Movie: Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales 1: Goddess of the Dark Tower is something different from most anime in that the series is merely a launching point for three titles that are unrelated except that they have samurai warriors in the leading roles. This is akin to taking three movies on a particular topic and then compiling them together, while not the worst idea in the history of anime, certainly not one without considerable background in problems either. This being the first volume of the series, I sat back and watched as a young samurai by the name of Zushonosuke was showcased. He was a falcon handler for a petty lord who was raising a particularly impressive bird as a gift for the ruling Shogun. Such gifts tended to work wonders at establishing or improving relationships with the ruler of Japan and as such were preciously guarded as priceless treasures. Zushonosuke was tending his duties with his master and their entourage when the man ordered him to release the falcon during some harsh weather about to fall upon them. This led to the bird being swept away to parts unknown, the party spending time looking for it in the surrounding wilds. Zushonosuke comes across a beautiful woman bathing by the nearby river, her status as one of the forgotten gods lost on the naïve man as he apologized for interrupting her day.

As the show progressed, the woman's name is found to be Tomihime and her power nearly absolute over her castle high in the haunted hills nearby. She believed the falcon to be a long lost lover of sorts in reincarnated form, keeping him with her as the lord and his followers searched for it. This led to Zushonosuke encountering her again and the two inevitably falling for one another in a start crossed romance that is contrary to parties familiar with both of them. To her followers, he is food to be eaten and to his friends, she is an evil demon in need of destruction. The precious falcon needing to be retrieved only amplifies the lord's natural emotional state that he won't be bested by some superstitious fears; especially when he has a lot of people he can order to handle the matter for him. The stage set for a showdown, the lovers try to find common ground where they can appreciate one another while their associates ready for wiping the others out once and for all.

Like most such stories, the ending was bittersweet and not the kind one expects from a modern tale. Zushonosuke is an honorable man betrothed to a fetching lass but his heart follows its own path and she finds him likewise attractive, neither of them completely knowing what draws them together. Her time as a powerful deity is over and her hunger weakens her further still, but her minions are still exceptionally powerful and dispatch many of the invaders with ease. Exactly why this doesn't strengthen them seems to have been left out of the logic of course and the fate of the lovers another mystery but not one overly well thought out. The role of the falcon and some of the other mystical connections never seemed too well explained but it was a passingly appealing story on a few levels, even if it could have been an audio only story given the limits of the animation used. The back cover said it like this:
"In the era of medieval Japan, cultural arts flourished, territorial wars were waged, and man and demon co-existed! While attempting to retrieve a lost falcon for his feudal lord, bird handler Zushonosuke encounters and becomes irresistably drawn to Tomihime, the supernatural inhabitant of a cursed castle. As a forbidden love between a mortal and a long-forgotten goddess begins to take hold, the horrifying existence of "Forgotten Gods" who feed on humans is soon revealed, inevitably leading to a deadly clash between the shogun's army and the clan of "Forgotten Gods." Amidst the escalating chaos, will Zushonosuke ultimately sacrifice his humanity for his love over Tomihime?"

As a one shot deal, I kind of liked this one for some reason, though it was a cheapie in terms of the technical values all the way. I'm sure that the legend used for the show involved more depth than this but as a spring board to look into it more thoroughly; this was not a bad start. Still, given the logical failings of the writing, I was not overly impressed with how this version was handled so I rated it as a Rent It, hoping later volumes in the series might prove to be better. I knew going in that each volume would star different characters and settings but the pacing of this one was pretty weak overall.

Picture: Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales 1: Goddess of the Dark Tower was presented in the same 1.33:1 ratio full frame color it was shot in for Japanese television by director Kozu Nagayma. A recent release in Japan, the show looked decidedly retro in terms of the animation style and lack of fluid movement. The print had scratches and if you told me it was made twenty years ago, I would not have doubted you for a second. The lack of depth and detail on the characters was clear with the various special visual effects looking like a student art project more than a commercial release from what I could see. The artifacts and shimmer present were low end with my assessment being that even had the story been great, it would have suffered these aspects sorely; especially at the end when all the carnage was going on.

Sound: The audio was presented in a straightforward 2.0 Dolby Digital offering with the usual choice of the original Japanese tracks or a newly created English language dub; both with optional English language subtitles. The voices were clear in both but the special effects and score were so minimal that I almost forgot about them this time. Rather than employ the aural qualities to further the story elements as they should have been, the volume merely provided the barebones version of audio experience needed to get the job done. The separation between the tracks and dynamic range were unimpressive as was the voice acting on both sets of tracks so don't get all worked up for this one.

Extras: The only extras worth noting were some trailers, a clean opening, and a glossary of terms. In that, they were a pretty weak set considering the potential of the material.

Final Thoughts: Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales 1: Goddess of the Dark Tower was a shot that I actually found something to enjoy but it was too little and too late most of the time. The technical matters hampered the show far too much and as a fan of anime for decades now, I thought so much more could have been done with translating this ancient tale into a wonderful little movie. In that sense, Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales 1: Goddess of the Dark Tower showed me why there were only three volumes to the series but I watched the second movie right afterwards this weekend and found it to have flaws of it's own. In any case, rent this one first and you may enjoy it more than I did but don't expect a lot from it or you'll be sorry.

If you enjoy anime, take a look at some of the recommendations by DVD Talk's twisted cast of reviewers in their Best Of Anime 2003, Best Of Anime 2004, Best of Anime 2005, and Best of Anime 2006 articles or their regular column Anime Talk.