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Welcome to the Ninja Dojo!
From the earliest days of film in Japan, the heart and soul of their movie industry has always been the ‘Jidai Geki', or ‘Samurai Era Film'. The mixture of history, culture, action, honor and the unique Japanese spirit that most exemplifies the soul of that nation.
Coming from the roots of Kabuki, the traditional stage plays, the early films did not have realistic swordplay, but more than made up for it with complex plot developments, many of which were based on real history. As with U.S. studios, there are a large number of silent films, and early talkies that have been re-made time and time again. The beauty of these re-makes is how each time the filmmakers have found something new to bring out in their versions.
The Ninja Dojo website is dedicated to promoting the Jidai Geki film so that people from all over the globe can learn about this extraordinary art form, and something of the culture from which it comes. We will be exploring the history of the samurai film from it's earliest beginnings to current day productions, with a mixture of some other related genres thrown in.
Within the world of Samurai Era films, there are a number of sub-genres, including:
Chanbara is a term used to refer to Japanese sword fighting productions. It comes from the sound of swords clashing in a duel. Ironically this mostly refers to swordsmen without formal training, as skilled sword masters rarely touch the other's blade. It is more likely to happen when gamblers or vagabonds fight gang wars.
Matatabi is a term used to refer to wandering Yakuza and Ronin productions. Most of the vagabonds or traveling gamblers who star in this type film have some sword skill, with many using unorthodox fighting styles, such as the Zato Ichi (The Blind Swordsman) and Mikogami no Jokichi ( Trail Of Blood ) series with their reverse grip cutting.
Ninja is a term used to refer to productions about the mysterious black-cloaked secret agents, who have become so well-known in the west as warriors of almost mystical abilities. They most often are shown using that same reverse grip sword tactics, but additionally have almost supernatural skills.
Kaidan is a term used to refer to productions featuring ghost stories and the supernatural. These movies are rich in Japanese lore and legend, and have a wealth of great stories to draw from.
And, of course there are true ‘Samurai' films, those made about real historical figures, as well as fictional characters who are samurai and ronin that have remained in the forefront of history. Some examples of this are all the 47 Ronin stories, all the Shinsengumi stories, and many other films, too numerous to mention. While some of these cross-reference with the Chanbara and Kaidan types of films, they deserve a more critical eye since they often present the view of history that people start to believe.
As the years passed, the Kabuki-looking swordplay that marked the early days of ‘jidai-geki' was replaced first by realistic action portrayed by actors with some real martial skills, such as Wakayama Tomisaburo, his brother Katsu Shintaro, and the always amazing Chiba Shinichi (known to many as Sonny Chiba). The last of the old school actors like Kataoka Chiezo and Ichikawa Utaemon with their stylized fighting lasted until the mid-1960's before the rise of the realistic school, which came out of Daiei and Toho studios.
The mission statement at Ninja Dojo has been to promote the films of Japan worldwide through our website. Featuring our vast collection of poster images, and memorabilia, we will keep growing as a center of knowledge and entertainment. We hope you are as excited about this new direction for the website as we are. The culture and history of Japan has come upon the world scene, but is still little understood. The rich lore of their society fully comes to life in these movies, which may help to give our members a better understanding of, and enjoyment in the samurai film and its related topics.
Samurai themselves were basically the equivalent of European knights, with their own form of chivalry, called Bushido (Code of the Samurai). Japan was a society with little upward mobility, and one of the few ways to raise one's station in life was to learn the sword and try to become the retainer of a samurai family. Wars, rebellions, and individual duels are shown in ways unlike any other form of entertainment, with a mixture of blood, guts, and extreme skill. Many of the sword stars performed their own stunts, sometimes even at great risk to their lives.
Watch as our site grows and evolves with loads of terrific background material, visual and musical highlights and links to sources of the films that are off the beaten path.
Enjoy!
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