When I wrote my review of Vampire Hunter D, I mentioned my nervousness regarding anime. I’m relatively new to the genre in that I’ve not watched much of it. I enjoyed Vampire Hunter D quite a bit, but found the English dubbing less-than-adequate.
Well, I’ve found an example of anime that I can heartily recommend to anyone interested in learning what makes a great anime film. Ninja Scroll is ultra-violent, fun-to-watch, and inventive movie. Set in Feudal Japan, the film follows the character of Jubei, a masterless ninja for hire, as he finds himself in the middle of a conflict he wants nothing to do with.
A mysterious disease has wiped out the town of Shimota. A band of ninjas sets out to investigate reports of a band of men who fled the town shortly before everyone died. As they approach the town, a rock-like creature slices the entire band apart, save for Kagero, a female warrior, whom he captures and rapes. Jubei saves her and finds himself attracted to her. Alas, she cannot be his as she is literally poisonous.
Jubei strikes out on his own again and his approached by Dakuwan, a elderly ninja spy. Dakuwan explains that the rock monster that attacked the ninjas was a Devil of Kimon, of which there are seven more. Dakuwan poisons Jubei and promises to give him the antidote only after he helps Dakuwan find and kill the remaining Devils of Kimon.
The fight scenes are absolutely top-notch. The video’s box cover promises a “bloodbath” and that’s no exaggeration at all. Arterial spray is present in virtually every fight scene. As is the case of most anime I’ve seen, this isn’t for kids. Along with the blood, there’s quite a bit of sexual content too. The film’s not rated, but it would probably earn an R rating.
The screenplay is the work of Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who also directed. He succeeds in bringing a fair amount of emotional backdrop to the story, as these characters have more feelings and motivation than many Hollywood big-budget movies’ characters ever do.
Obviously, being animated, these characters can pull off some wildly exaggerated moves and actions. It’s all part of the fun of this movie, though. Watching the ninjas leap from branch to branch or watching a devil pass electricity through his body to kill his enemies, you realize that anything can happen. And the script allows for something that would please ole’ Joe Bob Briggs: this movie passes the “anyone can die at anytime” test. That makes for a fun, exciting and, admittedly, over-the-top movie experience. Rent it!
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
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