One-eyed ninja hero Jubei Yagyu is a real historical figure from 17th century Japan and has graced many samurai epics, including definitive portrayals by Sonny Chiba in Shogun’s Samurai (1978) and Samurai Reincarnation (1981). However, this high school-set anime sex comedy and ninja adventure recasts Yagyu as a busty schoolgirl in a short skirt. Works for me. After his last battle, the dying Jubei entrusts disciple Koinosuke (Ryotaro Okiayu) with a mystical, heart-shaped eyepatch to pass onto his successor.
Three hundred years later, poor Koinosuke - who spent centuries innocently stalking teenage girls and getting beaten up for his trouble - finally locates lovely Jiyu Nanohana (Hiroko Konishi), who henceforth periodically transforms into Jubei Yagyu II to kick serious samurai butt. More interested in being a normal schoolgirl, Jiyu is nonetheless caught in the machinations of ancient enemies the Ryujoji Clan and every week, vanquishes another luckless assassin disguised as a substitute teacher.
In essence this is Carry On Ninja with the running gag that Jiyu’s perky breasts and long legs reduce school friends, teachers, and ninja warriors to drooling wrecks, and numerous close-ups to titillate the juvenile audience. To counteract any sexism, the sweet-natured, slightly sappy heroine always gets the better of the horny villains in her guise as “the Lovely Eyepatch.” Jubei-Chan’s action sequences are fast paced and strikingly animated, with neat digs at samurai movie conventions, including the stoic poses, feigned indifference to pain, and the frame that turns widescreen for sword duels before the rising sun.
Hiroaki Sakurai uses the slight plot for his own personal sketchpad, indulging a welter of J-pop culture jokes, including Jiyu’s dad being a suave, Chow Yun Fat type; a would-be love interest called Bancho whose name, look and demeanour spoof 1970s manga heroes; sidekicks Ozaru and Kozaru drawn to resemble monkeys in a takeoff from ancient woodblock drawings; and split-second doodles and caricatures that mock TV commercials, old movies or teen fads. In truth the scattershot gags hard enough for avid J-pop culture fans to follow, which means casual viewers will likely find it impenetrable. Nevertheless, provided you have a silly sense of humour to begin with, much of the hyperkinetic slapstick is very funny indeed. Every assassin Jiyu vanquishes either goes on to pursue a secret ambition (“Why have I wasted my life? I want to be a singer!”), or winds up so lust-crazed they try to talk themselves out of killing her (“She has great breasts, boss…no! I mean she has a pure heart!”). The revelation that the main villain is really the handsome, but shy schoolboy who can’t talk to girls proves especially inspired in light of the target audience.
For all the lechery and boob gags on show, it’s all quite innocent and inoffensive, with a supporting cast of teenage boys longing to give Jiyu a love letter or hold her hand, rather than cop a feel.
