YATSUHA in “Samurai Champloo”
Samurai Champloo is now available as a lower-priced box set, so I’ll re-purpose an old Ninja80 post here. I was a huge mark for Cowboy BeBop, but the creative team’s follow-up series failed to make the same impact with me… until … Continued
FUJIMARU book-n-record (PART 2)
The adventure continues… Fujimaru had a rather large friend from above his whole life – a giant eagle. It was all part of a well-balanced mix of genuine historical weaponry and credible martial arts with superhero-like powers and outright magic. … Continued
SAVITAR – best ninja figure of the 80’s?
For the most part, 80’s ninja figures released in the U.S. resembled the cheesy straight-to-video movie costuming or equally lame ninja suits sold in the back of Soldier of Fortune magazine. Re-mold a He-Man in black pajamas, paint the head … Continued
FUJIMARU book-n-record (PART 1)
Growing up in the pre-home video era often meant the only way to relive your favorite movie or TV property was the now extinct book-n-record. I positively wore out my GI Joe, Frankenstein and Planet of the Apes comic book / … Continued
Dear various network suits…
…please greenlight this now! NOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!! FWAK!’s Dead Ringo developmental project
Airborne combat in LEGEND OF KAMUI
With the movie pending, I’m re-reading and re-loving Shirato Sanpei‘s second run of Kamui manga. The godfather of ninja comics debuted the character in 1964, then re-imagined the property as a more grown up and severe manga in the 80’s. Kamui … Continued
A ‘Tonbei the Mist’ primer
Once upon a time, there was a ground-breaking Japanese TV series called Onmitsu Kenshin (or Onmitsu kenshi), starring Koichi Ose as Shintaro, wandering samurai detective protecting his half-brother the Shogun from various conspiracies and assassins. It was popular in Japan, but when … Continued
“Ninjas All Over the Place”
TORMENT is not having enough wall space to display all the cool art and vintage posters in your collection, and friends, I am a tormented soul. I’ve got enough ninja movie posters to wallpaper my place twice over, more than … Continued
Animeigo trailer for Shinobi-no-Mono 4
This really is the best time ever to be a ninja fan in the U.S. – Animeigo’s releases going strong! We have a permanent BUY link at the left for these titles.
Chinese flyer for “Black Ninja”
Sepia-tone 2-sided flyer for the Ryutaro Otomo ninja vehicle Maboroshi Kurozukin Yamine Toku-Kage (can’t confirm that title or translate, although the words for black hood, phantom, and shadow are in there…) from Singapore – possibly late 60’s? Enjoy some whacked-out … Continued