Red Ninja: End Of Honor
Encyclopedia
Red Ninja: End of Honor, known in Japan as ("Red Ninja: Blood River Dance"), is a 2005 video game for the PlayStation 2
and Xbox
platforms, created in a collaboration between the game developer Tranji Studios and the film writer Shinsuke Sato
. It was published overseas by Vivendi Games
. The game's theme song was performed by Yoko Ishida
.
("iron string", or "wire") from a tree and left to die. Miraculously, she survives and is rescued and adopted into a ninja clan where she obtains complete mastery of her adopted weapon, the tetsugen. Pledging her undying loyalty to her new family, Kurenai now lives to avenge her father's death and will go to any means necessary.
blade or fundo (a blunt iron weight) attachment to the tetsugen. The tetsugen also has a hook attachment that allows Kurenai to swing to various places. Melee attacks can be performed with either the blade or fundo. By repeatedly annihilating enemies and avoiding injury, Kurenai can build her ninjutsu
gauge, which allows her to enter a sort of "bullet time
" in order to more efficiently eliminate enemies. When Kurenai is being chased by three or more enemies while targeting one of them, she can perform a powerful melee attack to annihilate all enemies in range.
However, as Kurenai is without armor and significant reach (enemies are armed with bows, spears, or katana
), most battle encounters will either injure her seriously or kill her outright. It is best to avoid physical altercations either by sneaking, stealth
-killing, or using Kurenai's feminine charm to eliminate threats. Stealth attacks are possible when Kurenai sneaks up on an enemy undetected or uses the blade to slice off an unaware enemy's head from a distance. A seduction stealth kill is also possible to perform on a single enemy: during such an attack, Kurenai will perform a vaguely suggestive activity and when the enemy approaches, will drag him down and kill him. Bodies of dead enemies can be dragged in order to conceal Kurenai's presence from the enemy, though only decapitated or defeated enemies can be dragged (in other words, Kurenai cannot pick up two separate halves of a body to hide them). The game is impossible to complete without killing people.
Kurenai has several different methods of moving. In addition to running, walking, and jumping, she can stealth walk in order to creep up on enemies or move behind low barriers. She will stealth run if an enemy is targeted, unaware of her presence, and she is being made to run. Kurenai can also wall-jump, that is to say jump from surface to surface, up to three times in order to surmount large obstacles. Kurenai can flatten herself against certain walls, cling to ledges, hang upside down from her tetsugen to kill people, and if she is running fast enough, can zoom straight up walls until she either runs out of momentum or smashes into something. Wall running cannot be done on all walls, and can only be done if Kurenai is running at full speed. If Kurenai is crouching, she can also roll rapidly when the jump button is pressed. When faced with tight, narrow spaces, Kurenai can dislocate her right shoulder in order to go through.
Areas can be navigated by looking at the (anachronistic) sonar
circle in the corner. A green circle signifies successful infiltration, while yellow, orange, and red signal caution, alert, and full-out alarm/attack modes. Enemies are represented by arrowheads, with the point of the arrow being their direction of vision. A white X indicates the general direction Kurenai should go in order to complete the mission.
picture of Kurenai, wearing "her signature crimson miniskirt robe", appeared in October 2004 issue of Playboy
. In Japan, the promotional campaign included the use of the Cafe & Kitchen Cos-Cha maid cafe
in Akihabara
between February and June (decorations, special menu and waitresses dressed up as Kurenai), and the race queen
Yuri Hashizume (Yuri Isakura) visiting editorial departments of various Japanese gaming magazines while cosplay
ing as Kurenai.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
platforms, created in a collaboration between the game developer Tranji Studios and the film writer Shinsuke Sato
Shinsuke Sato
is a Japanese film director, screenplay writer and video game designer.- Filmography :- Video game developer:-External links:...
. It was published overseas by Vivendi Games
Vivendi Games
Vivendi Games, formerly known as Vivendi Universal Games, was the holdings company for Sierra Entertainment and Blizzard Entertainment. Vivendi Games was founded as Vivendi Universal Games after Vivendi bought Universal Studios in the early 2000s...
. The game's theme song was performed by Yoko Ishida
Yoko Ishida
is a Japanese singer, employed by Hyper Voice. She is known for having performed theme songs for anime shows such as Prétear, Ai Yori Aoshi and the Ah! My Goddess TV series, as well as for having sung for the Para Para Max CD series....
.
Story
A young girl's world is destroyed when she and her father are attacked by the Black Lizard clan. After witnessing the brutal execution of her father Ryo, the girl is brutally hung with a tetsugenGarrote
A garrote or garrote vil is a handheld weapon, most often referring to a ligature of chain, rope, scarf, wire or fishing line used to strangle someone....
("iron string", or "wire") from a tree and left to die. Miraculously, she survives and is rescued and adopted into a ninja clan where she obtains complete mastery of her adopted weapon, the tetsugen. Pledging her undying loyalty to her new family, Kurenai now lives to avenge her father's death and will go to any means necessary.
Gameplay
Red Ninja employs a third-person perspective with a limited rotatable camera. Enemies are dispatched with either a kunaiKunai
A is a Japanese tool possibly derived from the masonry trowel. Two variations are the and the . It is a good example of a very basic tool which, in the hands of a martial arts expert, could be used as a multi-functional weapon...
blade or fundo (a blunt iron weight) attachment to the tetsugen. The tetsugen also has a hook attachment that allows Kurenai to swing to various places. Melee attacks can be performed with either the blade or fundo. By repeatedly annihilating enemies and avoiding injury, Kurenai can build her ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
gauge, which allows her to enter a sort of "bullet time
Bullet time
Bullet time is a special and visual effect that refers to a digitally enhanced simulation of variable-speed photography used in films, broadcast advertisements, and video games...
" in order to more efficiently eliminate enemies. When Kurenai is being chased by three or more enemies while targeting one of them, she can perform a powerful melee attack to annihilate all enemies in range.
However, as Kurenai is without armor and significant reach (enemies are armed with bows, spears, or katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
), most battle encounters will either injure her seriously or kill her outright. It is best to avoid physical altercations either by sneaking, stealth
Stealth
Stealth may refer to:*Stealth technology, technology used to conceal ships, aircraft, and missiles*Stealth aircraft, aircraft which use stealth technology*Stealth ground vehicle, ground vehicles which use stealth technology...
-killing, or using Kurenai's feminine charm to eliminate threats. Stealth attacks are possible when Kurenai sneaks up on an enemy undetected or uses the blade to slice off an unaware enemy's head from a distance. A seduction stealth kill is also possible to perform on a single enemy: during such an attack, Kurenai will perform a vaguely suggestive activity and when the enemy approaches, will drag him down and kill him. Bodies of dead enemies can be dragged in order to conceal Kurenai's presence from the enemy, though only decapitated or defeated enemies can be dragged (in other words, Kurenai cannot pick up two separate halves of a body to hide them). The game is impossible to complete without killing people.
Kurenai has several different methods of moving. In addition to running, walking, and jumping, she can stealth walk in order to creep up on enemies or move behind low barriers. She will stealth run if an enemy is targeted, unaware of her presence, and she is being made to run. Kurenai can also wall-jump, that is to say jump from surface to surface, up to three times in order to surmount large obstacles. Kurenai can flatten herself against certain walls, cling to ledges, hang upside down from her tetsugen to kill people, and if she is running fast enough, can zoom straight up walls until she either runs out of momentum or smashes into something. Wall running cannot be done on all walls, and can only be done if Kurenai is running at full speed. If Kurenai is crouching, she can also roll rapidly when the jump button is pressed. When faced with tight, narrow spaces, Kurenai can dislocate her right shoulder in order to go through.
Areas can be navigated by looking at the (anachronistic) sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
circle in the corner. A green circle signifies successful infiltration, while yellow, orange, and red signal caution, alert, and full-out alarm/attack modes. Enemies are represented by arrowheads, with the point of the arrow being their direction of vision. A white X indicates the general direction Kurenai should go in order to complete the mission.
Characters
- Kurenai: She is a serious young lady who has just come out of ninja training, and as a result sometimes lets her heart rule her actions instead of the ninja code. Her father is the creator of the gun blueprints that she is sent to retrieve. Her name literally means "crimson." Voiced by by Mary-Beth Macaluso in English and by Youki KudohYouki Kudohis a Japanese actress and singer. She won the award for best newcomer at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for The Crazy Family. She also won the award for best actress at the 16th Hochi Film Award for War and Youth.-Filmography:-External links:* *...
in Japanese.
- Mochizuki ChiyomeMochizuki ChiyomeMochizuki Chiyome , also known as Mochizuki Chiyojo, was a Japanese noblewoman of the 16th century who was credited with creating an all-female group of ninja.- Biography :...
: Kurenai's senseiSensei' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
. Dedicated to Lord Shingen Takeda, she is the most accomplished ninja under Lord Takeda's clan. She is stern but also motherly toward Kurenai and Akemi. According to Zenzo, the bond between Chiyome and Lord Takeda is stronger than that between Lord Takeda and his wife. Whether this indicates romantic attachment or a close professional relationship, Chiyome is nevertheless privy to many of Lord Takeda's plans.
- Akemi: Kurenai's friend and fellow ninja. She raises and is responsible for the ninja butterflies that Kurenai can consult throughout the game for tips on using the Tetsugen and ideas on how to navigate certain areas. She is a cheerful girl who follows Kurenai around like a younger sister and occasionally aids her on missions. Akemi was voiced by Colleen O'ShaughnesseyColleen O'ShaughnesseyColleen Ann O'Shaughnessey is an American voice actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Sora from the first and second seasons of Digimon , Jazz Fenton in Danny Phantom, Ino Yamanaka and Konohamaru in Naruto.She has also worked in the video game industry where she voiced Genis Sage in...
.
- Zenzo: Kurenai's fellow ninja and de facto leader of Lord Takeda's ninja after Chiyome defects. He is a very traditional ninja but appears to have feelings for Kurenai, as he allows her to rescue Akemi instead of killing her when Akemi falls into enemy hands, and also gives her a tantōTantoA is one of the traditional Japanese swords that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the years to become more ornate...
to use in her missions that has been in his family for generations.
- Shingen TakedaTakeda Shingen, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
: Lord of the Takeda clan. He always appears in armor and sitting behind a screen that largely obscures his features. Despite being a large and round man, he is one of the chief warlords in the fight against Nobunaga Oda and strongly supports his ninja. He appears to have a close relationship (could be romantic or professional) with Chiyome. He never speaks throughout the course of the game. Shingen was voiced by Randall Duk KimRandall Duk KimRandall Duk Kim is a Korean-American stage, television and film actor. Kim was also the artistic director and mainstay lead actor at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, which he founded with Anne Occhiogrosso and Charles Bright...
.
- Kusoyari Takeda: Son of Lord Shingen Takeda, he speaks for his father during briefings and is never seen without a long-handled fan. He has something of a temper and, Chiyome hints, an inferiority complex since he is seen as the weak son of a strong father.
- Ginbei: Apprentice to Kurenai's father, and credited as the creator of the gun blueprints after Kurenai's father dies. He is unaware that Kurenai has survived the assault of the Black Lizard clan. Initially appearing as an ineffectual intellectual in heavy glasses, he has a hard and ambitious side.
Promotion
A centerfoldCenterfold
The centerfold of a magazine refers to a gatefolded spread, usually a portrait such as a pin-up or a nude, inserted in the middle of the publication, or to the model featured in the portrait...
picture of Kurenai, wearing "her signature crimson miniskirt robe", appeared in October 2004 issue of Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
. In Japan, the promotional campaign included the use of the Cafe & Kitchen Cos-Cha maid cafe
Maid cafe
Maid cafés are a subcategory of cosplay restaurants found predominantly in Japan. In these cafés, waitresses dressed in maid costumes act as servants, and treat customers as masters in a private home, rather than as café patrons...
in Akihabara
Akihabara
, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...
between February and June (decorations, special menu and waitresses dressed up as Kurenai), and the race queen
Race queen
is a Japanese term for a type of promotional model found as part of a pit crew in certain kinds of motor racing, such as F1 races. The equivalent British term is "Pit babe".-History:...
Yuri Hashizume (Yuri Isakura) visiting editorial departments of various Japanese gaming magazines while cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
ing as Kurenai.
Reception
The game received mostly poor and mediocre reviews and earned the GameRankings' average score of 48.46% based on 22 reviews for the PS2 version and 48.05% based on 23 reviews for the Xbox version. In 2011, UGO Networks featured Kurenai on their list of 25 Hot Ninja Girls.External links
- Official website (archival version)