Shinobi: Volume 2

Last week on Shinobi…

No, seriously—fans might need a quick recap to catch up with all the political intrigue on display in Radiance’s latest Shinobi box set, which collects the next three films in the Shinobi No Mono series: Siege (1964), Return of Mist Saizo(1964), and The Last Iga Spy (1965). For those who haven’t taken a college-level class in Japanese history, allow me to summarize (throat clearing). Japan’s three great “unifiers” were anything but benevolent rulers; their bid to create a nation out of the warring domains was simply a power grab that kept political chaos in check through discipline, taxation, and strict intimidation. The Shinobi series weaves its own story within this existing timeline, inserting pajama-clad assassins who always seem to be on the right side of history.

The first film up—Siege—really has it all, as SNL’s Stefon might say: throwing stars, smoke bombs, poison darts, body doubles, and midget wrestling. Well, maybe not that last bit. But with a thumping score from Godzilla composer Akira Ifukube, it certainly feels like the stakes are much higher. Raizo Ichikawa stars as Mist Saizo, honor-bound to prevent Ieyasu Tokugawa (one of the aforementioned unifiers) from stealing the throne. Ignoring the complicated plot, Siege lays down one incredible scene after another, stuffing its hero into cramped rafters, slippery rooftops, and inescapable prisons. This is the sort of escapist ninja adventure that made these (mostly) fictional characters pop culture icons to begin with!

The Return of Mist Saizo is a direct sequel, kicking off with an underwater ninja-vs.-ninja fight scene that predates the armed combat of Thunderball. After that, the film slows down to become a more serious reflection on the lessons of warfare. The collateral damage of Saizo’s mission doesn’t seem to be an even trade— Ieyasu’s legacy lives on while everyone Saizo cares about dies. It’s a bitter, downbeat conclusion that puts the franchise into a creative cul-de-sac.

Luckily, the third film flashes forward to Saizo’s son (also named Saizo and also played by Raizo Ichikawa), who continues his quest to free the nation from Tokugawa rule. But his tactics here involve more than just a simple assassination. Arranging a meeting between like-minded rebels, Saizo attempts to build an army of disaffected ronin while keeping enemy ninja at bay—including the princess he was sworn to protect. The action here is muted in favor of political strategy, but that seems to be the film’s point (Saizo himself has the same epiphany in the final scene). Still, one could wish for a bit more flash along with the history lesson.

As good as Radiance’s first set was, this one is an upgrade—in content as well as special features. Japanese period-film specialist Taichi Kasuga delivers a great breakdown of what made the Daiei period films so visually unique, with their rich backgrounds and impenetrable blacks. Tom Mes provides a scene-specific commentary on Siege. Ninja-film scholar Mance Thompson covers the development of the character from folklore to anti-hero, while Hayley Scanlon does the dirty work of outlining historical truth from fiction in her visual essay. These are all first-class, excellently researched, shot, and edited extras that pair nicely with the included liner notes, postcards, and rigid hard-stock case all making their world Blu-ray premieres!