On May 8, 2026, Arrow is releasing a Blu-ray (Region A) for G.I. Samurai (aka Time Slip or I Want To). Directed by Kosei Saito (Ninja Wars), this 1979 actioner stars martial arts legend Sonny Chiba (Fighting Fist, Soul of Chiba).
During a routine military exercise, modern-day soldiers led by Second Lieutenant Iba (Chiba) find themselves transported back in time four hundred years to war-torn feudal Japan. Facing attack by samurai warriors from rival clans, frictions rapidly emerge among these modern-day soldiers, whisked from a time of peace, freed from the strictures of a higher authority and stranded in one of the bloodiest and most decisive periods in Japan’s history.
Based on a novel by Ryo Hanmura and directed by Kosei Saito (Ninja Wars), G.I. Samurai’s epic battle scenes wowed Japanese audiences upon release in 1979 and are now more awe-inspiring than ever in a new 4K restoration by Kadokawa Pictures.
Limited Edition Features:
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
- Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Josh Slater-Williams
Features:
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Original lossless Japanese mono and 4.0 stereo surround audio, and remixed 5.1 surround audio
- Optional newly translated English subtitles
- Two optional viewing modes via seamless branching: the original Japanese version or the uncut English-language version titled Time Slip, with lossless English mono audio
- Brand new audio commentary by Samm Deighan and Tom Mes
- The Good Fight, an introduction by Japanese film specialist Mark Schilling
- Acting in Self Defence, an appreciation by Matt Alt, author of Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World
- Back in Time, a discussion of the film by authors and film critics Masaaki Nomura and Tatsuya Masuto
- Cast and crew interviews from 2005 with Sonny Chiba, Isao Natsuyagi, Hiromitsu Suzuki, Kamayatsu Monsieur, Jun Eto and Isao Kuraishi
- Original theatrical trailers
- Image gallery
This title is now available for pre-order at The Goodie Emporium, a U.S.-based online store that currently has many Import Shaw Brothers/Golden Harvest/martial arts DVD/Blu-ray movies in-stock – with New titles being added regularly!
Watch the Trailer below:
The new artwork is pretry good (you can recognize the actors, not like in some Tony Stella mastsrpieces…).
But I’ll keep my French combo.