Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden
Directed by Gorosaurus

Gorosaurus is, without a doubt, the most accomplished character animator in the history of 3DMM. A bold statement to open a review, particularly so because I have worked with him before, but something I say with no hesitation whatsoever. The program's (and by extension, the community's) evolution has brought forth several animators that can bring an assortment of spheres to life in powerful and expressive ways. But while Redwampa's got the subtle nuances of character movement down to a tee and Pikios has the ability to pack a raw, emotional wallop into expressions and gestures, Goro's very personality shines in everything he does; he has completely and utterly mastered the art of making an HMC speak to you through movement alone, and what Ninja Gaiden ultimately demonstrates is the refinement of his trademark exagerrated cartoon animation into a subtle, darker, and more captivating form.

The plot is a nuts and bolts ninja/revenge tale, adapted loosely from the NES game the film was inspired by. The opening sequence, in fact, is a direct lift from the pre-title cinematic in the game, which Goro animates so accurately it's rather uncanny. Fans of the game (myself included) are guaranteed a swell in emotions when Goro gives us the exact monologue that accompanies this sequence in a very cool fading text form, with Ryu reading his father's letter. But it's not ten seconds into the next scene before we realize that while Goro knows the power of such homage, this is his tale, and not Tecmo's. Some 90% of the movie takes place in the same location, which at times feels a little suffocating, particularly because Goro has a habit of creating environments so dark he doesn't even have to make scenery, animating the action overtop of a black screen. When lighting effects spill through the windows it provides a stark contrast to the reaction and conversation shots, which have no backgrounds to them. Although the minimalistic approach works extremely well, with the only evidence that the characters are in a room and not a black void being the window silhouettes, the contrast provides the biggest problem, highlighting both extremes in a very noticable way -- but in the scheme of what Ninja Gaiden is, this is just some sour window dressing. In fact, the lack of backgrounds sort of emphasizes the stellar character animation in a way. You win this round, Mr. Saurus.

The important thing to remember is that this is a movie told entirely by its animation. The campy dialogue, acted by Goro, creates an almost B-movie-esque atmosphere that is occasionally in danger of turning viewers cynical to the rest of the experience, and the story, while undeniably a complete tale, rarely strays from its simple premise. But the emotional hook, the key element of the film that draws us in, is the way Goro develops Ryu through his expressions and actions alone. Every raise of the eyebrow, every glance around the room, every tensing of the muscles, and especially the way all of these are used to enhance each other brings Ryu to life the way no other HMC has ever been given life. Goro exagerrates every action to just the slightest degree, leaving no confusion as to what's being expressed. We see him angry, we see him in shock, we see him cocky, all with the seemingly effortless movements of his head, neck, and eyes. When he crouches, rubs the back of head in pain, shifts into en guarde position, we are able to sense what he is thinking and align with him automatically. And the maddening thing about it is how simple and at times even goofy his character design is. Goro is one of the elite classifications of animators that you can give only a single sphere to work with, and he can give it the full range of emotions just by moving it around onscreen.

There's depth too in the contrast between Ryu and his adversary -- the millenia beast changes his appearance three times throughout the film, widening the alignment rift between them. Because the antagonist repeatedly changes forms, Ryu's design stability is further emphasized. So not only does he inspire our alignment because of how expressive he is, but because he's comparatively stable and familiar, which does wonders for how we identify with him. I don't know if Goro had this contrast in mind when he was making the film, but there are several examples of this kind of good design instinct echoed later in Redux: We can't see the Bored With 3DMM Demon's entire body because part of it is underground, creating a sort of sinister and secretive design, while Godzilla can walk around and we DO see his entire body. Granted, the Demon is originally Redwampa's design, but one of my favorite Gorosaurian shots in Redux, the iconic staredown between them while meteors pummel the landscape, illustrates that Goro again knew how to create a design contrast. This is subtle and its ultimate effect debatable, but a good indicator that the man knows how to use every aspect of a character to achieve his goal.

I've mentioned that the animation is unique, expressive, powerful, and manages to convey character development almost entirely by itself. On top of all that, it also kicks some serious ass. There are moments here that I still drool over, two years after its release. Since the dialogue rarely stops until the climax of the confrontation in Walter Smith's house, it's less of a movie-length fight scene and more of a sinister conversation peppered with increasingly longer and cooler moments of action. One of the neatest moments for me was rather throwaway in the scheme of what came next, but it demonstrates Goro's eye for really cool moments, a sword going through a beard, with tiny hairs floating down past the character's shirt. Ryu being repeatedly slammed into the wall was a neat running gag (and the payoff shot where he's slammed right next to the Ryu-shaped indentation from earlier inspires laughter and wincing sympathy at the same time). And the ultimate badass sequence, the time slow-and-release ability Ryu uses to vanquish his enemy when it seems he's been bested makes for two of the greatest looking shots in the movie while simultaneously meditating on the result of his character's humility throughout the movie, a newfound maturity and confidence. Hell, the Dragon Sword is practically a Freudian symbol if you think about it.

Sound effects, which Goro owes in big part to the talented Matt 'Z-Man' Burkett, are phenomenal, matching the mournful pieces from the game and some more explosive and dramtic pieces from Guyver with fantastic sword slashes and explosions aplenty. There's also one midi, during the NES game lift at the beginning, which is very appropriate. And while Goro sometimes seems to forget which character he's doing lines for (at one point I'm almost positive Ryu is speaking with Dr. Smith's voice), the goofy style doesn't impede the movie too much, and works on some enjoyably cheesy level.

If Ninja Gaiden falters in any big way, it's because of the plot. Not that it doesn't work -- as a complete story, told by animation and enhanced by dialogue, it's so iconic and classic that it's even been imitated by at least one ten-year-old fan. But the trouble with Ninja Gaiden is that the characters are too big for the movie. Goro has almost created an imbalance in emotional punch and actual plot merits....through no fault of its own, the movie feels too powerful to contain itself in some ways; an untapped potential that will no doubt fulfill itself spectacularly in The Dragon Born. Still, this is a minor quibble that ultimately confirms the staying power of the movie. The first installment of Ninja Gaiden will remain a classic in 3DMM History, and continues to serve as a powerful warning shot for fellow animators: Look busy, cause Gorosaurus is stomping this way.

Critical Score: 95/100.
Personal Score: 98/100.