Ninja Kids!!!
Encyclopedia
is a 2011 Japanese family-oriented comedy film directed by Takashi Miike
. The film is live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime
series Nintama Rantarō
. The film stars Seishiro Kato
as Rantaro who is sent to a ninja training school by his parents. During the summer, their teacher is invaded by a group of rival ninjas culminating in a race to ring a bell on top of a mountain.
Ninja Kids!!! had its world premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival
on July 3, 2011 and was released theatrically in Japan on July 23 where it was the fourth highest grossing film in its opening week.
in early 16th century Japan, the young ninja Rantaro (Seishiro Kato
) is born into a family of low-ranking ninjas. Rantaro is sent by his father and mother (Shido Nakamura
and Rei Dan
) to attend the six-year course at a Ninja Academy run by Denzo Yamada (Susumu Terajima
). Rinatro's homeroom teacher is Hansuke Doi (Takahiro Miura) and head of the Ninja Girl classes at the school is Shina Yamamoto who appears as either a beautiful young woman (Anne Watanabe
) or an older woman (Tamao Nakamura
). After going home to his parents' farm for the holidays, Rantaro is joined by his schoolmate Shinbei (Futa Kimura) but they later decided to stay with teacher Doi. One day, some Usetake ninjas arrive at the house of flamboyant hairdresser Yukitaka Saito (Takeshi Kaga
) and his son Takamura (Takuya Mizoguchi) in order to kill both of them. Yukitaka and Takamura used to belong to the Usetake clan, but Rantaro and his friends aim to save them by joining a contest that ends with a race to ring a bell on top of a mountain.
on July 3, 2011. It premiered in Canada at the Fantasia Festival
on July 16, 2011. After the premiere, negotiations were reported to be underway with a major production company for an American remake of the film.
It had its theatrical premiere in Japan on July 23, 2011. It was the fourth highest grossing film on its opening week in Japan grossing $1,060,634. It has grossed a total of $3,436,468.
gave the film a favorable review stating that it had " joyous energy that propels its pint-size protagonists through a rapid-fire succession of slapstick gags, each more outrageous than the last." Film Business Asia gave the film a seven out of ten rating, noting that "in the second half, the film loses its initial playfulness and becomes more like rote silly comedy".
Takashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
. The film is live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Nintama Rantarō
Nintama Rantaro
is a Japanese anime series based on Sōbē Amako's manga Rakudai Ninja Rantarō. It was produced by Ajia-do Animation Works and originally broadcast on NHK. It is aimed at young children, featuring the adventures of Rantarō and his friends and teachers at Ninja school. The fact that glasses are worn...
. The film stars Seishiro Kato
Seishiro Kato
is a Japanese child actor.He debuted when he was 13 months old. He became recognized after his breakthrough role as Higuchi Yoroku in Tenchijin the 2009 edition of NHK Taiga Drama. Currently, he is actively appearing in many TV dramas, films, and TV commercials...
as Rantaro who is sent to a ninja training school by his parents. During the summer, their teacher is invaded by a group of rival ninjas culminating in a race to ring a bell on top of a mountain.
Ninja Kids!!! had its world premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival
New York Asian Film Festival
The New York Asian Film Festival was first held in 2002, growing out of the previous year's New York Korean Film Festival...
on July 3, 2011 and was released theatrically in Japan on July 23 where it was the fourth highest grossing film in its opening week.
Plot
Set in the Muromachi periodMuromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
in early 16th century Japan, the young ninja Rantaro (Seishiro Kato
Seishiro Kato
is a Japanese child actor.He debuted when he was 13 months old. He became recognized after his breakthrough role as Higuchi Yoroku in Tenchijin the 2009 edition of NHK Taiga Drama. Currently, he is actively appearing in many TV dramas, films, and TV commercials...
) is born into a family of low-ranking ninjas. Rantaro is sent by his father and mother (Shido Nakamura
Shido Nakamura
, better known by the stage name , is a Japanese kabuki and film actor.- Background:Born in Tokyo, the son of kabuki actor Nakamura Shidō I, young Nakamura made his kabuki debut at the age of eight. He took the name Shidō the following year, following his father's retirement...
and Rei Dan
Rei Dan
is a Japanese actress. She began her career as a member of the Takarazuka Revue. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 32nd Japan Academy Prize for Kabei: Our Mother.-Filmography:* Kabei: Our Mother * Snow Prince...
) to attend the six-year course at a Ninja Academy run by Denzo Yamada (Susumu Terajima
Susumu Terajima
is a Japanese actor who has appeared in over 100 films, 15 television commercials, three PVs, and numerous television dramas in a career spanning over 20 years. He rarely is the star of the films he is in but he is widely respected for taking every job seriously and diving into his work,...
). Rinatro's homeroom teacher is Hansuke Doi (Takahiro Miura) and head of the Ninja Girl classes at the school is Shina Yamamoto who appears as either a beautiful young woman (Anne Watanabe
Anne Watanabe
is a Japanese fashion model, actress and singer. She is the daughter of film actor Ken Watanabe. In her modeling work, she is known by the mononym Anne....
) or an older woman (Tamao Nakamura
Tamao Nakamura
is a Japanese actress. She was married to Shintaro Katsu.-Filmography:* Zenigata Heiji: Ghost Lord * Flowery Brothers...
). After going home to his parents' farm for the holidays, Rantaro is joined by his schoolmate Shinbei (Futa Kimura) but they later decided to stay with teacher Doi. One day, some Usetake ninjas arrive at the house of flamboyant hairdresser Yukitaka Saito (Takeshi Kaga
Takeshi Kaga
is a well-known stage and movie actor in Japan who is probably best known internationally for his portrayal of Chairman Kaga in the Japanese television show Iron Chef produced by Fuji TV. His real name is .-Biography:...
) and his son Takamura (Takuya Mizoguchi) in order to kill both of them. Yukitaka and Takamura used to belong to the Usetake clan, but Rantaro and his friends aim to save them by joining a contest that ends with a race to ring a bell on top of a mountain.
Release
Ninja Kids!!! had its world premiere at the New York Asian Film FestivalNew York Asian Film Festival
The New York Asian Film Festival was first held in 2002, growing out of the previous year's New York Korean Film Festival...
on July 3, 2011. It premiered in Canada at the Fantasia Festival
Fantasia Festival
Fantasia International Film Festival is a genre film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996...
on July 16, 2011. After the premiere, negotiations were reported to be underway with a major production company for an American remake of the film.
It had its theatrical premiere in Japan on July 23, 2011. It was the fourth highest grossing film on its opening week in Japan grossing $1,060,634. It has grossed a total of $3,436,468.
Reception
Ninja Kids!!! has received generally positive reviews. Screen Daily gave a positive review, praising the film's energy while noting that "the film may enchant or completely turn off a viewer with its bizarre attempt to give the characters the exact same looks as their animated counterparts" Tradepaper VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
gave the film a favorable review stating that it had " joyous energy that propels its pint-size protagonists through a rapid-fire succession of slapstick gags, each more outrageous than the last." Film Business Asia gave the film a seven out of ten rating, noting that "in the second half, the film loses its initial playfulness and becomes more like rote silly comedy".