Kai Doh Maru DVD

Japan's Heian period. The capital city of Kyo is threatened by disease, bandits, and political treachery. Kintoki is a girl raised as a boy by her father to protect her from enemies within their own clan — a disguise that causes her cousin Princess Ouni to fall in love with her, not knowing Kintoki's true identity. When her scheming uncle turns against her, Kintoki flees and is rescued by the noble samurai lord Minamoto-no-Raiko. She spends years under his protection, training as a warrior, and eventually becomes one of his four knights — elite protectors of the capital. But Ouni, now aware of the truth and consumed by jealousy, wants Raiko for herself and will not allow a rival — even a childhood friend — to stand between them. The conflict between loyalty, love, and political survival unfolds against a backdrop of demons, bandits, and the rotting elegance of Heian aristocracy.

Kai Doh Maru is a 47-minute OVA produced by Production I.G and IG Plus, directed by Kanji Wakabayashi and scored by Yoshihiro Ike. It draws from the Japanese folklore surrounding Kintoki — one of the legendary four knights of Minamoto-no-Raiko, historically depicted as male — reimagining the character as a woman raised in disguise. The OVA is visually distinctive, featuring a painterly, heavily stylized aesthetic quite different from Production I.G's contemporaneous work on Jin-Roh and Ghost in the Shell. The film assumes familiarity with Heian-era history and Japanese folklore; the DVD bonus production program provides essential context not contained in the film itself. 
Notable Staff

Director / Co-Writer: Kanji Wakabayashi
Co-Writer: Nobutoshi Terado
Studio: Production I.G / IG Plus / SME Visual Works
Music: Yoshihiro Ike

English Dub Cast (Manga Entertainment):
- Kathleen McInerney as Kintoki (Kai Doh Maru)
- Bruce Carey as Minamoto-no-Raiko
- Corinne Orr as Princess Ouni
- Peter Patrikios as additional cast
- David Rhodes as additional cast

DVD Features

- Bonus Production Program (essential background on Heian-era setting and characters)
- Manga Entertainment Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: 怪童丸 (Kaidōmaru)
Runtime: ~47 Minutes
Director: Kanji Wakabayashi
DVD Release Year: 2003 (U.S. Release, May 27 — Manga Entertainment)
Original Release Date (Japan): December 19, 2001
Publisher: Manga Entertainment
Rating: Unrated
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Action, Drama
Themes: Heian Period Japan, Female Warrior in Disguise, Four Knights of Raiko, Japanese Folklore, Political Intrigue

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.