Metal Samurai
Found an article as I sat down and “read” the Asahi Shinbun this morning. Here’s the text of the article. You can read the original here. I have attempted another horrible translation, so click the more link if you’re interested.
ネット配信の時代劇映画で提携 東映とコロムビア
2007年05月24日19時47分東映とコロムビアミュージックエンタテインメントは２４日、インターネットで配信する時代劇映画制作で提携した、と発表した。時代劇の視聴者を増やしたい東映とネット音楽配信の技術をもつコロムビアが組み、新たな販路を開拓する。映画は６月にも複数の動画サイトで公開される予定。
タイトルは「メタル侍」で京都・太秦（うずまさ）の京都撮影所で撮影した。ヘビーメタルギタリストとしての裏の顔を持つ外国人浪人が、ギターを使った技を繰り出して悪者を懲らしめるコメディー時代劇だ。１話は約２５分。ネットで分割配信されることを想定し、１話を約５分ごとのストーリーに区切り各ストーリーに独立性を持たせている。
ネット配信について出演者には事前に了解をとり、著作権を東映とコロムビアに帰属させ、権利処理を簡単にした。
Toei & Columbia team up to distribute Japanese period drama over the internet
May 24th, 2007 7:47 PM JSTToei and Columbia Music Entertainment announced on May 24th their joint venture to distribute a Japanese period drama over the internet. Toei, seeking to increase the viewers of the jidai-geki period dramas, and Columbia, with the ability to distribute music over the internet, are trying to open a new market. The two companies have plans to announce further movie sites next month.
The title of the film is Metal Samurai. It was filmed in Kyoto at the Uzumasa Studios. The period drama is a comedy involving a ronin foreigner with an alternate heavy metal guitarist identity who uses his guitar-wielding techniques to discipline the bad guys. One story is about 25 minutes long. In order to release it over the internet, the companies envision breaking the plot into 5 minute long installations.
The performers were notified about the plans for internet release beforehand, and the legal processing over rights was made simple. The copyrights belong to both Toei and Columbia.
After a little internet searching, I found the original site: MetalSamurai.com. Ha ha ha. Nice. I look forward to seeing this open. You can catch a trailer there at present. Looks like you need Windows Media Player or the Flip for Mac ability to play Windows Media files. Enjoy. Ha ha. Looks goofy. What could be entertaining about a foreign guy speaking in Japanese, beating people up with his katana AND his guitar, all while wearing KISS wannabe makeup? I dunno. You tell me. 
Update: There is literally only the intro video and 2 links on the official site. Looks like maybe an up-and-coming band called STRUSH (with the lame site they have, I seriously hope that’s the case) and the blog of the starlet who likely plays a love interest, and whose cleavage made the “boing” noise in the preview? That’s my guess, anyway.
