"Samurai Girl" (2008) TV series 2008-

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A teenage girl tries to balance a normal life as the adopted daughter of wealthy parents with the Samurai traditions of her ancestors.

Plot Keywords:

Samurai

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jamie Chung	...	Heaven Kogo (6 episodes, 2008)
Brendan Fehr	...	Jake Stanton (6 episodes, 2008)
Saige Thompson	...	Cheryl (6 episodes, 2008)
Kyle Labine	...	Otto (6 episodes, 2008)
Anthony Brandon Wong	...	Tasuke / ... (6 episodes, 2008)
Kenneth Choi	...	Sato (6 episodes, 2008)
Steven Brand	...	Severin (6 episodes, 2008)
Stacy Keibler	...	Karen (3 episodes, 2008)
Linda Ko	...	Mieko Kogo (3 episodes, 2008)
Zen Shane Lim	...	Teddy (3 episodes, 2008)

Series Directed by
Christopher Leitch		(3 episodes, 2008)
Pat Williams		(2 episodes, 2008)

Series Writing credits
Carrie Asai		(6 episodes, 2008)
Luke McMullen		(6 episodes, 2008)
Meredith Averill		(2 episodes, 2008)
Bryan Oh		(2 episodes, 2008)

Series Produced by
Josh Appelbaum	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Sally Dixon	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Bob Levy	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Luke McMullen	....	co-executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Leslie Morgenstein	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
André Nemec	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Scott Rosenberg	....	executive producer (6 episodes, 2008)
Mark H. Ovitz	....	producer (5 episodes, 2008)

Series Original Music by
Stephen Endelman		(6 episodes, 2008)

Series Cinematography by
Albert J. Dunk		(5 episodes, 2008)

Series Film Editing by
Daria Ellerman		(3 episodes, 2008)
Richard Schwadel		(3 episodes, 2008)

Series Casting by
Wendy O'Brien		(6 episodes, 2008)

Series Production Design by
Michael Nemirsky		(5 episodes, 2008)

Series Art Direction by
Catherine Schroer		(5 episodes, 2008)

Series Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle		(5 episodes, 2008)

Series Costume Design by
Toni Burroughs-Rutter		(5 episodes, 2008)

Series Makeup Department
Ian C. Ballard	....	department head hair stylist (5 episodes, 2008)
Connie Parker	....	department head makeup artist (5 episodes, 2008)
Andrea Manchur	....	first assistant makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Patti Allen	....	production manager (5 episodes, 2008)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David R. Baron	....	second assistant director (5 episodes, 2008)
Patrice Leung	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 2008)
Greg Zenon	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 2008)
Paula S. Kyan	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes, 2008)
Matthew Tingey	....	trainee assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Leesa Hanna	....	assistant set decorator (6 episodes, 2008)
D. Martin Myatt	....	props (6 episodes, 2008)
Scott Riddell	....	first assistant props (6 episodes, 2008)
Doris Deutschmann	....	graphic designer (5 episodes, 2008)
Margo Kaczynska McKenzie	....	paint coordinator (5 episodes, 2008)
Valentine Pavuls	....	property master (5 episodes, 2008)
Jean Brophey	....	on-set dresser (4 episodes, 2008)
Denise Hutniak	....	art department coordinator (4 episodes, 2008)
Laura Schneider	....	assistant property master (3 episodes, 2008)
Macleod Sinclaire	....	on set dresser (2 episodes, 2008)
David Hadaway	....	set designer (unknown episodes, 2008)

Series Sound Department
Jay Cheetham	....	background sound editor (6 episodes, 2008)
Chris Higgins	....	boom operator (6 episodes, 2008)
Ryan Nowak	....	sound effects editor (6 episodes, 2008)
Anke Bakker	....	supervising sound editor (5 episodes, 2008)
Darren Brisker	....	production sound mixer (5 episodes, 2008)
Iain Pattison	....	re-recording mixer (5 episodes, 2008)
Paul A. Sharpe	....	re-recording mixer (5 episodes, 2008)
Kris Fenske	....	sound designer (3 episodes, 2008)
Jon Lavender	....	boom operator (2 episodes, 2008)
Kevin Belen	....	foley recordist (unknown episodes, 2008)
Brian Campbell	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes, 2008)
Matt Dawson	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Belinda Pattison	....	assistant sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Gary Paller	....	special effects coordinator (4 episodes, 2008)

Series Visual Effects by
Jess Brown	....	visual effects artist (6 episodes, 2008)
Brett Dowler	....	visual effects supervisor (6 episodes, 2008)
Jared Jones	....	digital compositor (6 episodes, 2008)
Jason Korber	....	digital compositor (6 episodes, 2008)
Mike Leeming	....	visual effects coordinator (6 episodes, 2008)
Brenda Li	....	digital compositor / digital illustrator (6 episodes, 2008)
Alan Chuck	....	visual effects producer (unknown episodes, 2008)
Nancy Mott	....	senior visual effects producer (unknown episodes, 2008)

Series Stunts
Aaron Au	....	fight choreographer / stunt double / ... (6 episodes, 2008)
Kimani Ray Smith	....	stunt coordinator (5 episodes, 2008)
Leif Havdale	....	stunt double: Jake (4 episodes, 2008)
Johnson Phan	....	stunts (3 episodes, 2008)
Mike Ching	....	stunt performer (2 episodes, 2008)
Fraser Aitcheson	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes, 2008)
Ed Anders	....	stunt driver (unknown episodes, 2008)
Monique Ganderton	....	stunt double: Stacy Kiebler (unknown episodes, 2008)
Trevor Addie	....	utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Christopher Ang	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Kimberly Chiang	....	stunt double: Jamie Chung (unknown episodes)
Andrew Chin	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Mark Chin	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Darryl Quon	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Patrick Hogue	....	second assistant camera (6 episodes, 2008)
T.C. Chapman	....	gaffer (5 episodes, 2008)
Junichi Hosoi	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 2008)
Michael McLellan	....	key grip (5 episodes, 2008)
Michael Wale	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 2008)
Sean Elliott	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Dave Patterson	....	camera trainee (unknown episodes)
Sasha Proctor	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (unknown episodes)
Jason Tidsbury	....	light balloon technician (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Elizabeth Boykewich	....	casting executive (6 episodes, 2008)
Corinne Clark	....	casting: Vancouver (6 episodes, 2008)
Jennifer Page	....	casting: Vancouver (6 episodes, 2008)
Jaye Riske	....	casting associate (5 episodes, 2008)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carolyn Bentley	....	costumer (unknown episodes)
Dawn Climie	....	on-set costume supervisor (unknown episodes)
Kevin Harrison	....	set costumer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Ricardo Gonzalez	....	post-production assistant (6 episodes, 2008)
Warren Hickman	....	first assistant editor / assistant editor (3 episodes, 2008)
Luis Lam	....	assistant editor (3 episodes, 2008)

Series Music Department
Zed Starkovich	....	music editor (6 episodes, 2008)
Tyler Westen	....	scoring mixer (6 episodes, 2008)
Deanna DellaCioppa	....	songwriter / songwriter: "Fighting For My Life" / ... (3 episodes, 2008)
P.J. Bloom	....	music supervisor (unknown episodes)
Rich Walters	....	music editor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
John O'Toole	....	transportation coordinator (5 episodes, 2008)
David Holm	....	transportation captain (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Andrzej Dec-Williams	....	key location production assistant (6 episodes, 2008)
Les Ford	....	computer playback designer (6 episodes, 2008)
Cameron Grierson	....	script coordinator (6 episodes, 2008)
Karolyn McKenzie	....	executive assistant (6 episodes, 2008)
Lara Fox	....	script supervisor (5 episodes, 2008)
Kasandra Greene-Griebel	....	production coordinator (5 episodes, 2008)
Roberta Mayer	....	production accountant (5 episodes, 2008)
Jedrzej Kowalski	....	location manager (3 episodes, 2008)
Jill McQueen	....	assistant production coordinator (3 episodes, 2008)
Micheal Bahta	....	second assistant production coordinator (2 episodes, 2008)
Abraham Fraser	....	location manager (2 episodes, 2008)
Jerry Pender	....	assistant production coordinator (2 episodes, 2008)
Vivien Pfeffer	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2008)
Jonathan Fox	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 2008)
Scooby Vincent	....	production assistant: prep (unknown episodes, 2008)
Shannon Corrie	....	key set production assistant (unknown episodes)
Winona Sim	....	playback coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Big Light Productions
• Space Floor
• Alloy Entertainment
• ABC Studios (in association with)
• Samurai Girl Productions

Distributors

• ABC Family (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Orion Cinema Network (2009) (South Korea) (TV)
• Premiere (2009) (Germany) (TV)
• SBS6 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Universal Channel (2010) (Japan) (TV)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Big Light Productions

"Samurai Girl"

I have to say that I was a little disappointed by the final result of "Samurai Girl," a six-episode mini-series based on a series of young adult fiction novels that has recently aired on television channel ABC Family. But, being an avid martial arts movie fan, I didn't dislike what I saw. In fact, while essentially a family-friendly martial arts/samurai epic, it was very well executed in terms of sword-play and action sequences reminiscent of our favorite samurai blood-letters from Japan.

The series begins by introducing Japanese princess Heaven Kogo (the Korean Jamie Chung), a pampered 19-year-old who was the sole survivor of a horrific plane crash and her name comes from the fact that she apparently "descended" from the heavens. At the beginning of the series, she has been engaged in an arranged marriage in San Francisco to a man she doesn't love, and their marriage ceremony is crashed by ninjas. In the fray, her father is severely wounded and her brother - who had journeyed to America a year earlier - dies tragically trying to rescue her.

She manages to make it out in one piece, and lands at the pad of college roommates Cheryl (Saige Thompson) and the computer-savvy uber-nerd Otto (Kyle Labine). They take her in but it isn't long before the same ninjas show up again. Now on the run once more with her new friends, Heaven journeys to the dojo of hunky American Kendo master Jake Stanton (Brendan Fehr), who was her brother's best friend. A series of plot machinations evolve revolving around Heaven's mystical connection to the samurai traditions of her ancestors and training with Jake to take on the violent Yakuza (Japanese mafia) members that have infiltrated her family.

What I feel "Samurai Girl" needed best was a better script, being that was the area I felt was the most deficient and hampered me from giving it a better rating. It took a while for me to really get "into" this series and was on the verge of turning it off very early on. The acting is OK, but nothing really spectacular or stand-out. Jamie Chung is a very beautiful actress and displays some real skill with her sword fighting talents. I didn't get a very big impression that her moves were in any way, fake. There's a lot of Hong Kong-style action choreography as well, just to give the action scenes that added visual flair.

Lastly, I know that Japanese martial arts movies are noteworthy for their extreme violence, but I have to hand it to the filmmakers that they knew how to tone a lot of this stuff down to make it more kid-friendly, even though there are some colorful bits of strong language thrown in for good measure.

Overall, "Samurai Girl" was a not a bad series, though I am sure that it could have used some polishing.

6/10