Los Angeles-based sales agency MultiVisionnaire Pictures has acquired worldwide rights, outside of Japan, to “Samurai Ninja Onimanji.” The picture is a gory-fantasy-action film by Japanese VFX master, artist, and director Nishimura Yoshihiro.
Nishimura is a prolific special effects artist with over 100 film credits ranging from effects work to writing and directing. Credits across the J-sploitation genre include “Tokyo Gore Police,” “Meatball Machine Kodoku” and the recent “Tokyo Dragon Chef.”
The story focuses on Onimanji, portrayed by Mimoto Masanori (“Death Note,” “Kingdom”), a Samurai Ninja who’s been cursed and sealed in an urn for over 600 years, but is resurrected in the present day by the assassin-for-hire outfit, Kika Company. Despite being a master swordsman, onimanji faces many challenges in the 21st century and is condemned to work with an eccentric team of misfits. These include his sexy and cool-headed boss Kika (Tadano Natsumi) and a bumbling assassin colleague, played by Ishikawa Yuya (“The Machine Girl”). Together they are assigned to tackle supernatural evil forces, while battling their rival Natsumegu Company with its psychopathic leader.
The new picture combines Nishimura’s signature body horror mutant characters, extravagant costumes, satirical humor and blood-splattering samurai sword-gun fights.
“Fanboys, anime-enthusiasts as well as the next generation of audience can expect a whole 115 minutes of fantastical visual feast from beginning to end credit,” said Erika Kao-Haley, MultiVisionnaire’s managing partner who acquired the film from producer Nishimura Motion Picture Mode Makers Group. MultiVisionnaire will premiere the film to international buyers at this year’s Marche du Film in Cannes.
