Many thanks to VN regular RG for sending me this link: Ninjerktsu! The Dreamworks storyboard artist who refers to himself only as ‘Michael’ really captures something here. Who didn’t hurt themselves with these things back in the day?
With the 80s craze came a lot of repurposed merchandise – stuff that for the previous decade’s boom had been sold as kung-fu gear now emblazoned with ninja logos. The above looks to have been a Chinese-esque design probably inspired … Continued
A follow-up to this post on what was quietly one of, if not the best, ninja figures of the 80s. Bought myself a Christmas present this year, a mint-on-card Eagle Force Savitar! What I adore most about this shadowy saboteur … Continued
Alright you, and you all know who you are… Make me a promise right now that you won’t hurt yourself Christmas morning on any new sharp-pointy things Shinobi Clause brought you. (Like I did in, what was it, 1983, 84, … Continued
These beautiful character design illos are from the 2003 video game artbook Shinobi THE WIDE. This sleeve-slinging swordgirl is ‘Ageha.’ I’m digging the flapper sensibilities of her hair and make-up. You can see the rest of this long-out-of-print book here. … Continued
Been thinking about this. Spaghetti Westerns – films made by Italian directors, shot in Spain, released by studios in Rome and imported into the US. In the 60s they turned the tried and true American Western on its ass. Gone were … Continued
After a well-received debut at this year’s Tribecca, Eddie Mort’s Dead Ringo will see the light of day for what is currently planned as 13 three-minute webisodes TV interstitials. Details on who, where and when to follow, but in the meantime … Continued
…German collectible figurine experts Schleich! Their newly released 3.5″ “Mysterious Ninja” from their Heroes line is a major throwback to the 80s, looking like the bastard love child of Sho Kosugi in Revenge of the Ninja and Tadashi Yamashita in … Continued
He’s been an icon of martial arts magazine covers for decades, is one of the most recognizable Asian character actors of our age and he pioneered his own signature version of the Chinese hook sword! He’s Gerald Okamura of course … Continued