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Ninja Resurrection
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"Ninja Resurrection", or “Makai Tensho (Hell’s Resurrection)” is a 2 volume OVA from 1998 based on the 1967 novel by Futaro Yamada, one of whose novels was the basis of "Basilisk" and whose themes can be seen as influences for many Anime and Manga, including "Ninja Scroll".
The story takes place in 17th Century Japan at the Shimabara Rebellion. Just like in actual history, a force of approximately 30,000 oppressed Christians and Christian sympathiesers (mostly peasant farmers), led by 14-year-old Christian Martyr Amakusa Shiro, is massacred by the Tokugawa Shogunate with its army of about 125,000 soldiers. And also just like actual history, the defeated rebels are decapitated and their heads are put on pikes, as a visual reminder of the strength of the Tokugawa.
But, unlike history, using dark Christian magic, an enraged Amakusa (historically called the Fourth Son of Heaven but now in this show renamed: Satan) has been brought back by one of his minions as an inhuman demon, to seek revenge on the Tokugawa. To serve him, four famous fighters, Inshun Houzouin, Botaro Tamiya, Munenori Tajima, and Mataemon Araki, are “Resurrected” first. The only man that can standup to Shiro and his gang of zombie manslayers is ex-Sword Instructor to the Tokugawa Shogun, the one-eyed samurai Yagyu Jubei.
The Yagyu Sword School understands the “importance of life”; but Christianity is portrayed as a kind of Death Cult, a corrupting force that sacrifices and destroys its own people (Uh… who was putting those heads on pikes?). Offensive? Yes! Still, "Ninja Resurrection" is an awesome looking cartoon with over the top gore. Where else can you see a zombie Mataemon Araki (once a student of the Yagyu School, now turned into a “Christian demon”) remove a piece of cloth covering the lower part of his face to show: there is no lower part of his face, only bone and gore. Then, after he’s disemboweled, he uses both his hands and his intestines to tear apart his enemies. Sadly, the show was never finished, and ends with the rebirth of Amakusa.
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8.65/10 
9.12/10
8.70/10 
65 votes