Shinobi Trilogy (1962 – 1963) – A fascinating precursor to Ninjas in cinema (Review)

Released by Daiei Motion Picture Company, Shinobi no Mono was an eight-film series adapted from Tomoyoshi Murayama’s series of novels. Set in 16^th century Japan, the story follows outlaw hero and ninja Ishikawa Goemon (Raizō Ichikawa) in his fight against samurai warlords. Radiance Films have collected the first three films in the series on Limited Edition Blu-Ray, and it is fascinating to see the starting ground for classic ninja tropes.

Directed by Satsuo Yamamoto, 1962’s Shinobi: Band of Assassins opens with a ruinous battlefield depicting the vicious triumphs of Oda Nobunaga (Tomisaburō Wakayama). Desiring to rule the nation, the warlord orders destruction of temples and massacres of monks to showcase his power. In an effort to protect their way of life, rival ninja fortresses the Momochi and Fukibayashi aim to assassinate him first.

When viewers are first introduced to Goemon, he is shown to be an idealistic man with aspirations of greatness in becoming a ninja. Those hopes become grinded out of him, as he falls victim to the manipulations of General Sandayû (Yûnosuke Itô), resulting in his life ruined and his hopes dashed as the past refuses to let go. While the first act can feel initially impenetrable, the focus on underhanded politics and shadowy backstabbing leaves a fascinating place for viewers to latch onto.

The conflict is captured tremendously through choreography and tension without allowing the scenes to feel overly stylised. A standout choice across the trilogy is how the film effectively captures the ninjas work, with shadowed corners of the screen depicting a place for them to hide while the sound design replicates a need for stealth and silence. Fascinating choices like these effectively bring their work alive for viewers to enjoy.

While the film ends on a note of hope, that does not last for long. 1963’s follow-up, Shinobi: Revenge, takes place immediately after the first film and shows Nobunaga’s desire for conquest becoming a reality. While a surprise attack means that ninjas do not stand in his way, the warlord does not believe that the danger is gone. Meanwhile, Goemon is in a far happier place as he sheds the ninja life to become a father and husband. His tranquillity is tragically shattered by a horrifying act of violence, carving a return to his former life driven by vengeance.

As Goemon travels down a dark path, this time of his own volition, his end-point is focused on Nobunaga, a brutal antagonist whose cruel whims do not stop at his supposed allies. His attitude warps dependant on whether others bend to his every word, leaving loyalties tested and frustrations to bubble up until reaching boiling point.

While a key battle is impressively realised, even resorting to gruesome violence for stunning effect, it becomes clear that the supposed end goal is actually a stopgap for enemy forces who make power plays through devastation and destruction. Desperation sets in as the cycle of violence keeps spinning on, the body count rising with little reprieve in sight, and it becomes clear that the only true end is when nobody remains alive. It is a grim point which carries throughout this impressive sequel, charting Goemon’s journey from shocking start to bleak ending.

While that is where Goemon’s story ended in real-life, Shinobi: Resurrection takes liberties in order to continue the series. Unfolding immediately after the previous films ending, the finality does not last as Goemon is rescued from the distressing circumstances in soap-opera style. It is the sort of explanation that one would expect Eastenders to use in explaining a legacy character’s return from the grave.

Once that is dealt with, the ninja lead takes a backseat to the unfolding plot as Hideyoshi (Eijirō Tōno) reigns triumphant. With almost all ninjas wiped out, the warlord seeks to expand his reach through an invasion of Korea, yet Goemon plans to disrupt the celebrations by making his enemy suffer. Targeting his foe’s family and allies, the ninja undertakes a battle from the shadows as he poisons goodwill by whispering duplicitous truths, sowing the seeds of distrust to ensure his enemies destroy themselves.

Taking over directorial duties, Kazuo Mori offers a change of pace while still providing ninja violence. While the protagonist’s behind-the-scenes actions offer an interesting way to close the trilogy, it becomes a double-edged blade as the character feels almost forgotten about. His influence should linger while the character is off-screen, yet this is unfortunately missed and leaves matters to feel dull at times. While this may be the weakest entry in the Shinobi Trilogy, it does not detract from this tremendous collection from Radiance Films.

James’s Archive – Shinobi