Toy Robot continues its exciting first year with a beautiful Blu-ray edition of Ninja Wars (1982). This visually delightful, striking film comes armed with a nice 1080p transfer and new, valuable supplements.
Order now from MVD.
On a purely technical level, Ninja Wars is one of the most interesting films I have discovered this year. Nearly every scene has something pleasing to the eye, with extraordinary effects and incredible cinematography. As a feast for the senses, Ninja Wars is a real triumph and a completely unforgettable, overwhelmingly trippy experience. All that said, there was rarely a moment in this film where I felt confident that I knew what was happening.
The script is Ninja Wars biggest problem. As written by Ei Ogawa, Ninja Wars is consistently confusing and completely convoluted. It is a real shame, as the film itself is such a cool feeling and looking experience, but the script continually brings it down. Ogawa is mainly known for a series of Asian horror films he wrote in the early seventies, and Ninja Wars maintains some of those horrific elements. Sadly, despite all of the film’s great qualities, it never fully recovers from Ogawa’s weak screenplay.
Viewers who can resign themselves to Ninja Wars’ script issues will find much to love. Fuijo Morita’s cinematography features marvelous deep blacks, allowing the film’s more colorful moments to pop with appropriate magic. Morita’s work is exceptional throughout, and as much as the screenplay bothered me, the film’s photography saved it at every turn.
Ninja Wars is directed by G.I. Samurai filmmaker Kōsei Saitō, and he directs the film well. Running over 100 minutes, Ninja Wars is never less than pleasingly directed by Saitō, and the fast-paced editing by Isamu Ichida keeps things rolling rapidly along amidst all the confusion.
Cast wise, Ninja Wars big name is Sonny Chiba, but it is Hiroyuki Sanada, along with female co-stars Jun Miho and Yuki Kazamatsuri, who control the film. Considering the film’s problems at the script level, it is noteworthy that the cast comes across so well. Everyone here does consistently engaging work, although one has to wonder if they had any idea what was going on either.
I greatly enjoyed Ninja Wars and ultimately didn’t much care about how little I followed the film’s supernatural story. For some this might be a real hindrance, but the film’s sumptuously strange style hypnotized me completely. Toy Robot’s limited slip-covered edition comes with postcards, promotional material, an audio-commentary by Jonathan Clements, and two new critics’ interviews. Toy Robot also treats us with a trashed complete VHS version that literally looks like a different film.
Don’t let the script get in the way.
Ninja Wars is a blast and recommended.
-Jeremy Richey, October 2026-
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