“Shinobi Vol. 2” consists of a continuous story across three films, “Siege” and “Return of Mist Saizo,” following the legendary ninja Mist Saizo as he plots to assassinate Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa and later continues his mission of vengeance after the Shogun’s abdication.
Radiance’s “Shinobi” volumes continue with this second collection of films from the long-running Japanese series. Volume 1 followed the ninja Goemon Ishikawa (played by Raizo Ichikawa) in his struggles against warlord Oda Nobunaga (Tomisaburo Wakayama, billed under the name Kenzaburo Jo). Volume 2 begins with the fourth film and jumps forward in time, introducing a new lead: the ninja Mist Saizo. Despite the character change, Ichikawa remains front and center.
“Shinobi 4: Siege” starts things off. Picking up several years after the last movie, it opens with a dense, lengthy historical prologue that can feel overwhelming, especially to viewers with no knowledge of Japanese history. Eventually, the film settles into a watchable rhythm. I even felt like it might warrant a second viewing — once to get the lay of the land and again to fully track the intrigue. For this run of films, Wakayama returns as a different character, the warlord Yukimura, who enlists Saizo to assassinate Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa (Ganjiro Nakamura).
The second film, “Shinobi 5: Return of Mist Saizo,” has a smoother flow since the groundwork has already been laid. Beginning directly after “Siege,” it follows Saizo’s continued attempts to kill Ieyasu (now played by Eitaro Ozawa). Saizo also becomes the target of personal vengeance: two sisters seek to avenge their father’s death from the prior film. This all leads to a burning question — how effective can these ninjas be with seemingly everyone knowing their names and exploits?
Finally, “Shinobi 6: The Last Iga Spy” passes the baton to Saizo’s son, Saisuke (yet again played by Ichikawa). By this point, I had grown tired of the series. Another onslaught of new characters and shifting political alliances became hard to track, and my patience wore thin. Beyond the familiar device of a new Saizo attempting to overthrow another foe, I found myself disengaged. There are additional Shinobi films beyond these, but I definitely need a break before tackling them.
The films are spread across two discs in this limited edition release. Transfers are solid — close-ups, in particular, look sharp — though there’s the occasional blown-out or oversaturated shot across the three films. “Return of Mist Saizo” has some brief print damage during an early sequence, but it isn’t too distracting. The audio, however, is a bit harsh across the set; it’s most noticeable in the first film but also present in the other two.
As usual, Radiance rounds out the package with a good selection of extras: an assortment of interviews and visual essays that provide additional context. One of the extras leans heavily into information overload, echoing the movies themselves. For the limited edition, the discs are housed in two cases within a sturdy slipbox, accompanied by a booklet that includes an essay by Jonathan Clements and a reprint of a Stephen Turnbull article on ninjas. Between the films, the extras, and the booklet, I’m left more than a little confused on whether ninjas are historical fact or fiction. The set also includes six postcards featuring promotional images from the films.
As a whole, “Shinobi Vol. 2” is a fine packaging of these three movies. Personally, I found the films a little dry and sometimes confusing, but for anyone interested about ninja cinema, this set offers plenty to dig into.
Now available on a Limited Edition Blu-ray™ from RADIANCE FILMS
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