Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the director behind the cult-classic anime film Ninja Scroll, has explained why he has not helmed a new movie in nearly two decades. At 75 years old, Kawajiri said directing is no longer physically possible for him, citing his age and stamina as the primary reasons he has stepped away from the director's chair.
«I am the type of person who cannot leave a work entirely in someone else's hands, so at my age, and given my physical stamina, directing is no longer possible for me,» Kawajiri said in an interview. The director is known for a distinctive visual style and pulpy flair across films including Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Wicked City, Demon City Shinjuku, and Goku: Midnight Eye.
His comments come as Ninja Scroll prepares for a 4K theatrical re-release in October, bringing the 1993 film back to select theaters across the United States and Canada. Iconic Events Releasing and AMC Global Media's HDIVE are handling the limited release, scheduled for October 4, 5, and 7. Tickets are available through participating theaters.
While Kawajiri no longer directs, he has remained active in the anime industry through storyboarding roles. He has contributed to standout series such as Beastars, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and Jujutsu Kaisen. For Kawajiri, the decision to take on a storyboarding project hinges on a single requirement: personal interest.
«I approach the script and storyboards with the understanding that the most important point is how to keep the audience interested. I cannot work on storyboards unless I find the work interesting. In other words, my curiosity is my greatest weapon,» he said. «More recently, Frieren and Beastars were projects that I really enjoyed working on.»
The anime industry has changed significantly since Kawajiri's heyday, with many fans on social media lamenting the quality of modern animation and longing for the detailed fluidity of older works. Kawajiri, however, rejects the idea that nostalgia drives that sentiment. He believes audiences simply want high-quality anime, regardless of when it was made.
«I don't think it is nostalgia. Truly excellent and entertaining works never lose their appeal, no matter how many years pass! And creators who make such works will certainly continue to emerge in the future,» he said.
Reflecting on the industry's evolution, Kawajiri pointed to the emergence of original video animation in the 1980s as the biggest change he has witnessed. In his view, OVA production expanded the diversity of works and created an environment where creators could express their individuality, helping Japanese anime grow into compelling content embraced around the world.
«The history of Japanese manga and anime is unique, and that long history has produced countless outstanding works. I am very proud that those works are now being embraced around the world,» he said.
The 4K restoration of Ninja Scroll was a painstaking effort. Kawajiri oversaw the project, which aimed to reproduce the original beauty and richness of the cels and background artwork without compromising the film's atmosphere or the texture of its film grain. Because the film was an analog production made 30 years ago, removing scratches, dirt, and dust from the cels was an extremely labor-intensive task for the staff.
«By focusing on reproducing the original beauty and richness of the cels and background artwork, without compromising the atmosphere of the work or the texture of the film grain, I believe the result has an even more powerful look and feel,» Kawajiri said.
He expressed hope that longtime fans will enjoy the enhanced visuals and predicted that first-time viewers will come away saying, «A great work is still great, even after 30 years!»
For Kawajiri, the re-release is both a celebration of the film's legacy and a reminder of the craft that defined an era of anime. While he may no longer direct, his influence continues through the projects he chooses to support and the standard of quality he has set across a career spanning decades.