Hana yori mo nao
(DVD)

Originally released as a motion picture in 2005.

A foreign film (Japan).

Special features: Opening day stage greeting; original trailers; Funimation trailers.

880-03,Cinematography, Yamazaki Yutaka ; music, Taburatūra ; art, Isomi Toshihiro, Baba Masao.

880-02,Okada Jun'ichi, Miyazawa Rie, Furuta Arata, Kagawa Teruyuki, Asano Tadanobu, Harada Yoshio, Terajima Susumu, Chihara Seiji, Ueshima Ryuhei.

Director Hirokazu Koreeda turns the popularly held conventions of the typical samurai revenge tale on their head with this story of a man whose quest to avenge the death of his father gradually takes a back seat to his emerging role as a key figure in the community. The year is 1702, and young samurai Sozaemon Aoki (Junichi Okada) has arrived in Edo to seek revenge against Jubei Kanazawa (Tadanobu Asano). Kanazawa is the man responsible for the death of Aoki's father, and now it's up to the grieving swordsman to settle the score. When Aoki begins teaching the children of Edo to read and write, however, his bloodlust slowly begins to subside as he comes to realize the true value of his useful place in society. Upon falling in love with the beautiful Osae (Rie Miyazawa), Aoki comes to realize that although the sword may be a powerful symbol of strength, allowing oneself to fall victim to its savage allure may not always be the best way to realize one's true heroism.

DVD format, region 1, aspect ratio 16:9; dolby digital 5.1 surround; NTSC.

In Japanese and English; with optional subtitles in English; credits in Japanese; credits on container in English.