Short Film

JUNKO’S SHAMISEN (2010) Short Film: Sol Friedman, Clemence Wong

Clemence Wong, Junko's Shamisen

The Junko’s Shamisen Short Film has premiered. Sol Friedman‘s Junko’s Shamisen (2010) stars David Fujino, Benny Min, and Clemence Wong.

 Junko’s Shamisen (2010)’s plot synopsis: “Set in the rural backwoods of Feudal Japan, a young peasant girl named Junko, returns home to discover her blind grandfather brutally murdered. Filled with despair, Junko, accompanied by a mystical Fox spirit, abandons her old life and sets off for the village in search of better fortune.

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While begging, young Junko inadvertently encounters the evil samurai lord responsible for killing her grandfather and with the influence of the fox spirit, avenges her grandfather through a gruesome act of poetic justice.”

The Kill Bill / comic book-reminiscent storyboards throughout Junko’s Shamisen are cool but I was on the fence about this short film until the first major event happens. After that, the anime-loving viewer will recognize the influence of Afro Samurai, especially when Afro goes in search of revenge as a little boy. It definitely will remind the viewer of Afro Samurai when Junko achieves her revenge. It’s pretty brutal then it gets real twisted.

Watch the Junko’s Shamisen short film below and leave your thoughts on it.

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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