Growing up in the late ’70s, my main reference to anime was the joy of watching Speed Racer after school. Little did I know in 1977 that the series was really aired on Japanese TV a decade earlier. The action felt new. Speed Racer was pretty much the only Japanese animated show that aired on my cable dial. Since it was the time before the internet, I had no idea that there were more shows stuck back in Japan. Once a girl was telling me about all the cool TV shows that she watched on TV when her dad was stationed in Japan. But I thought she was just lying to make me feel like I was missing out on the good stuff. Turns out she was telling the truth. Sasuke would have been one of those shows. It was produced right after Speed Racer and had the same limited animation feel. Sasuke is a perfect way to get introduced to the concept of the Ninja.
Young Sasuke (voiced by Kenbô Kaminarimon) grows up thinking his father Daisuke Ozaru has been killed in battle against the evil Lord Tokugawa. His dad was a feared ninja warrior. When something bad happens to his mother, Sasuke finds himself being befriended by a stranger who trains him in the ways of the ninja so he can eventually have his revenge against Lord Tokugawa. The kid is a quick study in the mystical and deadly arts. He can fling throwing stars like a master. He quickly must go against other shadow warriors that hide all over the countryside. Can the young warrior achieve his bloody goal or is there something deeper he must attain?
This is an extremely addictive series as we follow Sasuke’s plight. The series is based off the manga by Sanpei Shirato so it’s a continuing story and not a bunch of unconnected adventures. The action scenes are well staged so they take advantage of the best limited animation tricks. There is a bit of history and understanding of life during the Edo era of Japan. Besides all the backstory on the rise of the ninja, we’re given a sense of religious worshipping permitted during at the time. There’s a bit more depth to the animated series than found in The Hair Bear Bunch.
Why were we denied Sasuke as part of the after-school block with Speed Racer, Space Giants and Ultraman? The easy truth is that there were only 29 episodes produced so by the time a young viewer gets into a story, it’s over. The level of violence in the fighting might also have dissuaded distributors from risking it on the show. Sasuke doesn’t hold back as he attacks his opponents. He also does this with cool weapons. Think of how many more kids would have run down to that special Asian Import shop at the mall looking for samurai swords and ninja throwing stars. The playgrounds would have tuned bloody with full contact ninja battles on the monkey bars. Emergency rooms would have been overwhelmed with children needing throwing stars picked out of their eyes. It would have topped Three Stooges inspired injuries.
It’s a shame that American kids denied Sasuke all those decades ago. This Blu-ray is the first time the series has been legally distributed in America. The excitement and even emotions within the episodes haven’t diminished. The series is perfect viewing if you were a kid who grew up watching Speed Racer. The series also appeals to kids who are currently deep diving in Japan’s rich anime heritage and new anime shows. Sasuke is the perfect show for old and young anime fans to enjoy together.
BTW – do not confuse Sasuke with the Japanese obstacle competition show Sasuke known in America as Ninja Warrior.
The Video is 1.33:1 full frame. The 1080p high-definition transfers look great with all the details in the artwork. The Audio is DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono with both the original Japanese voice cast and the English dub cast. The episodes are subtitled in English.
Trailers for other Animeigo releases including the upcoming Vampire Princess Miyu.
Animeigo presents Sasuke: The Complete Television Series. Starring the voices of Kenbô Kaminarimon, Gorô Naya, Ryôko Kinomiya, Haruko Kitahama, Michiko Hirai & Yoshiya Nemoto. Boxset Contents 29 episodes on 3 Blu-ray discs. Release Date: October 31, 2025.
