Sakigake!! Otokojuku (Be a Man! Samurai School) (2008)

53% of users liked it
(242 ratings)

A group of aspiring samurais learn that true honor doesn't come without great suffering - not to mention some good old fashioned humiliation - in actor-turned-director Tak Sakaguchi's adaptation of the Akira Miyashita's popular manga. Spineless Hidemaro isn't much of a man, so in order to gain some… More A group of aspiring samurais learn that true honor doesn't come without great suffering - not to mention some good old fashioned humiliation - in actor-turned-director Tak Sakaguchi's adaptation of the Akira Miyashita's popular manga. Spineless Hidemaro isn't much of a man, so in order to gain some intestinal fortitude he enrolls in Otoko-juku. At Otoko-juku, students train to be samurais the old fashioned way - through sheer endurance. It certainly isn't a walk in the park, and precious few freshmen actually make the cut. Others, like Momo (Sakaguchi), seem to possess the strength and stamina of 10 men. Later, just as Hidemaro begins to get the hang of life at Otoko-juku, a ruthless former student returns to campus determined to overthrow the faculty, and impose his own brutal will on the current crop of pupils. With their backs against the wall, Hidemaro, his classmates, and their teachers prepare to take back the campus by force. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Tak Sakaguchi
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International

In Theaters: Jan 26, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Jul 28, 2009

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Justin Y

Tak Sakaguchi has shown me that he can be a lead in a movie and choreograph some great action sequences as well. Can he direct? That is the question here. Be a Man! Samurai School looks to combine action and comedy. If you look at the past films in which Tak is… More
Tak Sakaguchi has shown me that he can be a lead in a movie and choreograph some great action sequences as well. Can he direct? That is the question here. Be a Man! Samurai School looks to combine action and comedy. If you look at the past films in which Tak is involved with, you will see the likes of Versus, Death Trance, and Battlefield Baseball. It sounds like Tak has the experience to direct a movie like this. Unfortunately, it falls short of my high expectations. That is not to say that this is an awful movie. Let's just say that there is room for improvements.The plot is one of the weaker elements of the film, especially when it stems from a manga. For the most part, it seems everything that happens is just there to lengthen the movie, which surprisingly reaches 1 hour and 45 minutes.There is also the problem of finding the true main character of the film, although many will say that Tak is the man. Other than Mr. Sakaguchi, there are at least 2 other characters that can come across as the leads. This is both good and bad. The good is that you never know what to expect. The bad is ... you never know what to expect.The action is good, but you expect better from Tak. The second half is where most of the action takes place and the "amazing triple-death battle" concept is great. The only thing to really look forward to is the final fight, in which Tak Sakaguchi and Hideo Sakaki square off for the 3rd time. 4 if you count the little encounter in Battlefield Baseball.Be a Man! Samurai School does have its ridiculously funny moments and its good action scenes. Just don't set your expectations too high for this one.

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Sakigake!! Otokojuku (Be a Man! Samurai School) (2008)

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Justin Y

Cast

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