# Shigurui: Death Frenzy (2007)

> In peacetime Edo Japan, a one-armed and a blind swordsman, both disciples of the same master, fight through a lethal tournament to claim his school's succession.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/31428

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 12
- Episode runtime: 23 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, action, drama
- Network: WOWOW Prime
- Cast: Daisuke Namikawa, Nozomu Sasaki, Yusaku Yara, Seizo Kato, Houko Kuwashima, Emi Shinohara
- TMDB rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1233119/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: extreme
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: graphic
- Tone: harrowing, austere, psychological, grim, intense

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its uncompromising violence and striking animation against a single season's audience score of 7.7/10.

## Synopsis

Shigurui: Death Frenzy (2007) is a Japanese animated historical action drama series created for WOWOW Prime, produced by Madhouse. Set in the Edo era, when peace has settled over Japan, it follows the rivalry between one-armed swordsman Fujiki Gennosuke, voiced by Daisuke Namikawa, and blind swordsman Irako Seigen, voiced by Nozomu Sasaki. Both are disciples of the legendary master Iwamoto Kogan, voiced by Seizo Kato, and each is determined to prove himself the rightful successor of Iwamoto's school. Their engine is a lethal tournament staged by Lord Tokugawa Tadanaga, where real swords replace the usual wooden practice blades and every match carries the risk of death. Across a single twelve-episode season, each episode builds around a brutal duel, and the series delves into the cost of obsessive honor. Its tone is harrowing and austere, with a stark visual style and an unflinching focus on bodily cruelty. Fans of Blade of the Immortal, Samurai Champloo and Kill Bill: Volume 1 will find resonance in its stylized violence and bushido intensity. A mature, uncompromising piece of Japanese anime with a dark, psychological edge.

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