Ninja Scroll the Series
Thirteen episode anime series that can be considered either a Spiritual Successor or a direct sequel to the Ninja Scroll movie. It revolves around Jubei needing to transport a mystical artifact called the Dragon Stone to a "Priestess of Light", and then to protect both of them from the machinations of the Hiruko Clan and the Kimon Shu. Dakuan re-emerges as one of Jubei's allies, and each episode features no fewer than three ninjas (from one or both rival ninja clans) with a wide variety of bizarre superpowers that match the wide variety of powers displayed by the Eight Devils of Kimon in the original movie (which Jubei tends to cut down rather handily, when they aren't busy killing each other). From a pure action standpoint it's generally a worthy sequel to the original movie, though there's not quite as much character development.
- Appendage Assimilation: In the series, one of the recurring enemy ninjas from the Kimon Shu is a bald woman with Frankenstein-like stiches all over her body and multiple arms. She's able to attach limbs to herself from anyone she cuts down using surgical tools that emerge from her torso.
- Arm Cannon: In the place of Aizen's right arm.
- Attempted Rape: Whenever Azami appears, this is to be expected.
- Bloodier and Gorier: Hoo, boy...
- Body Horror: Every single one of the villains, but especially Nenmu, who is really just an eyeball and sentient slime.
- Body Surf: Nenmu takes over bodies of others to fight.
- Bond One-Liner: Jubei lets out some.
"He had guts. Lots and lots of guts."
- Broken Bird: Subverted. By all rights, Shigure should be this and a pile of insanity to boot, given all she's gone through by the end. Instead, she kicks ass and looks awesome while doing so.
- Catgirl: Nekome.
- Cool Versus Awesome: Whenever the two ninja clans have a battle, it's often between one member with bizarre superpowers versus another.
- Convenient Decoy Cat: When a group of ninja fail to kill their target (who turns out to be an undead monster), the team leader uses a cat as a Ninja Log to avoid some projectiles and escape.
- Creepy Centipedes: After slicing one giant mook open, Jubei finds out that there was one hiding inside.
- Determinator: Jubei. Without a doubt.
- Doomed Hometown: The series begins with this; unlike most Doomed Hometowns, though, the townspeople don't go down without a fight as absolutely everyone in the village is secretly a ninja dedicated to protecting one woman. Unfortunately, the ones attacking them are a giant robot of death and a woman who spawns man-eating demons from her skin, so they're still screwed.
- Fan Disservice: Basically all of the villains are a form of this. A very disturbing form. Naked women? Check. Naked women with varying levels of insanity and Body Horror? Also check.
- Mobile Suit Human: Leaders of Hiruko and Kimon clan are revealed to be the trope.
- Prehensile Hair: Nubatama.
- Series Continuity Error: The animators remember that Jubei's hat has a cut in it. They forget that Jubei no longer uses plain string to tie his Katana scabbard- he laces it with the headband Kagero gave him.
- Shock and Awe: Yamidoro, leader of the Kimon clan, generates electricity through his gauntlet.
- World of Badass: It's not a matter of normal guys versus badass guys so much as Badass Normal guys versus Superhumanly Badass guys versus Physical Gods. Even the comedy relief thief has an improbable ability -- He can fling rocks with incredible accuracy.