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1 – Film and TV

3 Jul 2011

Celebrate the 4th with some AMERICAN NINJA!

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV | 0

We’re all off being lazy and patriotic, so in the meantime celebrate the birth of the USA by looking back at low-budget exploitation flick based on a Japanese martial art, produced by Israelis, shot in the Philippines. READ ON, FELLOW … Continued

AMERICAN NINJA
22 Jun 2011

Crafted in Hollywood, shot in Japan

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 6 - History and Martial Arts | 3

I roll my eyes as much as the rest of you when it comes to The Last Samurai, and the ninja scene is just as cheesy and unconcerned with history as the rest of the movie. However, when I had a … Continued

Last Samurai, ninja suits
30 May 2011

An open letter to the Honda ninja girl…

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 5 - Art and Advertising | 0

Dear Cute Ninja Girl in the Honda Civic ad, Your adorable little action-oriented commercial has been around for what, SIX WEEKS or more now? I’ve been glued to my TV, watching for your Akakage-inspired red mask, contemporary urban take on … Continued

Honda Civic ninja girl
20 May 2011

A designer’s rant…

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 5 - Art and Advertising | 5

A reader sent me some anime movie poster scans, for which I was grateful, but one of them just struck a nerve – a wrong nerve – and I have to vent. Some day job background first – I pay … Continued

AMERICAN NINJA, CHALLENGE OF THE LADY NINJA, Deadly Silver Ninja, Enter the Ninja, Mafia vs. Ninja, Ninja III: The Domination, Ninja Scroll, The Ninja Dragon
6 May 2011

Enter the Red Ninja!

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV | 0

What’s going on in this picture??? Yep, you’re right! Another hapless red ninja gets pig-stuck by a movie hero. Well what did you think was happening? You people disgust me sometimes… honestly. Franco Nero impales a hapless jobber in the … Continued

Enter the Ninja
24 Apr 2011

Images from THE OCTAGON

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV | 0

When vengeance wore a mustache… Is it just me, or did Chuck Norris never look comfortable with a sword? Good career choice, sticking to uzis, nickel-plated handguns and heel kicks with cowboy boots. This awkwardly colored image of Richard Norton‘s … Continued

Chuck Norris, Karate Kommandos, Richard Norton, The Octagon
Toshiro Mifune: Ninja???
31 Mar 2011

Toshiro Mifune: Ninja???

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV | 2

Everyone knows Toshiro Mifune, right? Shogun, warlord, admiral, ronin. But who knew he once played a ninja!?!? Born on this day in 1920, let’s celebrate Mifune’s birthday with a look at a lesser-known chapter of his storied career – two ninja … Continued

Hiroshi Inagaki, Jubei Yagyu, Toshiro Mifune, YAGYU SECRET SCROLLS
28 Mar 2011

Egyptian poster for NINJA IN THE USA

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 5 - Art and Advertising | 0

Amazing Arabic market poster for Alexander Lo-Rei’s Ninja in the USA. Wow… I mean, WOW!

Alexander Lo Rei, Alexander Lou, Ninja in the USA
20 Mar 2011

NINJA BUGEICHO

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 5 - Art and Advertising | 0

So-called “Motion Comics” released on DVD and partially-animated graphic novels adapted for tablet devices are familiar now, but go back a few decades and experiments in using still art in moving media are less frequent, and with mixed results at … Continued

Ninja Bugeicho, Shirato Sanpei
13 Mar 2011

Quicklinks to the the ‘Ninja-To’ article series

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV | 0

If you’ve missed the evolution of the ninja sword discussions day-by-day, here’s an easier way to read them all in order: Part 1.) Origins of the 80s Ninja-To – in which we looked at the earliest American magazine ads we … Continued

Ninja-To

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Welcome to VINTAGE NINJA — dedicated to old ninja movies from Japan’s 60s boom to the 80s American exploitation craze and beyond, with a ton of vintage toys, comics, and sharp pointy stuff thrown in for good measure.

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50+ Japanese ninja movies reviewed

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