THE PRINCESS BLADE
aka SHURAYUKI-HIME

Year: 2001
USA: A D Vision (ADV Films)
Cast: Hideaki Ito, Yumiko Shaku, ShirO Sano, Yoichi Numata, Kyusaku Shimada, Yoko Maki, Takashi Tsukamoto
Director: Shinsuke Sato
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese (English subtitles)
USA: 93 mins
USA Rated: R for strong violence
USA Release Date: 8 August 2003

Synopsis

Yumiko Shaku, who continues to make waves as the Japanese pop idol of the 21 st century, takes on her next challenge with her motion picture debut, THE PRINCESS BLADE. In this hard-boiled action film, Shaku stars as the beautiful princess Yuki of the House of Takemikazuchi, a band of assassins formerly employed by the guard of the Mikado elite. For the role of Yukki, Shaku abandons her trademark smile and launches into an array of action scenes testament to the birth of a new star.

Yuki was raised in the House of Takemikazuchi as a solitary hunter, knowing neither love nor sadness. When she learns the shocking truth of her mother's death, however, Yuki flees the group and encounters Takashi (Hideaki Ito), a member of an insurrectionist movement. The more time she spends with Takashi, the more Yuki feels the stirring of new emotions inside her.

Together the two would-be lovers seek to escape their respective fates and flee towards a new future. But just when they are starting to see the faint light of hope before them...