Sarutobi Sasuke is a character that emerged from the mists of ancient lore and historical inspiration to Kodan narrative storytelling and since adapted into every popular medium that followed — kamishibai, kabuki, manga, silent film, anime, TV, video games and … Continued
If you’re reading this site you were probably reading Condor’s NINJA Magazine in the 80s, and on a then crowded newsstand the beacons, the avatars, of all that ninja content were the garish and lurid painted covers. For much of … Continued
Britain’s military history somewhat mirrors Japans in as much as they had a long period of feudal warfare with an armored elite class of warriors, but also had a historically famous commando tradition. This may only have gone back as … Continued
Well, it’s that time of year again, when, let’s face it… we buy a ton of gifts for ourselves because no one else understands our NEED for more ninja stuff! So here’s some recommendations, all of which I own or … Continued
Repeated numerous times on this site, here’s another great example of the real strength of the ninja — genericness! You didn’t need to pay licensing fees to any property owner, no actor likeness negotiated, no corporate branding to reinforce sales… … Continued
¡Holá Amigos! The ninja craze may have been a fusion of Japanese martial and cinematic traditions filtered through American 1980s pop culture, but it spread to every civilized corner of the globe and no geographic or linguistic market was spared … Continued
There are some nifty new ninja and ninja-adjacent opportunities at hand to lighten your wallet folks: I was delighted with the positive and supportive tone of Austin Trunick‘s first volume of The Cannon Film Guide (as reviewed here) and this … Continued
I have great appreciation for a new worthy cause to wipe out some trees, and as an author, book designer and marketing pro myself, These Fists Break Bricks hits me in all three of my hearts! For starters, this 330+ … Continued
If there’s one speck of light in the dark months of the pandemic shutdown, it’s been some great quarantine reading for fans of Cannon Films, and that continues with Austin Trunick‘s The Cannon Film Guide Volume 1: 1980—1984. After an … Continued
We’ve recently been blessed with the book Carnal Curses, Disfigured Dreams by Japanese cinema researcher Kigami Jigoku Kobayashi, and it inadvertently provided some jaw-dropping insight into the depth and breadth of ninja movies going back to the 1910s and how … Continued