Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

47% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings

In 19th-century Japan a master swordsman turns a girl named Azumi (Aya Ueto) and a group of other orphans into assassins whose mission is to eliminate hostile warlords. When one such warlord orders the destruction of the young assassins, his lackey liberates a fearsome killer named Bijomaru to accomplish the task. A grisly battle ensues as Azumi and her comrades fight for survival.

Azumi

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Critics Consensus

This adaptation of the popular manga series offers exquisitely choreographed violence -- and little else.

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Critics Reviews

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Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Andrea Gronvall Chicago Reader The tone is bleak and the comic-book violence relentless, but the wirework and Yuta Morokaji's stunt choreography are impressive. Apr 18, 2007 Full Review Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune It's a zippy time-passer. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 7, 2006 Full Review Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (3) G. Allen Johnson San Francisco Chronicle Ryuhei Kitamura is 37, but he makes films like a 15-year-old fanboy. That is, he has no sense of story, his visual style is basically point-and-shoot, the boys are cool and rebellious and the girls are cute. Rated: 2/4 Jul 28, 2006 Full Review Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Film4 Staff Film4 An extraordinary film. Jul 14, 2010 Full Review Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed Kitamura's visual power thankfully never drowns out the story's. Apr 29, 2009 Full Review Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Urban Cinefile Critics Urban Cinefile Well, this particular fantasy surely lost its novelty value a while back, and frankly never did much for me anyhow. Oct 18, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alice S Azumi (2003)"Azumi" é um filme que impressiona pela intensidade de suas cenas de ação e pela construção de uma protagonista forte e carismática. Dirigido por Ryûhei Kitamura, o filme consegue capturar a atenção do público com sua coreografia de lutas ágil e visualmente impactante, além de apresentar um Japão feudal envolvente e bem ambientado. No entanto, uma área onde "Azumi" poderia se beneficiar de maior desenvolvimento é no aprofundamento de seus personagens secundários e na exploração mais detalhada dos temas de moralidade e sacrifício que permeiam a trama. A história, embora empolgante, poderia ter se beneficiado de uma narrativa mais complexa e emocionalmente rica. Ainda assim, "Azumi" é um marco no cinema de ação japonês, oferecendo uma experiência cinematográfica que mistura entretenimento e reflexão, especialmente através da jornada pessoal de sua heroína.Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)"Azumi 2: Death or Love" continua a saga de Azumi com um estilo visual que mantém o público engajado e satisfeito. Dirigido por Shûsuke Kaneko, o filme preserva a qualidade das cenas de combate e a tensão dramática do primeiro filme, mas também tenta aprofundar as questões pessoais e dilemas internos da protagonista. Uma crítica construtiva seria que o enredo poderia ter explorado mais as motivações dos antagonistas e as consequências das ações de Azumi, o que teria adicionado uma camada adicional de complexidade à história. Além disso, a interação entre os personagens principais poderia ter sido mais desenvolvida para criar uma conexão emocional mais forte com o público. Mesmo assim, "Azumi 2" é uma sequência que entrega o que promete, expandindo o universo da protagonista e oferecendo momentos memoráveis tanto em termos de ação quanto de narrativa. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/28/24 Full Review Audience Member Impressive (and violent) battle scenes are the highlight of this longish Japanese samurai tale. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review troy k Pretty much horrible all around, including the horribly choreographed violence, but the story kept me interested enough to watch the whole thing...only to be disappointed by the ending. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member "AZUMI, THE FEMALE ASSASSIN VOLUME 1" - 'Azumi' is a 2003 Japanese action film based on the popular manga-series with the same name and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (Versus, The Midnight Meat Train). The intriguing plot about a female assassin is filled with highly violent action sequences between amazing cartoonish characters. To me it has a real Kill Bill feeling to it. I absolutely enjoyed this over-the-top movie and its sequel. With Aya Ueto as the heroine Azumi. 128 minutes of bloody entertainment! Orphan girl Azumi (Ueto) is raised along with nine boys by Jiji, a old master samurai. They are trained to become assassins. One day the ten students are put to the ultimate test: after being paired up, they need to kill their best friend. Azumi kills her love-intrest Nachi. Only the five survivors can join Jiji on his quest to kill three warlords: Nagamasa Asano, Kiyomasa Kato and Masayuki Sanada. The first target, Nagamasa Asano, is easily found and killed. But on hearing that Asano was assassinated, the next target, Kiyomasa Kato takes measures to keep himself safe. Azumi and her 5 male companions will have to deal with three roguish brothers, the narcissist killer Bijamouru Mogami, the monkey-like soldier Saru and an army of mercenary thugs before getting to warlord Kato and his general Kabei. Outnumbered their mission seems impossible. Will they succeed? Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member At once visually shocking and thrilling. Azumi engages us on the same amoral level that Dexter does. While you may cringe at the copious amounts of blood, you will cheer Azumi on until it satisfying end. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Rawr! Right in my childhood! I never get tired watching this a bazillion times when I was little because I love Azumi and she is just so very cool! Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Ryûhei Kitamura Director Aya Ueto Azumi Shun Oguri Nachi Hiroki Narimiya Ukiha Shinji Suzuki Awa Yasutaka Sano Yura
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Synopsis In 19th-century Japan a master swordsman turns a girl named Azumi (Aya Ueto) and a group of other orphans into assassins whose mission is to eliminate hostile warlords. When one such warlord orders the destruction of the young assassins, his lackey liberates a fearsome killer named Bijomaru to accomplish the task. A grisly battle ensues as Azumi and her comrades fight for survival.

Director
Ryûhei Kitamura

Producer
Mataichirô Yamamoto

Screenwriter
Isao Kiriyama, Rikiya Muzushima

Production Co
Toho Company Ltd.

Genre
Action

Original Language
Japanese

Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jul 21, 2006

Release Date (DVD)
Nov 28, 2006

Runtime
2h 8m
Azumi (2003) | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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