#sho kosugi

[theactioneer]

Shô Kosugi (1980s)

[thefugitivesaint]

Sho Kosugi, ''Shadowland Magazine'', Vol. 1, #5, 2012 Source

If you weren't a child of the 80s, you probably don't remember how ninja crazy the 80s were. There were dozens of (mostly cheaply produced) ninja films and Sho Kosugi was involved in many of them (he starred in, I believe, 20 films and a few TV shows, primarily 'The Master'). He's skilled in multiple different forms of martial arts and became a source of inspiration for people interested in ninjitsu, aikido, and karate. As a young lad, I loved his Cannon ninja films, 'Enter the Ninja', 'Revenge of the Ninja' and 'Ninja III: The Domination'. Kosugi is probably why I took karate lessons and read Black Belt magazine and thought the ninja aesthetic was cool (I was 8 when 'Enter the Ninja' came out in 1981 so what the hell did I know?) I was inspired, having come across this piece on Kosugi, to revisit some of those ninja films from the 80s. Do they hold up? They do not. Did I have fun watching any of them? Some. It also depends on what you mean by "fun?" In hindsight, many of the films that were part of the "ninjamania" of the 80s were textbook examples of Orientalism. Most offered superficial understandings of "eastern" ideas and of the martial arts involved even when helmed by skilled martial artists. The acting was usually laughable. The plots were thin at best. It was all about the action scenes but, unfortunately, most of the films could barely deliver. At least Kosugi's films were relatively decent on the action front (for the time). I came across a piece discussing the making of the film 'Ninja III: The Domination' that you might want to watch if you've ever felt the inclination to see that film (or rewatch it). (I actually never caught how much 'Ninja III' lifted from 'Flashdance' for instance.) Not much else to add to this barely thought out entry.

[theblindninja]

Sho Kosugi

[thechurchofsplatterdaysaints]

[skeletonfumes]

Ninja Assassin (2009) James McTeigue

[redsamuraiii]

Revenge of The Ninja (1983)

Watching Netflix's House of Ninjas, and realized the plot is similar and I love it! A former Ninja who wants to lead a normal life but circumstances pushed him back to being a Ninja once again. 🥷🏼

While Toshiro Mifune and Hiroyuki Sanada is forever remembered as the face of a Samurai, Sho Kosugi is forever remembered as the face of a Ninja.

[gurumog]

Revenge of the Ninja (1983) Cannon Films Dir. Sam Firstenberg

Sho Kosugi as Cho Osaki

[gijoe-forever]

[ghosttigersims]

[brokehorrorfan]

Revenge of the Ninja will be released on Blu-ray on May 28 via Kino Lorber. The 1983 martial arts action film is the second installment in the in-name-only Ninja trilogy, between 1981's Enter the Ninja and 1984 Ninja III: The Domination.

Sam Firstenberg (American Ninja, Ninja III: The Domination) directs from a script by James R. Silke (Ninja III: The Domination). Sho Kosugi, Keith Vitali, Virgil Frye, Kane Kosugi, and Professor Toru Tanaka star. Cannon Films produces.

Special features are listed below.

Special features:

Audio commentary by action film historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema (new)

Audio commentary by director Sam Firstenberg and stunt coordinator Steven Lambert

Introduction by director Sam Firstenberg

Behind-the-scenes photo gallery

Theatrical trailer

When a band of Ninja assassins slaughters the family of Cho Osaki (Shô Kosugi), he flees to America in the hope of building a new life. A former Ninja himself, Osaki tries to escape his deadly past but soon discovers he has become the pawn of a ruthless drug trafficker—an American Ninja intent on killing anyone who crosses his path…including Osaki!

Pre-order Revenge of the Ninja.

[omercifulheaves]

No, not the Charles Band / Tim Thomerson joint but the Italian poster for Ninja III: The Domination. (1984)

[theactioneer]

Pray for Death (Gordon Hessler, 1985)

[letterboxd-loggd]

Enter the Ninja (1981) Menahem Golan

March 18th 2024

[theblindninja]

[skeletonfumes]

Ninja Assassin (2009) James McTeigue

[redsamuraiii]

Journey of Honour / Kabuto (1991)

Mayeda (Sho Kosugi) is a loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu (Toshiro Mifune) who won the Battle of Sekigahara. Unforunately, he lost his wife and son during the battle, as they were trying to protect the son of Tokugawa, Yorimune (Kane Kosugi) from enemy capture.

Tokugawa sense that a new war is approaching and sends Mayeda with Yorimune to Spain to acquire more muskets from King Philip III (Christopher Lee), much to the agitation of a Spanish Lord, Pedro (David Essex), who doesn't want to sell weapons to non-believers.

It makes matters worse, when his to soon to be wife, an English Princess, Cecilia (Polly Walker) is intrigued by Mayeda. She wants to escape the arranged marriage and travel to the East with Mayeda to Japan but Mayeda is torn between her and his duty to the Shogun.

After watching Shogun 2024, I want them to remake this movie! It's set around the same period where the Catholic Spanish and Portuguese are taking a strong interest in Asia, and Japan itself. Would be cool to see a Samurai and a Conquistador duel!