It’s a shame it gets its release on DVD in the West after the aforementioned films have already hit the shelves. What the viewer must realise is that Ninja Battle actually pre-dates Ninja Girl, Rouge Ninja and Alien vs Ninja. Perhaps this review is being a little too hard on the director. If you’re already a fan of Chiba’s films, and like the format, as tame as it is, then you’ll probably get some pleasure out of watching Ninja Battle. However, don’t be put off by this review, and don’t let it discourage you from watching his other films like Ninja Girl (aka Kunoichi) and the totally outrageous, but totally cool Alien vs Ninja. That is Sengoku: Iga no ran (other wise known as The Rebel Ninja). But in Chiba’s defense, this is not the original title. So why call the film Ninja Battle Nil Battle would be a better choice. You think you’re going to be treated to a major scrap between ninja clans, but alas, there’s very little in the way of action at all. One of the most absurd things about this film, or at least as far as its UK DVD release is concerned, is its title. But even so, Shakespeare it is not – not that it’s trying to be of course.
But that said, the storyline is a little stronger than his other films and it does have quite a nice little twist at the end. This would work fine if the actual plot was gripping enough. As harsh as it may sound, Chiba’s films tend to play out like an amateur stage play reusing the same wardrobe and set pieces over and over again – the forest and the cave. If you’ve seen any of Chiba’s other films, then you may feel cheated and a little hard-done-by after sitting through this one. Meanwhile, during the interrogation of the girl, the ninjas begin to reveal their own true colours as bluffs, double bluffs, lies and betrayals come to the fore and threaten to compromise the mission. But all is not as it appears.Īs the Iga ninjas start to unravel the mystery surrounding Yoshimori’s death and continue their search for the missing vital document, Sawa proves that even tightly bound and at the mercy of her captors, she is still capable of being a deadly assassin. Sawa is believed to be in possession of a secret document containing information that could lead to the Iga’s successful resistance in the conflict with the Koga. The girl, Sawa, is revealed to be a low-ranking Koga ninja from the distant Kashiwagi village and claims she was forced by Yoshimori to work for him as a traitor against her own clan. When a small group of Iga ninjas find their comrade Yoshimori lying dead in a cave next to a bound a gagged girl, they immediately suspect her of somehow being involved in his murder. Prior to these events, a team of ninja agents were dispatched on a covert mission to prevent Oda and the Koga from gaining the upper hand.
In 1581, the Iga province of Japan was annihilated by Oda Nobunaga and the Koga allied forces with many blaming the Iga’s downfall on the treachery of the Iga shinobi Shimoyama Kai. More ninja action from cult director Seiji Chiba!
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