Ninja Scroll

 

Reviewed By:  Mario Aguilar

 

DVD Manga Video

 

What it’s (basically all about:  Jubei, a lone ninja for hire, wanders across the Japanese countryside seeking his next employer.  On this journey, he encounters a young ninja girl named Kagero and an old man named Dakuan.  Dakuan offers Jubei gold to help investigate the Eight Devils of Kimon, those responsible for the poisoning of the village of Shimoda, the killing of Kagero’s ninja clan friends, and those who have a secret plot to overthrow the emperor.  Jubei accepts only after he learns he has been poisoned by the old man and has only one day to live.  From there, he is tossed into an epic adventure of sword fights, devils, politics, and power.

 

Nitty Gritty:  The name Jubei has become synonymous with samurai, ninjas, and swordfighting.  Originally, the name came from the legendary Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, a swordsman from the early 17th century in Japan.  His lasting spirit has led the essence of Jubei to become the quintessential hero in Japanese hero legends.  This feature does not attempt to detail historical elements, however familiar their basis may be.  Instead, it is an attempt to capture and carry over the legendary character into a world filled with demons and swords.

 

The film also makes use of another popular theme in Japanese tales; the idea of bosses.  However, Ninja Scroll offers a fresh take, as the bosses, the Eight Demons of Kimon, are not fought in any particular order in terms of their strength.  Some of the Devils themselves seem to be bent on beating each other, which not only adds to the fight scenes but also to the plot.  The Eight Devils, along with the Imperial spy Dakuan, probably offer the most in terms of how fun they are to watch.  Jubei and Kagero are ninjas after all, but even with that, they have their shining character moments. 

 

One might wonder if Quentin Tarrantino borrowed some style and themes from Ninja Scroll for his Kill Bill films.  Any time (and there were lots of them) somebody was cut by a sword, their heads would spew blood with a burst reminiscent of a high-pressure washer.  There were also sex, rape, and sexual molestation scenes at various points in the feature.  While nothing below the belt is shown in detail, there are silhouettes shifting frames from which to infer, and of course, the women are still topless.  The last bit of censorship tallying comes from the curse words.  Though few and less noticeable than the aforementioned adult traits, they are still there.

 

Last but not least are the special features.  The first of the special features offers a guide to Ninja Scroll that contains what is labeled a synopsis, but ends up being a detailed summary of the entire story.  The guide also offers character biographies of Jubei, Kagero, Dakuan, and all Eight Devils of Kimon.  The other special features include a theatrical trailer for Ninja Scroll, a slideshow of Manga Video products, and a video commercial where Manga Video products and clips are shown to music.

 

Survey says:  With all the sex, violence, and cursing in the film, it is not a good idea to even attempt to squeak this by in a YA collection.  Its content is far too mature for teens and should only belong in an adult collection.

 

Personal ad:  I have always been a sucker for a good gunslinger or swordsman movie.  From all the anime I have seen, this is probably up there in the top five.  I really loved the Eight Devils of Kimon and the powers that they had (except for the wasp guy).  Many have complained about the plot, but I just don’t see it.  There was swordfights, romance, double-crosses, and great animation.  What more could you ask for?