13 Assassins vs Blade of the Immortal
Takashi Miike is a renowned Japanese director who gained fame with violent thrillers such as Ichi the Killer and Audition. However, he has directed a handful of notable samurai films, and tonight we will look at two of them—13 Assassins (a remake of a 1963 film) and Blade of the Immortal (an adaptation of a manga by Hiroaki Samura). Which film will be victorious, and which one will commit hara-kiri? Grab your katana … and let’s talk about movies!
KYLE’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: 13 The town of Ochiai
Best Character: 13 Heizo Sahara
Best Screen Duo: BotI Manji & Rin
Best Villain/Antagonist: 13 Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira
Best Hero/Protagonist: BotI Manji
Best Kill/Defeat: BotI Manji nearly dies
WTF: 13 A naked boy pissing in the middle of a dusty street
Best Score or Soundtrack: 13 Koji Endo
Best Quote: 13 Kujuro Hirayama: “No mercy! There's no samurai code or fair play in battle! No sword? Use a stick. No stick? Use a rock. No rock? Use your fists and feet! Lose your life, but make the enemy pay!”
Best Screenplay: BotI Tetsuya Oishi
Best Special Achievement: BotI Makeup
Best Supporting Actor/Actress: BotI Sota Fukushi
Best Lead Actor/Actress: BotI Takuya Kimura
Best Scene: 13 Pay me to fight scene
Defining Moment: BotI Cool Villains
Best Director: 13 Takashi Miike
Wildcard: BotI Coolest Weapons Award
Best Picture: Blade of the Immortal
Total after deductions:
13 Assassins: 7
Blade of the Immortal: 12
WAYNE’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: BotI Edo
Best Character: BotI Manji
Best Screen Duo: BotI Manji & Rin
Best Villain/Antagonist: 13 Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira
Best Hero/Protagonist: BotI Manji
Best Kill/Defeat: 13 Bulls on fire
WTF: 13 Assassins getting lost
Best Score or Soundtrack: BotI Koji Endo
Best Quote: BotI Manji: “You’re not the only hero of a sad story”
Best Screenplay: BotI Tetsuya Oishi
Best Special Achievement: BotI FX
Best Supporting Actor/Actress: 13 Gorô Inagaki
Best Lead Actor/Actress: BotI Takuya Kimura
Best Scene: 13 Bulls on fire
Defining Moment: BotI Manji finding a reason to live after wanting to die for 50 years
Best Director: BotI Takashi Miike
Wildcard: BotI Left me Wanting More Award
Best Picture: Blade of the Immortal
Total after deductions:
13 Assassins: 4
Blade of the Immortal: 15
MATT’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: 13 The town of Ochiai
Best Character: 13 Kiga Koyata
Best Screen Duo: BotI Manji & Rin
Best Villain/Antagonist: 13 Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira
Best Hero/Protagonist: BotI Manji
Best Kill/Defeat: TIE 13 & BotI Shinzaemon stabbing, then beheading Naritsugu; Manji’s waterfall kill of Shira
WTF: 13 A naked boy pissing in the middle of a dusty street
Best Score or Soundtrack: 13 Koji Endo
Best Quote: 13 Shinzaemon: “For the Shogun, for the people, for the many who died untimely deaths … for Makino Uneme and his wife … for his father Makino Yukie … and for my men scattering Ochiai … for that … innocent, nameless young girl … with severed arms and legs … I shall take your life!”
Best Screenplay: 13 Daisuke Tengan
Best Special Achievement: 13 Cinematography by Nobuyasu Kita
Best Supporting Actor/Actress: BotI Hana Sugisaki
Best Lead Actor/Actress: 13 Koji Yakusho
Best Scene: 13 The final battle at Ochiai
Defining Moment: 13 Kiga “Do only samurai matter in this world?”
Best Director: 13 Takashi Miike
Wildcard: BotI Best Weapons Award
Best Picture: 13 Assassins
Total after deductions:
13 Assassins: 13
Blade of the Immortal: 5
NATHAN’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: 13 The town of Ochiai
Best Character: BotI Manji
Best Screen Duo: BotI Manji & Rin
Best Villain/Antagonist: 13 Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira
Best Hero/Protagonist: 13 Shimada Shinzaemon
Best Kill/Defeat: 13 Naritsugu and Shinzaemon mortally wound each other
WTF: 13 CGI Animals
Best Score or Soundtrack: BotI Koji Endo
Best Quote: 13 Shinzaemon: “"As a samurai in this era of peace, I've been wishing for a noble death. Now, fate has called me here. See, my hands won't stop trembling. It's a warrior's battle shakes. I will accomplish your wish ... with magnificence."
Best Screenplay: 13 Daisuke Tengan
Best Special Achievement: 13 45-minute final battle
Best Supporting Actor/Actress: 13 Masachika Ichimura
Best Lead Actor/Actress: TIE 13 & BotI Koji Yakusho and Takuya Kimura
Best Scene: 13 Shinzaemon agrees to help
Defining Moment: TIE 13 & BotI Fast-paced, brutal action
Best Director: 13 Takashi Miike
Wildcard: BotI Ittō-ryū Appreciation Award
Best Picture: 13 Assassins
Total after deductions:
13 Assassins: 13
Blade of the Immortal: 6