Ashura, Review

I missed this movie Tuesday as I couldn't stay up until 10:15 pm to see it. How lame. But since I was able to leave work on time I decided to chance it. Rie Miyazawa, a very sweet actress, plays Tsubaki. I read a little about her and she has had some rocky times. She was so wonderful in Twilight Samurai. I remember Ashura as being the little girl from one of my first and favorite anime, RgVeda, so I was thinking somehow this character might be connected. Well, she isn't. Izumo, most excellent demon hunter quits and becomes a Kabuki actor after being haunted by killing a child in one of the demon-killing frenzies. A chance meeting with the Camelia (Tsubaki), hiding under the bridge leads him back to his old life. She has amnesia, but he feels he knows her. His old friend, Jaku, is tempted by Bizan, a "lecherous nun" and tricked into luring his friend back into the life. Jaku wants to find Ashura, who is going to be reborn, unite with her and doing so become strong even though it means he will become a demon. Of course you know right off the bat he will have to fight Izumo,
I liked the soundtrack to this movie. The battle scenes, special effects and artwork were really great. The story was a bit overdone in places but made sense and came to a satsifying end. Ashura's castle which is supposed to come down from the sky upside down, is quite fantastic. There is a lot of that inappropriate laughter so common in Japanese movies.
I enjoyed this picture and will give it 3.5/5 acorns.