Amazon.com: A peak achievement of Japanese anime, Ninja Scroll is a propulsive mix of samurai action adventure and supernatural fantasy from writer-director Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Supernatural Best City). This is defiantly animation for grown-ups, complete with fountains of blood, plenty of naked flesh, and (in both the subtitled and dubbed versions) some decidedly strong language. (Students of Japanese language could pick up some useful expressions.) The plot sounds like a 16th century variation on the X-Files: An entire village has been wiped out by a mysterious plague and an anti-government conspiracy of invulnerable demons seems to be responsible. A wandering ninja, Jubei, and his female counterpart, Kagero, team up to defeat the plotters. Jubei is a classic reluctant hero, agreeing to participate in the mission only after being fed a slow-acting poison; the antidote will be supplied after he cooperates. And Kagero, a looker whose embrace is lethal, is a femme fatale with a difference that seems distinctively Japanese: sexual contact itself is poisonous, especially for a warrior with a pure soul. --David Chute
Beautiful Animation for early 90's This movie doesnt leave the wathcer just stranded trying to figure out what is going on. I do say that there is 2 or 3 cheesy parts but other than that a very good anime. Good Story Plot about ninjas, love and daeth. Cant beat that. Since it is from the early 90's the animation is not going to be a beautiful as Air, or Basalisk but is over-all very good.
This movie soes contain nudity and inappropiate situations but I have seen alot worse. Very surprised at the story-line really thought it wasnt going to be all that good.
Superb anime!. Ninja Scroll was quite an impressive anime/manga film, I think its one of the best animes I've ever seen and I'll be honest I haven't seen that much other than Vampire Hunter D and Ghost In The Shell among others. The film was set in Feudal Japan and the story involves a lone ninja warrior called Jubie traveling from town to town with a hidden past and there seems to be a plague spreading through out a small village called Shimoda and most of the people are found dead. While on their way to investigate the koga ninja team are slaughtered by a huge sword wielding monster with a body of stone, the huge monster uses his sword to decapitate and hack off the Koga ninjas limbs and rips them apart leaving a rain of blood in what has got to be the goriest scene in the film leaving the only surviving member of the team a female ninja named Kagera.
She soon warns the Koga clan and returns back to the village only to be kidnapped and raped by the monster. Kagera is later saved by Jubei as they continue on their journey, Jubie is also blackmailed by a small old man named Daukuns? using a poison dart he tells Jubei that he will give him the antidote but only if he helps him defeat the shogun of the dark he also has suspicions that Jubie was the ninja who killed the retainers of the Yashimoto Clan and that Lord Gemma who was previously decapitated is still alive and is the leader of the devils of Kimon and is also working for the shogun of the dark. Ninja Scroll is definitely not kids stuff as some of the fight scenes were quite bloody and it also has some rape scenes, Ninja Scroll is one of those supernatural shogun/ninja period films, the film had some amazing artwork with an emphasis on characters, plot and thrilling action scenes with lots of blood, gore and nudity, Jubie was a very cool character and a bit of a cynic but still likes to help people out kind of like a Character in a spaghetti western. The great thing about this film is that its not complicated like Ghost In The Shell so its perfect for those who haven't seen that much anime (like myself) here is some of the highlights you get to see in the film.
- Jubie continuesly head butting Lord Gemma until his face caves in. - Kagera has poison for blood so whoever sleeps with her dies. - A weird demon who has a wasp's nest for a back (don't ask). - A huge monster who drinks blood from a severed limb then has his head split in half and brains fall off (yes very nice!). - A deadly female demon who casts of her skin like a snake (this particular scene was weird and hilarious.
I'm not going to say anymore since I don't want to ruin it, if you enjoy adult anime that has some great action with very smooth and fluid animation then I highly recommend this.
Not bad I can't count myself among those who gush over this tale of a wandering samurai and two companions who take on an evil foe and his demonic minions. The animation is good but not outstanding. The story had me riveted early on as the characters were introduced and their dilemma revealed, but the narrative became quite murky and by the time the climactic shipboard battle occurred, I had lost interest. The demons in this film are quite imaginative.
Ninja vs ninja vs ninja... The Good Things *Great fight scenes. Loads of bloody action. Never dull. *Strong, memorable imagery. Excellent art design and details. The characters look smashing. *Intruiging, straightforward storyline. *Characters are awesome. They are very well-developed, very deep, and very immersive. *The bad guys are awesome too. They have a lot of interesting powers/traits.
The Bad Things *Very shocking (at least for the first viewing). The violence is extreme (on the same level as "Kill Bill"), and there are a few graphic sex scenes. Definately not for the squeamish.
Definately one of the best ninja/samurai films ever made (in anime or otherwise). It is a simple story that leaves lots of room for some very deep characters and a lot of awesome fight scenes. The extreme violence and sex may drive some people away, but for those who can stand it, it is quite awesome.
The 10th anniversary edition includes one 30 minute interview session and some information to read. It is in both fullscreen and widescreen (although I think somebody said that the widescreen side is a "fake" widescreen, with the top and bottom of the frame cut off). Still, the video and sound quality on this disc is excellent. Earlier editions of this film don't appear to have any features.
One Of The Crown Jewels Of Anime I viewed this back during my college days in the mid-90's and let me say that this is one of the crowning achievements in japanamation!
The story centers on a masterless samari named Jubei who is (more or less) forced into service by Dakuwon, an agent of the Tokengowa goverment of Japan. Along the way, they battle the 8 Devils of Kimone, led by Jubei's old enemy Himiro Gemma and gain an ally in Kegero. A ninja woman who is blessed with an immunity to poisons but cursed because she can't enjoy any physical intimacy with anyone without killing them. Together, the three must prevent the 8 Devils and their masters, The Shogun Of The Dark from overtaking the government of Japan via a civil war.
Great action, great animation and a lot of plot twists along the way to the firey conclusion at the end. Great viewing but IT IS FOR ADULTS! In other words parents, DO NOT BUY THIS FOR YOUR KIDS!
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
