Ninja Scroll aka Jubei Ninpucho...
Before its official U.S. release, I heard of Ninja Scroll aka Jubei Ninpucho after seeing a grainy tape of an unfortunate samurai having his arms ripped off in a loop of death and carnage as bootlegs of various anime were being sold at a comic cook convention...
I'm not really a fan of ninja anime, but, Ninja Scroll is an exception to the rule and one of my top ten. What separates this from the usual ninja splatter-fest is that the story isn't just an excuse to fill in the gaps between battles - the characters are actually remarkably three-dimensional. The feature is fast-paced, has lots of action with great effects and has a good story. There are even a few gratuitous naughty bits. Given the gratuitous naughty bits, the younger anime fans among us should stay away. I used to have the subtitled VHS version. I enjoyed Ninja Scroll so much that I repurchased it on DVD. I gave Ninja Scroll a 5 out of 5.
Feudal Japan - A time of danger, intrigue and deception. Jubei is a masterless ninja who travels the land alone, hiring his services to those with gold... or a worthy cause. His fearsome abilities have served him well, but a hideous plot to overthrow the government threatens to end his wandering ways and possibly his life.
When a small village succumbs to a terrible plague, a team of ninjas are sent to investigate, and realize that all is not as it seems. Ambushed, they are wiped out by a fearsome man-monster with incredible powers, leaving only one alive - Kagero, a beautiful female ninja, whose touch can bring instant death. Jubei saves her from a fate worse than death, and unwittingly becomes drawn into the web of treachery. He is soon faced with his greatest challenge, an enemy for whom death holds no fear, with the power to destroy Jubei's world.
Gorgeous art and animation along with spectacular and bloody action sequences make this must-see film the hallmark against which all other samurai anime movies are judged. Created by the ever popular Mad House animation studio.
I'm not really a fan of ninja anime, but, Ninja Scroll is an exception to the rule and one of my top ten. What separates this from the usual ninja splatter-fest is that the story isn't just an excuse to fill in the gaps between battles - the characters are actually remarkably three-dimensional. The feature is fast-paced, has lots of action with great effects and has a good story. There are even a few gratuitous naughty bits. Given the gratuitous naughty bits, the younger anime fans among us should stay away. I used to have the subtitled VHS version. I enjoyed Ninja Scroll so much that I repurchased it on DVD. I gave Ninja Scroll a 5 out of 5.
