Shogun's Ninja: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1980
Director: Norifumi Suzuki
Writers: Takao Ishikawa, Ichirō Otsu, Shirō Kannami
Cast: Hiroyuki Sanada, Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Etsuko Shiomi, Shōhei Hino, Yōko Nogiwa, Yuki Ninagawa, Katsumasa Uchida, Masashi Ishibashi, Akira Hamada, Asao Koike, Masumi Harukawa, Makoto Satō, Isao Natsuyagi, Tetsuro Tamba

Release Date: August 25th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 117 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"During the Warring States period, a lone man on a small boat approaches the shores of Japan. His name is Takamaru Momochi, heir to the Iga clan, returning after ten years of hiding in China and fully intent on finding the ruthless ninja Shiranui (Chiba), the man who betrayed and murdered his father. But with Shiranui and his thugs now in control of the country, Takamaru must gather the scattered remnants of his clan and train in the shadowy art of ninjutsu so they can mount a guerrilla resistance, defeat the corrupt ninja and restore the Iga's honor." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The High-Definition master provided by Toei Company, LTD."

Shogun's Ninja comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.2 GB

Feature: 36.6 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono Japanese), 3.5/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese and a LPCM mono mix in English. While both tracks sound clear and balanced, the English-language track sounds more confined. Included are English subtitles for the Japanese-language track and a second English subtitle track for text in Japanese. It should be noted that languages and subtitles can only be changed via the setup menu.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with Japanese cinema expert Clément Rauger titled The Rebirth of Japanese Action Cinema (22 minutes 9 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary by Asian cinema expert Chris Poggiali, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 24-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Double Agents of Shogun’s Ninja written by Earl Jackson, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Norifumi Suzuki directed Shogun's Ninja. He’s known for The Lustful Shogun and His 21 Concubines, Sex and Fury, School of the Holy Beast, The Killing Machine, Star of David: Hunting for Beautiful Girls, and Roaring Fire. He also directed several films in the Girl Boss and Terrifying Girls' High School film series.

Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a power-hungry warlord, makes a pact with Shogun Shiranui to destroy the Momochi clan and find out where their cache of gold is hidden. After Shogen Shiranui and his men slaughter the Momochi clan, they are unable to retrieve the knife, which contains engravings that are a map that tells us where the gold is hidden. When his family was murdered, Takamaru was secretly taken away by a loyal servant. Ten years later, now a man, Takamaru, returns to Japan to reform the Momochi clan and exact revenge on those who killed his family.

Shogun's Ninja is the type of film that should convert anyone who dislikes ninja films into a fan. The well-crafted narrative does an excellent job grabbing your attention, and things move briskly from one action set piece to the next. That said, while action-heavy, there is just enough exposition to flesh out key characters.

When it comes to the action sequences, they are inventive and very gory. Another area where the action sequences standout is how each one somehow tops the previous one. The most memorable action sequences involve Shogun Shiranui and two of his henchmen who combine their skills and fight as one. The action sequences were choreographed by Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba’s Japan Action Club.

By the early 1980s, Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba (The Street Fighter) moved away from leading man to ensemble films that often feature two of his protégés, Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai) and Etsuko Shiomi (Dragon Princess). Hiroyuki Sanada is cast in the role of the protagonist, Takamaru, the lone survivor and heir to the Iga clan. He delivers one of his most well-rounded performances, and some of the moves he executes in action sequences are jaw-dropping.

While Shogun’s Ninja is a film that’s not going to be remembered for its performances, the cast, especially Hiroyuki Sanada, Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba, Etsuko Shiomi, and Etsuko Shiomi, elevate everyone around him. Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba’s character, Shogun Shiranui, is a man of action who only sparsely uses words. Although there have been many female action stars that have come out of Asia, still none have ever consistently held their own with their male counterparts like Sue Shihomi.

Norifumi Suzuki is an underrated filmmaker whose output in the 1970s is among the best out of any filmmaker working for Toei. Although he continued to work throughout the 1980s, his standouts from this era are ninja films, all of which feature Shin’ichi ‘Sonny’ Chiba. That said, Norifumi Suzuki excelled most at action and exploitation; Shogun's Ninja delivers in spades when it comes to these two things. Ultimately, Shogun's Ninja is a fast-paced action extravaganza that fans of ninja films should thoroughly enjoy.

Shogun's Ninja gets a first-rate release Arrow Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer