Samurai Time Slipper is a fun homage to the jidaigeki genre.

 

Sometimes, you get a sleeper hit. A movie or a drama comes along and it's not projected to do well at the box office or ratings wise and despite the odds, it somehow finds a way to succeed. Samurai Time Slipper, an action comedy with a dash of fantasy about a samurai thrust in time to the 21st century, was one such movie. The Junichi Yasuda directed production initially had a one theatre run before positive reception via word of mouth caused it to gain more showing at multiple theatres. That drew my attention for sure and after having watched the movie, I can se why it got a lot of love. 

During the Edo period, Aizu clan member and samurai, Kosaka Shinzaemon, is about to face a young, but skilled rival, Yamagata Hikokuro in a duel in Kyoto. As the duo clash swords, having a few tense exchanges, it begins pouring down with rain alongside thunder and lightning. After getting struck by the lightning, Kosaka awakens to suddenly having slipped through time, somehow appearing in the 21st century. Being on the film set used for jidaigeki dramas and movies, he is mistaken as an extra due to his authentic Edo period clothing, his demeanour and the language he uses when speaking. He is swiftly employed in the role of kiraeyaku, a swordsman who often dies in spectacular fashion in dramas and movies. 

Samurai Time Slipper was shot on a very modest budget with a reported 26 million being the amount of money spent on the production. Naturally, this shows in certain areas, such as the effects of the lightning. Despite that, it is quite competently directed with some neat camera shots. I particularly love the night time shots of the place in which the duel is to take place, and Kosaka seemingly finding it again in the future after slipping through time. The wide angle shots are lovely and the reverse shots have such a nice visual in combination with the night lighting. 

The amount of time spent in the Edo period itself lasts for less than 5 minutes in the opening of the movie. Beyond that, there are a few flashback sequences. That means that the majority of the runtime is spent focusing on the fish out of water story as Kosaka adapts to life in the 21st century. 

The fish out of water concept is nothing new and is something that has been explored several times prior to Samurai Time Slipper. Despite this, the gags present that showcase just how Kosaka is out of his depth in the 21st century in combination with him finding his place in a new age has some heart and soul to it. Seeing him go from being amazed by technology and even food such as cake, to working his way through the jidaigeki genre makes for a very fun and pleasant viewing experience. Add on to that, a surprise twist that happens in the middle of the movie and you have a welcome addition to the fish out of water collection of tales. 

One of the things that made the movie work was leading man Makiya Yamaguchi. His performance in the role of Kosaka Shinzaemon has a certain charm to it, making the character quite earnest and lovable even with his various goofs in adapting to the new environment. The range of emotion he managed to evoke in the character was truly impressive and he excelled in the choreography. 

Credit also has to be given to the wonderful supporting cast, including Manko Kurenai and Yoshiharu Fukuda. The duo in particular were responsible for some of the most entertaining scenes in the movie, the gags with them reacting to Shizaemon's behaviour made me laugh. 

Time Slipper succeeded because it gave the audience precisely what they wanted, being a well told story of a samurai adapting to being thrust into the 21st century. It also was a love letter to the entire jidaigeki genre, a fact that as a jidaigeki fan, left me smiling.