Otogi Zoshi [Anime Series]  (2004)

Theatrical Release Information:
Otogi Zoshi [Anime Series]

It is 972 A.D. in Kyoto Japan, at the peak of the Heian era, and corruption and disease are both rampant. Most samurai have succumb to ruthless greed and desperation, while illness is rendering the population at large too weak to change the hopelessness sweeping over the land. In a final act of desperation, the Imperial Court sends Minamoto no Raiko, noble hearted samurai and superior archer, to search for a legendary gem said to hold the power to create peace. When Raiko falls ill, however, his younger sister, Hikaru secretly embarks on the journey in his place. This extremely detailed, artistically rich anime traces the stories of darkly woven political corruption, highly skilled and often bloody tests of martial arts skill, and hope for a nation on the brink of a new age. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide