but since he’s raising her as a guy, I’m not sure he can do anything about it. They banter a bit – then stare at each other blankly. Awkward.
While on patrol, Kintoki and her two patrol buddies (Tsuma and Utsa) have a discussion about demonic kidnappings – which is a bit convenient since Ohni and Creepy had just received a delivery of two kids. Kintoki notice Ohni’s cart and tries to pull her over. I guess a taillight was out, or something. Creepy attacks the patrol, killing their horses. Tsuma gets revenge for the fallen horsies by hacking off Creepy’s arm. But it’s all for naught, as both Creepy and Ohni get away.
Kintoki, recovering from the attack, says that Creepy looked like her, when she was younger. This is never explained and has no bearing on the story, so I'm not sure why it was brought up.
We get scenes of Kintoki training. Raiko discusses Kintoki with the Master of the house. The Master insults one of the members of the patrol and they all stare at each other blankly. Awkward.
In the city, the plague epidemic is subsiding. Raiko wants to mount an all out attack on the lead bandit – Shuten Dohji. Dohji is rumored to be the bandit who is using magic in his attacks.
We then get a very strange interlude with the two kids kidnapped by Ohni and Creepy. The kiss, drool and admire some hanged men. There are also cherry blossoms. The Disturbed Duo proclaim that tonight they burn the city. Okay….
Monks discuss the weather.
The city is now burning. All say this for the kids, when they decide to do something, they get it done! Ohni is revealed to be Shuten Dohji (I know, it was such a surprise!). She is helping the Disturbed Duo burn the city. She flashes back to her childhood again, when her own village was burning. Kintoki’s uncle apparently killed her family and took over her clan. This turned her bad.
Utsa, a member of the Defense Ministry, stumbles across one of the Disturbed Duo. She is, in fact, a princess of the city. Now she’s all evil and bewitched and working for Ohni.
Ohni and her group attack the Defense Ministry, kidnapping Kintoki. The Master attempts to defend her but is mortally wounded. Tsuma fights with Creepy (who does in fact have a name, it’s Ibaragi – but I like Creepy better). Tsuma loses an arm and just as Creepy is about the kill him, Raiko finally shows up. Raiko shoots Creepy, who explodes after coughing up a bunch of blood. The explosion takes out Tsuma. No! Not Tsuma! He was so cool! Raiko rushes to the Master, who tells him to defend Kintoki, then dies. Things aren’t going real well for the Defense Ministry.
Utsa has been spelled into taking Creepy’s place by Ohni’s side. The Disturbed Duo are now his responsibility. So they go play in the snow. It’s very sinister.
Kintoki awakens to find herself a prisoner. While Raiko tries to fight his way in and rescue her, Ohni goes all deranged stalker on Kintoki, saying that she will kill everyone in the way of their love.
Outside Raiko is forced to fight Utsa. It doesn’t go too well for him. The Disturbed Duo watch and laugh.
Kintoki, ultimately, doesn’t have the guts to tell Ohni that things just won’t work out for them – unless they move to Vermont. So Ohni stabs her, slowly, which is a hell of a way to express your love.
Kintoki, bleeding, stumbles outside and finds Raiko, who is also bleeding. She holds him and says they should go back to the city…
…and that’s it. Really, that’s it. Ohni, apparently, wins. The Disturbed Duo now rule the city and the good guys are all dead. Well, except Utsa, who is now a bad guy because of his being all bewitched and bewildered. We never are told why Kintoki contiinues to play a boy – or what a Kai Doh Maru actually is. Bad guys win, good guys lose.