Search - Shinobi - Runaway (Vol. 2) on DVD

The Hunt is On!

P. A Clark | San Jose, CA USA | 02/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Shinobi Runaway was a good film and continues the story of Kagerou and Aoi.



The film picks up where the last one left off. Aoi and Kagerou are still on the run from some of Shuzaan's men in the forest. Rokkaku, (the second in charge of the village) eliminates the master of the shinobi village and frames the two heros, making them offical "runaways". He sends the shinobi of the village after them with orders to eliminate. He also enlists the help from the neighboring province of Iga to kill them if they venture there. Leaving no chance for escape, he also frees Jinsei, a crazy shinobi who had been locked up for going on a killing spree in the shinobi village. Jinsei and Kagerou have a history with one another and are now arch rivals, so he is eager to eliminate Kagerou.



Jinto and his two brothers (the ones called morons in the first film) also team up with Ranzan (the female shinobi from the first film who is wounded at the end). The brothers hope to kill Kagerou and become higher class shinobi for doing so. Ranzan is mainly interested in killing Aoi, since it was her who had made Kagerou become a runaway. They eventually track down the two runaways in the forest at the same time Jinsei does. Jinsei goes crazy again killing his brothers, and then targets Kagerou. Ranzan and Aoi also face off. All battle in the end to settle scores with one another.



Shinobi Runaway was a good follow up to the first Shinobi film. We learn more about Kagerou's past, and see the plot thicken with Rokkaku. The action comes across better in this volume, although the final battle was the most impressive. We also see Aoi's true feelings for Kagerou begining to surface.



My only real complaint with this volume is that is could have used a little more action. The chezzy jokes also remain in the second volume, but grow on you after awhile. Reason for loss of a star.





The special features are the same as the first volume. We get Japanese and English dubbed language tracks, as well as the literal english dub of Shinobi which comes across humorous at times again. The only other offerings are trailers of anime films.



In conclusion I liked this volume of Shinobi. They story line still holds together well, and there is promise for volume three. Again, if you like ninja style stories and anime, you will likely like this film. I strongly suggest you see the first volume before this one so the story makes more sense to you. I'd also say that getting these films dicounted as low as possible would be preferable. They are rather short, about one hour and twenty minutes. At that length and the lack of special features in general, full price is a bit much."