What action there is in this downplayed drama stems from the homoerotic tensions generated by the enrolment of a beautiful young samurai into the Shinsengumi Militia, a school famous for its strict discipline code, and the period setting of late 19th Century Japan is effectively used to evoke the extreme secrecy that any kind of institutional homosexuality was forced to exist in. The swordplay provides a welcome interval between the desperate (and often sad) sex scenes, showing the samurai tendency towards precision and an implicit feminine grace. It is tempting to compare Oshima's career with that of Terrence Malick, both are seldom seen or heard for years but when they produce something, it's always well considered and somewhat ethereal. A truly original samurai movie.