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Shinobi, Sega’s classic arcade ninja series, received a comic prequel that was based on an official screenplay provided by Sega.
Sega is one of the video game industry’s biggest and oldest companies, best known for their line of home video game consoles and their flagship series Sonic the Hedgehog. Before Sonic spun his way onto home consoles in 1991, however, Sega had already established themselves in the arcade market with a multitude of classic titles throughout the ’80s.. Among Sega’s catalog of games was Shinobi, an exciting action platformer featuring the ninja hero, Joe Musashi.
Shinobi was a smash hit and spawned a number of sequels across a variety of platforms throughout the ‘90s. 1995’s Sega Saturn release Shinobi Legions was the last entry in the series for nearly 10 years until the release of Shinobi for the PS2 in 2002. More than just another entry in the series, Shinobi was a complete overhaul, pushing the series into 3D while also radically changing the core gameplay mechanics that had defined the Shinobi series since its debut.
The story featured a brand new hero, the mysterious Hotsuma, as he battled his way through a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, a cursed sword clutched in his hands. To further commemorate the brand new entry in the Shinobi series, Sega partnered with Dark Horse Comics to release a single-issue comic to act as a prequel for the game. Released in 2002, Shinobi by Scott Allie, Paco Medina, and Digital Chameleon acted as a prequel to the game, introducing readers to the Oboro Clan of ninjas and the dark fate that awaited them.
The comic begins with a group of children running to a temple just outside of their village. A young boy named Moritsune leads the group followed by his friend Ageha, a young girl, and Hotsuma, the main character of the PS2 game and the brother of Moritsune. The children enter the temple, a place they state is sacred to their clan. In childlike brashness, Ageha opens a box laid upon a dais inside the temple and takes hold of the sword inside it. Ageha becomes paralyzed, the sword taking control of her. Moritsune realizes the sword must be the legendary blade Akujiki, the sword that consumes souls.
Ageha is rescued and the children return to life as usual. Moritsune and Hotsuma spar before their clan leader, Kobushi. As their training finishes the children hear that something strange is happening outside of their village. Investigating later that night, the children are attacked by a wandering swordsman. Kobushi appears in time to save them, but giant crow demons appear from amidst the bamboo. A fierce battle erupts and the demons are defeated by the swordsman. The comic ends with the swordsman warning of more demons to come.
Despite ending on such a tight and sudden cliffhanger, the story in the comic picks up in the PS2 game. The game features Hotsuma, then a grown man, wielding the cursed sword that nearly killed his friend Ageha. Acting more as promotional material than the beginning of a fully fleshed prequel series, the Shinobi comic was still successful in delivering an action-packed origin story for brand new characters to the classic arcade series.
What’s truly interesting about the Shinobi comic is that it was based on a proposed screenplay provided by Sega. While no movie was ever made from either the comic or the PS2 game, in 2011 Sega created Stories International as a joint venture with the Japanese advertising company Hahukodo DY. Stories International announced in 2014 that they would be collaborating with film producers Marc Platt and Adam Siegel, in conjunction with Sega president and CEO Tomoya Suzuki, to create a Shinobi film. Sega also announced that many of their other classic IP’s would be receiving new content in the form of movies, shows, and other digital content.
No new information has been given since 2016 but that doesn’t mean Sega’s plans have been canceled. Gears turns slowly in the entertainment industry and especially with how Covid disrupted everything in 2020 it is highly likely that development for Sega’s projects have simply been set back. The possibilities for a live-action adaptation of Shinobi are immense; whether based on the original screenplay provided for the Dark Horse comic or an entirely new story, it’s safe to say that fans will have something exciting to look forward to when the Shinobi film is released.
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