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1 – Film and TV

Wait… WHO rented Cannon their house?
31 Jan 2017

Wait… WHO rented Cannon their house?

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

If you weren’t able to make the Revenge of the Ninja CD signing event in Januar,y the score and exclusive event print are now available via mail order, all signed by ROTN director Sam Firstenberg, stunt coordinator and silver-masked ninja … Continued

REVENGE OF THE NINJA, Sam Firstenberg, Sho Kosugi, Steve Lambert
RIP, the first ninja I ever knew…
30 Jan 2017

RIP, the first ninja I ever knew…

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

   We lost Japanese screen legend Hiroki Matsukata this week. The son of jidai-geki’s first Jubei Yagyu icon Jushiro Konoe, he was pretty much born to play a ninja on screen, with starring roles under the black hood in such … Continued

Amber Skowronski, Hiroki Matsukata
SHINOBI-NO-MONO: The Lost Essential?
5 Dec 2016

SHINOBI-NO-MONO: The Lost Essential?

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

This week I was invited to be a guest on the NERD LUNCH podcast’s annual “Ninja Day” show. The usual panel of three hosts was well schooled in American ninja movies, but had never seen SHINOBI-NO-MONO, the ‘ground zero’ film of … Continued

Raizo Ichikawa, Shinobi no Mono
We’re still looking for more KOSUGI KICKS
16 Oct 2016

We’re still looking for more KOSUGI KICKS

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 3 - Toys and Merch, 4 - Collectibles, 5 - Art and Advertising | 0

Vintage Ninja still has an open call out for what we call “Kosugi Kicks” — images of ninja in movie posters, VHS sleeves, toy packaging, advertising, whatever, that are cribbed from the iconic two-sword jump kick publicity shot Sho Kosugi … Continued

Kosugi Kick, Sho Kosugi
Vagabond of the Wind
2 Oct 2016

Vagabond of the Wind

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

(originally published July 2010) There may not be a more beautifully shot ninja film than the 1964  artistic gem Kaze no Bushi (aka “Warrior of the Wind” and/or “Ninja Vagabond”). The set-bound cinematography is great, the use of natural light … Continued

KAZE NO BUSHI
Animated credits – FURAI NINPOCHO (1965)
20 Aug 2016

Animated credits – FURAI NINPOCHO (1965)

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

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED NOV 2009 — With the new animated adventure Kubo and the Two Strings in theaters this weekend, thought we’d take a look at some other animation. I absolutely adore 60’s animated movie credits, and these somewhat DePatie-esque panels from the … Continued

Furai Ninpocho
VN REVISITED: Torawakamaru
13 Jul 2016

VN REVISITED: Torawakamaru

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

Originally published in December of 2009 — Revised with name correction thanks to Ichi Ban The 1957 Toei FX romp Ninjutsu Gozen-Jiai (aka Torawakamaru, the Koga Ninja) is the perfect example of the pre-60’s craze kid’s ninja film: mischievous wizard hero, evil sorcerer, … Continued

Ninjutsu Gozen-Jiai, Torawakamaru
It’s that time of year again…
1 Jul 2016

It’s that time of year again…

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

Yes, it’s the 4th of July again, so that means its time to take a look back at AMERICAN NINJA! There’s no better way to celebrate the birth of the USA than by appreciating a low-budget exploitation flick based on a Japanese martial … Continued

AMERICAN NINJA
Double Rip-Off!
18 Jun 2016

Double Rip-Off!

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

A reader recently sent me a fragment of an image found on tumblr, looking for an ID. At the time I couldn’t identify which particular variant of which particular Godfrey Ho film under which particular alternate title this would have … Continued

Death Code Ninja, Godfrey Ho
SEVEN YEARS!
6 Jun 2016

SEVEN YEARS!

by Keith Rainville | posted in: 1 - Film and TV, 8 - News & Notes | 0

Another birthday for VN. Seven years ago today we published our first post, featuring press stills from Akai Kageboshi (The Red Shadow). It’s been a great ride so far, here’s to you all our readers and fans, and may we … Continued

AKAI KAGEBOSHI

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Welcome to VINTAGE NINJA — dedicated to old ninja media from Japan’s 60s boom to the 80s American exploitation craze, and beyond — with a ton of ninja movies, 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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