Ninja Scroll

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Ninja Scroll
Directed by	Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Produced by	Kazuhiko Ikeguchi Masako Fukuyo Shigeru Kitayama
Written by	Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Starring	Kōichi Yamadera Emi Shinohara Takeshi Aono (Japan) Dean Elliott (voice actor) Wendee Lee Jimmy Theodore (USA)
Music by	Kaoru Wada
Cinematography	Hitoshi Yamaguchi
Editing by	Yukiko Itō Harutoshi Ogata
Distributed by	Manga Entertainment (US/Europe)
Release date(s)	June 5, 1993 (Japan)
Running time	99 min
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese English (dubbed)
Followed by	Ninja Scroll: The Series

Ninja Scroll (獣兵衛忍風帖, Jūbei Ninpūchō^?) is a Japanese action thriller anime, set in feudal Japan, by critically acclaimed director/writer Yoshiaki Kawajiri who was best known for his previous thriller Wicked City (Yōjū Toshi). The character designs were done by Yutaka Minowa. The movie is a homage to the Ninpōchō series, ninja novels by Futaro Yamada. The main character, Kibagami Jubei, is an homage to the famed Japanese samurai folk hero Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi.

The movie was released on June 5, 1993 and received a Western release on December 6, 1995. The movie was also released in some regions as Jubei Ninpucho: The Wind Ninja Chronicles. It is licensed by Manga Entertainment in North America. Ninja Scroll won the Citizen's Award at the 1993 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. Ninja Scroll is among the most popular anime movies outside of Japan, along with such movies as Akira and Ghost in the Shell. It was well-received in its depiction of the ninja and Japanese legendary creatures such as the Stone Golem, and the Blind Assassin.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Ratings and censorship 3 Continuation 4 Original soundtrack 5 External links

[edit] Plot

A team of Koga Ninja is sent to investigate a plague in Shimoda village, but on their way they are slaughtered. The only survivor is Kagero, who is captured and nearly raped by her assailant, a huge stone golem called Tessai. Rescued by the wandering mercenary ninja Jubei Kibagami, Kagero escapes to continue her mission, while Tessai vengefully pursues Jubei. Tessai succeeds in ambushing Jubei but is killed.

Tokugawa shogunate spy Dakuan, who had been observing Jubei, reveals that Tessai belonged to a ninja group known as the Devils of Kimon, who will constantly attack him to avenge the death of their comrade. Calling his bluff, Jubei is fatally poisoned by Dakuan in an attempt to force Jubei into his employ, the reward for his service being 100 pieces of gold and the antidote to his poison, which will kill him in under a day. The two unite with Kagero to determine the Devils of Kimon agenda and how it relates to the mysterious plague in Shimoda village. Dakuan continues the main investigation on his own, using Jubei and Kagero as decoys, who must constantly fend off deadly attacks from the remaining members of the Devils of Kimon, the leader of whom is reputed to be Jubei's old nemesis Gemma, who was killed several years previously.

[edit] Ratings and censorship

In 1995, the BBFC cut the UK version by approximately 52 seconds. This included a rape scene and images of imitable weaponry. The UK and Australian DVDs were affected by these cuts — it was not censored in Australia but the Australian DVD was an exact copy of the UK disc. In 2004 the footage was reinstated and the movie in both countries was released uncut.

The film was initially given an MA15+ rating by the OFLC in Australia. In 1996, following an uncut screening of the film on free-to-air television, the Federal Attorney General lodged an application to review the classification of the film. As a result of this, the film's classification was upgraded to an R18+ rating, meaning television airings must be censored as R18+ material cannot be screened. Confusion often occurs due to the re-rating as well as the BBFC cut — someone could purchase the BBFC-cut R18+ DVD thinking it contained more graphic material than an MA15+ VHS copy, only to discover it contained less.

In Canada the film was given an 18 rating, while it was released Unrated in the United States.

[edit] Continuation

A Japanese animated television series was released in 2003 called, Jubei Ninpucho: Ryuhogyoku-hen and ran for 13 episodes. It was released in the west as Ninja Scroll: The Series. The series is partly written by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, but remains only a spiritual sequel to the film because the story stands alone; however, many references suggest that it is indeed a continuation from the movie. In the series, Jubei gets caught in the middle of a battle between the Kimon Clan and the Hiruko Clan. He meets up with the Light Maiden Shigure, a young lady whose village was destroyed by the Kimon Clan and whom Jubei was charged with delivering a Dragon Stone to. The duo are joined by Tsubute (a young thief) and Dakuan (Tokugawa shogunate spy) , and together they try to find out why both the Kimon and the Hiruko Clan are after her and why the Dragon Stone she carries is so important to them. The show was directed by Tatsuo Sato (Martian Successor Nadesico), with character design done by Takahiro Yoshimatsu (Trigun).

An official sequel, Jubei Ninpucho 2, is classed as in production with no specific release date. The film is scheduled to be written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, and will most likely be released in the west as Ninja Scroll 2.

In North America, the Ninja Resurrection anime films were marketed as sequels to Ninja Scroll, but were actually created by a separate animation studio. The only similarities they share is a lead character named Jubei. The Jubei in Ninja Resurrection was famed swordsman Yagyū Jūbei, not Jubei Kibagami from Ninja Scroll.

In September 2006, Wildstorm launched a twelve issue Ninja Scroll comic book series written by J. Torres, which follows the further adventures of Jubei.

[edit] Original soundtrack

Jubei Ninpucho Ninja Scroll
Soundtrack by Kaoru Wada, Ryouhei Yamanashi
Released	2000
Label	ADV Films (North America)

A soundtrack was released titled Jubei Ninpucho (Ninja Scroll) with music composed by Kaoru Wada from the movie. Tracks 8 and 15 are composed and sung by Ryouhei Yamanashi with lyrics by Shou Jitsukawa.

Track listing:

1. "Prologue"
2. "Jubei"
3. "Eight Warriors of the Demon Clan"
4. "Blood Wind"
5. "Kagerou"
6. "Visions"
7. "Devil Shadow"
8. "To Those Who Face the Wind"
9. "Pursuit"
10. "Devil Swordsman"
11. "Strategy"
12. "Reincarnation"
13. "Struggle to the Death"
14. "Epilogue"
15. "Somewhere, Faraway, Everyone is Listening to a Ballad"

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Ninja Scroll

• Ninja Scroll at the Anime News Network
• Ninja Scroll at the Internet Movie Database