Shinobi (Shinobi: Heart Under Blade) (2005)

76% of users liked it
(8,365 ratings)

Enraged by decades of treachery and mistrust, two magical samurai clans go to war despite the love that was meant to keep the peace in director Ten Shimoyama's feudal action entry. The year is 1614, and Japan has been unified under supreme shogun Tokugawa. Though the love shared between Gennosuke of… More Enraged by decades of treachery and mistrust, two magical samurai clans go to war despite the love that was meant to keep the peace in director Ten Shimoyama's feudal action entry. The year is 1614, and Japan has been unified under supreme shogun Tokugawa. Though the love shared between Gennosuke of Kohga and Oboro of Iga should have been enough to end the cycle of suffering and strife in the two warring villages, the spirit of vengeance has gained too much momentum and the people have become possessed by their own insatiable rage. Now, as a conspiracy set into motion by Tokugawa causes the violence to swell yet again, Gennosuke pushes for peace as Oboro chooses to fight. In a time when every ninja in the land has been bestowed with amazing superhuman powers, the ultimate war is about to get under way. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 41 min.
Directed By: Ten Shimoyama
Written By: Kenya Hirata
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Nov 17, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Feb 6, 2007
Studio: FUNimation Entertainment

Critic Reviews

V.A. Musetto, New York Post
What a setup! What a let-down!
Laura Kern, New York Times
Named for ninjas equipped with superhuman capabilities, Ten Shimoyama's Shinobi is equal parts tragic love story and fantastical martial arts showcase.
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
Shinobi may be nearly incoherent, but it plays like X-Men crossed with Romeo and Juliet, which is at least a little cool. And, as I say, it's an absolutely ravishing vision.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

This movie was pretty good. As with most films in this genre, the scenery was absolutely beautiful..... the colors were nice and rich. The acting was really good. You (obviously) need to suspend your belief in some of the fight scenes, and remember that this is a fantasy movie.… More
This movie was pretty good. As with most films in this genre, the scenery was absolutely beautiful..... the colors were nice and rich. The acting was really good. You (obviously) need to suspend your belief in some of the fight scenes, and remember that this is a fantasy movie. However, if you do, your efforts will be rewarded.
EightThirty .

18/03/2010 (DVD) Tragical Romance, Magical Powers, Super Natural Combats, this is "Romeo and Juliet" Ninja style! A discomforting alliance, a forbidden love and a twist of fate. They have Faith in love and yet they are destined to kill. It's mysterious, dark and… More
18/03/2010 (DVD) Tragical Romance, Magical Powers, Super Natural Combats, this is "Romeo and Juliet" Ninja style! A discomforting alliance, a forbidden love and a twist of fate. They have Faith in love and yet they are destined to kill. It's mysterious, dark and mystical, a terrific movie to watch and both sexes will get a kick out of it. Awesome cinematic themes through out the film. There is a Anime to this called "Basilisk" and its just as cool, 5 volumes that equals 24 episodes cool!
Jens S

The idea of mixing X-Men with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is actually pretty fantastic and the first hour is full of beautiful landscapes, great fights and interesting hero characters. Sadly, the ending and solution is somewhat disappointing. This had the potential to be a lot… More
The idea of mixing X-Men with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is actually pretty fantastic and the first hour is full of beautiful landscapes, great fights and interesting hero characters. Sadly, the ending and solution is somewhat disappointing. This had the potential to be a lot better, but the fun fights and the gorgeous cinematography still make this worth seeing for fans of the genre.
Justin Y

You may have heard or read that this movie is a cross between Romeo and Juliet and the X-Men. Actually, that is a pretty good description of this flick.The main plot of this movie is a love story between two members of two different… More
You may have heard or read that this movie is a cross between Romeo and Juliet and the X-Men. Actually, that is a pretty good description of this flick.The main plot of this movie is a love story between two members of two different villages, which are at ends with each other. Does the concept sound familiar? Anyway this plot is quickly overshadowed by a subplot in which the two villages must select their 5 best shinobi to do battle with each other.What will make the action fans happy is the fact that each of the ten shinobi specialize in a certain skill or art if you will. These skills can be comparable to powers from X-Men and the TV series Heroes. It is because of these skills that action fans may also be disappointed. Instead of shinobi clashing each other with swords and well choreographed martial arts fighting we get them facing each other with their respective skills. In fact the closest hand-to-hand type combat scenes are the few that include Tak Sakaguchi, which is what he is known for.The cinematography as well as the CG effects in this film are pretty spectacular and this is what really enhances the fights and the scenery. Although the story is interesting, it did seem a little rushed. This movie actually comes in at just over 90 minutes and it left me wanting more back story and better character development.In the end this film can be classified as a drama with a dash of action. If you're in the mood for a nice love story with a moderate amount of CG effected battles then this movie is for you.
Lesley N

Japanese film about two feuding villages with Ninja super-powers and a Romeo and Juliet theme as Gennosuke and Oboro lead their two tribes into attle. Beautiful action scenes, fantastical fighting talents, swooping scenery, ninjas!! .... but all the bits don't gell into a… More
Japanese film about two feuding villages with Ninja super-powers and a Romeo and Juliet theme as Gennosuke and Oboro lead their two tribes into attle. Beautiful action scenes, fantastical fighting talents, swooping scenery, ninjas!! .... but all the bits don't gell into a satisfying whole .
Anthony V

Romeo and Juliet, Ninja style!
Christopher B

Excellent film. Ninjas with superpowers, do you really need more reasons to see it?