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The great tale of Ninja Scroll continues with another volume of new creatures, allies, blood and sword fighting mayhem. Like the movie of the same name, the story, characters, villains and fight scenes are intense, exciting and compelling, offering a more extensive viewing of what made the movie work so well over 25 years ago.
This volume provides viewers with four more exciting episodes of the series. The adventure continues for Jubei, Shigure, Dakuan and Tsubute, as they set off to find the answers about the Dragon Stone. The story heats up, as the Kimon become more desperate to obtain the Dragon Stone and Shigure, the Light Maiden. While the Hiruko Clan are just as desperate to keep the Kimon from their goal. Unfortunately for Jubei and his newfound friends, they are stuck in the middle and must protect the Dragon Stone at all costs.
My only complaint about this volume was that there seemed to be too many bad guys who died too quickly in battles that seemed to last only seconds. However, this is the second volume of the series and it is typical for the action to slow down just a little to give us a break and build everything up for the upcoming conclusion. It is also typical for the stories and writing to pick up a notch to give viewers a reason to watch, enjoy the characters, feel for them and take pleasure in the series that much more than they have before. Ninja Scroll is definitely no exception. The stories were so much more interesting this time around and that is saying a lot, because I couldn’t imagine how the writing could get even better, but it sure did!
In episode five, The Diamond Child, the thief Tsubute steals the Dragon Stone from Jubei, while he is in the midst of battle. He runs off and runs into Tatsunosuke, who is also a thief, but only because he is trying to support his sister and himself and isn’t strong enough to do the heavy labor on his family’s farm. The two thieves square off over the Dragon Stone and we discover Tatsunosuke has some powers of his own and the Kimon see him as a potential ally. Does he feel the same way? Will he join just to help his sister? And what will it mean for Tsubute who learns some values in this tale? The best part is when Jubei shows up at the end to save the day, reminding me of the old Thundercats episodes when Lion-O would barely be in the show and still play a role in its conclusion. Really cool.
One of the best episodes comes next and is entitled, Shelter from the Rain, which focuses only on Jubei as he is poisoned by a ninja, Nenmu, who can possess the bodies of others. A woman and her son help Jubei but the woman has another agenda involving Jubei’s past. We then go back to the main storyline that concluded at the end of volume one, where Azami, the plant lady, returns in Blossom, to get the half of the Dragon Stone she could not get the first time around. With the Kimon in possession of the other half, Azami is under a lot of pressure to keep them from getting the second half as well. It is here that Jubei discovers the truth of the Dragon Stone and the treasure of the Lost Dynasty.
Finally, we see the fate of Rengoku, where we get a very interesting villain introduced in volume one and upgraded in this episode. Azami was really kick ass, but Rengoku is awesome as the woman who can sew on anybody’s body part to better compliment her fighting abilities. From snake skin to a bear’s arms, this woman is nuts and she is looking to avenge the death of her brother at the hands of Jubei. It is no longer about the Dragon Stone here and we get some cool battles and a very interesting confrontation between Rengoku and another villain. You have to see this one, as it reminds me of an ironic ending you could only get in the Twilight Zone.
In conclusion, Ninja Scroll Volume Two is a perfect continuation, slowing down the action, but providing viewers with an interesting story that will keep us enthralled in the saga and have us pumped for the next group of episodes to come. With some great extras like an art gallery, an interview with the director, Takahiro Yoshimatsu, the character designer who shows us how he created the DVD cover art, there is a lot to keep the anime fan busy. If you liked the movie, Ninja Scroll the series should certainly not be missed.
Send comments and questions about this article to Blackhart@ybfree.com.