This anime series based on Satoru Noda’s acclaimed manga serves up an interesting plot that mixes Japanese history with old-fashioned adventure. Saichi Sugimoto is a veteran of the Russo-Japanese War who has taken up gold prospecting in order to provide for the widow of a fallen comrade. A drunken friend named Gotō tells him a story about a man who killed a group of Ainu—an indigenous people of Japanese and Russian heritage—and stole their gold. The killer hid the treasure and tattooed its location on a map that stretched across the bodies of 24 escaped prisoners. When Gotō is killed by a bear, Saichi discovers one of the maps on Gotō’s body. Saichi then meets a young Ainu girl named Asirpa, who confirms the tale and reveals that her father was among those slain for their gold. Saichi and Asirpa, joined by a rare Hokkaido wolf named Retar, search out the escaped prisoners with the map tattoos on an adventure that is full of peril and danger. Golden Kamuy has everything working in its favor: a superior storyline, excellent animation, fully textured characters, and a genuine sense of historical perspective mixed with a respectful consideration of Ainu culture. Presenting all 12 episodes from the 2018 debut season in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, rated TV-MA, extras include 12 bonus animated shorts. Highly recommended. [Note: Golden Kamuy, Season Two is slated for release on Oct. 15.] (P. Hall)
Golden Kamuy, Season One
(2018) 4 discs. 300 min. Blu-ray: $84.99. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 34, Issue 5
Golden Kamuy, Season One
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