DEMON SPIES
If you want some seriously grim and downright harsh oni-masked ninja action, Demon Spies (Oniwaban) is your huckleberry. Based on a manga by Kazuo Koike of Lone Wolf and Cub fame, the film follows five masked ninja trained from childhood … Continued
A little MAGIC SERPENT to start things off
Surely the apex of shinobi-kaiju cinema, Magic Serpent (for the Sandy Frank/AIP-exposed) or Kairyu Dai-Kessen, is a no brainer to start of Monsters and Masks 2010! This is a staged publicity shot, you rarely if ever get that clear a … Continued
MONSTERS and MASKS 2010 is set to begin!
Wow, it’s October already, which means two things: 1) I’m gonna start eating candy by the pound! and 2) Monsters and Masks Month is back!!! Last year, every October post was generally horror-themed or featured prominent demon or skull masks, … Continued
Whut-up with this WOLF BOY?
I probably need a real Shirato Sanpei fan here. These scans are from a 1967 manga I scored in a lot, one of which was described only as “Wolf Boy.” I was hoping for some Wolf Boy Ken tie in, … Continued
Bounty Hunters and Bikini Yakuza!
Spotted on eBay: Long-format movie poster to one of Tomisaburo Wakyama‘s Shokin Kasegi (The Bounty Hunter) flicks. Tempted as I was to buy this slightly overpriced sheet, that is a nekkid tattoo’d chick after all, Wakayama’s Ron Jeremy-esque appearance sorta … Continued
Around the interwebs…
There’s been some nifty stuff on other sites I’ve been remiss in plugging. New stuff at Kurotokagigumi this month, including the climax of Kage no Gundan Bakumatsu Hen (Shadow Warriors 5). Way out there vintage Polish poster for Yojimbo, spotted by Wildgrounds. … Continued
Ceramic shinobi from Japan
Marked with neither manufacturer name nor date, these 5-6″ ceramic statues are likely from the 80’s (I remember these or a line very similar in gift shops back in the day). “Made in Japan” stickers are affixed to the bottoms, … Continued
Where’s Juri Manase?
Alright, who’s familiar with FuurinKazan? I’ve read from more than one source that the 2007 TV drama was superb, and Sonny Chiba‘s “last role” was arguably his best, but what I really want to see is his daughter in a … Continued
WATARI press stills (Part 2)
Pre-pubescent axe-weilding hero Watari goes through standard shinobi like shit through a goose, but things get a lot dicier when he encounters a bizarre rogues gallery of super-powered villains. Further Reading: I wrote a short plug for this film on … Continued
WATARI press stills (Part 1)
Scored some 4×6″ B&W press stills from Toei’s 1966 mess of a masterpiece Watari the Ninja Boy (Daininjutsu eiga Watari). Depending on one’s previous knowledge of the Shirato Sanpei manga and where you stand on magical superhero ninjutsu vs. grim … Continued