Samurai 7
Synopsis
In the far distant future, on a planet that might have been called "earth", there was a war between samurai who mechanized their bodies. After the long war, people enjoyed a modest peace. Facing starvation and abductions at the hands of fearsome mechanized bandits (Nobuseri), the farmers of Kanna Village make the dangerous choice to hire samurai for protection. The village's water priestess, Kirara, her younger sister, Komachi, and a heartbroken villager, Rikichi, set off to hire willing samurai with nothing to offer but rice from their meager harvests. Through dangerous encounters and a bit of luck, seven samurai of varying specialties and experience are gathered for an epic battle against the bandits and the merchants that influence them. Samurai 7 is based loosely upon Kurosawa Akira's famous movie "Seven Samurai"/"Shichinin no Samurai"
Audience Consensus
Audience opinions on Samurai 7 are mixed. While some appreciate the unique blend of samurai and sci-fi, along with engaging characters, others are critical of the inconsistent animation, pacing problems, and convoluted plot. The series is considered a decent action anime, but falls short of being a masterpiece due to its flaws.
Strengths
- Engaging characters with distinct personalities, particularly Kambei and Ukyo.
- Well-choreographed action scenes and fitting sound design.
- Interesting melding of mecha and samurai elements in the story.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistent character designs and animation quality at times.
- Pacing issues, especially in the second half of the series.
- Overreliance on CGI that can look dated.
- Convoluted plot in the later episodes and an unsatisfying bittersweet ending for some.