SHINTARO THE SAMURAI Vol. 3 - BLACK NINJA
English Dubbed
Director:TORU Toyama
Cast: KOICHI OSE, Shunsuke Omori, Bin Amatsu, (English Voices) Cliff Harrington, William Ross
This classic Japanese samurai TV series (1962-1965) portrays the adventures of a roving samurai, Akikusa Shintaro (whose real name is Matsudaira Nobuchiyo), played by Ose Koichi.
Set in the 17th century Japan and is a combination of pantomime, violent action, brilliant sword play and magicianship. Shintaro is the older half-brother of Ienari, the 11th Tokugawa shogun. Because he is the son of a concubine, he has no claim to power, so he assumes the guise of a wandering spy-swordsman (along with the name Shintaro) to seek out and eliminate plots by rival warlords, in this way protecting his younger brother, who is still a minor.
Acting on secret orders from roju (chief councillor) Matsudaira Sadanobu, Shintaro gathers information in the various fiefdoms and battles rival warriors and spies, aided by his Iga Ninja friend Tombei the Mist (Japanese: Kiri no Tonbei), as played by Fuyukichi Maki. Shintaro is also helped by Shusaku (played by Omori Shunsuke), whose father has been kidnapped by Koga ninja, and whom Shusaku and Shintaro are also trying to find.
Filmed in black-and-white, the series was based in part on historical events but borrowed heavily from the Japanese historical romance genre. The producers compensated for its low budget by using real historical locations around Japan, including the imposing feudal castles from the era. Despite its massive popularity in Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, the series was not widely screened elsewhere and its fame remains largely restricted to those countries.
English Dubbed, No Subtitles.
1964 Black & White Fullscreen 4 Discs set
Episode 1: The Lure Of Edo
Episode 2: The Plot
Episode 3: The Disappearing Trick
Episode 4: The Secret Of The Chest
Episode 5: The Hidden Leaf Ninja
Episode 6: The Flying Robe Ninja
Episode 7: The Puppet Ninja
Episode 8: The Hawk Ninja
Episode 9: The Flying Eagle
Episode 10: The Ring Of Fire
Episode 11: The Ghost Ninja
Episode 12: Tendo The Dragon
Episode 13: The Thirteenth Ninja
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