Search - Shinobi No Mono 3: Resurrection on DVD

Brilliant Shinobi saga!

Albert Bridwell | USA | 09/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well All I can say, that this is some of the best Shinobi/ Ninja films to ever exist, brillliant on all levels and has some historical character to it as well.

Raizo Ichikawa is amongst Japan's best actors and he shines very bright throughout this series, especially while playing "Goemon" the Iga Ninja for the first 3 films in the series! If you love old genuine Japanese cinema you will love these.

Here is a brief rundown of the series on a whole! {Introduction: Chiba2000 and Takeda Toshiro / 2002}


Shinobi No Mono, the name that brought fear to their enemies. There have only been a few projects that accurately depicted these skilled warriors. The Shinobi No Mono series is one of the best! Hollywood tried to glamorize the lifestyles of these simple but skilled men and women. Ninjutsu as a martial arts is a culmi-nation of many practical disciplines. These nimble ninja wore masks to protect their identity and wore clothing that fit in with their environ-ment just as the military wear fatigues. This is about their story.

This section is dedicated to the Shinobi No Mono series starring the legendary Raizo Ichikawa. The movie series consists of eight awesome movies. Which later was spun-off into a TV-series in 1964-1965. Then in 1970 a stand-alone movie called "Mission: Iron Castle" (Shin Shinobi no shu) was released, starring Hiroki Matsukata. This series was filmed in black & white, and are considered by many as THE most realistic and historical correct ninja series ever made."

Hideyoshi vs Tokugawa

Zack Davisson | Seattle, WA, USA | 06/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When we last left our hero, Ishikawa Goemon, was in some pretty hot water. His wife and child cruelly murdered, he revenged himself on Nobunaga Oda, but was betrayed by the nightingale floors in Hideyoshi's castle and was captured and sentenced to execution. Things were not looking good.

"Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection" ("Shin Shinobi no Mono") picks up right on Shinobi No Mono 2's cliffhanger ending. Of course, Ishikawa survives his execution (otherwise he couldn't complete the remaining films in the eight-film series!) and does so in a ninja-spectacular style. Now in hiding, he resumes his course of vengeance against Hideyoshi Toyotomi. As partner's, Goemon recruits his old allies Hattori Hanzo and Nobori no Inuhachi.

Meanwhile Hideyoshi, secure in his position as Taiko and essentially ruling Japan, takes a little too much delight in the birth of his first natural son, Hideyori. Although he had promised succession to his adopted son, Hidetsugu, Hideyori's birth to a concubine changes everything. Seeing a chance for true vengeance, Goemon plots to teach Hideyoshi what it feels like to loose an innocent wife and child that one loves in the same way that his own wife and son were taken from him.

So far, "Shinobi no Mono 3" has been my favorite in the series. There is less ninja skills at work here, and more political intrigue, but the political maneuvering between Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Hidetsugu and Goemon more than makes up for the lack of action. Tono Eijiro (Battle of Okinawa) is particularly effective as Hideyoshi, the low born and ugly thug who fights to a position of power but still worries about his inferiority next to the noble born and handsome Tokugawa Ieyasu (Mishima Masao from "Zatoichi 14: Zatoichi's Pilgramage").

Not to say that there are not some spectacular scenes. One in particular has Goemon and Inuhachi using the tatami-mat flooring to defend themselves from a rifle barrage that was very cool. Ichikawa Raizo (Sleepy Eyes of Death) is the cool hard-man of Japanese film, and even though he doesn't get so much screen time in "Shinobi no Mono 3" he fills up every inch of it with dynamite."