Cho Osaki (Shô Kosugi) moves to America with his son Kane (Kane Kosugi) after his family is killed in Japan by ninjas. He opens a doll shop with his friend Braden (Arthur Roberts), who uses Cho’s shop as a front to import heroin in the dolls. Braden is double crossed by his Italian buyer and he shows them why you do not fuck with Japanese drug lords. Cho prepares for the ultimate ninja duel to the death when he finds out that his friend has betrayed him. Written by James R. Silke and directed by Sam Firstenberg.
This move takes me back to my childhood. It is Saturday afternoon. Do you eat lunch? Nay you watch martial arts movies! Well, at least that’s the way it was in my house. When it comes to ninja flicks you cannot beat Sho Kosugi. This move jumps right into the action. Cho’s family is attacked by ninjas. This didn’t surprise me at all because I’m sure that wild ninja assaults is a common problem in Japan. One thing that did have me thinking about this beginning sequence… Why didn’t Cho’s family fight back? They are a family of ninjas! I am sure even the babies should have some sort of skills! They should have easily taken out a few ninjas before meeting their own demise.
Cho moves to America to escape the constant torment of never ending ninja attacks. I would be fairly angry if one of the things that I had to worry about was random ninja attacks. If you are a ninja though I guess that’s part of your every day life. After he settles in the states he opens a Japanese doll shop with his “friend”. That’s quite an occupational change… From silent assassin, to doll shop owner… The shop is fairly corny also. You can definitely tell that it was designed in the 80s. I guess that’s what people were into at that time, buying really expensive Japanese porcelain dolls. Of course if you get tired of the dolls you can smash them and shoot up. That is always a bonus. You break it, you get high.
Of course Cho is completely oblivious to the fact that his dolls are really heroin transportation devices. His friend Braden has a deal with the mafia to unload the drugs. They try to double cross him and steal all of the dolls. The mafia in this movie have the greatest henchmen. They have your typical thugs but they employ one Native American. I am not sure why they do but it makes for a humorous, but great fight scene. Braden goes on a ninja killing spree and tries to kill the rest of Cho’s family. Yes, believe it or not Braden is a ninja and he is a fairly good one. He has all sorts of sweet ninja tricks and gadgets - not to mention a great silver mask. Cho goes after Braden ninja style, because only a ninja can defeat a ninja. They end up having a ninja showdown at the top of the mafia building in the middle of the day.
This is one of my favorite movies. I remember watching this movie when I was younger and thinking this was the greatest move. Watching this movie now I still find it great, but for other reasons. You can not beat crazy ninja fights with silly 80s type thugs and villains. Then to climax with a awesome ninja duel to the death.
Revenge of the Ninja is available on Amazon and is pretty easy to find, either on DVD or VHS.
Good ol’ Shô Kosugi. I think this is the best of the US ninja movies from the 80s.
I still want to see the 1988 movie of the same name starring Barry Prima.
Lurples last blog post..Black Belt
We were actually just recently talking about trying to get the one with Barry Prima. I’m really interested in seeing that one too. If it’s anything like Prima’s other films, I’m sure it’s awesome.
The guy who actually plays the part of the Ninja in the silver mask is a skilled ninjutsu expert called Eddie Tse.
He is not in the limelight, but is considered to be even more skilled than Sho Kosugi in the arts.
REVENGE OF THE NINJA…A great film, well worth a re-look…