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Azumi - Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri, Hiroki Narimiya, Ryuhei Kitamura

Threat advisory: Under evaluation

Movie propaganda

From the ravages of war rises the ultimate assassin.

Orphaned in 19 th century war-torn Tokugawa Shogun period of Japan, Azumi (Aya Ueto) is found and raised along with nine other orphans by Ji, the mentor. The Shogun, sickened by innocent lives lost in senseless warfare, had commissioned Ji to cultivate assassins that could eliminate warlords before they could strike. After ten years of inconceivably harsh training and discipline, Azumi and her comrades, who have been moulded into invincible warriors, excitedly await instructions from Ji.

"An assassin has no choice but to fulfil his mission, however cruel or extreme," says their mentor. "This is your ultimate test. You must kill your partner, or be killed."

Azumi is stupefied. She and her partner, Nachi (Shun Oguri), who have developed a special relationship, have no choice but accept their terrible fate - only one of them can survive. With heavy hearts, Azumi, along with the 4 other survivors of the "test", Ukiha (Hiroki Narimiya), Hyuga (Kenji Kohashi), Amagi (Takatoshi Kaneko) and Nagara (Yuma Ishigaki), venture into the vast world outside of their secluded valley.

Their first mission is to assassinate the powerful warlords Nagamasa Asano (Masatô Ibu) and Kiyomasa Kato (Naoto Takenaka) - rebel heads of the old Toyotomi force. The group's journey leads them to Yae (Aya Okamoto), a beautiful travelling entertainer, who captures the heart of Hyuga. For a brief moment, their spirits are lifted and burdens lightened.

However, the supposedly assassinated infamous warlord Kiyomasa, had been cleverly replaced with a double. His comrade enlists a cadre of counter assassins to eliminate Azumi and her friends, and Yae and her crew, who are travelling with Azumi, are mistakenly attacked.

Burdened with the cruel mission to kill friends and enemies alike, and sacrifice innocent lives - Azumi begins to question her fate - but Kiyomasa leaves them neither room nor time for self-doubt as his trap ensnares them. Azumi and her friends forge ahead, unaware of the terrible bloodshed that awaits them?

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film Japan Japanese martial arts action samurai adventure warlord Shogun orphan katana bamboo

Persons of interest

Aya Ueto .... Azumi
Shun Oguri .... Nachi
Hiroki Narimiya .... Ukiha
Kenji Kohashi .... Hyuga
Takatoshi Kaneko .... Amagi
Yuma Ishigaki .... Nagara
Yasutaka Sano .... Yura
Shinji Suzuki .... Awa
Eita Nagayama .... Hiei
Shogo Yamaguchi .... Komoru
Kazuki Kitamura .... Inoue, Kanbe'e
Kenichi Endo .... Sajiki Isshin
Kazuya Shimizu .... Sajiki Nisai
Ryo .... Osowareru Haha-Oya
Yoshio Harada .... Gessai
Masatô Ibu .... Nagamasa Asano
Minoru Matsumoto .... Saru
Jô Odagiri .... Bijomaru Mogami
Aya Okamoto .... Yae
Hideo Sakaki .... Nagato
Naoto Takenaka .... Kiyomasa Kato
Isao Kiriyama .... Screenwriter
Yu Koyama .... Screenwriter
Rikiya Mizushima .... Screenwriter
Ryuhei Kitamura .... Ryuhei Kitamura

Cinematic intelligence sources

Azumi official movie site
Azumi film production notes
Azumi QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Awards of the Japanese Academy 2004: Nominated: Best Actress (Aya Ueto)
Philadelphia Film Festival 2004: Won: Audience Award: Best Danger After Dark Film (Ryuhei Kitamura)