Aragami: The Raging God of Battle 2003

One deep, dark night in medieval Japan, a pair of horribly wounded warriors bang at the door of an eerie, seemingly abandoned fortress hidden high in the mountains. An alluring young woman allows them in, and they promptly fall unconscious to the floor. Later, the younger samurai awakes to find his wounds inexplicably healed and his companion gone. Before him is the master of the fortress, an elegant yet reclusive stranger with a mysterious air. Over drinks, his host tells him the legend of the Long-Nosed Demon, a monster that has long terrorized the countryside in its insatiable hunger for human flesh. The young samurai gradually realizes that he may be the prey of a diabolical trap, and that his gracious host may in fact be the very demon he describes, seeking a strong, young soul to replace him and carry on his evil deeds. A confrontation between man and monster, both physical and psychological, is soon afoot.

Director: Kitamura Ryuhei

Stars: Osawa Takao, Kato Masaya, Uotani Kanae

JDramaMama's Rating: B

A blood thirsty demon in the form of a man who claims to be the legendary swordsman Musashi Miyamoto, takes in two wounded samurai. A mysterious woman who looks like a ghost and doesn't utter a word comes in and out of the room (?) One samurai dies and the other sits down to have dinner and drink at the request of the demon. Little does he know he is being served his friend for dinner! This off beat samurai/horror tale is entertaining thanks to Kato Masaya, as the demon. It's a bit creepy, to say the least, with the very thought of the one samurai eating his friend, unbeknowst to him. But, the sword fights are good and all the action takes place in one dark, gloomy room.

#Japan #historical #thriller #horror