Watching B-movies so you don’t have to!
Ninja Wars (aka Iga ninpocho) is an odd movie. It’s not odd in the fact that it’s a ninja movie, it’s odd in the fact that despite being superficially a ninja movie, it’s really not a ninja movie at all. Despite the title, Ninja Wars is in fact a love story. While their may be some wars, bloody fight scenes, and a few ninjas hopping around, it’s almost not even a martial arts movie… That is, if you watch the subtitled version.
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.
When you think of a Street Fighter movie, do you think of that shittastic Jean-Claude VanDamme film from the mid-80’s? If you do, clear that preconceived notion of garbage out of your head, because for our movie to kick off our July Ninja/Martial Arts theme week, we’re talking about the 1974 Sonny Chiba fightfest THE STREET FIGHTER (aka Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken)! The one question you need to ask yourself before watching this is… Are you ready to get your guts kicked out?
The Machine Girl (aka Katuaude mashin gâru) is written and directed by Japanese director Noboru Iguchi, and stars Minase Yashiro as Ami Hyuga - the main and titular character. Ami Hyuga is like any other young college girl. She loves her younger brother and she can shoot some mean hoops. After her parents commit suicide due to her father being set up on murder charges, she’s left in charge to take care of her younger brother Yu. Yu is generally a good kid, he doesn’t usually get into too much trouble, but lately that’s changed. Yu and his friend Takashi have recently gotten involved with the son of a yakuza, Sho. They’ve gotten into a situation where they owe money to Sho, who would rather punish them then take the 20,000 yen they were able to raise. Sho gives them a day extension to raise 200,000 yen - an impossible task for a couple of high school students. When Yu and Takashi can’t come up with the money, Sho and his gang of bullies drop them off a parking structure onto their heads.
The tale of Shogun Assassin is a confusing one. While Robert Houston is the credited director, this is actually the first two movies of the Lone Wolf and Cub aka “babycart” (Kozure Ôkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma aka “Babycart at the River Styx, and Kozure Ôkami: Kowokashi udekashi tsukamatsuru aka “Sword of Vengeance”) series of films from Japan. Because this is basically two movies recut into one, the story can be somewhat consusing at times, but what results is an all out action martial arts movie with blood spraying like geysers from every enemy slain by the main character Ogami Itto (played by Tomisaburo Wakayama).
Itto was shogun’s executioner after his many years serving as his master samurai. As the shogun becomes older and more senile, he becomes increasingly intimidated by Itto. He decides to assassinate Itto, but instead, kills his wife. Itto then escapes with his son Diagoro (Akihiro Tomikawa) and is chased to the ends of Japan by a slew of would be killers. It is believed that when the Lone Wolf loses his son, he loses his power as well, and he is tested multiple times, up until his confrontation with the masters of death and the shogun himself. With his son and his cart armed with blades, and other assorted tricks up their sleeves, Itto seeks out justice, but will he find it?
The story is told through the eyes of Diagoro, Lone Wolf’s young son. He relates the story to the viewer, and Houston uses his voiceovers to explain the early flashbacks in the film, and also other points where the story’s cohesion breaks down. Considering that 3 hours of original material is being condensed into 86 minutes, they do a surprisingly good job convincing you that this material can stand on it’s own.
Shogun Assassin is one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. For me, it has everything that a good martial arts movie should have; action, blood, ninjas, samurai, swordplay - the works. The Lone Wolf meets multiple enemies, including sons of the shogun, a squad of female ninjas, and the masters of death and makes short work of them all in a bloodbath. What more could you ask for?
The music in this film is great. It’s mostly early electronic fare, with lots of awesome analog synth sounds that fit perfectly and sets the mood. While this film is obviously dubbed, the dubbing is done really well, and most of the dialog fits the characters mouths without distracting you from the action on screen. The Wu-Tang clan made a lot of the dialog pretty famous, by sampling it both on their debut release “Enter the Wu-Tang” and especially the GZA’s solo effort “Liquid Swords”, which featured the opening narration of the film by Diagoro on the first track.
This film and the series it originated from has obviously influenced a lot of samurai movies that came after it. Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill vol. 1 and 2 being the major example, but to a lesser extent the recent Zatôichi film as well. It also has ties to 
Road to Perdition as the story was influenced by Shogun Assassin and the Lone Wolf and Cub series. These movies have left a definite mark on film, and for that reason alone, Shogun Assassin is one you should see.
Keep an eye out for future reviews on this site of the original material of which this film was made…
Check out the trailer and a couple clips from the film below:
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