Peacemaker Volume 5: The Spider's Web

Review Date: 2006 June 08 10:45

Reviewed by: Azure

Released by: ADV Films UK

Age Rating: 12

Region: 2 - UK

Volume 5 of 7

Length: 75 minutes

Subtitles: English

Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese 2.0 Stereo

Summary

The plan to destroy the Shinsengumi is in motion, a strange mystic manipulates a fallen Lord. If that wasn’t enough to worry about strange reports reach the Shinsengumi that Okita is cutting down Shogunate patrols. They must quickly find out who the imposter is before their name is ruined forever.

Review

This volume of Peacemaker contains three episodes, which form a small story arc of their own as various aspects of the plan to destroy the Shinsenmugi begain to materialise. There’s far less focus on Tetsu this volume when he does appear it’s a few brief scenes which illustrate how much he has grown as a person as well as a warrior. It’s probably just as well because the attacks on the Shinsengumi members become increasingly aggressive.


The level of warriors sent up against the Shinesengumi also dramatically increases, it’s a sign that things are going to get much more difficult.Kichisaburo a fairly new character to the series also has a strong focus. He looks so startlingly like Okita that he is employed to ruin Okita’s name, taking off into the streets cutting down Shogunate patrols in a pretty brutal series of attacks. The Shinsengumi aren’t easily phazed and their faith in Okita never wavours.

This volume marks a strong increase in pacing, there’s a lot more action and a lot less comedy. There are a lot of hints that there’s much worse to come, as the danager the Shinsengumi face beging to grow in confidence so much so that they begin to strike. The supernatural element of the series also becomes increasingly important as mystical as well as physical traps are set for the warriors.

There aren’t too many extras this DVD, my clear favourite thing is the " character collection" a short video about the comedic trio of Shinpachi, Sanosuke and Heisuke, it’s silly stuff but it’s a funny little bonus.

There isn’t too much new in this volume, the series continues to be executed with skill. The selection of episodes on the DVD are extremly strong. There’s a solid mix of action, intrege and magic as the stage is set for the closing act of the series, after all it’s only two DVDs until the end.

Rating: 7/10