PbxAnime.com: Fans Anime Reviews

Ok, ok. I have to start out by telling you that if you have not seen this movie you are not as hardcore an anime fan as you think you are. And if you have, you don't need me to tell you that this movie absolutely kicks my ass! Ninja Scroll was the first anime I ever saw, my introduction to anime, as it were. Somewhere between the softcore porn and incessant documentaries that make up the majority of late night Showtime, I came upon a defenseless woman being (no keeping my dignity here) fingered by an obvious villain. I was astounded, not only because this was the most explicit and lurid scene I'd ever viewed on the movie channel, but because it was a cartoon. I soon had to turn it off though, because my parents could not come down and find me watching such naughty naughties. After finally finding out the name of this movie, I borrowed it from a friend and got to see all of Ninja Scroll in its luscious gory animated goodness.

Ninja Scroll revolves around a wandering ninja named Jubei. The movie begins with our hero being attacked by three scum while he walks across a bridge. As his eyes are covered by a large straw hat and he nonchalantly munches on a rice ball, the audience immediately knows the outcome of this battle. Brutally outnumbered, the creators of this film used a battle animation I've grown quite fond of. Jubei proceeds to throw his rice ball up in the air, methodically parry, jump, dodge, and kill two of his opponents, leaving the third unarmed and whimpering, then catching his high thrown rice ball. This touch always gives the character a sense of nonchalance, skill and power that absolutely, for lack of a better word, rally their enemies.

As the story moves on, we find that a whole village has been inflicted by a horrible plague, to which origins are unknown. At this point a shadowy character is seen in the weeds and we discover one of Arctic's biggest peeves about the movie. As this character slides off into the foliage the animators use what I deem as pure and absolute laziness. Instead of making a series of frames to move the guy out, they just take the three cels that make him up, the foreground cel, and proceed to slide him to the left and the foreground to the right. Effective, I must admit, but frustrating, nonetheless. Moving on, the audience finds out that a plague hasn't covered this village, but 8 villainous people have poisoned the water to cause an immediate evacuation of said village. A Koga ninja team, including the heroine Kagero, travels to the village to investigate a plague they find dubious. All but Kagero are brutally slaughtered by the first of eight �devils of kimon'. The scene post-killings is the second most risque sequence I have experienced in the dome that is anime. The woman ninja is then molested by the big rock monster that had just murdered her friends. After struggling he put his hand to her throat and threatens that, �Don't think I would mind raping a dead girl.� That line made me all the more anticipative for this bad guys death.

As expected, Kagero is saved by our hero. Leaving a very sexually frustrated, angry and one-eyed Tessai to pout over, these two part paths only to once again find eachother and become a crack team of two ninjas and one �government spy', who recruits them to uncover a plot by both the Shogun of the Dark and the 8 Devils of Kimon. As these three skilled ninjas travel through this middle age Japanese landscape they come across some of the most exciting and interesting characters ever created in an anime movie. A man who handles his enemy with an innumerable army of bees. A ninja who skills are unparalleled and who has only a small disadvantage, the handicap of being blind. That character, I found was a very interesting concept. A woman who possesses a mastery over snakes, and perhaps, may be a serpent herself? A feminine villain who uses thin wires to electrocute his victims. Yes, I said �his' victims. Three others, who for now, I will leave un-named and un-described as to not ruin the movie for you folks who haven't seen it yet. And as for you folks that have seen it, you probably are just here to know what I thought of it. So here goes, THE GREAT ARCTIC ALASKAN REVIEW!!!

SOUND:
As the movie takes place in ancient Japan during times of feudal lords and small clans the makers of Ninja Scroll did a fine job. The sound effects combine what I consider to be traditional anime as in the clashing and unsheathing of swords. I don't know the instrument, but when you watch the movie, the music fits, without a doubt. Traditional chimes with traditional whoops and hollers of old Japanese men make up a surprisingly beautiful entourage of music.

STORY:
Although a little bit flaky in parts, I thoroughly enjoyed the myriad of characters and plot twists. I felt it stuck close to Japanese folklore and superstition, although I've never read any Japanese folklore. Heheh. It had ninjas in it. No, but seriously, the first time I watched it, it had me confused, scared, squeamish, and slightly turned on... I mean, seriously guys, boobies.

ANIMATION & BACKGROUND:
As I said before, I do have some items with the laziness of the animation staff. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no qualms or hatreds about doing that with backgrounds or foregrounds. But when you do it with characters, it just looks corny and half-assed. But again, I must praise the character design. The Action sequences are always a beauty, but as expected, the talking scenes drag on because there is not much movement. The Japanese people were praised on their animation tricks, such as moving the camera to save work while preserving action, while in my opinion, nothing can take the place of good hardy animated movies. The backgrounds in this movie are lush and plentiful. I feel that the background artists are often unappreciated as their masterpieces only are on screen for a few brief seconds. EXCELLENT BACKGROUNDS & FOREGROUNDS! The action sequences in Ninja Scroll are the best, so this movie still gets high marks in this category.

SWEARING, SEX & VIOLENCE:
Mild amount of swearing: shit, damn, bitch, etc.. The big one, isn't hit in this one.
Two scenes of Kagero getting raped and molested. Koga Clan leader gets his groove on while holding a meeting. Not much sex, but then if you wanted cartoon love, I'm sure there is a website out there to satisfy your particular craving. And lastly, this movie was filled with bountiful violence and gore. People cut in half, sewn back together and quenching their thirst with another's blood.

KILLA QUOTE:
�My best hat.�
You may recognize this review from another site. I went by the pen name of Alphonus Capone. I felt this particular review needed to be moved to a website where it would be more appreciated.

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