There may not be a more beautifully shot ninja film than the 1964 artistic gem Kaze no Bushi (aka “Warrior of the Wind”). The set-bound cinematography is great, the use of natural light in the lush exteriors approaches astounding, there … Continued
Part of the ongoing “TokyoScope” series, this killer panel on Japanese superheroes (including Masked Ninja Akakage) Friday at the VIZ Cinema in Japantown is a don’t-miss! Expect footage of a lot of never-see-in-the-US shows and tons of insights from the … Continued
World-Wide Ninja War Jiraiya may have been centered on a single hero, but it was the wide range of supporting characters, global guest stars and villains-of-the-week that were the show’s strength. OK, so after three days of Jiraiya, what do … Continued
A noble ninja family battles an ancient demon and his evil hordes, with international ninja from around the globe thrown into the mix. Gimmicked vehicles, soaring stunt work and plenty of explosions in rock quarries are on tap. It’s World-Wide … Continued
If you’re a big enough toy geek, the 1988 Japanese tokusatsu series Worldwide Ninja War Jiraiya (Sekai ninja sen Jiraiya) will look somewhat familiar. The action-packed “Metal Hero” show was never exported to the States, but some of the toys … Continued
Three decades of video trading and niche releasing have given us a much wider view of world cinema since 1980’s Shogun, and its easy to look back on it with a snarky laugh or two now. Plenty of stereotypes and … Continued
I’ll be all over this book like a bad f’n smell! Check it out at Alt Japan. There are WAAAAYYY too few books in English that look at the various military specialists, legendary bandits and unsung shadow-heroes that are today … Continued
Dark Horse’s expanded English-language version of the Blade of the Immortal artbook we first reported on here is now out, and priced under $30! Here’s a few more fleeting glimpses: These are just details of full-page, superbly repro’d art from … Continued
I have a real pet peeve – when it comes to RED NINJA I’m a total hater. I understand why comic book and toy companies use the color, I get the appeal of the aggressive hue, etc. and so forth, … Continued
Man, where would we be without Sho Kosugi? Probably in JAIL… This is the man, after all, who taught us how to catch arrows in our teeth, wear ninja stars on our belt buckles, scale office buildings with climbing claws, … Continued