Ninjas of the Southeast: Shadow of the Dead is a 2016 Action Fantasy Adventure film written by Dan Gilroy & Max Borenstein and directed by Hideo Nakata. It is the second instalment of the Ninjas of the Southeast franchise beginning with Takashi Shimizu's 2014 Ninjas of the Southeast: The Code of Bushido. Tony Goldwyn, James Franco, Rinko Kikuchi, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zooey Deschanel and Ziyi Zhang reprise their central roles along with previously introduced cast that comprise the Ninjas of Shinoba. New central cast members include Mila Kunis, Danny Glover, Daniel Kaluuya and Rosa Salazar.
The story follows the crossing plot points of the Ninjas of Shinoba led by Cobalt and Alice, who are captured by the Kōri clan of Ninjas and Master Byram & Yukio proceeding on to confront her birth mother Iza who resides in the frozen fortress of Yomi.
Released theatrically on October 14th, 2016 to be a box office success and receive positive reception.
Plot[]
God Izanagi and his wife the Goddess Izanami use their divine abilities to forge the seven islands of Japan, building the first Jade Palace for themselves and forging the first Shinobi (Ninjas), eighteen element controlling guards for the Temple of Age. Trying to conceive an actual child results in the birth of Kagutsuchi, who reduces the Shinobi to bones and causes Izanami to die from severe burns, cradled by Izanagi who then kills the monstrous fire salamander with his weapon: The Ten Grasp Sword.
Meeting with the original Aina Anawa a deity of the African continent who forged his weapon, he learns that Izanami's spirit is in the Underworld realm of Yomo, accessible by the Warrior's Path, which Izanagi crosses. Yomo, an icy temple fortess and citadel overrun with large snow fox monsters Kitsune, the skeletal undead Shinobi and a disfigured ice controlling Izanami.
Izanagi refuses to bring her back to the mortal world and her rage spawns a hag monster Yomotsu and the lightning deity Raijin to stop Izanagi from leaving, he however fights and escapes.
Present Day Cobalt, Alice and the Shinoba travel the seven islands in search of Master Byram and Yukio. They deal with cultists, a female pirate clan, a trap temple, collapsing monastery, burning rice field and village lightning storm before coming across Aina Asafa and his nephew Badru, brother and son of late ninja Aina Astef.
Asafa informs that through the great Aina foresight he has foreseen the path of ninja Master Byram and young prodigy Yukio are bound for Yomo: The Realm of the Dead, accessible by a path through Mount Fuji known as the Warrior's Path, which he will lead them through.
Master Byram and Yukio begin the path and after dealing with an early battle with Kitsune are approached by Master Nichi and his ninja collective: The Okami, who inform that Izanami is arising. The Hollis-Ivey a British Royal Navy division led by tyrannical Abraham Gollet arrives and captures Cobalt, Alice and the Shinoba, seeking the Ten Grasp Sword. Alice escapes to reconnect with Master Byram and Yukio led by the Okama.
All parties following the Four Elemental tests to pass into Yomo, arrive at the Temple of Birth and brought before Izanama, who utilising Salomon the Scholar and the Sword is about to cross over into the mortal world again, with a restored face of beauty. Master Nichi reveals himself Izanagi and apologies to his love, trying to reason with her, she shoots him down and reveals to Yukio she be her real mother, her energy being the real source of her creation, she a successful conception bearing her elemental abilities. Master Byram, Asafa, Badru and Cobalt slay Raijin, Alice, Letti, Wa and Okama ninja Tiu Ni Xan destroy Yomotsu.
The rest of the Okama and Shinoba fight off the Kitsune and undead army, Izanama annihilates Gollet and his men, before Yukio destroys her with the sword, which Salomon then steals.
Returning to the Temple of Light Badru using the Aina foresight for the first time Badru determines that like Yukio there are other Elemental Ninjas, descendant of the old divine powers. Cobalt and Yukio share their first kiss.
Cast[]
- Tony Goldwyn as Master Byram Kitashi
- James Franco as Cobalt Endome
- Ziyi Zhang as Yukio Rodako
- Zooey Deschanel as Alice Morway
- Jake Gyllenhaal as Salomon The Scholar
- Mila Kunis as Master Iza
- Danny Glover as Aina Asafa
- Daniel Kaluuya as Badru
- Courtney Halverson as Maid Mona
- Takeshi Kitano as Oram Yao
- Rinko Kikuchi as Letti Loa
- Kimiko Yo as Ma Wa Loa
- Chiaki Kuriyama as Tiu Ni Xan/ The Fan Blade Death
- Sota Fukushi as Romiio Kang/ The Rolling Shot
- Tadanobu Asano as Master Nichi No
- Eita as Barai Il
- Shota Matsuda as