The Best Ninja Anime Movies
Manga and anime have become worldwide phenomena, the massive global success of series like "Naruto" and "Death Note" proving that just because something is uniquely Eastern in tone doesn't mean its appeal is restricted to the East. There's an anime for every genre and every taste, but, relatively little anime about ninja have made it to the West. Those that have, such as "Naruto," have been phenomenally successful.
"Ninja Scroll"
Jubei Kibagami is a Ronin, a sword-for-hire who killed his master in revenge following a betrayal. However, when he's informed that his master has reincarnated at the head of a supernatural organization, Jubei reluctantly joins forces with a spy to gain his revenge. A cult classic, Ninja Scroll is extremely dark, very violent and spends a great deal of time exploring the mindset of the ninja, especially Jubei's feelings of betrayal.
"Dagger of Kamui"
Released in 1985, the film follows Jiro, a young man who returns home to find his family slain and a strange dagger left in the house. He escapes a mob of angry villagers who blame him for the murders and falls in with a Buddhist monk called Tenkai, who promises to tell him the truth about his father. Extremely violent and very grim, "Dagger of Kamui" is almost film-noir-like at times, with twists, turns and betrayals.
"Basilisk"
Reminiscent of "Romeo and Juliet," "Basilisk" is based on historical events concerning the feud between two ninja clans in 1614. In a desperate attempt to bring peace, the clans are told to send their 10 best ninjas to a final contest, but numbered among them are Gennosuke and Oboro. Originally intended to be betrothed, the two must choose between loyalty to their clan and their love. Darker than many other stories, the show has aired worldwide.
"Naruto"
While "Naruto" takes a far more overtly supernatural approach to the idea of ninja, the series' vast length and equally vast success has established it as a classic of the genre. "Naruto" follows Naruto Uzumaki, a young boy from the vilage of Konohagakure who has a demon sealed inside him. Unaware of this, he, along with friends Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, carry out missions for the good of his village. The series has run for hundreds of episodes and, at the time of writing, six films had also been produced.
