Jûbê ninpûchô (1993) Reviews

• The leash has come off.

  lost-in-limbo2006-11-28

  Jubei, a rouge samurai who's wandering the land becomes involved unwillingly in the battle between an evil group of supernatural demon warriors known as the Eight Devils of Kimon and the country's government. After a town was wiped out overnight by a plague, so the eight devils could get in to get perform a certain mysterious task. Jubei soon is joined by a poisonous female samurai known as Kagero to find out the Devils' business is in this town, after one of them wipe out her ninja team and nearly her if it hadn't been for Jubei. He also encounters someone of the past, who he thought that he already had killed. So I've gone back to my roots when anime was a childhood favourite of mine, but this one isn't for kids. I loved this flick when I was in my early teens, so watching it now was such a nostalgia trip and surprisingly it still holds up exceptionally well. The popular worldwide hit "Ninja Scroll", which was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (who brought us the excellent "Vampire Hunter D") paves way for a maturely slick, extremely violent and intensely erotic outlook. Everything about it comes thick and fast. It frenetically exploits the blood sprayed violence like a running tap, but still never loses that beautifully tender edge that seeps into many of the situations. The compelling premise isn't a mind-bender, although a bit jaded, but its simple origins only enhance the taut lay out and poignantly dark array of blisteringly out-there conflicts. It's surprising in it developments and you're left amazed by the film's personality and unique world that's created. It vividly captures the period of this atmospheric world. They're such an imaginatively diverse barrage of dynamic characters, with the likes of the rock-build demon to the hunchback whose hump are a wasp nest and a snake lady who can actually shed her skin. This gave it a real eastern mythological state and only proves that the bad guys had the most fun. The story might feel like its there only to set up one spirited confrontation after another and really it is. But the story-telling element is effectively defined, as most of the main players get enough time to mould there own back story and present their significance to where it could be heading. Jubei makes a cool anti-hero and Kagero fits nicely along side him. The skillful animation has class, agility, originality and distinguishing details making its way into these stunningly pristine visuals. An aggressively crisp sounding FX makes the experience a whole lot more impressive with such a wide range and the oriental twang found in the eerily mystic music score makes this presentation more brooding in its blinding passion and checkered emotion. Kawajiri faced no restrictions here, and was free to come up with an illustriously innovative and majestic anime piece that works in every frame. "Ninja Scroll" is more highly involving than you would believe. Recommended.

• The best in adult Anime'

  dee.reid2005-08-05

  "Ninja Scroll" is a relentlessly adult Anime' from none other than Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the director behind other notable film threats of the genre such as "Wicked City" (1987). "Ninja Scroll" is also one of the best Anime' films I've ever seen, as it contains more than its fair share of graphic swordplay combat and plenty of exposed (female) flesh, sex, and out-there mysticism. It has one of those murky, hard-to-follow plots typical of a lot of Japanese animation, but it involves a wandering vagabond, Jubei, who also happens to be a master swordsman. He's the best there is, simply put. Like all heroes of his caliber, however, he's not without many demons haunting his past. As the film opens in 17th-century feudal Japan, we already get a sense of just how skilled he is when he strikes down two would-be attackers but leaves a third one alive to tell of the lethal encounter. The main plot of "Ninja Scroll" gets underway when a lone female villager blindly wanders into a neighboring village bearing news that a mysterious plague has decimated her community. The local government, fearing an epidemic, quarantines the village until an investigation can be completed. Mixed reports conflict with the official story of a plague, saying that men on horses were seen riding from the village the night before. The chamberlain sends a team of ninja warriors to the village to get to the bottom of what happened there. Along with them, the beautiful ninja warrior Kagero joins them, against the wishes of the team's leader. But the team is ambushed and annihilated by an unseen presence in the woods while on their way to the village, leaving Kagero as the only survivor and held captive by her attacker, a monstrous rock of a man who proceeds to rape her. She is later rescued by Jubei, who takes down Kagero's captor. As it would turn out, Jubei and Kagero become unlikely allies, along with a wandering monk, as they each realize they've been swept up in a covert plot to overthrow the Japanese government. It seems that Himuro Gemma, a former nemesis of Jubei, has enlisted the aid of The 8 Devils of Kimon, a fearsome army of warriors with supernatural abilities, to help him in his devious plans. Some of them include the aforementioned rock, the wasp fighter, the blind swordsman who challenges Jubei to a duel in a bamboo forest, and my personal favorite, the luscious Benisato, who can animate the snake tattoos on her naked body and command them to attack her opponent. So together, Jubei, Kagero, and the monk team up to defeat this supernatural threat to the government. As with most mature Anime', "Ninja Scroll" does not come up short on the desserts (you know what I mean). (But, Kagero's rape scene should definitely turn away some viewers.) But aside from that and a twisted plot, it does deliver the goods in terms of identifiable characters you can (somewhat/almost) relate to. Jubei is the only "normal" character in the whole movie, being that he doesn't have any supernatural powers (aside from his extraordinary sword skills) and when he gets hurt, he bleeds. Kagero, on the other hand, has a few surprises of her own, as any man who sleeps with her will die because she is literally pretty poison; all of her being is so deadly that even a kiss could kill a man in seconds. Whoa. However, this particular defense (or curse?) represents the basis of Kagero's greatest tragedy, in that she is unable to love anyone who touches her. It makes her the most well-rounded, deep and sympathetic female character in the entire movie (a rare find in Japanese animation), since most women are usually whores or are submissive or weaker when compared to men, and it makes her death that much more emotional and Jubei's quest to avenge her much more romantic. The animation is fantastic and doesn't look dated that much at all. Since "Ninja Scroll" is one of the more notorious Anime' flicks out there, you have to wonder: When's this going to get the American cinematic treatment? I mean, after all, "Ninja Scroll" is one of the most popular Anime' flicks of all time. And since Hollywood's originality is drying up, they could be pretty thirsty for ideas, and comic books, Japanese horror movies, Anime' and Manga are all looking pretty ripe. I honestly hope this doesn't happen. Besides, I don't think something like "Ninja Scroll" could translate that well into live-action anyways without looking ridiculous. The graphic violence won't translate either, since a live-action adaptation of "Ninja Scroll" would be justifiably rated "NC-17." "Ninja Scroll" is truly one of the best Japanese animated films out there right now. Let it live on in notoriety, without intrusion from us greedy Americans. 10/10

• An absolute favorite, and highly recommended :)

  starbase_742003-11-19

  Ninja Scroll is easily one of my favorite anime movies. Great animation (the minimal movement in Japanimation far superior to the over-produced Disney cloned animation style), great story and characters, a decent running time - it all works for me. Recently here in Australia, the movie has thankfully been re-released in the 10th Anniversary Uncut version. After a controversial screening on commercial TV some years ago, the video version was upgraded from MA to an R-Rating, and had some sex scenes cut. The new DVD has been restored, uncut. A classic, highly entertaining and impressive anime - strongly recommended to Japanime newbies :)

• Great high-octane ninja action.

  mike-moran2003-09-15

  A great movie to just sit back and enjoy, not in the mind set of Akira, Ghost in the Shell or Perfect Blue just a great all out action film. When I first saw this movie I was amazed by the high quality of the action and the animation. To this day they both still stand the test of time. One of the best anime's set around the time period of feudal Japan, although the main reason to see this film is for the characters. Not so much for the good guys but the villains. The designs of the villains are outstanding and there individual powers uniquely brilliant.

• One of the best Anime Movies ever

  granitor2003-11-15

  Ninja Scroll is an Anime Classic which is usually mentioned in the same sentence as Vampire Hunter D or Fist of the North Star. However, I believe that as a movie, Ninja Scroll has a wider appeal. The visuals are top-notch, and the action is fast and clean. The sword fights can be watched frame-by-frame (and may have to be, if you want to really understand what is happening) and your awe at the quality of this movie will just increase. Do I sound like an obsessed fan? Because this movie impresses me so greatly that I cannot over-rate it. The story and characters, though, are the main focus of this presentation, which each battle, duel, and other confrontation serving to move the story forward, develop, reveal, or eliminate the characters - all of whom are revealed in a way that is engrossing. Some maybe turned off by the gore, violence, and low value placed on human life; but that is what this time period was about. This is definately for mature audiences. If you do not yet own a copy of this, watch it as if you had never heard of it and enjoy the story developing. Then be plesantly surprised by the superficial stuff - action, animation, sound, and depth of characters.