Seventeen Ninja (1963): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1963, Seventeen Ninja is an action film directed by Yasuto Hasegawa, running about 99 minutes. “A film as hidden as the ninja” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. As the Shogun lays dying, seventeen Iga clan ninja are sent to infiltrate the impenetrable fortress where his youngest son is preparing to storm Edo Castle and name himself Shogun by force of arms. They are to either steal the documents that will eventually give him lawful claim to rulership, or they are to assassinate him. But even before they reach the castle walls, they find their every move countered by a ruthless ninja hunter in the employ of the would-be usurper (Konoe), who not only knows their every tactic but knows the exact make-up of their team thanks to his own spies within Edo Castle. As the Iga Ninja fall one by one, the mission's success or complete failure--where failure will result in a bloody war of succession--comes to hinge on a single young and inexperienced ninja (Kotaro).

Who’s in it. Seventeen Ninja stars Kotaro Satomi as Hanshiro Tsuge, Jūshirō Konoe as Maguro Saiga, Yuriko Mishima as Kozue and Ryutaro Otomo as Iga no Jingosa, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.8/10, Seventeen Ninja has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Seventeen Ninja page.

If you liked it. Fans of Seventeen Ninja tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.