Sutorenjia: Mukô hadan (2007)

Director:

Masahiro Andô

Writer:

Fumihiko Takayama (writer)

Release Date:

5 February 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action

Plot:

A swordsman from a strange land is caught in a struggle between morality, righteousness, and devotion as he reluctantly agrees to take a raggedy boy and his dog to a remote, Buddhist temple.

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Warrior | Swordsman | Flashback | Espionage

Cast

Yûki Chinen
Tomoya Nagase
Akio Ôtsuka
Naoto Takenaka
Kôichi Yamadera

Directed by
Masahiro Andô

Writing credits
Fumihiko Takayama		(writer)

Produced by
Masahiko Minami	....	producer

Original Music by
Naoki Sato

Cinematography by
Yohei Miyahara

Art Direction by
Atsushi Morikawa

Art Department
Masahiro Andô	....	storyboard artist
Miho Kobayashi	....	color checker
Shihoko Nakayama	....	color designer
Fumiko Numahata	....	color checker
Shiho Takeuchi	....	art setting

Sound Department
Shizuo Kurahashi	....	sound effects
Kazuhiro Wakabayashi	....	sound director

Special Effects by
Satoru Onitsuka	....	special effects: Studio L
Ryusuke Shiino	....	special effects
Yoko Suzuki	....	special effects: Studio L
Yuichi Terao	....	special effects: Ufotable

Camera and Electrical Department
Tsuyoshi Kanbayashi	....	assistant director of photography

Animation Department
Kyouko Abe	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet
Kim Jin Ah	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Kim A-Jin in English credits)
Kei Ajiki	....	secondary key animator
Ayumi Andou	....	digital paint artist: wish (as Ayumi Ando in English credits)
Rie Aoki	....	inbetween animator: Yumeta Company
Hiroyuki Aoyama	....	key animator
Koichi Arai	....	key animator
Sadayuki Arai	....	background artist
Mio Araki	....	key animator
Haruka Asai	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Ryousuke Asakura	....	background artist: Ryubido (as Ryosuke Asakura in English credits)
Kiyoe Asuke	....	inbetween animator
Keiko Atake	....	inbetween animator
Yuki Atsumi	....	digital paint artist: wish
Thidarat Bangyeeklun	....	inbetween animator: team49
Lin Benzhou	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Lin Benzhou in English credits)
Xu Bin	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Xu Bin in English credits)
Eun-Soon Byun	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Byun Eun-Soon in English credits)
Hye Soon Byun	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Byun Hye-Soon in English credits)
Jian Ke Chen	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Chen Jian Ke in English credits)
Xifeng Chen	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Hern Xifeng in English credits)
Shigeru Chiba	....	inbetween animator: Triple A
Yoko Chiba	....	digital paint artist: wish
Jin Hae Choi	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Choi Jin-Hae in English credits)
Ki-Jeong Choi	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Choi Ki-Jeong in English credits)
Won Suk Choi	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Choi Won-Suk in English credits)
Young Sun Choi	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Choi Young-Sum in English credits)
Yun Hui Cho	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Cho Yun-Hui in English credits)
Yuan Xia Cuei	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Cuei Yuan Xia in English credits)
Kazu Doi	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Hongbo Du	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Du Hongbo in English credits)
Kazuo Ebisawa	....	background artist
Hidenori Fukuoka	....	key animator
Jin Ju Go	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Ko Jin-Iu in English credits)
Peng Guan	....	secondary key animator: Mitsubishi Doga (as Guan Peng in English credits)
In Hoi Gu	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Gu In-Hoi in English credits)
Mami Hagiwara	....	secondary key animator
Katsuhiro Haji	....	background artist
Qing Song Hang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Bang Qings Ongin English credits)
Qing Song Hang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Hang Qings Ong in English credits)
Yuri Harada	....	inbetween animator: Studio DEEN
Chiharu Hashimoto	....	digital paint artist: D-COLORS
Koichi Hashimoto	....	key animator
Daiki Hayashi	....	digital paint artist: Studio L
Young Jin Heo	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Heo Young-Jin in English credits)
Yuko Higashi	....	animation checker cooperation
Kazue Higuchi	....	secondary key animator
Satomi Higuchi	....	key animator
Sayaka Hirahara	....	background artist
Mayumi Hiraide	....	digital paint artist: wish (as Mayumi Hirade in English credits)
Akira Hirosawa	....	background artist: CWF Production Art Department
Saki Hisamatsu	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet
Jang Chel Ho	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Jang Chel-Ho in English credits)
Seung Hee Hong	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Hong Seung-Hee in English credits)
Sotaro Hori	....	background artist
Kimiko Hoshi	....	inbetween animator
Bao Song Hua	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Hua Bao Song in English credits)
Bing Yan Hua	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Hua Bing Yan in English credits)
Liuhua Huang	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Huang Liuhua in English credits)
Qiuhong Huang	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Huang Qiuhong in English credits)
Shunhe Huang	....	inbetween animator (as Huang Shunhe in English credits)
In Bum Hwang	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Hwang In-Bum in English credits)
Mi Sun Hwang	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Hwang Mi-Sun in English credits)
Toshiharu Iijima	....	background artist: Ryubido
Shino Ikeda	....	secondary key animator
Naoko Ikeuchi	....	secondary key animator
Ryouko Ina	....	background artist
Hisashi Inoue	....	key animator
Shinya Inoue	....	inbetween animator: Production I.G
Kana Ishida	....	key animator
Masashi Ishihama	....	key animator
Kazumi Ishii	....	inbetween animator: AIC
Yumi Ishii	....	background artist: CWF Production Art Department
Yuriko Ishii	....	key animator
Eri Ishikawa	....	inbetween animator: Yuhodo
Kayo Ishikawa	....	digital paint artist: wish
Naoki Ishikawa	....	digital paint artist: wish
Tomokazu Ishizeki	....	background artist: Ryubido
Yasuhisa Isobe	....	background artist
Atsuko Ito	....	digital paint check cooperation
Atsuko Ito	....	digital paint check cooperation: wish
Hidetsugu Ito	....	assistant animation director
Hidetsugu Ito	....	key animator
Hiroko Ito	....	secondary key animator
Saori Ito	....	background artist
Yoshiki Ito	....	digital paint check cooperation
Yoshiki Ito	....	digital paint check cooperation: wish
Yoshiyuki Itô	....	animation director
Yoshiyuki Itô	....	key animator
Nobuyuki Iwai	....	inbetween animator: Anime Spot
Koichi Iwanaga	....	animation checker
Kaori Izumiya	....	background artist: CWF Production Art Department
Yong Jiang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Jiang Yong in English credits)
Hu Jie Jin	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Jin Hu Jie in English credits)
Norifumi Jo	....	secondary key animator
Hye Ra Jung	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Jung Hye-Ra in English credits)
Su Hyun Jung	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Jung Su-Hyun in English credits)
Satsuki Kamoi	....	digital paint artist: D-COLORS
Maki Kanamori	....	digital paint artist: D-COLORS
Masaru Kanamori	....	inbetween animator: Triple A
Naomi Kaneda	....	secondary key animator
Shuichi Kaneko	....	assistant animation director
Shuichi Kaneko	....	key animator
Hiroki Kanno	....	assistant animation director
Yukiharu Kase	....	secondary key animator
Tomonori Kato	....	background artist: Bamboo
Hitoshi Katsura	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet
Haruka Katsuya	....	inbetween animator: Yumeta Company
Chisato Kawaguchi	....	secondary key animator
Takashi Kawaguchi	....	key animator
Kousuke Kawamo	....	key animator (as Kosuke Kawamo in English credits)
Toshihiro Kawamoto	....	assistant animation director
Toshihiro Kawamoto	....	key animator
Tohru Kawamura	....	digital paint artist: wish (as Toru Kawamura in English credits)
Tomoko Kawasaki	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Hiroko Kazui	....	key animator
Bok-simm Kim	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Kim Bok-Simm in English credits)
Min Ju Kim	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Kim Min-Ju in English credits)
Min-kyoung Kim	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Kim Min-Kyoung in English credits)
Seo Jung Kim	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Kim Seo-Jung in English credits)
So-young Kim	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Kim So-Young in English credits)
Makoto Kimura	....	background scanning: Scan-ya
Tomomi Kimura	....	secondary key animator
Yasushi Kimura	....	key animator
Ryoka Kinoshita	....	background artist: Bihou
Mayumi Kitamura	....	secondary key animator
Pongphan Klingsukhon	....	inbetween animator: team49
Miho Kobayashi	....	digital paint artist
Eun Ju Ko	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Ko Eun-Ju in English credits)
Satoshi Koike	....	key animator
Satoshi Koizumi	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet
Asuka Kojima	....	inbetween animator: P.A. Works (as Asuga Kojima in English credits)
Erina Kojima	....	secondary key animator
Masumi Kondo	....	digital paint artist: Studio L
Yumiko Kondo	....	background artist: Green
Masahiro Kôyama	....	key animator
Maki Kubota	....	inbetween animator: P.A. Works
Shiori Kudo	....	secondary key animator
Kyoung Ran Ku	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Ku Kyoung-Ran in English credits)
Cindy Shouyan Lee	....	background artist: Green (as Cindy Lee)
Jeong-eun Lee	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Lee Geong-Eum in English credits)
Jeong-eun Lee	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Lee Jeong-Eun in English credits)
Mi Ok Lee	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Lee Mi-Ok in English credits)
Mi Yuen Lee	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Lee Mi-Yuen in English credits)
Yong Song Lee	....	background artist: Ryubido (as Lee Yong Song in English credits)
Ling Liu	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Liu Ling in English credits)
Lingying Liu	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Liu Lingying in English credits)
Tao Liu	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Liu Tao in English credits)
Yong Li	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Li Yong in English credits)
Yoko Maemura	....	digital paint artist
Eun Jung Maeng	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Maeng Eun-Jung in English credits)
Somsak Mahamongkol	....	inbetween animator: team49
Hiromi Makino	....	inbetween animator: P.A. Works
Hiroshi Masuda	....	key animator
Takamasa Masuki	....	background artist: Bamboo
Hiromi Masuko	....	inbetween animator
Norio Matsumoto	....	key animator
Tokuyuki Matsutake	....	key animator
Gkai Meng	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Meng Gkai in English credits)
Reiko Miki	....	background artist
Tomoaki Mimiura	....	inbetween animator: Production I.G
Zhan Minfang	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Zhan Minfang in English credits)
Hong Yi Min	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Min Hong-Yi in English credits)
Rena Miyagawa	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet
Masakazu Miyake	....	background artist
Yoichi Miyata	....	key animator
Yasue Mizoguchi	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gush
Kenji Mizuhata	....	assistant animation director
Kenji Mizuhata	....	key animator
Atsushi Morikawa	....	background artist
Ken Mori	....	secondary key animator
Takashi Muratani	....	key animator
Sachiyo Mutou	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G (as Sachiyo Muto in English credits)
Tatsurô Nagai	....	secondary key animator
Kenta Nakajima	....	background artist: CWF Production Art Department
Tomoko Nakajima	....	inbetween animator
Chie Nakamura	....	digital paint artist: wish
Naomi Nakamura	....	digital paint artist
Yuka Nakamura	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gush
Yutaka Nakamura	....	key animator
Fusako Nakao	....	digital paint artist: wish
Masaki Nakaya	....	secondary key animator
Moon-hee Na	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Na Moon-Hee in English credits)
Kumi Nanjo	....	digital paint artist: T2studio (as Kumi Nanjyou in English credits)
Yoshitaka Narasaki	....	digital paint artist: wish
Haruyo Nebu	....	inbetween animator: Production I.G
Saki Nerome	....	background scanning: Scan-ya
Youichi Nishikawa	....	background artist (as Yoichi Nishikawa in English credits)
Hiroyuki Nishimura	....	key animator
Toshiki Nishi	....	background artist: Kusanagi
Tie Feng Ni	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Ni Tie Feng in English credits)
Nobunori Niwa	....	secondary key animator
Sayoko Noda	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Tomohiro Noda	....	inbetween animator: Yumeta Company
Mami Nomaguchi	....	digital paint artist: wish
Iori Nonoshita	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Fumiko Numahata	....	digital paint artist
Chiaki Numata	....	digital paint artist: Studio L
Kazuhiro Obara	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Kazuhiro Ohara in English credits)
Yukiharu Obata	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gush
Masako Ogasawara	....	digital paint artist: D-COLORS
Kazuo Ogura	....	background artist: Kusanagi
Noriko Ohashi	....	background artist
Yurie Ohigashi	....	inbetween animator: P.A. Works
Mayumi Oikawa	....	digital paint artist: D-COLORS
Misa Okano	....	inbetween animator: Yuhodo
Yuri Okata	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G (as Yuri Okada in English credits)
Hiromi Okazaki	....	secondary key animator
Emiko Okui	....	digital paint check cooperation
Emiko Okui	....	digital paint check cooperation: wish
Masashi Okumura	....	key animator
Akira Ono	....	inbetween animator: Anime Spot
Jun Ono	....	digital paint artist: Studio L
Kanako Ono	....	inbetween animator: Studio DEEN
Nichiko Oomori	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G (as Nichiko Omori in English credits)
Masako Osada	....	background artist
Katsumi Oshima	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Michiyo Otani	....	digital paint artist: wish
Keiko Oyama	....	inbetween animator
Masahiko Ozawa	....	inbetween animator: Takuranke
Denpreechar Pacharoen	....	inbetween animator: team49
Surasuk Papijhit	....	inbetween animator: team49
Hyun Ju Park	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Park Hyun-Iu in English credits)
Jung-ah Park	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Park Jeong-Ah in English credits)
Yong Kyoung Park	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Park Yong-Kyoung in English credits)
Yun Hee Park	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Park Yun-Hee in English credits)
Ziying Pu	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department (as Pu Ziying in English credits)
Kozue Ryoke	....	digital paint artist: wish
Young Sil Ryu	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Ryu Young-Sil in English credits)
Eiko Saitô	....	key animator
Tsunenori Saitô	....	animation director
Tsunenori Saitô	....	character designer
Akiko Saitou	....	background scanning: Scan-ya
Chizue Saitou	....	digital paint artist: wish (as Chizue Saito in English credits)
Kotoe Saitou	....	inbetween animator: Production I.G (as Kotoe Saito in English credits)
Miki Sakaibara	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Keita Sakai	....	background artist
Aya Sakamoto	....	inbetween animator: AIC
Keiko Sasaki	....	inbetween animator: Yumeta Company
Mamoru Sasaki	....	key animator
Naoko Sasaki	....	digital paint artist: wish
Youhei Sasaki	....	secondary key animator (as Yohei Sasaki in English credits)
Hiroaki Sato	....	background scanning: Scan-ya
Kozue Sato	....	digital paint artist: Tamazawa Dogasha
Kumiko Sato	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Masahiro Sato	....	assistant animation director
Masahiro Sato	....	key animator
Masaru Satô	....	background artist: Bihou
Mayumi Sato	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Miyuki Sato	....	digital paint artist: wish
Taro Sato	....	inbetween animator: Anime Spot
Rika Satou	....	inbetween animator: P.A. Works (as Rika Sato in English credits)
Heihachi Sawada	....	key animator
Kanami Sekiguchi	....	key animator
Kanako Sekii	....	inbetween animator: Yumeta Company
Song-hee Seo	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Seo Sung-Hee in English credits)
Min Wei Shao	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Shao Min Wei in English credits)
Katsunori Shibata	....	secondary key animator
Yoshimi Shibata	....	digital paint artist: T2studio
Teizo Shimada	....	inbetween animator (as Daizo Shimada in English credits)
Akiko Shimizu	....	digital paint artist: T2studio
Hiroshi Shimizu	....	key animator
Mariko Shimokawa	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Hisako Shimozuma	....	inbetween animator: Production I.G (as Hisako Shimotsuma in English credits)
Hye Mi Shin	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Shin Hye-Mi in English credits)
Kazuyoshi Shinka	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gush
Miyuki Shinoda	....	secondary key animator
Jian Shou	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Shou Jian in English credits)
Jee Young Soung	....	inbetween animator: DR Movie (as Song Ji-Young in English credits)
Takaaki Sugawara	....	background artist: Ryubido
Mari Sugita	....	inbetween animator: Studio Gimlet
Chie Sugiyama	....	digital paint artist: Tamazawa Dogasha
Naoko Sunahara	....	digital paint artist: wish
Guoqing Sun	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Sun Guoqing in English credits)
Hirofumi Suzuki	....	key animator
Iyo Suzuki	....	digital paint artist: D-COLORS
Risa Takahashi	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Tae Takahashi	....	background scanning: Scan-ya
Takeyuki Takahashi	....	background artist
Yuichi Takahashi	....	key animator
Yuu Takahashi	....	inbetween animator (as Yu Takahashi in English credits)
Yohei Takamatsu	....	background artist
Keiko Takano	....	secondary key animator
Ayumi Takasaki	....	background artist
Itsuko Takeda	....	key animator
Kazuhisa Takeda	....	inbetween animator: Triple A
Mitsuyasu Takekoshi	....	key animator
Yuka Taketa	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G (as Yuka Takeda in English credits)
Akira Takeuchi	....	key animator
Kyoko Takeuchi	....	secondary key animator (as Kyouko Takeuchi in English credits)
Shiho Takeuchi	....	key animator
Yoshitaka Takeuchi	....	background artist: CWF Production Art Department
Hikaru Takigawa	....	digital paint artist: wish
Hiroshi Takiguchi	....	background artist
Miki Takihara	....	inbetween animator: Yumeta Company
Keiko Tamaki	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Mayumi Tamazawa	....	digital paint artist: Tamazawa Dogasha
Orie Tanaka	....	secondary key animator (as Orie Tabaka in English credits)
Takahiro Tanaka	....	key animator
Yuan Jie Tang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Tang Yuan Jie in English credits)
Hitomi Taniguchi	....	inbetween animator
Manabu Tanzawa	....	key animator
Masako Tashiro	....	key animator
Kumiko Terada	....	inbetween animator: Takuranke
Shinya Terashima	....	digital paint artist: wish (as Shinya Terajima in English credits)
Kaori Tokunaga	....	secondary key animator
Sayaka Tokunaga	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Takashi Tomioka	....	assistant animation director
Takashi Tomioka	....	key animator
Shuichi Tsuji	....	background artist: Bihou
Yoko Tsumaru	....	digital paint artist: Studio L
Junko Tsumitsu	....	digital paint artist: T2studio
Kei Tsushima	....	secondary key animator
Kaori Tsuta	....	inbetween animator: P.A. Works (as Kahori Tsuta in English credits)
Tarapong Tummarachai	....	inbetween animator: team49
Midori Uchiyama	....	secondary key animator
Mizue Ueda	....	digital paint artist: wish
Emiko Ueno	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Koji Ueno	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gush
Yoshihiko Umakoshi	....	key animator
Hajime Uno	....	secondary key animator
Satoe Usui	....	secondary key animator
Takuya Utsunomiya	....	digital paint artist
Katsumi Wada	....	digital paint artist: T2studio (as Katsumi Wada in English credits)
Huei Wang	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Wang Huei in English credits)
Xiao Qun Wang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Wang Xiao Qun in English credits)
Ya Feng Wang	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Wang Ya Feng in English credits)
Yu Di Wang	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Wang Yudi in English credits)
Natsumi Watanabe	....	digital paint artist: T2studio
Susumu Watanabe	....	background artist: CWF Production Art Department
Taeko Watanabe	....	inbetween animator
Chao Xu	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Xu Chao in English credits)
Kazuhiko Yabumoto	....	inbetween animator
Koichi Yagami	....	secondary key animator
Ayumi Yamada	....	inbetween animator: Studio DEEN
Akiko Yamaguchi	....	key animator
Yukiko Yamaguchi	....	digital paint artist: Studio Gush
Kaori Yamamoto	....	inbetween animator: Yuhodo
Masaaki Yamamoto	....	inbetween animator: Triple A
Midori Yamamoto	....	inbetween animator
Saho Yamane	....	background artist: Kusanagi
Rena Yamauchi	....	inbetween animator: Anime Spot
Kumiko Yamazaki	....	digital paint artist: wish
Jian Gang Yang	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Yang Jian Gang in English credits)
Jun Yan	....	secondary key animator: Mitsubishi Doga (as Yan Jun in English credits)
Kikuyo Yano	....	background artist
Miyuki Yano	....	inbetween animator
Yuko Yazaki	....	assistant animation director
Yuko Yazaki	....	key animator
Jeong Ah Yim	....	digital paint artist: DR Movie (as Yim Jeong-Ah in English credits)
Kenta Yokoya	....	inbetween animator: BONES Animation Department
Reika Yoneyama	....	digital paint artist: Production I.G
Suguru Yonezawa	....	secondary key animator
Aki Yoshida	....	digital paint artist: Studio L
Haruka Yoshida	....	digital paint artist: wish
Hirokazu Yuki	....	key animator
Li Da Yu	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Yu Li Da in English credits)
Yoshinori Yumoto	....	key animator
Chuen Yan Zhang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Zhang Chuen Yan in English credits)
Huang Zhang	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Zhang Huang in English credits)
Mei Shu Zhao	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Zhao Mei Shu in English credits)
Ping Zhao	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Zhao Ping in English credits)
Cuei Ping Zhou	....	digital paint artist: Triple A (as Zhou Cuei Ping in English credits)
Lin Zhou	....	inbetween animator: Triple A (as Zhou Lin in English credits)
Xiaodan Zhu	....	background artist: Feng Animation & Cultural Development (as Zhu Xiaodan in English credits)

Other crew
Ungai Hara	....	titles
Toshiyuki Uesugi	....	titles: Mach55Go!

Production Companies

• Bones

Distributors

• Bandai Entertainment (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Beez Entertainment (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Shochiku Company (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Marix
• Studio L
• Ufotable

Other Companies

• A.Z.E.T.A. Pictures  second key animation (as Azeta Pictures)
• APPP  in-between animation (as A.P.P.P.)
• APPP  second key animation (as A.P.P.P.)
• Ai  in-between animation (as AI)
• Ajiado  in-between animation
• Anime International Company (AIC)  in-between animation (as AIC)
• Anime Spot  in-between animation
• Arms  in-between animation
• Artland  digital paint
• Artland  in-between animation
• Asahi Production  in-between animation
• Ashi Productions Co. Inc.  in-between animation (as Ashi Production)
• Bamboo  background art
• Bee Train  second key animation
• CWF  background art (as CWF Production Art Department)
• D-Colors  digital paint (as D-COLORS)
• Dogakobo  digital paint
• Dogakobo  second key animation
• Dr. Movie  digital paint
• Dr. Movie  in-between animation
• Easia  in-between animation
• Easia  second key animation
• Fan Out  in-between animation
• Feng Animation Design  background art (as Feng Animation & Cultural Development)
• Frontline  in-between animation
• Green  background art
• Hanjin Animation  digital paint
• Hanjin Animation  in-between animation
• Hoshiyama Planning  digital paint
• Imove  in-between animation
• Konohana  digital paint check cooperation
• Kusanagi  background art
• Last House  second key animation
• Mitsubishi Doga  second key animation
• Oh Production  in-between animation
• P.A. Works  in-between animation
• Production I.G.  digital paint
• Production I.G.  in-between animation
• Production I.G.  second key animation
• Ryubido  background art
• Sakura Create  in-between animation
• Sakura Create  second key animation
• Scan-Ya  background scanning
• Shin Ei Animation  in-between animation (as Shinei Doga)
• Studio Ad  in-between animation (as Studio Add)
• Studio Barcelona  in-between animation
• Studio Biho  background art (as Bihou)
• Studio Comet  in-between animation
• Studio DEEN  in-between animation
• Studio Gimlet  in-between animation
• Studio Gimlet  second key animation
• Studio Gush  digital paint
• Studio Kuma  digital paint
• Studio Kuma  in-between animation
• Studio Kuma  second key animation
• Studio L  digital paint
• Studio Mark  second key animation
• Studio Mu  in-between animation (as Studio Muu)
• Studio Pastoral  in-between animation
• Studio Road  digital paint
• Studio Takuranke  in-between animation (as Takuranke)
• Studio Wombat  in-between animation (as Wonbat)
• Studio Wombat  second key animation (as Wonbat)
• Synergy SP  in-between animation
• T2 Studio  digital paint studio (as T2studio)
• Tama Production  in-between animation (as Tama Production Co.)
• Tamazawa Dogasha  digital paint studio
• Tatsunoko Productions Company  in-between animation (as Tatsunoko Pro)
• Telecom Animation Film Company  in-between animation
• Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS)  in-between animation (as Tokyo Movie)
• Triple A  digital paint
• Triple A  in-between animation
• Triple A  second key animation
• Ufotable  digital paint
• Ufotable  second key animation
• Wish  digital paint check cooperation
• Wish  digital paint
• Xebec  in-between animation (as XEBEC)
• Yuhodo  in-between animation
• Yuhodo  second key animation
• Yumeta Company  in-between animation
• team49  in-between animation
• team49  second key animation

Also Known As:

Sword of the Stranger (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
La espada del extranjero (Spain) [es]

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Japan:PG-12 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:M18 | France:U | UK:15 | Australia:MA

Company:

Bones

A Technical Marvel in the Animation World

My perception of 2D animation practically changed after seeing this movie. No doubt about it. Since today's standards mostly rely on 3D technology to capture realistic and fluid movements in animation, this movie shatters the limits I thought really existed in 2D animation. Since animation marvels like Samurai Champloo back in 2005, Chinese and Japanese sword arts never looked so good in an anime. However yes 3D technology was used in making this movie but only to a limited extent to which it only deemed necessary like cameras panning to arrows, panning fluidly on background terrain and such. All the organic character movements were hand drawn so perfectly well that even all the action was so clear which is just a marvel to see over and over again.

The story may not be the most original but at the same time it isn't bad at all. In fact the characters of this movie retain their depth throughout the entire film which makes it easy for any viewer especially who appreciates animation to look past it as the movie alone offers plenty of intriguing visuals that sincerely complement the story backed by a superb soundtrack which captures the very essences and themes of the setting.

Highly recommended for anime enthusiasts as well as anyone who appreciates cartoons. in fact they shouldn't miss this one as watching this film once simply isn't quite enough.