Assessing life as one does at Thanksgiving, here’s a pile of random ninja-related stuff I’m thankful for:
That I’ve been able to turn so many people on to CASTLE OF OWLS via this site.
Mexican lobby cards of Hong Kong movies starring Japanese actors I bought from a guy in Ohio.
That FIVE ELEMENT NINJA is streaming now and all sorts of new audiences are discovering it.
That so many grails of B&W 60s shinobi-cinema are available with subtitles in one form or another.
For the privilege of meeting Sonny Chiba earlier this year.
That AMERICAN NINJA is coming out on Bluray next year with newly shot extras.
That after 15 years in California, my vintage porcelain collection hasn’t had any earthquake casualties.
That my pal Eddie Mort exposed me to THE SAMURAI years ago.
That these relics of my 80s early teen years somehow survived.
That this weird-ass ninja statue I scored in Chinatown is wearing SNEAKERS! Untied sneakers…
For the Hana Rangers.
That some photo-painter in Thailand back in the day laid down these hand-tinted colors so thick they lasted 50+ years.
That Elsa Chung had no problem gettin’ nekkid…
For having so many awesome artist friends.
That I just barely beat out three other eBay bidders on this MAGIC SERPENT poster a few years back.
For the 60s/70s Japanese movie and TV trope of female shinobi sidekicks.
That Tim March and I are still friends 30+ years later.
That companies are still kicking out cheap 80s-style ninja crap like this even in a post-Naruto modern day.
That finding a collection of photos from AKAI KAGEBOSHI sparked the original impetus to start this website in 2009!
AND…
Most of all I’m super thankful 6000-10,000 of you find us every month and dig through these categories and pages. We get great fan mail, and love hearing how we’ve connected with like-minded souls.
Thank you all.
Keith J. Rainville
11-24-2015
