‘The Invisible Swordsman’ Blu-ray Review (Arrow Video)
Stars: Hachirô Oka, Yasushi Yokoyama, Kiyoshi Nishikawa | Written by Tetsurô Yoshida | Directed by Yoshiyuki Kuroda
Arrow Video have been releasing so much Japanese Cinema on Blu-ray that it feels like they are going to run out of films. Of course, they won’t, as there is so much to choose from. But in the latest Arrow Video Blu-ray they dug deep into the archives and retrieved a film that is kind of obscure!
For the 55th anniversary of this film’s release Arrow Video is giving 1970s The Invisible Swordsman a deluxe Blu-ray release. If you love your films filled with sprites, the supernatural and swordplay action, well, this film from the makers of the Zatoichi, Daimajin and the Yokai Monsters films is definitely going to be a release you will want to check out.
In Edo-era Japan, Sanshiro diligently hones his sword-fighting technique at the kendo dojo, but no amount of practice can hide the fact that he is both clumsy and cowardly. When his samurai father falls prey to a gang of murderous phantom thieves while on night watch duties, Sanshiro is drawn to the banks of the Sanzu River that separates the worlds of the living and the dead. Here he encounters a strange being that introduces itself as a Shokera. The otherworldly apparition offers advice on how Sanshiro can avenge his father with the aid of a mysterious potion with the power to turn him invisible. But first Sanshiro must gather the ingredients, and his father’s killers might be closer to home than he thinks.
Even though this film was made 55 years ago, it still feels extremely relevant even to this day in 2025. A lot of the credit for that has to go to Director Yoshiyuki Kuroda (Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare, Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell) and Cinematographer Hiroshi Imai (Zatoichi and the Doomed Man, The Haunted Palace). They put to film a wonderful tale of revenge that sprinkles in some comedy, and what results is a fun cinematic experience that holds up all these years later.
Arrow Video has transferred The Invisible Swordsman to Blu-ray in 1080p. The audio track is the original lossless Japanese mono audio. Then there are the optional newly translated English subtitles. This Blu-ray transfer is really nice. But the dark scenes, which are many, don’t benefit much from this HD transfer as the scenes are so dark you can’t enjoy the work that went into making this Blu-ray!
Bonus Materials
- Brand new audio commentary from author and Asian culture expert Jonathan Clements
- The Invisible People, a brand new interview with film critic Kim Newman on the history of invisibility in cinema
- Phantom Fighter, a brand new interview with film critic and Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jolyon Yates
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Zack Davisson
The bonus features are a nice addition to this Blu-ray. The honesty of Jonathan Clements in saying this is “a very odd film” is welcomed. The interviews by Kim Newman and Jasper Sharp are always a good watch; and nothing more needs to be said about the artwork, as you know I always enjoy that.
If you are ready to discover one of the most thrilling and offbeat releases in Japanese cult cinema, there is no better way to do that than with Arrow Video’s Blu-ray of The Invisible Swordsman. This wild tokusatsu samurai film, directed by Yoshiyuki Kuroda and produced by Toei, combines sword-swinging action, fantasy elements, and early special effects in a fast-paced tale of invisible vengeance.
**** 4/5
The Invisible Swordsman is
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