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Shinobi Volume 2: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1964 (Shinobi: Siege, Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo), Japan, 1965 (Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy)
Directors: Tokuzô Tanaka (Shinobi: Siege), Kazuo Ikehiro (Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo), Kazuo Mori (Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy)
Cast: Raizô Ichikawa (All Films), Midori Isomura, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Ganjirô Nakamura, Katsuhiko Kobayashi, Jun'ichirô Narita, Ryûzô Shimada, Yutaka Nakamura, Fujio Suga, Manabu Morita, Kôichi Mizuhara, Saburô Date (Shinobi: Siege), Yukiko Fuji, Shiho Fujimura, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Eitarô Ozawa, Katsuhiko Kobayashi, Ryûtarô Gomi, Ryûzô Shimada, Masako Akeboshi, Sônosuke Sawamura, Yoshio Inaba, Saburô Date (Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo), Kaoru Yachigusa, Isao Yamagata, Mizuho Suzuki, Kenji Imai, Ryûzô Shimada, Ryûji Kita, Tatsuya Ishiguro, Saburô Date, Kôichi Mizuhara (Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy)

Release Date: August 17th, 2025 (UK), August 18th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 19 Seconds (Shinobi: Siege), 91 Minutes 22 Seconds (Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo), 88 Minutes 59 Seconds (Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £34.99 (UK), $64.95 (USA)

"In Siege, Raizo Ichikawa is Mist Saizo, the legendary folk hero and Iga ninja. Working in the service of warlord Yukimura Sanada (Tomisaburo Wakayama), he plots to assassinate Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, but finds himself facing the might of the nation’s supreme ruler.

In Return of Mist Saizo, our black-clad hero continues his mission to avenge his master, even after Ieyasu has abdicated from the throne. Told as one continuous story, these two films weave their ninja action in and out of Japanese martial history, featuring epic battles, ingenious spycraft and thrilling fight scenes.

In The Last Iga Spy, Mist Saizo’s son Saisuke takes over his father’s name and mission. He is recruited by a rebellious warlord to assist a plot to overthrow the government, but the Shogun hires a rival ninja clan to thwart the uprising. Meanwhile, other forces are also at play. Directed by Kazuo Mori (Shinobi 3: Resurrection, Zatoichi at Large), this film pits ninja against ninja, including a breathtaking rooftop battle scene that is one of the highlights of the entire Shinobi series." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Shinobi: Siege, Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo, and Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy were transferred in 2K by the Kadokawa Corporation and supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file."

Shinobi: Siege and Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 20.5 GB (Shinobi: Siege), 21.5 GB (Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo)

Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.8 GB

Feature: 25.9 GB

The source looks excellent; any debris that remains is minor. Image clarity, contrast, and compression are solid, and while black levels generally look great, there are a few moments where they are not as convincing. Also, the image is free of any digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. All three audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with Shinobi: Siege and Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo include a scene-specific audio commentary with Tom Mes for Shinobi: Siege, a video essay by Tom Mes about Raizô Ichikawa titled The Faces of Raizô (4 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono, text in English) and an interview with Japanese period film historian Taichi Kasuga (24 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Extras on the disc with Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy include an interview with ninja film scholar Mance Thompson (18 minutes 12 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles) and a video essay by film critic Hayley Scanlon titled The Tragedy of Mist Saizo (11 minutes 34 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, six postcards of promotional material from the films, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 56-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled Guerrillas in the Mist written by Jonathan Clements, an archival essay titled The Ninja: An Invented Tradition written by Stephen Turnbull, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Shinobi: Siege: Now the ruler of Japan, Ieyasu Tokugawa, only has one holdout standing in his way of complete domination: the Toyotomi clan. Will they surrender to avoid bloodshed, or will they not go down without a fight?

Tokuzô Tanaka directed Shinobi: Siege. He’s known for Killer Whale, New Tale of Zatoichi, Zatoichi the Fugitive, Sleepy Eyes of Death: The Chinese Jade, Zatoichi's Vengeance, Sleepy Eyes of Death: Hell Is a Woman, The Betrayal, The Snow Woman, The Haunted Castle, and eight films in the Bad Reputation series.

Although Shinobi: Siege is a continuation of the three films that preceded it. There are characters from those three films in Shinobi: Siege, and they are portrayed by the same actors. Its star, Raizô Ichikawa (The Betrayal), portrays a different character named Saizo Kirigakure, and this character aligns with the Toyotomi clan, whereas Goemon Ishikawa was a bitter enemy of that clan.

Shinobi: Siege jumps right into the fray with an attack on a castle by hundreds of hired ronin who are aiding Ieyasu Tokugawa in his quest to take out the Toyotomi clan. The outer areas of the castle have been fortified. When it becomes clear that they cannot get past these layers of defense, Tokugawa Ieyasu has his men stand down while they wait while those inside are cut off from supplies and will eventually starve. This opening setup does a phenomenal job laying the foundation for the events that follow.

Although Raizô Ichikawa is portraying a new character, the transition feels effortless due to the similarities between the two roles. The most memorable performance is Ganjirô Nakamura’s (Floating Weeds) portrayal of a ruthless shogun named Ieyasu Tokugawa. He delivers a pitch-perfect performance that is utterly convincing in conveying his character's brutality and bloodlust. Another performance of note is Tomisaburô Wakayama (Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance) in the role of Yukimura Sanada, a warlord at odds with Ieyasu Tokugawa.

Loyalty and betrayal are themes that are once again prominent, as characters make and break alliances as they vie for position as power is consolidated. The narrative is well-constituted; it does a superb job balancing exposition and action, with its two major action set pieces opening and closing the film. When it comes to ninjas, there are numerous attacks involving them, along with some brutal moments of torture, such as acid being poured on a victim's face. The film also showcases an abundance of carnage. Ultimately, Shinobi: Siege marks a welcome return to form after the disappointment of its predecessor, Shinobi: Resurrection.

Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo: This film picks up where its predecessor left off, with Saizo Kirigakure now serving as a bodyguard for a feudal lord named Yukimura Sanada, who narrowly escaped when Tokugawa Ieyasu successfully invaded his castle.

Kazuo Ikehiro directed Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo. He’s known for Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold, Zatoichi's Flashing Sword, Zatoichi's Pilgrimage, Shinobi: A New Beginning, Sleepy Eyes of Death: A Trail of Traps, and Naked Ambition.

Like the first two Shinobi films, Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo and its predecessor, Shinobi: Siege, are bookends. Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo’s narrative opens with a recap and then picks up where its predecessor left off. When the action resumes, Saizo Kirigakure and another man are helping Yukimura Sanada flee from a certain death. Right on their tracks is a group of ninja assassins, and an impressive action sequence unfolds in boats and in water between Saizo Kirigakure and the ninja assassins.

Once again a feud between rival clans plays a significant role in the story that unfolds. The action sequences are exemplary, particularly a scene where ninjas attack with flaming throwing stars and another where ninja assassins ambush Saizo Kirigakure. While these action sequences are certainly the highlight, the narrative maintains a satisfying balance between exposition and action.

All around, the cast are excellent, especially Raizô Ichikawa (A Certain Killer), who returns in the role of Saizo Kirigakure. He once again delivers another commanding performance that elevates everyone around him. Another performance of note is Tomisaburô Wakayama (Big Time Gambling Boss), who reprises the role of Yukimura Sanada. A casting change of note: Eitarô Ozawa (Ugetsu) replaces Ganjirô Nakamura in the role of Ieyasu Tokugawa.

Revenge is also key to the story that unfolds; there are two female ninjas who want revenge for their father, who was killed by Saizo Kirigakure. This subplot has a solid twist when one of the women falls in love with Saizo Kirigakure, causing a rift with her sibling. Being that this is a film about ninjas, it's not a surprise that deception plays a large role; there is a ninja who disguises himself in such a way that his reveal truly catches you off guard. Ultimately, a strong case can be made for Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo being the best film in this series.

Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy: This film serves as an origins story for Saizo Kumogakure and his father, who was also a ninja; he died before his eyes. Years later, Saizo Kumogakure is hired by a warlord to assist in the plot to overthrow the government, which puts him on a path to avenge his father's death.

Kazuo Mori directed Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy. It is the second of three Shinobi films he directed, the other two being Shinobi: Resurrection and Shinobi: Mission: Iron Castle. His other notable films are Samurai Vendetta, Agent Shiranui, The Tale of Zatoichi Continues, Zatoichi and the Doomed Man, Wrath of Daimajin, and Zatoichi at Large.

For this sixth installment, there is no carryover from its predecessor; instead, it's an origins story that's rooted in revenge. The opening setup does a superb job laying out the traumatic childhood events that made Saizo Kirigakure the man he’s become. Besides fleshing out the protagonist's backstory, this opening setup is action heavy.

Once again there are characters pretending to be someone they are not, and they use this deception to lure Saizo Kirigakure into a trap by kidnapping someone from his past. This person from his past is a princess who was raised as his daughter by Saizo Kirigakure’s father to protect her. That said, the main narrative thread is a plot to cause unrest and usurp the emperor's power.

The narrative is flawlessly constructed; it does an exceptional job drawing you in and holding your attention. When it comes to pacing, things move briskly, and the narrative does a superb job building momentum to an exemplary finale. Ultimately, Shinobi: The Last Iga Spy is an outstanding successor to Shinobi: Return of Mist Saizo.

Shinobi Volume 2 is a solid release from Radiance Films that gives each film strong audio/video presentations and informative extras, recommended.