Sword of the Stranger

Sword of the Stranger (ストレンヂア -無皇刃譚-) is a 2007 Japanese animated film directed by Masahiro Andō and produced by Bones. The story is set in the Sengoku period of Japan and revolves around Nanashi, a nameless ronin, who saves an orphaned boy named Kotaro at an abandoned temple. Kotaro is being pursued by a mysterious organization from China, and hires Nanashi as his bodyguard. Among those pursuing Kotaro is a skilled Western swordsman named Rarou, who serves an old man named Byakuran and is part of the Chinese militia. Unlike others in the militia, Rarou is not loyal to any emperor but seeks strong opponents to fight. The film is highly acclaimed for its stunning animation, intense action sequences, and compelling storyline. It won the Best Animated Feature award at FANTASPOA (International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre) in Brazil, and was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and submitted for consideration for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.