IMHO, this Japanese novel is the east-asian equivalent of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. The Kouga Ninja Scrolls (甲賀法帖 Kōga Ninpōchō) is a novel written in 1958-1959 by the Japanese author Futaro Yamada. The novel has been translated into English by Geoff Sant, and was published by Del Rey in December 2006.
The year is 1614 AD. The story centers around two rival ninja clans; the Iga and the Kuoga; whose no-hostilities treaty is lifted by retired shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to settle a succession dispute within the government concerning which of Ieyasu's grandsons is destined to become the third Tokugawa Shogun. At the center of the conflict is Kouga and Iga's two young heirs; Gennosuke and Oboro respectively; who had fallen in love in the hopes of bringing their clans together in peace. The novel traces the course of the conflict as both clans endure heavy losses and ultimately bringing Gennosuke and Oboro to face each other on the field of battle.
The classic novel was adapted several times into different forms of Japanese art:
BTW, what is an otaku?
The classic novel was adapted several times into different forms of Japanese art:
- Kōga Ninpōchō (1963), a manga by Haruo Koyama.
- Kōga Ninpōchō: Aratame ( 2003), a manga by Torao Asada.
- Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls (Bajirisuku Kōga Ninpōchō, 2003), a manga by Masaki Segawa.
- Basilisk (Bajirisuku Kōga Ninpōchō, 2005), a TV anime series produced by GONZO based on Masaki Segawa's manga.
- Shinobi: Heart Under Blade ( Shinobi, 2005), a movie directed by Ten Shimoyama.
BTW, what is an otaku?
