Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura
Written by Mataichiro Yamamoto and Isao Kiriyama
IMDB

Azumi begins with an old samurai training 10 children, Azumi is the only female. He's training them to be assassins and to take out the men who declare war.
When they are ready to start their mission their master tells them to pair up with the one they like the best and then tells them to kill their partner. This fills them, especially Azumi, with conflict.
They learn that they are to take out three men, I think they are all lords. The first one is easily take care of. The second is expecting them and has much security and a double. They kill the double without knowing that it's a double. One of the 5 gets sliced with a poisoned ninja blade.
The second target hires assassins to take out the assassins that are out to get them. The 5 assassins see traveling performers and one of the men fall in love with one of them named Yae. Azumi is especially impressed by the performance.
The guy poisoned by the ninja blade becomes sick and their master decides they should leave him. Azumi and another one refuse to leave him. Then the sick one begs them to leave and kills himself. Azumi and the other still don't join up with the other assassins, but instead try to catch up with the travelling performers.
The performers are mistaken as assassins and all but Yae are murdered. The guy in love with Yae gets there in time to fight a little, but ends up dying. Yae and Azumi travel together while the other assassins go to take out the second target, but they don't fair well. The master ends up getting captured and is used as bait to get Azumi.
The master is crucified when Azumi finally comes on the scene. There are a massive amounts of dudes to kill hanging about. This scene rivals the scene in Kill Bill where the Bride fights the Crazy 88.
Amazing movie. It's got hints of anime, but is mostly a straight forward sword fight movie. The woman playing Azumi is great and badass. The fights are awesome and bloody, the story is great. Everybody should see this movie.

10/10