7th-key wrote:

again, thx for the info!

Glad to help.... BTW, that site I told you about has all three available for download.

7th-key wrote:

Neo repeats that line later, when cutting the cable that will send the elevator doing that nice explosion in the lobby But back to Musashi... the fight was disappointing. Luckily I didn't happen to blink or I would have missed it - including [not]AMAZING[/not] matrix effect and all. So another one bites the dust... (I miss a Freddie Mercury smiley...) I bet at the end, "old crow" Osugi will be the only one left standing...

One of the reasons the Musashi-Kojiro fight was "disappointing" was it shows the level of skill the two had. With their mastery of swordsmanship, battles do not last long or with much fanfare, but rather is dependant on a single mistake or misjudgement. Watch it again, and you'll notice Musashi keeping his sword back so that Kojiro cannot determine its length. Then his sudden rush in to determine Kojiro's sword's length and the final blow. It wasn't just a blind fight; it was a game of strategy.

Kijinnmaru wrote:

One of the reasons the Musashi-Kojiro fight was "disappointing" was it shows the level of skill the two had. With their mastery of swordsmanship, battles do not last long or with much fanfare, but rather is dependant on a single mistake or misjudgement. Watch it again, and you'll notice Musashi keeping his sword back so that Kojiro cannot determine its length. Then his sudden rush in to determine Kojiro's sword's length and the final blow. It wasn't just a blind fight; it was a game of strategy.

Good observation.

A lot less flailing and more studying of the opponent for one quick, decisive blow.

Kijinnmaru wrote:

One of the reasons the Musashi-Kojiro fight was "disappointing" was it shows the level of skill the two had. With their mastery of swordsmanship, battles do not last long or with much fanfare, but rather is dependant on a single mistake or misjudgement. Watch it again, and you'll notice Musashi keeping his sword back so that Kojiro cannot determine its length. Then his sudden rush in to determine Kojiro's sword's length and the final blow. It wasn't just a blind fight; it was a game of strategy.

Thanx for the insight! Although I think, Kojiro had time to see Musashi sword as they were running... In the past there have been times when both had deliberately choosed a smaller weapons then their opponents, but it seems in the end the guy with the bigger stick wins.

I've finished it!

bmwracer-sempai, was right, the final episode was indeed anticlimatic.
But I found, that the same went for most of the events in this Taiga. They missed to impact: after some built up, they happened quickly and imediately were put aside. And we have Takezo on the road again listening to the birds and showing us the same 'ol clips from his childhood...

Nevertheless it was a very good Taiga. All the actors were great and created a lot of interesting secondary characters... mosty dead now
The lead was ok too, although his expression a bit too exagerated for TV.

Favorite characters were: Akaneya Genzo, Sasaki Kojiro, Yagyu Munenori and his wife Rin.

Favorite part: the last episodes, where surprisingly I found the political schemes quite gripping.

Last, one word for zombie Matahachi.

Click on button to reveal/hide spoiler:

Where others just fall dead instantaniously after get sliced anywhere by a sword, Matahachi raises two times and fights like a Musashi against ninjas. Those two ninjas were lame...

7th-key wrote:

I've finished it! bmwracer-sempai, was right, the final episode was indeed anticlimatic. But I found, that the same went for most of the events in this Taiga. They missed to impact: after some built up, they happened quickly and imediately were put aside. And we have Takezo on the road again listening to the birds and showing us the same 'ol clips from his childhood... Nevertheless it was a very good Taiga. All the actors were great and created a lot of interesting secondary characters... mosty dead now The lead was ok too, although his expression a bit too exagerated for TV. Favorite characters were: Akaneya Genzo, Sasaki Kojiro, Yagyu Munenori and his wife Rin. Favorite part: the last episodes, where surprisingly I found the political schemes quite gripping.

Omedeto gozaimasu!

What I found most disappointing was Musashi and Otsu's relationship was brushed aside after they escape the turmoil in Osaka(?)...

bmwracer wrote:

Omedeto gozaimasu! What I found most disappointing was Musashi and Otsu's relationship was brushed aside after they escape the turmoil in Osaka(?)...

Arigatou!

They escaped from Osaka and there was that scene where they disappeared in a big dancing crowd... and then, fast forward, years later...
Although to me, their relationship had more of a brother and sister vibe rather than lovers...

7th-key wrote:

They escaped from Osaka and there was that scene where they disappeared in a big dancing crowd... and then, fast forward, years later... Although to me, their relationship had more of a brother and sister vibe rather than lovers...

The thing is, their relationship was played out in so much excruciating detail throughout the Taiga, then in the final episode there's a brief reference to her and that's it... Really abrupt.

And disappointing.

I think they wrote themselves into a hole. Up until the Musashi/Kojiro duel, the Taiga had been heavily influenced by Yoshikawa novel. Once they were past that, they essentially ran out of "source material" to use, and Musashi's life isn't well documented. Being apparently one of two persons who like the political machinations of the post duel arc, I think they did a fairly good job handling all the characters up to Osaka. Unfortunately, what little we know of Musashi at this point in his life suggests he was alone, so they really had no choice but to start killing off and "dying off" all the fictional Yoshikawa characters. Could they have handled it better? Yes. I think the ridiculous 49 episodes(now 50) with extended beginning and end format they use for Taiga makes for wasted episodes. Atsuhime was even worse with their final extended episode being not only a flashback "clip" show, but one where its only purpose was to "kill off" all the surviving characters. The only Taiga I've seen end right was Fuurin Kazan, which took the storyline to the final moments.

I liked the final duel for one reason at least. It showed the way the brain works, and it seems to me that the Japanese fencing, with whatever weapon, is used so swiftly because they rely so much on their acute brain patterns of what to do..when to do it. and know immediately what the result should be and usually is.

The nerve controls and the muscle reactions are exquisite in the speed of the movements. It fascinates me. Much more interesting than the thrashing movements in Korean fight with swords. The end result is death for one opponent but I like the sharpness of the Japanese methods. Endless practice.

Peggy

Emori Tooru in Musashi and in AOI ~ Tokugawa Sandai.
Yappari, Akaneya was Mitsunari's evil twin...