Product Details

• Actors: Kôichi Yamadera, Emi Shinohara, Takeshi Aono, Daisuke Gôri, Toshihiko Seki
• Directors: Kevin Seymour, Yoshiaki Kawajiri
• Writers: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
• Producers: Haruo Sai, Kazuhiko Ikeguchi, Ken Iyadomi, Makoto Hasegawa, Masaka Fukuyo
• Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Manga Video
• DVD Release Date: May 20, 1998
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (423 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305014140
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,607 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Movies & TV > Anime & Manga > By Studio > Manga
  #16 in	Movies & TV > Anime & Manga > Feature Films
  #53 in	Movies & TV > Action & Adventure > Martial Arts

• For more information about "Ninja Scroll" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

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

Product Description
Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 02/23/1999 Run time: 90 minutes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

232 of 247 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Ninja Scroll 10th Anniversary Widescreen...- Beware!!, October 29, 2003

By	George Matchneer (Blacklick, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ninja Scroll (10th Anniversary Edition) (DVD)

Ninja Scroll is an excellent work of anime and cannot be praised too highly, but the new 10th Anniversary DVD edition only offers only a false widescreen - they have merely cut off the top and bottom of the view to give the appearance of widescreen. The DTS sound is not any fuller or crisper than the original fullscreen DVD, merely converted to DTS format. In short, this DVD is not worth upgrading to, and the fullscreen side is the only one worth watching. Save your money if you hope to improve on the original DVD's quality - the new anniversary DVD is actually an insult.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a story of epic proportions, December 4, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ninja Scroll (Dub) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

First, regarding its name: a more accurate translation from the original Japanese would be "The Chronicles of Ninja Jubei."

Second, regarding the "misogynism" in the film: While I understand how it might be interpreted that way, that's not quite true. Kagero is a fascinating character due to the tragedy of her curse. She plays a pivotal role in the story, but most importantly, the ultimate point of the love subplot is that Jubei's sense of honor is so strong and his heart is so pure that he will not use her as just a weapon or an object of lust, the way everyone else has used her. Even at the cost of his life (you will understand when you see it). That's what makes it such a powerful story.

This movie isn't for everyone, but it's an incredible film. It's extremely intense, so sensitive viewers should beware. The animation is beautiful; the action is intense and intelligently choreographed, not mindless and brutal; the plot is highly intricate and very well written.

The best anime that I've ever seen, period.

55 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking the Samurai Code, December 8, 2002

By	Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

One tradition of Japanese manga and anime is based on the legends of Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, who was a very real swordsman serving the Tokugawa Shogunate at the beginning of the 17th century. Jubei was known for wandering Japan, sometimes as a spy for the Shogun, and righting injustices with displays of his extraordinary swordsmanship. Kind of a Japanese Knight of the Roundtable.

In 'Ninja Scroll', this part is played by Jubei Kibagami, an itinerant ninja. He is drawn into clan politics when he comes to the aid of Kagero, a female ninja in service to the Yamashiro clan. To save Kagero, Jubei must successfully challenge Tessai, an evil ninja (one of the Eight Devils of Kimon) with the ability to turn his skin into stone, and the strength to chop walls down. Jubei succeeds, but Tessai swears vengeance, leaving Jubei deeply entangled in a struggle with the Shogun of the Dark.

The third player in this contest is Dakuan, the Shoguns spy. He is a deadly old man who recruits Jubei by giving him a poison that will kill him in a day and a night. Dakuan informs Jubei that Himuro Gemma, an old enemy that Jubei was sure was dead, was still alive, and, in the company of the Devils, was at the center of the plotting. Jubei, Dakuan, and Kagero must defeat the evil ninjas and discover the purpose behind the killing of an entire village.

Kagero is a poison taster, and, as a result, is permeated with deadly toxins. She can never take a lover, because even her kiss would kill. At this point in Japanese history such a woman was an outcaste, having little value in the eyes of her society. Jubei shatters her world when he insists on treating her as an honorable human being, creating a strong emotional tension that plays against the simple samurai action of the main plot.

Production qualities of the film are beautiful, echoing traditional Japanese art forms with a fine sensibility. Line and color are strong. Violence, of course, is present, but is tightly controlled, not dwelt upon. This is one of the best and most representative films of the more conservative Japanese traditions of anime. Worth seeing for its historical status as well as for its outstanding artistic values.