Shinobi no Mono


Shinobi no Mono is a series of jidaigeki novels written by Tomoyoshi Murayama originally serialized in the Sunday edition of the newspaper Akahata from November 1960 to May 1962.

Novels

Set during Japan's Sengoku period, the novels depicted Goemon Ishikawa, a famous outlaw hero who was boiled alive at the end of the 16th century by order of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, as a ninja who fought against samurai warlords.
Vol.Japanese titleRomanizationYearPublisher
1忍びの者1　序の巻Shinobi no Mono 1 Jo no Maki1962Rironsha
2忍びの者2　五右衛門釜煎りShinobi no Mono 2 Goemon Kamairi1965Rironsha
3忍びの者3　真田忍者群Shinobi no Mono 3 Sanada Ninja-gun1967Rironsha
4忍びの者4　忍びの陣Shinobi no Mono 4 Shinobi no Jin1969Rironsha
5忍びの者5　忍び砦のたたかいShinobi no Mono 5 Shinobi-toride no Tatakai1971Rironsha

Films

Between 1962 and 1966, a series of eight Shinobi no Mono films starring Raizo Ichikawa were produced and released by the Daiei Motion Picture Company. The first three films are based on the novel, while the five subsequent films are based on four original screenplays by Hajime Takaiwa and one original screenplay by Kinya Naoi.
No.Japanese titleRomanizationEnglish release titleRelease dateTime periodDirector
1忍びの者Shinobi no MonoShinobi no Mono1962.12.011575-1581Satsuo Yamamoto
2続・忍びの者Zoku Shinobi no MonoShinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance1963.08.101582-1594Satsuo Yamamoto
3新・忍びの者Shin Shinobi no MonoShinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection1963.12.281595-1600Kazuo Mori
4忍びの者　霧隠才蔵Shinobi no Mono Kirigakure SaizōShinobi no Mono 4: Siege1964.07.111614-1615Tokuzō Tanaka
5忍びの者　続・霧隠才蔵Shinobi no Mono Zoku Kirigakure SaizōShinobi No Mono 5: Mist Saizo Returns1964.12.301616Kazuo Ikehiro
6忍びの者　伊賀屋敷Shinobi no Mono Iga-YashikiShinobi No Mono 6: Iga Mansion1965.06.121637-1651Kazuo Mori
7忍びの者　新・霧隠才蔵Shinobi no Mono Shin Kirigakure SaizōShinobi no mono 7: Mist Saizo Strikes Back1966.02.121616Kazuo Mori
8新書・忍びの者Shinsho Shinobi no MonoShinobi no mono 8: Three Enemies1966.12.101570-1573Kazuo Ikehiro
9*忍びの衆Shinobi no ShūMission: Iron Castle1970.02.071582Kazuo Mori

* Following the death of series lead Raizo Ichikawa in 1969, Daiei attempted to revive/continue the series with a 9th film entitled 忍びの衆 Shinobi no Shū starring Hiroki Matsukata, who also replaced Ichikawa in their other popular series Nemuri Kyoshiro.

Television series

The novels were also adapted into a 52-episode television series starring Ryuji Shinagawa and co-produced by the Toei Company and television network NET and broadcast from July 24, 1964 to July 30, 1965. Only the first episode remains in existence.
Japanese titleRomanizationEnglish titleSeries run# of episodes
忍びの者Shinobi no MonoNinja Spy1964–196552