I’m not the hugest fan of the 1980 Japan Action Club vehicle Shogun’s Ninja (Ninja bugeicho momochi sandayu), but you have to admire the insane stuntwork, and it’s another movie with Henry Sanada fighting with twin short swords – which I … Continued
[Sing that title like an old blues number] Back in the craze daze, we were all victims of “Shinobified” movie titles — kung-fu flicks, often from the 70’s, with no ninja content whatsoever shamelessly retitled to the likes of Fist of Ninja, Dragon … Continued
It was one of the few Japanese ninja movies that actually made it to U.S. shores in the 80s, and what a weird choice. Full of fantasy special effects, bizarre super powered evil monks, sadism and rape and decapitated girls … Continued
Ninja in the Dragon’s Den is that rare Chinese/HK movie that actually gives props to Japanese martial arts. Henry Sanada‘s shinobi is every bit the equal of Conan Lee‘s kung-fu hero, and when the misunderstandings that led to their antagonism … Continued
Ninjas and Dragons is a weird little movie. You watch it and wonder if you’ve seen it before, what decade in came out in, how it had slipped through the cracks back in the day. Largely “inspired by” more familiar … Continued
Don’t know if this is old stock, a warehouse find, or new print runs, but Ninja-Weapons.com has all sorts of old 80’s ninja posters for sale, and CHEAP! I got these two CLASSICS for Christmas, 1983 I think… I still … Continued
I was lucky enough to see the combat-intensive short film KAGE on the big screen at a film festival last year, but screenings in the U.S. were few and far between. You can however, watch it online at their bi-lingual … Continued
It never really breached the Times Square grindhouse and werewolf circuits here in the States, but the Hong Kong / Japanese co-production Ninja in the Dragon Den was certainly an international hit. Here’s some totally original painted artwork from the … Continued
It is the summer of 1984, and I am baffled. Hiroyuki ‘Henry’ Sanada has been with me through every phase of my ninja fandom. Desperately hungry for ANYTHING ninja in the mid-80s and as pasted to HBO as any other … Continued
Ninja commandos inflicted some pretty serious damage during Japan’s feudal age, but the damage they’ve done to home video shopers’ wallets in the modern age is probably worse. Video packaging subterfuge — throwing the word NINJA on any non-shinobi-oriented film … Continued