Ninja Scroll

That's right, this is the famed 1993 anime, which was seen theatrically last night: 

I was happy to have seen a Yoshiaki Kawajiri film theatrically last night. In the past, I've discussed the OVA Cyber City Oedo 808 along w/ the films Wicked City and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. All were enjoyed so Ninja Scroll being 4K restored & playing on cinema screens was something I was glad to have tackled last night.

A badass ninja named Jubei is followed during the feudal days of Japan. He teams up with a pair of unlikely allies as he not only deals with an old foe but also ninjas with supernatural abilities. Much of the story seemed relatively realistic for a standard tale set during the Tokugawa Shogunate but then there's a dude who releases wasps from holes in his back (a word of warning for those w/ trypophobia) & another dude made out of rock who sexually assaults a lady after he rips her clothes off... whether or not the reader believes that is stereotypical of Japan is up to them. Thankfully, those weird sexual moments are rather infrequent.

Ninja Scroll has those spooky elements & a dark fantasy romance mixed in but primarily this is an adventure where Jubei attempts to stop an insidious plot to overthrow the government; the movie is punctuated with bloody scenes where blood sprays out of bodies to a degree that even surpasses a Lone Wolf & Cub film. It's a very entertaining yarn buttressed by stunning animation that looked great 4K restored and a varied soundtrack from Kaoru Wada that even included a sitar yet it all fit what was seen visually.

Multiple sources have proclaimed that this alongside Akira and Ghost in the Shell were the most popular anime in the West during the 90's and helped that artform become popular here. I never have followed that scene (let alone during my childhood in the 90's) but I can say that while this isn't as deep or thoughtful as an Akira or Ghost, Ninja Scroll instead was a dark fantasy action picture, and at that it succeeded as entertainment. As someone who rarely dips his toes into this world, it was the right decision to check out Ninja Scroll.