Wow. This is truly not what I was expecting. Sure, from the outside looking in it sounds like a pure genre blast, and that's just what we get; anyone who has any level of familiarity with contemporary tokusatsu fare like 'Super Sentai,' 'Kamen Rider' and its offshoots, or 'Ultraman,' among others, will feel right at home. Alternatively, for U. S. viewers, imagine a smash-up of 'Star Wars,' 'Power Rangers' (obviously) and 80s fantasy with ninja and samurai, and you'll arrive at some approximation. Yet for as outrageous as it sounds, and for everything that's thrown at us even in the opening sequence, what I never would have expected of this film was how great it was going to be! Oh yes, it is sheer entertainment with no deeper substance to be had, but it also knows exactly what it is and unabashedly embraces the merriment. For my part I absolutely adore 'Mirai ninja,' and I'm thrilled to suggest it to all comers!
I'll grant that the special effects rendered in post-production are a mixed bag. The more colorful additions are, mostly, roughly on par with a George Lucas vehicle, or at least a knock-off of one; layered luminosity, the titular character's advanced leaps, and some other odds and ends more definitively show their age. It strikes me that the writing shows some weaknesses, too, primarily in how very unsophisticated the plot is, and how direct the plot development, with the result in turn that it seems Movie Magic is driving the narrative at least as much if not more than judicious storytelling. The treatment of some characters also raises an eyebrow: Princess Saki seems to be quite capable, but is given little to do; despite how Jiromaru is first presented, and his role in the story, he rather vanishes for a long time. No matter how much favor we're inclined to bestow on this flick, it does have shortcomings.
Be that as it may, 'Mirai ninja' only wants to have a good time, and by golly, it does! Even acknowledging some less sure-footed areas, far more than not this is surprisingly well made, and it really does reflect the skill and passion of all involved. What one assumes from the premise alone to be a low-grade B-movie (Z-movie?), and from the history of videogame adaptations to be roundly dubious, actually quite impresses with the imagination and hard work that went into it in so many ways. I would love to learn more about Namco's involvement in both the game and the picture, and how they were envisioned; not knowing which was conceived first, I presume have to commend filmmaker Amemiya Keita and co-writer Kitahara Satoshi for organizing ideas from the game into a cogent, cohesive screenplay. Seeing footage of gameplay that endeavor of fashioning characters, scenes, meaningful dialogue, and a story therefrom is no small feat, however simple the result may be. And every other facet subsequently conjured is even more admirable.
Production designer and art director Iguchi Akihiko, production designer Takahashi Akihiko, Amemiya and fellow character designer Terada Katsuya, and Terada's fellow costume designers Korino Hiromi and Onose Yasuko all turned in truly outstanding work that is arguably the real backbone of the feature. The visuals are utterly superb, whipping together jidaigeki, fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, and other sundry bits and bobs into a wonderfully flavorful slurry that sometimes outright stuns. Landscapes, backdrops, vehicles, models and set pieces, interiors, props, weapons, and practical effects; humans' outfits, enemy foot soldiers, more prominent and more highly ranked villains, the titular "cyberninja," and all else and everything in between: there is creativity and wonder in the appearance of all these elements that is all but dazzling. We may think of comparisons from more fanciful live-action fare of all stripes, comic books and manga, animation, prose literature, or even just our dreams and nightmares, but one way or another I was kind of swept away again and again by all the sights to greet us here. This is to say nothing of the stunts and action sequences, each of which are exciting and invigorating in their own right.
Fair, other aspects are more suitable than they are specifically eye-catching. Amemiya runs a tight ship as director, and the cast give capable performances; the cinematography and editing are just fine. Then again, the original music of Nakagata Norio and Ota Koichi is marvelous complement, enriching the proceeding with themes that also intermittently recall other genre fare, and sharp sound and image work in concert to allow us to experience every nuance that there is in the execution, lacking though the writing may be. There really is a whole lot to like in these seventy-five minutes, a panoply of stimuli that's built for fun and ably provides it. It's hardly as if 'Mirai ninja' demands viewership, and anyone who isn't on board with the more frivolous side of cinema can probably pass it right on by. It's not perfect, either - but for as wild and enjoyable as it is from the outset, the spirit and joy never lets up from start to finish. I anticipated appreciating this title one way or another, and I'm incredibly pleased with just what a delightful lark it ended up being. If you're open to romps that are all about gleeful abandon without any of the weight or profundity to match, then I'm happy to give 'Mirai ninja' my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!
