Review of Ninja Scroll

Introduction

For everyone who gets into Anime, there are usually a number of entry points into the genre that everyone follows. Right now, it is films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke that are opening people`s eyes to the medium. When I first became interested in Anime the must see titles were Akira obviously, as well as Fist Of The North Star and Urotsokidoji for those of a certain frame of mind. One film that everyone talked about as an essential part of an anime collection was Ninja Scroll, and naturally I made sure to get it on video. However, upgrading to DVD wasn`t a priority until a rather fortuitous sale.

Set in the era of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Ninja Scroll relates the tale of Jubei, a wandering Ninja for hire who gets caught up in some intrigue when he rescues Kagero from the lascivious clutches of a brutal demon. The beautiful Kagero is the sole survivor of a group of ninjas sent to investigate the cause of a plague that has wiped out the inhabitants of Shimoda village. She also harbours a deadly secret in her blood, that her very touch can mean death. They go their separate ways, but the demon is intent on revenge after having his fun interrupted. Jubei manages to slay the monster, a fight that is appreciated by master spy Dakuan, who tries to hire Jubei. When Jubei is reluctant, Dakuan resorts to other means of persuasion, giving Jubei a slow acting poison, a poison that only Kagero has the cure for. Soon the three of them have to unravel a web of intrigue involving the eight demons of Kimon, who are attempting to topple the Shogunate and plunge Japan into an eternity of darkness. Jubei will be surprised to find that the demon leader wears a familiar face.

Video

The picture is presented in the original aspect ratio of 4:3. (The recent Special Edition`s anamorphic print is cropped down from this.) The animation is variable, with some scenes certainly atmospheric and amazing to look at, although on occasion some of the character design can appear a little simplistic. The transfer itself is far from ideal. The image is uniformly soft, and there are moments of print damage. One scene seemed particularly odd, with what appeared to be a green stain tinting half the screen, though since the scene was set in a forest it may have been deliberate. However, far from the Digitally Remastered claim on the back of the case, I could have sworn that Ninja Scroll was transferred from videotape. Aside from the uniform softness, there were three instances of artefacts that I can only associate with tape (horizontal flashes of white lines) that looked out of place on a digital medium.

Audio

You get the choice of DD 5.1 English or DD 2.0 Japanese with English subtitles. The Japanese stereo is the way to watch this of course, and the translated subtitles are well placed and easy to read, except for one moment when the translated speech overlapped some translated text on screen. The music is conveyed well and there is a subtle stereo ambience that can be appreciated. The DD 5.1 in contrast is immediately immersive and the speakers are put to good use conveying the effects. Although on occasion they do sound unnatural and even a little strident. Then of course there is the English dub, which I usually take pains to avoid.

Features

The extras are limited to a text synopsis of the plot, as well as some character profiles, and three trailers, two for other Manga titles and one for Ninja Scroll.

Conclusion

Ninja Scroll manages to embody both the best and worst qualities of Anime. It has a wealth of rich characters, calls on a wonderful mythology and makes the characters three dimensional with back story and intelligent interactions. The plot is convoluted to say the least, with twists and turns that will spin the senses, but it still manages to boil down to a series of battles with plenty of blood and guts interleaved with some exploitative sex.

It`s easy to see what was so attractive about Ninja Scroll when I was ten years younger, extreme violence and Samurai swords always seem to attract the younger male, but today Ninja Scroll is certainly lacking, especially when put up against some more recent anime films. The characters are still mildly compelling, and the comical spy Dakuan is worth watching. Unfortunately the difference between a convoluted plot and an entertaining story is all the more obvious, and Ninja Scroll seems more than ever to be just an excuse for some set-piece eye-candy.

The front of the case boasts "Also Contains U.S. Releases", which is poppycock of course, as the BBFC would have a fit. This is still only the UK release, with scenes of extreme violence trimmed for our delicate sensibilities, as is the recent Special Edition treatment.

Ninja Scroll best serves as post pub entertainment, like a computer game where you don`t have to push any buttons, and the talking just gets in the way of the next hack and slash moment. It`s only in the cold light of day that it feels a cold and lifeless 90 minutes that fails to stir any feeling Still, that wasp demon is well freaky.