Friday, December 29, 2017

THE SAGA OF THE KING OF THE MONSTERS ~ PART 3: KING KONG VS GODZILLA (1962)


By 1962 Godzilla hadn't been featured in a movie for seven years. During that time Toho had produced several other tokusatsu films featuring many other kaiju such as Rodan, Moguera, Varan, and Mothra. Godzilla was seemingly left behind. 1962 marked Toho's 30th anniversary and several films went into production in celebration of this event. A new Godzilla film was among the proposed ideas for Toho's 30th anniversary. At the time Toho recently acquired the rights to produce a King Kong film, King Kong Meets Frankenstein. The original 1933 King Kong film was cited as the primary influence for Toho's special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya's pursuit of a career in film. The script was adapted by Shinichi Sekizawa, replacing the Frankenstein Monster with Godzilla. And the rest is history.

KING KONG VS GODZILLA is somewhat of an anomaly among the Godzilla series. It's far more satirical in it's approach to the subject matter in regards to the human drama, employing comical acting duos, over the top characters, and reflecting extreme sentiments about Japanese television at the time. The monsters are far more anthropomorphized, particularly in regards to the fight scenes. Godzilla displays a weakness to electricity, a weakness the monster hadn't displayed prior or since, while King Kong draws strength from electricity, a power he's never possessed before or hereafter. The Godzilla films surrounding King Kong Vs Godzilla present the subject matter seriously and with genuine gravitas whereas the overall presentation of this film is in the spirit of a pay per view wrestling match.

While Ishiro Honda may have preferred to keep Godzilla the embodiment of death and destruction, this slap sticky film became the franchise's biggest financial hit. The Godzilla franchise owes a lot to this film as Toho basically greenlit two more films to be released two years later. It is true to say that the original 1954 Gojira is an unparalleled classic yet to be equaled, but without the 1962 film it is fair to assume that the Godzilla series may not be what it is today. Even with serious Godzilla films to come, King Kong Vs Godzilla's tone would prove prophetic as future Godzilla films would one day embrace a similar style.

My first exposure to Godzilla was the first film when I was four years old. But the film that made me fall in love with Godzilla was King Kong Vs Godzilla. This is the Godzilla film I watched the most as a child and still love to this day.

THE PLOT

Unusually warm currents in the Bering Sea start melting large icebergs. What was once the frozen island of Iwato breaks apart and Godzilla is freed from his icy prison. Instinctively Godzilla heads for Japan. A media mogul, both impressed and disgusted by the amount of television coverage on Godzilla, decides his show needs a monster of its own to increase the ratings. At the first rumor of a monster he dispatches two of his best men to a remote island in the pacific. There the two men discover the island god, King Kong. Using a red berry juice that contains a natural narcotic effect, King Kong falls asleep and is shipped to Japan where he escapes and runs amuck. Eventually King Kong and Godzilla's paths cross and the greatest battle the world has ever known takes place.

WHAT I LIKED

Balancing Humor with Action. What makes this movie so appealing to kids and adults alike is how undeniably entertaining the film is. Like the current trend in super hero movies, the film is filled with great humor, fun characters, and exciting sequences. And for the most part the humor comes from the right places: the human characters and the ridiculous situations they find themselves in. The actors Tadao Takashima, Yu Fujiki, and Ichiro Arishima are fun and hilarious. And the beautiful Mie Hama running from Godzilla in one scene and then from King Kong in the next is both thrilling and ludicrous. King Kong Vs Godzilla isn't a comedy but rather a satire. The monsters, for the most part, are taken seriously but situational humor, such as two giant monsters chasing after Mie Hama, lends the film a unique tone. This is never better illustrated than in the film's final fight sequence where the monsters transition from being truly animalistic and fierce to anthropomorphized wrestlers on a whim.

Godzilla's Design. Godzilla's physical appearance in this film is quite different from any other Godzilla film before or after. His head is more serpentine and his spines are huge. He also has a considerable amount of bulk in general. It might be because this is the first Godzilla film I really attached to but this particular design has become my favorite of the Showa era Godzilla suits, the 1964 Mothra Vs Godzilla suit coming in a close second. Godzilla's emergence from the iceberg is among my favorite scenes in all of the franchise. His subsequent attack on the military base and later on the train to Hokkaido I feel are brilliantly shot and staged giving the scenes gravitas and genuine dread.

An Epic King Kong. I love the original 1933 King Kong, but I also love the Toho King Kong as well and for different reasons. The kaiju King Kong I view as a separate entity. His introduction is set up well with the Octopus attack. The octopus battle is forever imprinted in my memory and there is a moment in that sequence when the octopus attaches itself to King Kong's head where we see an amazing close-up of Kong's head that looks very real. It's probably King Kong's best shot in all the film. I'll admit that this King Kong is one of the strangest looking incarnations of the character but to me that's what makes it distinctive. This King Kong isn't a big gorilla but rather a beast all his own and unlike any other.

The Titanic Fight Scene. With the exception of GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN (1955), this is one of the earliest examples of kaiju vs kaiju on film. The setting of Mount Fuji for the climactic showdown couldn't be more epic. The start of the fight, with King Kong dropping out of the sky and slamming into Godzilla, sets the whole sequence off with a bang. The fight ebbs and flows, at times leaning towards one monster and later the other. Each monster receives standout moments in the fight, none really outshining the other. It's another well balanced set piece of the film. And the end with both monsters ripping through Atami Castle to get to each other is one helluva finale. There's a mix of animalistic fight choreography and judo which, depending on your personal bent, may or may not work for you. But it certainly makes one entertaining fight. One of the most entertaining in franchise.

And finally there is a wonderful and intriguing cast in addition to those I mentioned above including Akihiko Hirata as the Prime Minister, Jun Tazaki making his Godzilla series debut as General Shinzo, Kenji Sahara as the fearless Fujita, and the gorgeous Akemi Negishi as the lead female island native (I tell you, Akemi Negishi was probably one of the most beautiful women to ever appear in cinema).

NITPICKS

Really I have no problems with this movie. Except for the bizarre weakness to electricity Godzilla suddenly exhibits out of nowhere. This weakness is there to serve this particular film's plot but looking at the saga as a whole it makes no sense. I have less of a problem with King Kong's ability to grow stronger from electricity, other than the convenient lightning storm that intervenes during the final fight. Kong would've been barbecue had it not been for that storm.

Then there's King Kong's costume. I don't mind the design or Kong's gruesome countenance. Sadly though there are moments where the suit looks rather shabby. It's perplexing how previous, more intricate and complicated, kaiju such as Mothra and Varan looked so good while relatively simpler kaiju like the Monster Snowman (1955) and King Kong look so inferior by comparison. To be fair there are moments when the King Kong suit looks great, but there are many moments where Kong roars and his mouth never opens as well as instances where the seams on the Kong head pull away from the Kong body.

Many have theorized why King Kong, a character Eiji Tsuburaya claimed to love, was treated so poorly. I offer no further clues as to why this is save for this: simian-like kaiju suits fit more snugly to the actor's body, providing less room for inner suit mechanisms that would move the eyes or open the mouth. Also there'd be less padding to absorb the actor's movements thereby increasing wear and tear and loosening seams in occasion. More suit means more room to work with. Less suit means less options with which to bring the character to greater life.

CONTEXT

I've heard many characterize this film as "disappointing." Maybe so by today's standards but action and fight sequences (something I dearly love in movies) have come a very long way in the last two decades and one must keep this film in context. It's the same principle as comparing the original 1977 Star Wars special effects and fight scenes to today's Star Wars films. Some aspects will look dated but that doesn't make them any less great. When viewing films of the past, placing the film within the proper context is the key to fully appreciating them. If you need to compare them to something compare them to similar films from the same time period. One can never truly enjoy the pioneering films of the past without placing them in proper context.

THE VERDICT

Perhaps I'm biased (I am) but I simply love this movie. I could watch this film endlessly on repeat. I loved it as a child and that love has only grown as I have. I love seeing my two all-time favorite monsters clash and the movie, in my opinion, delivers on what should be one of cinema's most epic battles. This film really started the "VERSUS" motif that has characterized the kaiju genre. The film is uniquely satirical while (usually) not making fun of itself. The cast is amazing and Godzilla looks wicked awesome. Some of the best sequences in all of the Godzilla series are in this movie including one of the most intense kaiju rumbles ever recorded. King Kong Vs Godzilla is a monster movie for the ages.
Overall Ranking: 9 out of 10
Category: Transcendence 
(a film appreciated by both the young and old alike)

Ode To What Might Have Been

This film went through many stages before becoming what it is today. The original script, as purposed by King Kong's creator Willis O'Brien, was King Kong Meets Frankenstein. Like the title suggests, King Kong would battle against the Frankenstein Monster, albeit a different creation of Frankenstein that would be as large as Kong himself. King Kong facing down a giant version of Frankenstein's monster, to me, sounds awesome and I'd pay to see it. Eventually Toho received the rights to the script, rewrote the script, and inserted Godzilla in the story and dropped the Frankenstein Monster... but not completely.

Willis O'Brien original concept art for King Kong Meets Frankenstein
The "Frankenstein Monster as a giant monster" concept kept kicking around the Toho offices for a few years. A Godzilla Vs Frankenstein concept was envisioned at one point and ultimately became Frankenstein Vs Baragon a.k.a. FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965). The sequel to Frankenstein Conquers the World, WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966), is in a way a spiritual revisit to the King Kong Vs Frankenstein concept, at least as much as having two anthropomorphoid giants battling each other (note: it is my opinion that War of the Gargantuas is one of the greatest monster movies ever made).

King Kong himself would be spun into another film at Toho, KING KONG ESCAPES (1967) and had been planned to star in other projects as well, GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER being one of them. The legacy of that original King Kong Meets Frankenstein script stretches pretty far, a few films maybe owing their existence to it. I think it's pretty creative and amazing seeing what came of it in Toho's capable hands.

VHS/DVD/BLU-RAY

Universal Studios owns the rights to the King Kong character, including distribution rights of both Toho King Kong films. As of right now Universal has been great about releasing the films on all formats and at affordable prices.

Now there are two versions of this film: the original Japanese version and a recut and re-editied English speaking version. Both films feature different footage and vastly different film scores, the English version sampling music from other sci-fi/horror films, the most prominent being Creature From The Black Lagoon. There's a few bits of kaiju footage that were cut from the English speaking version and extended fight sequences.

Sadly though each American release from Universal has featured only the recut/re-edited English version. The only way to acquire the original Japanese version is to buy a foreign release blu-ray. To my knowledge there is no release, either foreign or domestic, that contains both versions of the film. In addition to this there is no American release that contains any special features either, not even a theatrical trailer.

To sum it up, for us Region 1 American fans, we have our choice of formats but all releases are the English version only and bare bones in terms of special features.

Hopefully when the 2020 KING KONG VS GODZILLA film from Universal and Legendary pictures sees release maybe the original King Kong Vs Godzilla will finally receive royal blu-ray treatment. As of 2017 the Criterion Collection has acquired the bulk of the rights to the Showa era Godzilla films. At the moment they DO NOT have the rights to King Kong Vs Godzilla but hopefully they will continue to pursue the rights to the four Godzilla Showa films they don't have until they have them all. Then maybe, just maybe, we might see an American released blu-ray set containing all the Showa Godzilla films in one box for the first time ever, options with both the original Japanese versions and English versions of all the films with loads of special features. Let's hope!



Missed a chapter in the saga? Get caught up as we continue the countdown to number one!

Part 4: Mothra Vs Godzilla (1964)
Part 5: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
 Part 7: Godzilla Vs The Sea Monster (1966) 
Part 8: Son Of Godzilla (1967)
Part 9: Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Part 10: Godzilla's Revenge (1969)     
Part 11: Godzilla Vs The Smog Monster (1971)    
Part 12: Godzilla Vs Gigan (1972)    
Part 13: Godzilla Vs Megalon (1973)    
Part 14: Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla (1974)    
Part 15: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)        
Part 16: The Return of Godzilla (1984)     
Part 17: Godzilla Vs Biollante (1989)         
Part 18: Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah (1991)       
Part 19: Godzilla Vs Mothra (1992)        
Part 20: Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II (1993)
Part 21: Godzilla Vs Spacegodzilla (1994)
Part 22: Godzilla Vs Destoroyah (1995)
Part ???? Tri-Star's Godzilla (1998)
Part 23: Godzilla 2000 (1999)
Part 24: Godzilla Vs Megaguirus (2000)
Part 25: GMK Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
Part 26: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Part 27: Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
Part 28: Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)       
 Part 29: Shin Gojira (2016)
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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

COMICS IN REVIEW: ROYALS #12

Hello everyone! As some of you may know, I am writing for the website COMICONVERSE. I have been covering the current comic books from Marvel Comics and BOOM! Studios such as Doctor Strange and Kong of Skull Island.

For myself and anyone else interested I am documenting each of my articles here at Blood Work.

If you haven't checked out this latest article here you go!







 The latest comic book following the Inhuman royal family, ROYALS, has come to a close. And with it perhaps the end of Marvel's Inhumans line of book (at least in these current books).

So, I'm a huge Marvel cosmic fan. I love the outer space stuff like Silver Surfer, Guardians of the Galaxy, Quasar, and all that good stuff. I feel the Inhumans are at their best when they're set amongst the stars and presented as cosmic players themselves. I personally feel that the Inhumans are wasted when they're forced to be on Earth. 

With Royals the Inhuman royal family was once again sent off into outer space on a mission to find the beings who created Terrigen and the Kree species. The characters underwent major redesigns courtesy of artist Jonboy Meyers and Al Ewing took them on one of the most far out adventures they've ever had. I was onboard with this new interpretation as I felt the then current Inhumans books needed a change of pace. After issue #2 of Royals there was an artist disruption. Jonboy left the book and for a few issues the art team was inconsistent. And the writer was doing some crazy things with the story. All this made me more than a little unsure of this book and how it would ultimately shape up.

Now, it is finished. For the last several issues there has been a consistent art team. And writer Al Ewing brings it all together in this final issue in a mind blowing way. If this final issue had sucked I'd probably be singing a different tune about this volume as a whole. But this creative team nailed this final issue and created a truly special book.

There will be one more Inhuman royal family book, INHUMANS: JUDGEMENT DAY. This book will act as the grand finale to Royals and possibly the Inhuman royal family as we know them. I still wish this book had had a stable art team for all twelve issues but as is the book came together strong for the last several issues.

Anyway, click the links above for my full review.


Check out my other articles for ComiConverse linked below!
 
 
 
 
 

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Sunday, December 24, 2017

STAR WARS ANNUAL 3: THE LAST JEDI (2017)


It's December again and you know what world holiday is right around the corner? STAR WARS-- err, I mean, the birth of Christ! Yeah, that's what we should be celebrating, yeah. And Star Wars...

The third annual Disney Star Wars celebration is here! And I gotta admit I'm excited. I'm also a little trepidatious. I wasn't exactly over the forest moon of Endor for Episode VII. To briefly summarize my feelings about THE FORCE AWAKENS: I thought the special effects were good, I thought the acting was good, but I thought there was a severe lack of imagination and originality to the story. I didn't think it was a bad movie at all, just a movie full of nostalgia. I am well aware that this opinion is in the minority and that I'm getting old. My eyesight and mind are going a little more everyday and I'm probably not seeing/comprehending something that everyone else is.

In regards to last year's ROGUE ONE, I enjoyed it far more than Episode VII. I felt it had a more compelling plot and a more endearing cast of characters. I also liked how it reinforced the other films, filling in plot holes, making the overall story tighter. It was a better Suicide Squad movie than the Suicide Squad movie. It's just a shame they won't be telling anymore stories with those characters as I'd like to see more of Star Wars' "Dirty Dozen." These side stories have so much potential and less riding on them than the main saga episodes so filmmakers can take more risks with them, or so it seems. Maybe it's actually the other way around?

Now, three years in, we're back to the main saga. Episode VIII: THE LAST JEDI. Like I said, I'm anxious. I'm not going in with very high expectations, yet I don't feel my demands are out of line. All I want is a Star Wars movie that doesn't parallel so many familiar beats from the previous films that it feels like I'm watching the same Star Wars movie from 40 years ago. That's all. I'm not a super Star Wars fan either so I'd think I'd be an easy audience member to please. And there's SO MUCH Star Wars extended universe content to mine for material. And I haven't read/played any of it. They could turn any one of those books into a movie and I wouldn't know and I'd be pleased as punch... probably.

Anyway, a long preface ago, in a galaxy the same as your own (I assume)... The Last Jedi... Here's what I though... right after this plot summary.

(the above written on 12/14/2017)

THE PLOT

The Rebels have been discovered by the First Order and are forced to flee into hyper space after a futile struggle. The rebels exit hyper space en route to a new base when the First Order emerges from hyper space a few minutes behind them. Unable to outrun their enemies, and running dangerously low on fuel, the rebels have no choice but to keep running until their fuel runs out. Their only hope lies in the crew of the Millennium Falcon finding Luke Skywalker and bringing him back to fight for the Rebellion. Rey and Chewy find Luke, but he refuses to help...

(the following review was written on 12/23/17)

Okay, so I got sick opening weekend and it took me a week longer to see this. During that time I saw that critic reviews were by and large extremely favorable. The critics were loving this movie. Strangely though audiences seemed to be split almost exactly down the middle. The Last Jedi is the definition of a polarizing film. Either you love it or hate it. No other Star Wars film holds this big of a divide between critics and audiences. Nothing was spoiled for me though, so all I knew was that I couldn't trust the critics, which I already knew given how they loved The Force Awakens and I didn't. But then I was hearing from friends who liked The Force Awakens who didn't like The Last Jedi. And then I heard from friends who didn't like The Force Awakens who hated The Last Jedi.

I literally did not know what kind of movie I was going to be walking into. I became curious to see this movie for a whole new reason.


WHAT I LIKED
(some spoilers ahead)

New Locations and Different Terrains. So, in The Force Awakens we were shown basically the same kinds of locations and terrains as we'd seen in previous Star Wars films. Here they show us places we've never seen before which was very welcomed. I loved the "salt" planet even if it was a little reminiscent of Hoth, the snow planet from Empire Strikes Back. The casino planet was cool but it looked like an Earth casino (an apparent lack of imagination again). Even so, it was a kind of location we hadn't seen before in a Star Wars film. And the Jedi planet was cool too.

The Acting and Special Effects. So, the acting is good like it was in The Force Awakens and once again the special effects are a nice mix of CGI and practical effects, which honestly makes for the best presentation possible (in my opinion). Rey and Kylo Ren have a really cool fight scene mid way through the movie against a bunch of Royal Guards and it is probably my favorite scene in the entire movie. And Luke Skywalker. He's my favorite character in all of Star Wars and I was eating every bit of Mark Hamill's appearance up.

NITPICKS

Wasted Time. This is, to date, the longest Star Wars film of them all. And it feels long. The crazy thing about it all is how much of the movie amounts to very little if nothing at all. Virtually all of Poe Dameron's story goes nowhere and doesn't effect the film's outcome whatsoever, if only to teach him a costly lesson not to be brash or hotheaded. This could be setup for his character development in a future film but in regards to this film it is merely time wasted. And a lot of the movie focuses on Poe. Finn also is plagued by the same problem. While both actors do a great job neither is given a plot thread that does anything to propel the film forward. I'd say nearly half of this film is filled with non consequential story.

Kinda Plotless. I may be oversimplifying this but I think the plot of the movie is the rebels fleeing from one planet to the other to escape the First Order. That's it. The majority of the film the rebels are flying away from the First Order in space. While in this holding pattern various characters try to effect the outcome through various plots, none of which work. Yet characters were already in place with plans to succeed that do in fact succeed. So if Poe and Finn had just waited like they were told everything would've played out the same as it does.

Missed Opportunities. In this film we learn who Rey's parents are. They were simple junkers who sold their child for money. While I don't necessarily see this as a flaw, to me personally it is a major disappointment. I mean, we all waited for two years for this mystery and basically our wait was for nothing. Snoke going out like a chump was another major let down. Again, it's not a flaw necessarily but rather a personal disappointment. And they don't tell us who he really is or any of his history. He's killed and done.

And Luke. I would be fine with them killing him and I would be fine with his epic final scene. But ever since seeing the fight scenes in the prequels my only wish was to see Luke and Darth Vader have some epic fight scenes. We got Darth Vader's at the end of Rogue One. But we don't get Luke's. If I had only one thing to ask of this film it would've been one radical fight scene with Luke before him going out. Now we'll never get it. Yoda, the gimp muppet with a stick, got an epic fight scene in the series. Two of them! (please note that I mean no disrespect when speaking of Yoda as a gimp. I love Yoda) While I love the original trilogy's fight scenes, which are epic in drama and scope, they lack truly remarkable choreography. They don't need it either because of the dramatic weight attached to them. But these new movies need them. The fight scene they gave Rey and Kylo against the Royal Guards is what I wish they would've given to Luke or something just as amazing.

How do you not get that? If you're making a Star Wars movie with Mark Hamill how do you not get that all everybody wants to see is Luke Skywalker be the hero of the galaxy and legend we all feel he is? You've got Mark Hamill playing Luke Skywalker again! Do something!

Being Talked Down To. I don't know how many people felt this way but I felt the film was surprisingly condescending. To fans of Luke Skywalker I thought much of the dialog coming out of Luke's mouth was meant to tear down our notions and feelings towards the character. For instance, "what? did you think I'd face down the entire First Order by myself?" We're not idiots, you know. We realize he's one guy. You don't have to beat us over the head with it and tear down our favorite character in front of us. Then there's Benicio Del Toro's character telling us the goodguy/badguy gray area stuff. Had that thread amounted to something maybe it would've worked. But not amounting to anything, it felt like another instance where the film was treating us viewers like we were idiots.

THE VERDICT

You know, while I was excited for the movie, I went in with low expectations. Really low expectations. And this film ended up being a little worse than I expected. While I was watching the movie I turned off my brain and analytical mindset. I thought at one point I was enjoying the movie. Then, on the car ride home, I started thinking about it. And what you just read above is the conclusion I came to. As is, I'm not sure who this movie is meant for. Perhaps it's meant for the kids and not for crotchety old men like myself. All I know is that I fear for episode IX.

What I learned from The Last Jedi: The Star Wars property is in the same situation as the DC Super heroes properties. By that I mean everybody who knows what they're doing are working on the television front on shows like Clone Wars and Rebels. But in regards to the movies they have no idea what they're doing and no guiding force behind them. Help us, Timothy Zahn. You're our only hope. Be the "Kevin Feige" for Star Wars. PLEASE!

Overall Ranking: 4 out of 10
Rarely do I give out a 4 which I feel is a movie below par. And I'm conflicted at giving it a 4. But I think The Force Awakens was a better movie than this so I have no choice.

Remember, it's equally possible that I am way off base here. With episodes VII and VIII and those who like them, that's perfectly fine. In fact I wish I liked them more than I do. But I feel there is some wavelength these film are on that I am somehow out of sync with and I wish that weren't the case. I know that I have some weird tastes and can be way out of sync with the majority of folks on other movies too, so please just take my thoughts as one dude's views and nothing more.

For more of my thoughts on these new era Star Wars films click the links below.



 
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Thursday, December 14, 2017

TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: MALE)

TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS 
(VIDEO GAMES: MALE)

For my friend, Meredith
 who at one time said she wanted to be a wall-flipping ninja Santa Claus


I don't know what it is about ninjas that draws me to them. Maybe it's their mysterious (typically all black) design or their deadly trade. Super-spy espionage. Assassination. Subterfuge. Mysterious and sometimes supernatural mysticism surrounding them. And the fact that ninja were/are real! To me the more I learn about ninjas the more fascinating they become, whether it's the romanticized version or the very real version. Their mystery and intrigue is undeniably captivating.

I sat down to assemble this list, which originally was going to be my top ten favorite ninjas, one of my favorite subjects. But when I started listing characters, and in 30 seconds I had thirty different ninjas, I realized I had a problem. FYI, the number has grown beyond thirty and is still climbing.

To remedy this problem I have done my best to subdivide all these characters into more specific lists, hence this list being relegated to only male ninjas from video games.

Imagine my joy at discovering that instead of one list of my favorite ninjas I will be composing  several!

WHAT ARE NINJAS?

Essentially ninjas are spies, secret agents, warriors, and assassins. The term specifically for male ninjas is SHINOBI. The term specifically for female ninjas is KUNOICHI. Ninjas, like any society, had different castes of ninjas. Everyone was trained in the art of combat and stealth, so that if called upon for a mission anyone could rise to the challenge. But obviously some were more skilled than others. To be a ninja one had to be able to take on any role in Japanese society and perform it convincingly, know the social customs from the peasants to the aristocracy. One had to be well versed in all manner of weaponry as well as dress, make-up, and disguise.

A ninja's life depended on all these aspects and more in order to survive as most ninjas were killed upon sight by the samurai.

A common misconception about the ninja is that they have no honor. This is not true. While both believed in the code of Bushido, the samurai placed great importance on fighting fairly and a sense of loyalty and fealty toward their lord be it the local Daimyo (feudal lord) or reigning Shogun. The samurai even had a specific means of regaining or retaining one's honor after death, the act of seppuku or hara kiri. Needless to say, the samurai code was strictly adhered to and was a matter of life and death. Those whom did not adhere to such values were viewed with disdain. Maintaining this code ensured your honor on Earth as well as a place in heaven.

Ninjas didn't believe in those same values. They believed in serving a lord when employed by them for a mission but saw the concept of a "fair fight" as limiting. Stealth and guile to complete a mission was heavily employed. Japanese society viewed ninjas as honorless and ninjas were societal outcasts.

Having no place in heaven nor on Earth, ninjas placed all their value on their own skills and each other. They practiced and honed their skills and abilities beyond anyone else, so much so that the acts they'd perform, when viewed by someone outside the ninja clan, appeared super human or magical. This is part of the mythic presence surrounding ninjas. A ninja's skill was everything. The greater your skill the greater your value and standing in the ninja clan. While placing great value on oneself they also placed great value on each other, protecting their fellow ninja and the secrecy of the clan being paramount above all else.

Ninjas in Video Games

I don't know when exactly the first video game ninja appeared but one of the earliest games I could find was this computer role-playing game from 1979 titled AVATAR. It was a myth & magic dungeon exploring game featuring a ninja character one could be among a team of other characters. Once Nintendo hit the scene ninjas became a common staple of video gaming, either appearing in games as opponents or allies or starring in their own games.

From there I'm sure you know the rest. Ninjas have been an essential part of video games for decades and will likely continue to be for years to come

ON WITH THE LIST ALREADY!

DISCLAIMER:

Okay, I've excluded a few from the list because I feel they are better represented in other lists. The characters I've excluded are BATMAN, the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, and PSYLOCKE (the X-Men character ((as if you didn't know))). These characters will show up on a more appropriate list i.e. comic book ninjas or movie ninjas despite having had great video game appearances as well.

With that out of the way we can finally begin listing my personal favorite video game ninjas!







#12
NINJA

Video Game: Final Fantasy (1987)

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System  
One of the original group of heroes for the Final Fantasy franchise is none other than a ninja! You can imagine my elation when going through my first playthrough of the game and my thief was transformed into a badass ninja (by the dragon Bahamut no less)! Equip him with the Masamune, the ultimate weapon in the game, and what you have is one of the best ninjas in all video gamedom (in my opinion).

While not in every entry in the series there are several ninjas that appear in the franchise, the most prominent being the ninja named Edge from Final Fantasy IV (1991), Shadow from Final Fantasy VI (1994), and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII (1997) among others. Ninjas are a staple of the Final Fantasy series dating back to the original.







#11
SUB-ZERO

 Video Game: Mortal Kombat (1992)

Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo

What?! Sub-Zero doesn't even make the top ten?! What kinda crap is that?!

Sub-Zero is awesome. Let's make that perfectly clear. He's one of my two favorite characters in Mortal Kombat. But when they said he was Chinese he ceased being a ninja or rather became a ninja in name only. Ninjas are Japanese. The Chinese have their own secret stealth assassins and I'm sure they'd be quite offended at being called ninjas and vice versa. No offense to Midway Games but they didn't have a clue as to what a ninja really is. If he's Chinese then he's not a ninja. Terminology is the problem.

Beside that point Sub-Zero is a cool video game "ninja" character. One of the best designs for a ninja character out there. And Midway knew it too. Mortal Kombat has a ton of ninjas and most of them are cool. Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Reptile, Smoke, Ermac, Rain, Noob Saibot, Cyrax, Sektor, Kitana, Mileena, Jade, and more... Most of them are sprite/color pallet swaps though or began that way. But Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Reptile were the original Mortal Kombat ninjas and I gotta admit to liking them, even if some of them aren't technically "ninjas."

I do find it really cool that the first Sub-Zero was killed by Scorpion during the events of the original Mortal Kombat game. Sub-Zero's younger brother takes up the mantle in the subsequent games and the original Sub-Zero is resurrected as the character Noob Saibot. That's a cool story.





THE TOP TEN







#10
RIKIMARU

 Video Game: Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (1998)

Platform: Playstation 

Perhaps the most realistic of all the ninjas on this list (and in the entirety of video gaming), Rikimaru is the costarring Shinobi of the TENCHU video game series alongside the Kunoichi, Ayame. Tenchu is notable for many reasons, one of the biggest being that the video game was among the earliest "Stealth" games (released months before Metal Gear Solid even). Stealth is one of the central aspects of ninja life yet is absent from most ninja video games. Tenchu pushes the stealth aspect of ninjas to the forefront.

 Rikimaru has a cool calm personality and a killer instinct like any good ninja should have. With a more realistic approach to ninjas, his design too is more on the realistic side, not as flashy as some, but still very cool. I first got to know Rikimaru in the third game in the series, TENCHU: WRATH OF HEAVEN for the PS2 and have been a fan of the character ever since. The motion capture for Rikimaru was done by actor Sho Kosugi, a Japanese actor who made a career playing ninjas in 80's action films (spoiler! Sho Kosugi will likely show up on another ninja list of mine). Rikimaru's partner, Ayame, is equally cool too.








#9
SCORPION 

 Video Game: Mortal Kombat (1992)

Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo

Most of you who know me know that I have always been more of a Street Fighter guy than a Mortal Kombat guy. But seriously, who doesn't like Scorpion? Given, he's a ninja in name only (created by Americans who probably knew nothing about ninjas whatsoever. At least he's Japanese as opposed to Sub-Zero) but yet he's still cool. I mean look at that design! And the fiery skull makes him the closest I'll ever get to seeing Ghost Rider as a ninja! And his rivalry with Sub-Zero is pretty epic.

I remember when Mortal Kombat first came out and we all couldn't wait to play it. The blood! The violence! The Fatalities! Mortal Kombat was the first video game I felt I probably shouldn't have been playing (because my parents told me not to) but I did anyway. I remember naturally gravitating towards two characters from the get go, one of them being Scorpion and the other Sub-Zero. And still after all this time Scorpion remains just as cool, if not more so. In my opinion he's the king ninja of Mortal Kombat.







#8
RAIDEN 


 Video Game: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)

Platform: Playstation 3

 Raiden began as our costar/replacement hero for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. And, well let's face it, he's no Solid Snake. But in Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots, Raiden returns revamped and sporting wicked cool duds a la Gray Fox. And Raiden's coolness level skyrocketed. And with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden returns to the starring role he was intended to be, becoming a playable character again, and a total badass.

He's a cybernetic ninja that puts Mortal Kombat's cyber ninjas to shame. Revengeance also throws the usual stealth/espionage elements out the window (though not entirely) in favor of more straight forward intense hack and slash action. And that's what I like about my ninja games. Now, like Sub-Zero, Raiden isn't really a ninja. He's American-Liberian. But for the video game world we'll call him a ninja.








#7
GUY

 Video Game: Final Fight (1989)

Platform: Super Nintendo

The successor of the Bushinryu style, Guy is the longest enduring ninja of the Street Fighter series. Final Fight was originally going to be Street Fighter II, a more direct follow up to the original Street Fighter game. But the game format was changed upon the success of the game Double Dragon II. Changing the title from Street Fighter to Final Fight, Zangief becomes Hagger, Ryu and Ken become Guy and Cody. Eventually both Guy and Cody crossover into the Street Fighter series and the rest is history.

Guy has a very unique and interesting fighting style which makes him both fun to play as and unpredictable against opponents. He's fast and has some truly epic moves. His design is both classic looking with some modern touches. And his personality is just plain cool. I remember playing as him in the old school Final Fight games but it wasn't until I started playing Street Fighter Alpha 3 where Guy became one of my top favorite Street Fighter characters. My buddy, Ross, can play a mean Guy in Street Fighter too and can make the character look so cool.







#6
HATTORI HANZO 

 Video Game: Samurai Shodown (1993)

Platform:  Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo

As far as historical ninjas go few have the notoriety while maintaining the mystique as Hattori Hanzo. Through movies, television, anime, video games, and comic books, Hattori Hanzo has been reinterpreted and reimagined countless times. One of my favorite versions of this character can be found in the fighting game franchise, SAMURAI SHODOWN.

Design wise Hanzo looks undeniably awesome. He has a killer move set and handles like a dream. He is one of the few video game ninjas set in the past (Rikimaru being another) and set in Japan's actual history. That fact alone makes him unique among most of the video game ninjas out there. As far as this Hattori Hanzo goes, he's still the leader of the Iga ninja clan and his son is possessed by the demon Amakusa. Hanzo and the rest of the heroes of Samurai Shodown take the fight to Amakusa to bring him down. Hanzo is a regular character in the franchise, having appeared in every game in the series. And in my opinion he's one of the best ninjas in all video gamedom.







#5
GRAY FOX

 Video Game: Metal Gear Solid (1998)

Platform: Playstation

When I first saw Gray Fox in Metal Gear Solid in his Cyborg Ninja guise I was blown away by the design. When one of my friends told me that the cyborg was a ninja I remember thinking that it was the coolest looking ninja I had ever seen (up till that point anyway, which was 1998). Shortly thereafter the same friend who introduced me to Metal Gear Solid bought an action figure of Gray Fox by McFarlane Toys and I got to see the Cyborg Ninja design in detail.

Gray Fox, both as a design and a character, is just too cool. Yes, he's another NINO (ninja in name only) but he's what I'd imagine a ninja of the future being like. He made for an impressive opponent for Solid Snake and I daresay he stole the show in MGS. He's a complicated and intriguing character that they didn't use enough in my opinion. While Raiden is awesome and a favorite, he's no Gray Fox. Gray Fox is easily my favorite supporting character in the Metal Gear franchise.







#4
STRIDER HIRYU

 Video Game: Strider (1989)

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

You wanna talk about futuristic ninjas, they don't come any more badass than Strider Hiryu. The year is 2048. An alien being known as Grandmaster Meio has conquered the Earth and is preparing to extinguish the human race.

Enter the Striders. An elite secret group of ninja assassins, the Striders are Earth's final hope. One Strider, code named: Hiryu, is the best of the Striders and Earth's best chance at salvation. Armed with a plasma blade named Falchion, Strider Hiryu sets out to save the world single-handedly.

Born of the arcade era and based off a manga, Strider is a ninja unlike any other. First off, his video games are epic, each one better than the previous. Then Capcom folded him into their MARVEL VS series rendering him one of the best characters in the franchise (his move set is killer). And lastly his design is a cool blend of classic video game esthetics with enough little tech bits to seem both futuristic and timeless.

I was actually first introduced to Strider in Marvel Vs Capcom 2 on the Dreamcast and then later, through my buddy, Ross, I was introduced to Strider 2 on the PSOne and I was hooked! The game was beyond awesome, incorporating intense action, platformer mechanics, with 3D shifting environments. I became a fan for life of this character and cemented him as one of my all time favorite ninjas.







#3
RYU HAYABUSA

 Video Game: Ninja Gaiden (1988)

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

Ryu Hayabusa is a complicated character for me. My all-time favorite game for my favorite video game system, the NES, is the original Ninja Gaiden. I love the original Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for the NES and I've played the hell out of the Ninja Gaiden games for the X-Box/PS3. The action game elements and difficulty level don't get much better than the Ninja Gaiden franchise. The original Ninja Gaiden is a close contender for my all time favorite game of any system.

Where it gets complicated is the hero. The original trilogy is so cinematic in its storytelling and Ryu is portrayed very well. The reason I started playing the Dead Or Alive games was to play as Ryu Hayabusa. But this modern era of Ninja Gaiden games, while awesome and frustrating to play, dropped the ball on Ryu's characterization. He has virtually no personality and comes across blandly. And his design seems rather uninspired and borrowed from the Blade movies or the early 2000's X-Men movies. It's weird to say it, but the worst part of the second Ninja Gaiden Trilogy is the boring hero. But you get such a charge as a player when you tool a bunch of badguys, slicing them up, with Izuna Drops everywhere.

I love the Ninja Gaiden series and I do love Ryu Hayabusa as he was the first video game ninja I became a staunch fan of. But he doesn't have anything on the next two ninjas, in my opinion.







#2
 JOE MUSASHI

 Video Game: Shinobi (1987)

Platform: Sega Master System/Nintendo Entertainment System

Debuting before any of the major video game ninja icons, Joe Musashi is the original ninja hero. He starred in five games of his own and has appeared as an unlockable character in three others. During the heyday of Sega Genesis he was sharing Sega mascot duties with Sonic the Hedgehog. I mention all of this to illustrate the fact that Joe Musashi is the character that popularized ninjas in video games.

I love his white ninja costume (taking a page from Storm Shadow of G.I. Joe). It takes guts to go out in white duds. Design wise Joe is completely unique next to his video game rivals. Wielding the Oborotsugi, a magic sword, Joe is a master with various weapons and ninja magics. He fights futuristic cyborg enemies as well as traditional demons and giant monsters (he fought Godzilla once! And won! I'm not kidding) He has an intense personality and presence that elevates the character to another level.

I must admit that I didn't know Joe when I was kid. It wasn't until I was in college that my buddy, Ross, introduced me to the awesomeness of Joe Musashi and the Shinobi franchise. The second game in the direct series, Revenge of Shinobi, is a pure classic. Shinobi III however is Joe Musashi's finest hour, possessing beautiful graphics and wonderful gameplay in the style of TMNT2: The Arcade Game. Joe Musashi is the real deal, a great character with great games to his credit.

Joe Musashi vs Godzilla. And you thought I was lying.








#1
HOTSUMA

 Video Game: Shinobi (2002)

Platform: Playstation 2

Shinobi for the PS2 was one of those games that rocked my video gaming world. I have never before or since played an action game more focused on speed and slaying one's enemies as this game. Your sword eats souls and if you don't feed it souls it starts to feed on your soul/life. You're constantly running through the levels killing anything and everything that crosses your path just to keep the sword sated. And with each kill your sword's strength doubles. If you kill enough enemies you can one-hit-kill the bosses of the levels... if you're good enough. It's a completely 3D world with zero load times. It's go go go! Kill kill kill! Or you die. It's so difficult but so rewarding once you grasp the gameplay. This game is my favorite PS2 game with a bullet and a top contender for my favorite video game of all time.

And what brought it all together was the ninja protagonist, Hotsuma. The design was totally rad and unlike any other ninja design I'd ever seen before. I love the helmet. And his story is epic. Hotsuma is dealing with so many tragedies and emotions all the while forced to battle the possessed corpses of his slain clansmen. While being futuristic and far out at times, he's a grounded and very Japanese character, in his personality and in the way he carries himself. And he's so cool in everything he does. The character embodies everything I love about ninjas.

It's a shocker, I know. For those of you who know me you probably saw this one coming a mile away. I have been obsessed with this character and game for a long time now and there's no sign of it changing anytime soon.

For more of my thoughts on Hotsuma click on the link below.

Hero Worship: Hotsuma ~ The Ultimate Ninja









BONUS NINJA!

SANTA CLAUS

Didn't know this was a Holiday blog post, did you? It was this thought that actually instigated this post and got the ball rolling on all the other posts that will spin out of this one.

Santa as a ninja. It works. Think about it.

He strikes like a shadow in the night. He can infiltrate the most impregnable fortresses undetected, entering and vanishing without a trace. He has a detailed spy network informing him of who's naughty and who's nice. He doles out justice and punishment in the form of presents or coal. He's a fat ninja because of his affinity for milk and cookies. And he has an evil ninja brother who's gone rogue (what ninja doesn't, am I right?). And he has mastery of those powerful ninja magics allowing him to do the unbelievable.

Santa IS a ninja.

Meredith, you were right all along!




Hope you all enjoyed the list! I know I had a ton of fun putting it together!

Who are your favorite ninjas of the male video game variety?

Leave a comment below!

More ninja top ten lists coming soon!

And for more top ten lists check out these other posts below!


 TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GUYS
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GALS

TOP TEN THOR VILLAINS

 TOP TEN JOHN CARPENTER FILMS

And for more posts on my obsession with ninjas check out these others as well!


Kage No Gundan ~ Shadow Warriors Season One
(a show set in feudal Japan about ninjas!)

Top Ten Cinema Samurai
(it says samurai but ninjas are included too) 
 
Shinobi No Mono 
(The film responsible for the status of ninjas today in pop culture.)
 
Way of the Ninja: Kunoichi 
(A brief examination of female ninjas and how cool and dangerous these women were.)
 
Viking VS Ninja 
(A survey in which I asked coworkers who they thought would win and a story based on the outcome.)
 
Top Ten Fighting Game Hombres
 (A list of my favorite fighting game males, some of which are ninjas!)
 
Top Ten Fighting Game Femme Fatales  
(A list of my favorite fighting game females, many of which are ninjas!)

Hero Worship: Hotsuma ~ The Ultimate Ninja
(my favorite video game ninja!)

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