Samurai Girl

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What’s the Story?

For 19-year-old Heaven Kogo (Jamie Chung), the thought of her upcoming wedding stirs lots of emotions, none of which are joyous. The adopted daughter of a wealthy Japanese family, Heaven's marriage was arranged by her father, Tasuke (Anthony Brandon Wong), as a way to further his business prowess, and Heaven's heart is heavy as she pictures her future with a man she doesn't love. But when the wedding ceremony is interrupted by a ninja attack, and her beloved brother delivers a cryptic message before he's killed, Heaven is left to solve the mysteries her family has hidden about themselves -- and her. With the help of her brother's trusted friend, Jake (Brendan Fehr), she must master the samurai arts if she's to hold her own against the powerful forces bent on destroying her.

Is It Any Good?

There's good reason to cheer for SAMURAI GIRL, especially if you're craving a story with a strong female heroine. Not since Alias have TV viewers seen a woman wage war on corruption and evil with such principled tenacity (not to mention look as accomplished as the talented Chung doing it). This action-packed miniseries is never short on suspense, with multi-layered secrecy, uncertainty, and betrayal lurking around every corner. Amid the physical challenges she faces, Heaven also struggles with issues that many of her female viewers will relate to, including self-confidence, sense of duty to her family, and her own impression of right and wrong.

But the fact that this story is rooted in the samurai arts means that there's a hefty amount of violence, so it's not completely age-appropriate for kids and tweens. People are stabbed, shot, and impaled by swords, and a central plot point is the existence of a group of assassins that does the murderous bidding of their power-hungry employer. All of that said, teens and adults are sure to be drawn in by the story and the heart-pounding suspense.