Shinobi (Screen Daily Review)

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Shinobi

Mark Schilling in Tokyo 05 October 2005

Dir: Ten Shimoyama. Jap. 2005. 101mins.

Already sold to 14 foreign territories and with strong remake potential, Ten Shimoyama's Shinobi resembles recent Japanese period epics like Red Shadow, Samurai Resurrection and Azumi in its computer game-like structure and targets their teen audiences accordingly.

But in telling his story of two warring ninja clans, Shimoyama also aspires to the epic, mythic quality of Zhang Yimou's Hero and Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - and attains it more often than not.

At home the film has enjoyed a good showing, marketed by Shochiku more as a love story than a martial arts spree and targeting under-30s of both sexes, including dating couples, rather than just martial arts movie fans.

Overseas, prospects are likely to be good among specialised Western audiences with a hankering for ninja theatrics and Asian period drama.

The film takes place in 1614, with Japan finally at peace after long decades of internal strife. Yukie Nakama plays Oboro, a ninja of the Iga clan, who falls in love with Gennosuke (Joe Odagiri), the son of the rival Koga clan's leader. Living in the remote mountains, these two clans have perfected the ninja arts, called "shinobi," far beyond the reach of mere mortals.

Seeking to consolidate the shogun's rule - and seeing the two clans as a threat to it, a powerful priest and shogunal advisor (Renji Ishibashi) schemes to set them against each other. The clans are commanded to each select five champions who will battle to the death. The reward for the survivor: rank and power.

Both Oboro and Gennosuke are chosen as champions, but Gennosuke doubts the shogunate's intentions - and refuses to take part in the contest. He is forced into action when his comrades begin to fall, though he cannot bring himself to battle one Iga warrior: Oboro.

Shinobi cleanly and quickly flies across the screen in little more than 100 minutes, minus the dead spots or static set pieces that bloat the usual period drama.

While the romance between the two principals is central, Shinobi's story is not dependent on Romeo and Juliet mechanics; rather the two leads spend most of their time as champions for rival families, not as lovers fighting the opposition of their parents.

The fight scenes are mostly two opponents battling to the death before the winner moves on to the next foe (a narrative motor also found in the big-screen adaptation of computer games like Mortal Kombat). But Shimoyama ups the ante with pieces of lethal steel flying at impossible speeds, wire-assisted leaps to the roofs of buildings and stunts bordering on “now you see it now you don't" trickery.

The 10 contestants in this ultimate death match are distinctive types easy for the audience to sort out, including the lovely-but-creepy Kagero (Tomoka Kurotani) - poison to her enemies, but sweet on Gennosuke - and Tenzan Yakushi (Kippei Shiina), a silver-haired ninja master who knows all and sees all, including the secrets of Oboro's conflicted heart.

Star Yukie Nakama, a TV drama queen whose film work has been on the light comic side (G@ame, Trick), exudes dynamism, passion and sensuality, as though she prepped with the films of Zhang Ziyi. She never abandons her femininity, even as a fiery warrior, nor loses her steely ninja spirit, even as a woman in love.

The work of visual effects producer Shuji Asano and CG director Hiroyuki Hayashi dazzlingly transcends the usual ninja stunts, as when Obero pierces a foe with her glance (her eyes changing colour in the process) and shorts out his synapses, in a sequence that resembles an animated medical drawing in hyper-realistic 3-D.

These and other feats, however, derive from the ninjas' training and abilities, not simply cartoon-like super-powers. Impossibly exaggerated, yes, verging on the absurd, no. Also, they defeat each other more with their smarts and skills than brute power displays.

Photography is first rate, underscoring the gorgeousness of the period costumes and scenery without looking too staged or picture postcard.

The mayhem eventually ends with a poignant moment of remembrance and hope and a final message: super ninjas may not last forever but love will endure.

Production companies
Shochiku
Nippon Television Network
Satellite Theatre
Yomiuri Shimbun

Japan distribution
Shochiku

International sales
Shochiku

Executive producer
Takeo Hisamatsu

Producers
Nozomu Enoki
Hiroyuki Sato

Screenplay
Kenya Hirata from the book Koga Ninpo-cho by Futaro Yamada

Cinematography
Masashi Chikamori

Editor
Isao Kawase

Production design
Toshihiro Isomi

Music
Taro Iwashiro

Action director
Yuji Shimomura

Costume designer
Kumiko Ogawa

Visual effects producer
Shuji Asano

CG director
Hiroyuki Hayashi

Main cast
Yukie Nakama
Joe Odagiri
Renji Ishibashi
Tomoka Kurotani
Kippei Shiina