Meet the “Demon Yasha” gang – a group of oni-themed, ninja-garbed, thieves and killers being chased down by one of feudal Edo’s many secret police forces in Edo O Kiru V. If you’re unfamiliar with 70’s and 80’s period cop … Continued
About fifteen years ago now, I purchased a small collection of Bullmark Tiger Mask vinyl figures (like these) at a toy show in Ohio. Erroneously in that batch was this 13″ Kaiketsu Lion Maru figure, vintage early 70’s. It has … Continued
It’s ten years old, watches as good as the day it was made, and is arguably still the best yokai stuff ever filmed. Sakuya: Slayer of Demons (Sakuya Yokaiden) has its detractors, but I am FIRMLY in the lovers camp … Continued
Anyone with nothing better to do for an hour and a high endurance for geekery can listen to me guest-spot on Ted Seko‘s Idiot Engine podcast: Listen here. We talk origins of media obsessions, a bit of my creative history, … Continued
While the legacy of Shotaro Ishinomori‘s Henshin Ninja Arashi (aka Transforming or Metamorphosis Ninja Arashi) lives mainly in tokusatsu TV nostalgia and vinyl collectibles of one decade or another, for me the manga holds the most charm. Packed with monsters, … Continued
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
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
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
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
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