The ending *spoilers* - Stranger: Mukô hadan (2009) Discussion

[–] danish_dynamite101 14 years ago

He definitely did not die. It would not make any sense from a storytelling perspective and would render the jewel scene completely pointless.

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[–] SuperSkaJoe 14 years ago

He was certainly dying.

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[–] kralvarez1987 14 years ago

I'm guessing by the end, its your own interpretation. We know he was wounded and tired as hell and he and the kids were heading to the village. If he died, then he and the kid kinda already come to terms with each other and Kotaro has his dog and the horse and people aren't after him anymore (they're all dead). So he'll be okay.

I like to think Nanashi survived and he'll be watching out for Kotaro from now on. Either way, it was pretty good ending.

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[–] Suzume-san 14 years ago

Well, perhaps it's up to each of us to decide, but I think this scene is a mirror-image of the earlier scene in which they are taking the sick dog to the village; Nanashi is riding the horse, Kotaro is hanging on behind and asking 'how much further is it?'. Now the positions are reversed; it seems to me that this means a) that Kotaro has grown up a lot, and b) that Nanashi will survive, as Tobimaru did. Let's hope so, anyway.

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[–] guaili 13 years ago

He survived and will star in the sequel "Sword of the Known Samurai".

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[–] defcon_ronin 13 years ago

i think he was a little too lucid in conversation with kotaru to have died. other posters have astutely noted the parallelism between the final scene and the horse ride with tobimaru, which seems a fitting ending.

personally though, i think the film would've been that much more powerful if nananshi died on that ride back...

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[–] guaili 13 years ago

At first view I thought he lived, but I also prefer if he died without them showing us (as is in the movie). Leaving the ending open to interpretation was brilliant.

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[–] Jnbfwc 9 years ago

I think you would be mistaking a momentary impression with "powerful." His death would have meant little, and his caring for the kid later would be more useful of a redemption than dying for him.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] reapernight 13 years ago

The ending kinda reminded me of the ending in this western I just saw Shane it was done in 53

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[–] saruman_stoilov-1 13 years ago

I agree wholeheartedly that leaving the ending open to interpretation was a touch of brilliance and it is true that a parallel can be drawn between the final scene and the ride to the village to cure Tobimaru, but...

in my opinion, he was certainly dying. They purposely showed us the blood seeping from his wounds, staining the snow. No-name ran for i don't know how long, through the freezing cold and the blizzard, fought all the drugged a**holes (and killed them insanely stylishly, i should add), was wounded on several occasions and, on top of that, won the duel with Blondie (in a fighting sequence with an insane background music and choreography). He was left standing after the duel, thus proving to be the better swordsman and with superior willpower and desire to win.

Besides, he was a samurai. There is no happily ever after for him. He saved his own world, atoned for his sins, forged a relationship with Kotaro and left him one of the two skills which he had mastered as a legacy: horse riding - the peaceful one - and not his kenjutsu.

Death is a small price to pay for achieving all of this (and arguably a reward, even though he had decided to leave Bushido).

Amazing experience, this movie...

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[–] PariahDog 12 years ago

I think it's purposely left open for the viewer to decide. On one hand you can say that he survived, otherwise the scene with the jewel would be pointless. However, without that scene Nanashi would have never found out whether he had actually saved the kid or not (and it leaves the opportunity for a romanticized ending such as this).

In the flashbacks to Nanashi's past we've found out that he committed an act he regrets severely: he killed two children. His journey from then on could be seen as atonement for that act. By saving the kid he has atoned for his past sins, so he can now die in peace.

Riding in gallop with someone severely wounded wouldn't have been a very smart move. Provided, the kid didn't come over as terribly bright, but I think he would've known that. Maybe it was just to let Nanashi experience what it is like to 'fly' one more time.

But in the end it's for the viewer to decide.

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[–] luizr 12 years ago

I think it is quite clear that he died. All that monk's talk about sacrifice oneself to save another and the redemption he was looking for, point directly to his death in the end.

The scene of the jewel falling in the last fight (this is the scene everybody is talking about, right?) seems to show that he didn't do all that - and suffered all that - for money. His golden prize was spoiled in the end, so he died just for love; the money was gone.

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[–] Suzume-san 12 years ago

In the cast interviews on the 'extras' disc Yuri Chinen, who played Kotaro, says that he likes the ending, because now Kotaro is riding in front, and that Kotaro and Nanashi will go on to have further adventures. So he thinks Nanashi survives; and he must have been close to the director the whole time the film was being made. He should know.

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[–] luizr 12 years ago

It makes sense that he is playing the kid with a comment like that… (comment that I haven't read btw)

But seriously, that means nothing besides an "ad hominem" for people who - according to you only - are not close to the director. First, the guy is just a voice, so often it happens these people don't know a thing about the real plot. Second the director didn't write the movie, it was written by Fumihiko Takayama. Everything in a good script has a cause and effect, a meaning. Just look for the plot signs that lead to his death in the end. Only a utter romantic DISNEY style (which does not belong here) twist would make him survive. Further adventures of both characters together will surely have more ground in a Zombie Apocalyptic world…

It also makes me wonder what that guy would have to make to die, he got beaten, deeply wounded, beaten even more and poisoned…

The ending could be more explicit, what you see is the horse's footprint, the dog's footprint, they are both going, and some big drops of blood falling on the snow…

This reminds me of Ridley Scott talking about Blade Runner's ending.

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[–] Suzume-san 12 years ago

Do you have the disk with the interviews, Luiz? Very interesting.

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[–] luizr 12 years ago

No, I don't. Can you please tell me what DVD or Blu-ray version you have? Japanese? UK?

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[–] K_Gautam 12 years ago

I think it's pretty clear Nanashi survives in the end. Here are some giveaways:

#1. In the final scene, Kotaro asks, "Are your wounds okay?" and Nanashi replies , "Yeah, even a treasure like that came in handy." - He wouldn't acknowledge the treasure saving him if he was going to die anyway.

#2. As the others mentioned, it's to show how things have turned around and now the kid is holding on to the horse's reins.

#3. Both the kid and the dog look quite happy during this scene. Even if you consider the kid to be ignorant of such things due to his young age, the dog shows a lot of wisdom through his emotions through out the entire film.

#4. He wasn't bleeding that profusely if you look closely.

~ On the internet ...no-one can hear you scream

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[–] jjoxx 11 years ago

Besides that, has any other cowboy ever died while riding off into the sunset?

Definitely lived through it.

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[–] MrsBuckyBarnes 9 years ago

the dog look quite happy during this scene

i think that is a very good point. that dog was very astute, and if our nameless soldier was dying i think he would have been able to tell, the same way dogs can pick up when humans are distressed or have certain diseases.

Never, never to be squandered...the miracle of another human being.

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