Bushido Sixteen

If you've seen a couple of high school movies/series that feature two rivals in any sport, this movie won't bring you anything new. This is one exactly along the lines of how they imagine such a story should unfold in Japan (and perhaps elsewhere). That's not to say that it's a bad piece of work, I just don't think it's necessary to see it, because there are certainly better pieces coming out of the sports landscape. If you really like kendo, though, go for it. The girls did their best, they screamed hilariously (it’s just that a "kiai" sounds better coming out of a man's mouth) and the film took its pace to a simple ending. I don't think the pace of the narrative will suit everyone; it goes like a sine wave, up down, up down. Occasionally I would have stretched out some scenes and occasionally I would have cut some. I found the film a bit inconsistent. A weaker 3 stars. (24/09/2015)