NINJA SCROLL 30th ANNIVERSARY REVIEW
Low-Scroll Review
RATING 9/10
Movie Review: NINJA SCROLL 30th ANNIVERSARY
Travis and I sank into the universe of Ninja Scroll, the 30th Anniversary. Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri opens the movie. He praises Die Hard's John McTiernan for laying the blueprint for a great action movie. Let the dialogue take a backseat to the action.
Watching it in the original Japanese with subtitles as intended was amazing. There were no bad dubs that day. How does the manga Ninja Classic hold up? Still gorgeously animated, however, it is not as fluid as modern anime and lacks the vivid depth of color. Its darker shading foreshadows the movie. Problematic depiction of the heroin included.
The film opens with Jubei, the sword for hire, displaying superior swordplay and integrity while dispatching three rogues. Through duty or fate, he becomes the target of the 8 devils of Kimon, and their unique ninja skills. To survive their pursuit, he teams with a government agent, Dakun, and a poison taster/part-time ninja, Kagero; she has a deadly secret.
This trio must prevent the demon clan and their leader, Lord Genma, a ghost from Jubei’s past, from overthrowing the reigning government.
The development of the main characters’ stories does not slow down the furious nature of clanging blades and blood. It maintains a methodical pace throughout the movie.
Who is this movie for: Fans of Anime, Ninjas, & Manga
Watch next: Ninja Kamui: A Modern Ninja anime
At its core, it is a doomed love story cloaked in the violence of revenge and ruthless ambition.