Slaughter in the Snow, the third and final installment in the Mikogami Trilogy, sees Jokichi (Yoshio Harada, Party 7, 9 Souls) on the last leg of his journey. Kyubei and Chogoro are dead, leaving only Chuji to take care of. But standing in the way of his final target is a knife wielding assassin, Kobunji (Isao Natsuyagi, Goyokin, Umizaru 2: Test of Trust), hired by Chuji to take Jokichi out. Being an honorable and ethical man, Kobunji feels somewhat reluctant to kill Jokichi, given that Chuji is directly responsible for his current situation. But being a professional, he feels similarly compelled to honor his contract with Chuji. Making the best of both their situations, Jokichi and Chogoro decide to journey together and get to know each other before their fateful duel, and Jokichi’s potential end of his mission.

Though for the most part successful, the revenge-making of the past two films has sapped Jokichi of nearly all his humanity, reducing this once upright man to a downright bastard. His character arc here, depicting a rise from despair to a possible redemption, is far more dynamic and nuanced than in previous pictures. Mirroring the first two films’ incidents of innocents in peril, Slaughter in the Snow opens with a young couple set upon by a group of attackers. While in the first picture he helped immediately, and the second reluctantly, this time Jokichi fails to even lift a finger. It is only after the killing party takes care of the male and becomes annoyed with Jokichi’s presence, directly attacking him, that Jokichi actually does something about the situation. It’s terrible and tragic, but from here, the trilogy’s lowest low, there’s nowhere for Jokichi to go but up.

Jokichi’s redemption is in large part a journey of personal introspection, but one heavily influenced by two equally intriguing characters. First and foremost is the aforementioned Kobunji, the honorable assassin, stricken with tuberculosis, whose own acts of altruism may mask a personal brand of selfishness. Secondly, there’s Oyae (Michio Yasuda, Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx, Hanging Garden), the woman neglected by Jokichi in her time of need, who tags along with the party, simultaneously drawn to the soul of the man she perceives, but repulsed by the man she has experienced Jokichi to be. Both characters echo characteristics of Jokichi and his former wife (as the astute viewer will notice), simultaneously stirring Jokichi’s own memories, restoring his connection to humanity, and jump-starting his lost sense of ethic. It’s a slow and painful process, but one which potentially holds a greater reward than his initial course.

Philosophizing aside, there’s plenty to enjoy if you’re looking for simple action adrenaline. The sequences of swordplay and slaughter, in snow, rank with some of the best in the entire series, expertly choreographed, and with the added bonus of raw emotion. The visual style of the film itself is also a bit more experimental than previous entries. On display are a number of swirling transitions, superimpositions, and simultaneous deep and near track focus shots, add a fair sense of funky cool to the already happening scene. Acting on the parts of all involved is easily the best for any film in the series, with special nod to Isao Natsuyagi, who plays Kobunji.

In closing, Slaughter in the Snow provides an excellent conclusion to the Mikogami Trilogy. Although different in tone and thrust from its predecessors, it maintains a completely Mikogami feel. It may not be as adrenaline charged as the previous films, but its emotional human drama and striking visual style make this quite possibly the best of the Mikogami trilogy. Slaughter in the Snow is highly recommended.

The DVD

What’s to be said that hasn’t been said of the other discs? AnimEigo’s presentation of Slaughter in the Snow is faithful to its original theatrical, maintaining the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and original Japanese language track. The same criticisms of the video hold on this one, light in places, but never anything I would actually complain about. And really, with such a killer film, complaints like these amount to simply being spoiled. As usual, the subtitles are killer, providing translation of all on screen Japanese text, historical/cultural/medical insights when needed, and literal translations of character dialog, themselves crafted to model the mood and attitudes of the characters on screen.

The disc contains the usual offerings of production notes, art galleries, and trailers, this time for Slaughter in the Snow and Shogun Assassin. I must also note that the notes here are the best of the three discs, focusing less on geography and more on the usual historical and cultural aspects. Good stuff.

All in all, Slaughter in the Snow’s a disc I’d be proud to have on my shelf. If you’re at all interested in the Mikogami trilogy by now, I’d definitely recommend picking up the trilogy box set. Unlike other trilogies, these films are not stand alone entries, and Slaughter in the Snow does require the viewer to have seen the previous two films to maximize their enjoyment. Check it out.

About the Author

Chris Nelson has been a film fanatic since age six. A former film and English major, he is now a Software Engineer and contract Technical Writer living in the Silicon Valley.

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