Japanese Ninja Movie History (summary)
Lecturer: Mance Thompson
For the last 8 years, researcher Mance Thompson has been trying to unearth the hidden story of Japan's ninja movie industry. This history has until now gone unnoticed and unresearched by any Japanese movie critics, historians, or any other academics. As such, the speaker has personally amassed some 80 Japanese ninja movies and movie related materials, as well as consulted with movie critics and interviewed two directors who made ninja films in Japan. Having reached a clear picture of the Japanese ninja movie world up to this point, he has now begun sharing his research with the public in coordination with writing a book on the topic. The scale and evolution of the genre, three Japanese ninja booms, and major movies and figures(actors and directors) were all discussed during this presentation. The social factors that influenced the Japanese ninja movie industry were also included so that those new to the genre could develop a basic understanding of its history. The theme of the presentation was as follows:
Part I 1912-1960: Ninja as Magical Samurai and Ninja Comedy
Part II The 1960s: Ninja Realism and the Kunoichi Craze
Part III 1970s-Present Day: Making Japanese Ninja Movies Great Again
A few excerpts of flims such as the famous Gouketsu Jiraiya as well as some rare pre-war ninja films were shown and some of the back story learned from Japanese directors was shared during the presentation.