Mirai Ninja
Encyclopedia
, fully titled as , is a beat 'em up
arcade game
that was released by Namco
in 1988 only in Japan
. Mirai Ninja was based on the Japanese movie of the same name, also produced by Namco. The game ran on Namco System 2
hardware.
of Zeiram
and Kamen Rider
fame. Both the game and the movie were released in the same year. Oddly enough, despite the arcade game being released only in Japan, the film was released overseas by Orion Pictures
in straight-to-video releases under the titles Cyber Ninja (in United States
) and Warlord (in Canada
).
In both the film and the arcade game a man's body and soul are stolen and used as part of a demon's castle. What's left becomes a cyber-ninja named Shiranui
. The player controls Mirai Ninja, who must fight various enemies and bosses by rapidly throwing shuriken
at them. The life meter uses kanji
for the numbers; this was previously done in Namco's other game, Genpei Tōma Den, for the score display. There were four 7"-8" action figures released by Crowd, Inc. in 2000. There were two Shouki figures (a bone colored Shouki and a red repaint), and two Shiranui figures (a black and a black & silver repaint).
Beat 'em up
Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
that was released by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in 1988 only in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Mirai Ninja was based on the Japanese movie of the same name, also produced by Namco. The game ran on Namco System 2
Namco System 2
The Namco System 2 arcade system board was first used by Namco in 1987 and was a major enhancement to the previous Namco System 1 arcade system board....
hardware.
Summary
Character designs and directing of the film were done by Keita AmemiyaKeita Amemiya
is a prolific Japanese character designer and director from Urayasu, Chiba. Amemiya is known for his sophisticated science fiction & fantasy designs and unique directorial style, and is recognized among tokusatsu genre fans as one of the most creative, respected and successful professionals of all...
of Zeiram
Zeiram
also known as Zeram, is a 1991 Japanese live-action movie in which the bounty hunter from another planet named Iria comes to Earth to do battle with Zeiram, an immortal alien creature with a strangely shaped head which resembles a wide-brimmed hat...
and Kamen Rider
Kamen Rider
, is a weekly science fiction story created by Japanese manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. It debuted as a tokusatsu television series on April 3, 1971 and ran until February 10, 1973, airing on the Mainichi Broadcasting System and NET TV . A manga adaptation was also featured in Shōnen Magazine...
fame. Both the game and the movie were released in the same year. Oddly enough, despite the arcade game being released only in Japan, the film was released overseas by Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures Corporation was an American independent production company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former top-level executives of United Artists. Although it was never a large motion picture producer, Orion...
in straight-to-video releases under the titles Cyber Ninja (in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) and Warlord (in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
).
In both the film and the arcade game a man's body and soul are stolen and used as part of a demon's castle. What's left becomes a cyber-ninja named Shiranui
Shiranui
Shiranui is a Japanese term given to the optical or supernatural phenomenon similar to will-o'-the-wisp. It has also a name associated with:-People:*Shiranui Dakuemon , the 8th Yokozuna sumo wrestlers...
. The player controls Mirai Ninja, who must fight various enemies and bosses by rapidly throwing shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
at them. The life meter uses kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
for the numbers; this was previously done in Namco's other game, Genpei Tōma Den, for the score display. There were four 7"-8" action figures released by Crowd, Inc. in 2000. There were two Shouki figures (a bone colored Shouki and a red repaint), and two Shiranui figures (a black and a black & silver repaint).