Azumi 2

Seven Samurai
Yojimbo
Throne Of Blood
The Hidden Fortress
Sanjuro
Ran
Kagemusha
Rashômon

sequel is disapointing. borrow off a friend , dont buy it.

I'd say watch Azumi 2, but definitely lower your expectations if you really liked part 1. It's a little shorter which makes it feel less dragged out but the fighting is down-played as well as the villains now becoming power ranger left-overs. There is a very crappy love story that kinda takes away from part 1 and then some of the conflicts that occur (internally and externally) are weak and poorly planned. The conclusion also is severely lacking in satisfaction. I'd probably give it a 6/10 which, I think might be generous, but I consider Azumi 1 a 9/10.

Azumi 2 is worth a watch.

Continuing soon after the events of the first movie, this sequel finds Azumi attempting to finish her mission by taking out the 3rd and final leader. The antagonists in Azumi 2 compare admirably with those of the original. The character of Inoue Kanbe returns and is assisted by an elite group of assassins intent on stopping Azumi at all costs. A slew of innovative and original weaponry is introduced, which includes a giant double-bladed boomerang wielded by the giant Roppa. The action scenes are numerous and include a village battle (lasting 5 minutes), a Roppa-led assassination attempt (lasting 7 minutes), and a final confrontation (lasting 7 minutes). One particular fight sequence (lasting 5 minutes) will leave viewers breathless as Azumi confronts the assassin Earth Spider in a green bamboo forest while twirling between a stream of poison-laced, razor-sharp wires. The finale is anti-climatic when compared with the original, but this film is still very entertaining.

You'll like it if you go in with the expectation of a lesser final fight.

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due to all the negative viewer reviews of azumi 2 i didn't bother watching it. however, i finally watched it recently as was pleasently surprised. i thought it would be awful, but they backtracked to really tell the love story aspect of azumi and nachi, whom she killed. this was the HEART of the first film and one of the most important events in azumi's life, so for them to finally revisit this and fill in the gaps from the first was really helpful for seeing azumi as a much more 3 dimensional character, rather than as a flat, cold blooded killer.

i thought the speeches she gives about completing her mission and how she must do it for the sake of all her fallen comrades is very moving.

the second is a very different from the first, less of a purely violent action film, and far more of a feeling, warm character driven story.

i recommend it as a MUST SEE if you watched and loved the first. this is really the perfect complement for those who fell in love w/ the azumi character to see what really moves her and makes her tick!

"Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might." -R. Tagore