Ninja Scroll

Aired: 1993

An original Madhouse theatrical anime written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, released on June 5, 1993. In the early Edo period, wandering ninja Juubei becomes entangled with the shogunate spy Dakuan and the kunoichi Kagero, pitted against the Eight Devils of Kimon, a monstrous group of superhuman assassins. Distilling blood, darkness, sensuality and the aesthetics of Japanese period drama into a hard-edged adult action film, its heavy artwork and chiaroscuro direction drew enormous acclaim overseas and became a landmark that helped carry Japanese OVAs and theatrical anime to a global audience.