In his late color masterpiece Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior), director Akira Kurosawa returned to the samurai film and to a primary theme of his celebrated career-the play between illusion and reality.

The battle for the Capital city of Kyo rages as warring political factions vie for power against hereditary rulers. After the murder of her parents at the hands of her seditious uncle, Kintoki flees to the mountains to lead a harsh life and is renamed Kai Doh Maru. Now 17, Kai Doh Maru begins to discover new feelings of passion and love for rescuer, Raiko. But she also discovers that these new emotions cause a storm of jealousy and rage in another woman linked to her past.

The unwitting victim of a terrible curse, a young man accidentally injures his wife, a jealous teacher who soon dies from her wound. Running away with one of her students, he fails to heed the dead woman's warning that if he remarries, she'll haunt him to the grave. Now for an unfaithful husband, the real terror is about to begin.

When Sora leaves Japan to join the circus family of the Kaleido Stage, it seems like her life long dream is finally coming true. But Sora soon finds out the being a star involves more than gymnastics. First she must get past the circus rivalries that could shatter her dreams, and rigorous training for death-defying shows! Along the way she finds friends, family and romance, and a home away from home at the Kaleido Stage.

The Kaleido Stage is a circus extravaganza with death defying stunts, flying trapeze artists, and magical clowns. The top performers of the Kaleido Stage are a handful super acrobats known as Kaleido Stars. When sixteen-year-old Sora Naegino arrives in the U.S. with little more than her dreams in tow, she has a chance encounter with mysterious man who immediately recognizes her potential for the stage.

Contains Kaleido Star DVD Volume 1 plus a high-quality artbox to hold the full DVD series! The Kaleido Stage is a circus extravaganza with death defying stunts, flying trapeze artists, and magical clowns. The top performers of the Kaleido Stage are a handful super acrobats known as Kaleido Stars.

The Fool reads the tarot cards and predicts trouble for Sora. She auditions for a part in an aquatic show, but with the Fools troublesome foresight, will Sora land the part or end up in the hospital. Meanwhile, Layla will do everything in her power to show Kalos that Sora could never take her place on the glorious Kaleido Stage.

When Sora leaves Japan to join the circus family of the Kaleido Stage, it seems like her life long dream is finally coming true. But Sora soon finds out the being a star involves more than gymnastics. First she must get past the circus rivalries that could shatter her dreams, and rigorous training for death-defying shows!

As Sora's stage time is usurped by the dashing Leon Oswald, an Asian beauty named May Wong appears and proclaims herself the next Layla Hamilton. She is certain to win a leading role, and if she's lucky, Leon's attention. But they are not the only unexpected newcomers to Kaleido Stage. One little runaway will find herself in some very hot water thanks to Sora's never-ending eagerness to help!

At Kaleido Stage, the competition to become Leon's partner heats up when Dracula is turned into an ice-skating show. Sora and May give it their all, but neither is sure what will satisfy the fickle Leon. Then, tired of being typecast, Rosetta startles Kalos with a promise: She'll learn the trapeze in three days - or quit Kaleido Stage! Even with Sora's help, the odds aren't good.

The best of the best compete at the International Circus Festival in Paris. Sora wants to win it, just like Layla did three years ago. The festival itself is a cruel place. Sora must endure betrayal and doubt. Worse, to make her dream come true, she will have to destroy the dreams of others. Is that the kind of Kaleido Star Sora wants to be?

All the world is a stage and Sora Naegino is learning that the hard way. After dropping out of the Circus Festival Competition Sora decides to quit the Kaleido Stage and she goes home to Japan to spend time with her family. What she wasn't expecting is that her old friends have been influenced by her success and are now chasing their dreams.