Samurai Angel Wars

A common theme in stories about travelling to other times or worlds is the culture shock that occurs when someone has to adapt to a new situation. In this case it is high-school students ending up in the time of the samurai. High-school comedy and samurai movies are both big and familiar genres, and this is not the only movie to mix them.

The first part is somewhat well done. It has some non-linear story-telling with flashbacks and special effects, and sets up a mysterious and cozy tone.

The few fight scenes are at least average. They were probably constructed by a crew or company that is specialized in such, with some actors that are trained in martial arts. Thus, the fighting is one of the more solid aspects.

Oftentimes, there is a comedic tone, with a bit of exaggeration and goofiness. This lightens the mood, but makes it look more like a movie for children.

The electronic music is mundane and not very inspiring. It only works well to raise emotions in a few scenes.

What fits in better are the flashbacks, telling a parallel background story. This is a common technique in many genres. By itself, it could have become another boring high-school movie, but in this compact form without filler, it is one of the more compelling parts.

Samurai Angel Wars is a mix of genres, and does not seem to know where it belongs. It is silly sometimes, but at least it is an actual adventure with a momentum and some suspenseful moments. More importantly, it has a few scenes and acting performances that I think of fondly.