Sword of the Stranger

Sword of the Stranger is Bones' 2007 action film and one of the finest examples of animated sword combat ever committed to film. A nameless ronin with a sealed sword — haunted by his past and trying to outrun it — reluctantly takes a job protecting a young boy being hunted by Chinese warriors serving a Ming Dynasty alchemist. The story is straightforward by design: director Masahiro Ando understands that the film's purpose is to build emotional investment in its characters through small, honest moments before detonating in a finale whose physical specificity and tactical intelligence in its sword-fighting are simply unmatched. The final confrontation between the ronin and the Chinese swordsman Luo-Lang is one of animation's greatest action sequences — violent, exhausting, and strangely beautiful. An essential recommendation for anyone who loves choreographed action.