Shinobi no Mono 2 - Vengeance dvd review

by Chris   ⋅   May 15, 2008   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅    RSS

Director: Satsuo Yamamoto
Starring: Raizo Ichikawa, Shiho Fujimura, Mikiko Tsubouchi, Tomisaburo Wakayama, So Yamamura
Genre: Japan, action, action, educational
Release Date: May 13, 2008

If you read my review of the first Shinobi no Mono, you probably remember I was more than a bit smitten with its tale of clan intrigue and ninja heroics. Shinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance builds upon and enhances that film’s every positive, serving up a slice of ninja action that is every bit as thrilling as its predecessor.

Picking up almost exactly where the first Shinobi no Mono ended, Shinobi no Mono 2 sees a retired Goemon trying his best to lay low, and eke out an agrarian existence with his new wife and infant son. But his peace doesn’t last for long. No sooner than you can say “koku of rice” does Nobunaga launch his infamous attack on the Iga. Despite his now being the last of his fierce and proud people, Goemon opts to put his new familial obligations ahead of his own desire for revenge. But when a party of Nobunaga’s ninja-extermination soldiers claims the life of Goemon’s infant son, all bets are off. Keeping perfectly with the spirit of the first film, Goemon sets about infiltrating the court of a potentially sympathetic feudal lord, in an effort toward setting in motion a series of political maneuverings that could severely harm Nobunaga’s rule. But, as is often said with politics, the devil you know is often preferable to the devil you don’t. As the likelihood of Goemon’s plan proving successful increases, so does the possibility of an even worse enemy taking the place of an unseated Nobunaga. The stage is set for some harrowing scenes of daring do and dastardly deception. Yep, Shinobi no Mono is back.

It’s worth noting here that these Shinobi no Mono films are truly episodic in nature. Don’t expect a introductory cushion or a concrete, nicely tied-up ending. If you haven’t seen the first film, you’ll probably find yourself a bit lost. As with the previous film, Shinobi no Mono 2 boasts an incredibly complex story, nearing levels of intricacy seen only in works of master ninja auteur (and one of my personal favorite directors), Masahiro Shinoda. Even if you’re an old hand with these tales, you might find yourself needing a sheet of notepaper to help guide you from point A to point B. For some this will undoubtedly be a bit offputting, but for true ninja fans therein lies an added joy of these pictures, with spying and political intrigue taking as much the forefront as the shadow arts.

Before this wet kiss of a review is over, it’s worth mentioning the film’s stunning cinematography, strong acting, and some truly amazing action. Every shot is impeccably framed, with just the right interplay of high contrast light and shadow. Every performance the right balance of haughty stage-play villainy and dramatic heroic introspection. Director Satsuo Yamamoto further juxtaposes sequences of peaceful forests punctuated by single scampering, silent shinobi, with the chaos and cacophony of Nobunaga’s swarming armies, driving home the very different approaches of the intellectual, strategizing ninja and the boorish, evil lord. The ninja sequences make liberal use of wires, trampolines, and reverse photography, and as low tech those solutions may seem, they are infused with a raw energy near absent from today’s martial arts fare (see: The Hidden Kingdom). In short, Shinobi no Mono 2 boasts great stuff all around.

In closing, as excited as I was at the end of the last Shinobi no Mono, I’m even more interested in what happens next. If you’re a fan of ninjas, you owe it to yourself to start picking these films up. Keep ‘em coming, AnimEigo.

The DVD

So the above wasn’t enough for you? The AnimEigo DVD boasts a very clear transfer – one of the best I’ve seen from them yet. Black and white films – especially this one — demand a quality contrast ratio, and this one’s nothing short of impressive. The film is presented in its original mono Japanese audio track (equally clear), and the usual choice of awesome AnimEigo subtitles (yes!).

The extras are where this title gets nice and interesting. For the first time in my recollection (it’s been a busy month. I could be wrong), AnimEigo has included a film commentary by a genuine Japanese-film scholar. As in-depth and informative as their program notes, this is definitely worth a listen by enthusiasts of Japanese film. And yes, program notes again are awesome. There’s so much information here, it’s almost like attending a class on Japanese history. I love it. Lastly, the DVD includes an interactive map of 16th century Japan (so you can make yourself a little more familiar with the locales of the film), a sizeable still gallery, and the usual AnimEigo trailer gallery (this time featuring Shinsengumi, Shinobi no Mono, this film, and Shogun Assassin 5).

So, you’re still here? Go buy this thing already!

About the Author

Chris Nelson has been a film fanatic since age six. A former film and English major, he is now a Software Engineer and contract Technical Writer living in the Silicon Valley.

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