Blood Ninja

Blood Ninja #1

by Nick Lake

Is Taro, a fisherman's son, destined for greatness?

In the course of a day, Taro's entire life changes: His father is murdered before his eyes, and Taro is taken by a mysterious ninja on a perilous journey toward safety. Someone wants Taro dead, but who -- and why? With his best friend, Hiro, and their ninja guide Shusaku, Taro gets caught in the crossfire of a bitter conflict between rival lords for control of imperial Japan. As Taro trains to become a ninja himself, he's less and less sure that he wants to be one. But when his real identity is revealed, it becomes impossible for Taro to turn his back on his fate.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Vampires, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Paranormal, Japan

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2009

About the author

My name is Nick and I write and edit books for young adults. My first YA novel IN DARKNESS, was published by Bloomsbury in 2012 and won the Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in YA Literature. I also wrote a book called HOSTAGE THREE about a girl kidnapped by Somali pirates.

THERE WILL BE LIES is coming in January 15 and is about a girl who learns that everything she knows is a lie. To say it's a book with a twist in the story would be a massive understatement. There is also a talking coyote in it.

I live with my wife, daughter and son in a 16th century house in England with almost 19th century amenities. Sometimes the heating even works.

I like: reading, art, music, food containing sugar, cities at night, the countryside in the daytime, vintage furniture, modern standards of heating (see above), travelling.

I dislike: being sick, failing, being underdressed in the cold, being overdressed in the heat, the unnecessary suffering of children, being punched in the face.

Reviews

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4

That was a really interesting and creative take on the legends of the Japanese Ninja and Samurai. I mean vampire ninjas is a pretty cool concept. This is slightly on the longer side but as I know there is a shortage of YA action adventure books with male protagonists I would still encourage high school librarians to give this one a read and see if it would work in their library. It's a really engaging story with a blend of fantasy, action, supernatural, mystery and historical fiction. There are also some really good supporting characters in this heroes and heroine's journey.

CW: There are references to seppuku and a lot of bloody fights (including beheading) and blood drinking incidents.

On a side note, I listened to it as an audiobook and I was really disappointed that the voice actor did not pronounce some of the frequently used Japanese words correctly.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Taro is living the simple life of a fisherman with his best friend Hiro until he is assaulted by ninjas in his humble village.

Luckily he is saved by a mysterious ninja (hehehe) named Shusaku but before they are safe Taro is fatally wounded and must choose between death or becoming a myth - vampire.

Blood Ninja is an excellent book although I had a few issues with the end. It was like a Quentin Tarantino movie. But more on that later...

The characters feel real and the story is great if not a little cliched, but in a good way. The action and suspense is nearly constant throughout which I loved. Lake did an excellent job capturing the setting of in ancient Japan...maybe too good a job.

Throughout the book in order to give a sense of proportion, Lake compares things to tatami mats and torii gates. Funny enough, I'm not well versed in ancient Japanese culture. I have no idea what those things are, and without the perspective I had trouble getting visuals in certain scenes.

Ironically he does describe things that are rather obvious or common knowledge. For instance, the book is about vampires and in the beginning he overhears two men talking about someone who had two puncture wounds on his neck and was completely drained of blood.

The characters discuss that they think a kyuuketsuki is responsible. Automatically you think vampire but guys go on to explain the legend of the kyuuketsuki and it's all the usual vampire folklore.

Vampire myth I know and, okay if you want to go into it again, but you can't let me know if a room is 10 feet across instead of telling me it's the length of six tatami mats. Come on! But all in all this is a minor issue that can be overlooked.

Remember I mentioned about the Quentin Tarantino movie? Well, that comes at the end. It's a blood bath, physically and emotionally. There's lots of sacrifice and betrayal and overall unpleasantness.

I felt some things in the final scenes were unnecessary and rushed, and some just left me feeling cheated. It's like things were too perfect and suddenly things had to go bad. I would have been happier with less bitter and more sweet.

Blood Ninja is a wild ride and loads of fun. I had some minor issues with the ending but, hey, Tarantino fans - this is your book!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's a book I wish there were 1/2 star options as it would have gotten 3 and 1/2. I liked a lot about this book. And a lot of stuff annoyed me too.

The story: Taro is a young Japanese boy, living in a fishing village. He is often teased by the other villagers and his one true friend is Hiro. Taro saved Hiro's life and now Hiro and he are inseparable. Taro's mother is a diver and his father is ill. One night a band of ninja's come to Taro's home, kill his father and attempt to kill him. One ninja is there to save Taro and does. Taro's mother is sent away since apparently Taro was the target. Taro and hiro set off with Shusaku, the ninja who saved Taro. **spoiler alert**
Taro is apparently the hidden son of Lord Tokugawa, the mortal enemy of Lord Oda. And Lord Oda sent the ninjas to kill Taro since Lord Oda wants to be shogun. There is a wonderful cast of characters that we meet after that. The girls, Yukiko and Heiko, the abbess (I am convinced there is more to her then we know - and her relationship with Shusaku), Little Kawabata and his father... and then there is Junichiro who we really only get a glimpse of, but at one point the author all but screams "he's important and connected to Taro!!!" And then, there is the connection between vampires and ninjas. While clever, it is not as original as some might think (there's some anime that predates this book by quite a bit that already made that connection), but it's still fresh, from an American reader's perspective (compare to Twilight and the like anyway). The reality is that the connection there is important to the plot, but not so much so that I really need to explain must else other then to say to be a ninja you must be a vampire.

So, the cover intrigued me (I can totally be suckered in by a cool cover). I am a huge fan of all things sci-fi/fantasy, especially in the YA category. Let's see how balanced this review is:

1. Annoyed me: apparently this is the start of a series. Wonderful. I say that both seriously and sarcastically at the same time. I don't mind serials. In fact, I read a ton of them. But I like to know what I am getting myself into when I pick up a book. I don't like having that sprung on me last minute. I usually can't stomach books that end without any resolution to anything. After finishing, and realizing that basically nothing was resolved in this book, I am left asking "how many books will there be?" I liked the first well enough that I will buy the second. But I really would like to know what I am getting myself into. is this going to be a set of 2? A long term experience (of 4, 6, 8...) Or is it going to be like a few of the YA series that I started, with the author telling us it will be X and then when we hit book X, there will be more (which virtually always destroys the plot and story telling and each time that has happened, I have quit reading that series). I have found very little on the next book and that is disappointing. Not to mention, as an author, I would think Mr. Lake should embrace the web the way so many other authors have... a website at least for himself, maybe a fan site, forum, etc. Especially if this isn't going to simply end with a second book.

2. Liked: The historical setting. Feudal Japan is intriguing and there is so much culture to explore that can be used. The setting, with the cherry blossoms, the mountains... what a beautiful backdrop for a book.

3. Annoyed me: character development was pretty weak and a chuckle here or there wouldn't hurt. There isn't enough character development for me to feel really attached to any one character - really other them Hiro. And he is probably my favorite. Although I am not sure if he's the character that was supposed to be the best developed. I feel kind of like that happened accidentally.

4. Liked: Ninjas! How awesome! Samurai! Sword fighting, even a little bit about sword making. Need more!!!

5. Annoyed me: The use of Japanese words in the middle of English dialogue, in italics, is pretty stupid. I mean if we are supposed to think they are speaking in Japanese and we are just getting the English translation, wouldn't the Japanese words be translated too? And if there isn't really an appropriate translation, well, then why italicize the word - just to point that out? So NOT necessary. Not to mention, there were a few Japanese words that were pointed out in this fashion, but I still don't know for sure exactly what they meant. Bummer.

6. Liked: the fact that there are women ninja's and the girls have just as much potential to do some major butt kicking. Just as much potential as the boys in the story. That's a great change of pace from most of the YA/vamp stuff. Girl power :)

7. Annoyed me: That the training to be a ninja was soooo fast. Taro, Hiro and the girls, after just a few weeks consider themselves ninja's. They haven't all e=met all the requirements, but still. Training in the martial arts is a lifelong discipline. Training with live blades isn't something one progresses to in mere days. Bokken to live blade takes time, no matter how good one naturally is.

8. Liked: some of the philosophy that seems to come through. I have been training in a martial art for many years now. And I love it. But it's not just the kicking, punching and weapons that are part of that study. And some of that seems to come across. There were times when I recognized things my instructor has taught me and I loved how it was blended into this book. It wasn't "in your face" but it was there to be plucked up (and recognized if you know what to look for and are looking for it) and hopefully digested and learned.

The book was a little predictable at times. But I think that's hard to avoid when dealing with vampires and the YA genre. There are limits to what is appropriate and what can be discussed. The predictability was a little easy to point out too - a few things would probably have been better had they been more subtle. But I think that often, when the character development isn't strong enough that happens because as a reader, you are trying to find things to latch onto and things that might have been smaller, subtler hints otherwise stand out so much more, since you aren't as engrossed in the characters. Finally, I give the author credit for killing off certain characters - it takes some guts to kill of characters that readers might get attached to. And in that way, some of the predictability - at least of some things - is reduced. (Although the Lord Oda thing - saw that coming 30 seconds after Taro was turned, but, oh well.)

I did really enjoy the book. I am looking forward to Blood Ninja II and hope we get some resolution to at least a few of the questions in it.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book through the Amazon Vine program. I like vampires and ninjas so I thought it would be an interesting read. I was a little worried (based on the title and the cover) that this book would be too corny for me or a bit over the top. It was neither of those. It was very well-done and, if anything, a bit too devoid of any humor. It is also not a stand-alone book, which I didn't know.

Taro is a fisherman's son. At least that is what he is raised to believe. He is in for a rude surprise when a group of ninjas descend on his house and murder his father. One of the ninjas, Shusaku, is different though and tries to save Taro. Shusaku fails as Taro is run-through with a sword. Suddenly Taro must make a choice as his life ebbs from the wound in his stomach. Will he let Shusaku turn him into a vampire and "live" or will he die? He chooses to "live" and suddenly Taro, his best friend Hiro, and Shusaku are off on a journey that will make Taro question everything he knows about the world and himself.

There was a lot I liked about this book. The amount of Japanese history dwelling within the pages of this story is amazing. Lake really did his research and gives great detail on various aspects of Japanese history. It was fascinating to read about ninjas in the context of actual Japanese history. I am not sure how accurate all the historical details are (it would have been nice for the author to include an afterward addressing this) but they are well thought-out and seem to be well researched. The other thing I really liked about this book was the moral struggles Taro was forced to face and question. Taro comes from a world where Lord Oda is god and samurai are the noblest men he knows, ninjas are to be despised as sneaks. As he journeys with Shusaku he sees Oda's true personality and, as he meets other ninjas and other samurai, he comes to realize that the world is not as black and white as he thought. Taro's struggle with his perceptions and own morality were really well done in this book.

Another thing I liked about the book was how ninjas and vampires were melded into one race. Lake did an excellent job of making this believable and not preposterous or over-the-top at all. It is all well done and very tasteful. I also enjoyed all the cool ninja tricks and action scenes. This is definitely a book for the older young adult. As is often the case with ninjas, the violence in this book is pretty extreme.

There were a couple things I didn't like about this book. The plot is very predictable. After the first couple chapters I was able to predict how the storyline would go. The characters themselves were also very predictable. Lake's strong point is not characterization, the character's are a bit 2D and pretty dry. In fact there is no humor in this book whatsoever and that is another thing I didn't like about this book. Taro and his friends never have any fun. The book in general takes itself a bit too seriously. So if you are looking for something witty or humorous this is not the book for you.

Lastly this is not a stand-alone book. It pretty much stops right in the middle of the story with a number of things unresolved. Those who have read my reviews before know that this always irritates me; I think writers should be able to have some sort of ending in between books. The other thing that irked me is that this is not advertised as a series, yet it is clearly the start of one. If I had known it was the start of another series I probably wouldn't have read it. I spent a bit of time looking online and could not find any information about the rest of this series (how many books, next release date, etc.).

In summary I liked this book. The story is steeped in Japanese history that is interesting. The ninja vampires are well-done and believable. I thought the characterization was a bit weak and the story predictable. I was also disappointed it was so devoid of any humor. Readers looking for humor and romance should look elsewhere. Readers interested in Japanese history, ninjas, and politics will find a lot here to like. Will I read the next book in the series? I am undecided right now, I really didn't want to get involved in reading yet another series. We will see.

[Monola · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish this would have been translated badly over to english from japanese. Atleast that would give this book an excuse for the crappy dialogue that has now infected my brain.

I've never seen a book. That uses. So many. Periods. Throughout the dialogue. To explain. Things that could. Easily be. Explained without. The periods. At all. Thus we. Have sentences. Like this.
Except that they are badly written and much much more confusing. Did they really talk like that?
The characters reactions to....everything in general, hardly made sense. It didnt seem like they had a permanant personality at all and that they author was still trying to figure out how to make them act in each chapter. So we have characters that would freak out over murder one chapter.....and then care less the next. Not to mention Taro not being suprised at all at becoming a vampire. He even accepted it pretty well.

I know its fiction and all, but the main thing that made me not want to read this was the whole ''all ninja's have to be vampires'' thing. My first thought was ''and I guess that samurai's are probably werewolves....'' I immediately put the book down.

[fallingoff myhorse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a wonderful book, this story is extremely interesting and full of action, this is the kind of book that you'll want to stay up all night reading.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood Ninja completely blew me away with its creativity. I mean ninjas and vampires... in the same novel. How awesome is that? But I quickly realized that Blood Ninja was also different for another reason.

As a reader and a lover of the Japanese culture, I almost instantly appreciated Lake's eye for detail. He infuses so much of the Japanese culture into Blood Ninja. From the lush setting to the epic tales, I was completely in heaven. However, for readers not familiar with Japanese culture, it is possible that much of the information will go over your head. Lake tended to use authentic wording and references to tales that some readers may not be all familiar with. Even with the knowledge that I brought into the novel, I will admit that I was lost a few times.

Blood Ninja is a novel that is to be savored. Quite honestly, this book took me weeks to finish. At times, it did run a little on the slower side. But I was okay with that do to all the details that Lake provides. Personally, I believe that this is a novel that you actually want to take your time with. I feel like if I had read this in a few hours or possibly even a few days, then I would not have gotten the full effect. Blood Ninja absolutely everything that I was hoping it would be and more. And I cannot wait to see what happens next.

[Sherrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this as a review ARC for VOYA, it's one of the few books they assign to me that I would have never read otherwise. It features ninjas who are also vampires, so my first question naturally was: are ninja vampires the Reeses peanut butter cup of literature, two great tastes that taste great together? The answer is yes and no- there was a great emphasis on the ninja angle and the bloodsuckers sort of got short shrift. The book was okay, but if a vampire fan reads it expecting to get lots of vampiric glory they'll feel shortchanged for sure. As a quest story with a Far Eastern flavor, it works better than a as traditional vampire book.

[Atharva Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review
*Blood Ninja* by Nick Lake
This book is quite different in almost all aspects when compared to other samurai/ninja/vampire book, maybe because there’s a perfectly balanced blending of action, thrill and a solid storyline which combines the Eastern and Western Cultures effortlessly. I’m really glad I read this book and of course I’m going to continue the series. Such books deserve a lot of attention and praise. I couldn’t find any plot summary at tall on the internet so I thought about posting one. (Scroll down)
I’ll give it to you that its an enormous book, took me a week to complete but it makes up for its gigantic size with it’s fast paced storyline with surprises and action at every page that will leavve you fascinating and craving for more so it’s a nonstop journey where you can’t keep the book down at all. I mean, just read the prologue, if that isn’t what will drag you in, I don’t know what will. The writing style is very common to other writers, simple, straightforward with a hint of foreshadowing and melodramatic effects which is simple to pick up and enjoy. I absolutely love the deluxe edition cover. What’s intriguing is that the writer provides us with a perspective of almost all characters throughout the book, it’s mostly Taro but even minor characters are given a chapter narration sequence adding much more depth to the overall story and imagery. Of course, as it is a Japanese/ Eastern Culture based story be ready for some Buddha philosophy, Sutra’s, Japanese weapons, Samurai and of course, bloodthirsty ninjas. The writing style totally redefines the expectations of the reader from the story and transports us into the political deceptions of the rulers in Japan and how a common peasant boy with a secret heritage losing everything in just a few moments is converted into a ninja and thrust into the secret wars of the daimyo’s. I cannot stress enough about the storyline and how amazing it is. Just a heads up, the story gets really boring in the central part with the introduction of the ninja clan and the rivalry between Kawabata and Shusaku. The character development is superfast and super entertaining, trust me on this! Each page adds minor details to the characters image and finally on the last page a wonderful masterpiece is observed even if the character is dead. Another heads up, people die in this book, even ninjas and samurai lords, a lot and in horrifying ways. It is undeniable that there not be blood and gore in a ninja novel. Shusaku was a wonderful person, mysterious in the beginning and a wide open book in the end with transition that revealed interesting details about him. Heiko and Yukiko also underwent strong character developments, so much so that Yukiko transformed into a formidable villain by the end of the book. Hana, no doubt was described in metaphorical and beautiful ways and found a place in my heart. Taro may seem a bit off as he’s the main character but I have mixed feelings about him. His personality is yet to develop and evolve in the upcoming book but for starters Nick Lake has indeed done a applaud deserving job with the series’ main character. Kira and Oda are the primary antagonist of the series and I can’t even begin to describe them. I was shocked by Kira’s back story. As I said, the author works either on the past or the future and adds tints of color to his characters for constant development. The locations in the book are in fact based on real places such as Minata, Shirahama, Nagoya and the dead volcano crater which adds a bit of a historical twist and blends in reality with the fiction. Each of these locations have a characteristic trait which changes the atmosphere of storytelling. Good work on that Mr Lake. These locations even play an important part in combat, action sequences and the legends that took place here. The readers get to know a bit about Japanese folk lore from characters like Shusaku, Heiko and Taro and the fate of the characters is directly related to these legends. I adored the idea of the vampire ninja/ kyuuketsuki and their traits. It redefines the word ninja and adds a lot more to it! It’s been a wonderful and a long journey but in no ways exhausting. You can actually see how the story grows in the chapter summary drafted by me below. The climax was full of entertaining content with action and yet more surprising revelations. I parted ways with some of my favorite characters like Shusaku and the Abbess and I hope they’ll find their way back to life in the following installments. I really don’t want the villains to die either, their contribution to the story is rather enchanting. Right from the beginning of the book you can see the author laying out pieces of the puzzle and as you progress through the book you’ll see each part fitting together and by the end you’ll be left stunned and wondering how much of it is true and I bet you, I can’t even wait to read the second book in the Blood Ninja series. It’s been a roller coaster ride. Nice Reading!
========Highlights from The Book========
*Then the girl stood over him and drew a brutal wakizashi from her kimono, the short-sword’s blade so sharp it shimmered as if surrounded by heat. She whirled it around her fingers expertly. And then the ninja knew that it was over. “Tell Lord Tokugawa that if he continues to send me assassins, I will continue to send him corpses,” she said. “Let him set the world against me, and I will kill the world. Tell him that. And tell him if he wants me to spare his life, he had better send Taro next time, not some weakling of an ordinary ninja. That boy owes me a death.” The ninja looked up at her, faint hope in his one working eye. “You’re allowing me to live?” The girl paused. “Ah. My mistake.” The ninja tried to smile. Then she struck, hard and true, at his heart. “I’ll just have to tell Tokugawa myself.” Yes, this was not a good place to be out at night, all alone. Especially if you were a ninja.

*From an early age he had taught himself to make firing the bow a kind of meditation, believing in his mind that the arrow was already sunk deep in its target, that the only thing required was to loose the string and let it fly.

*He dreamed that one day he might actually be a samurai; that he might leave this little village to enter the service of the great Lord Oda, fall in love with a beautiful samurai woman, and finally die gloriously with a sword in his hand, refusing all mercy, and tendering no surrender.

*Lord Oda. He was the strongest daimyo the Kanto had ever known, and strong samurai always made bitter enemies. His heroism, his extraordinary ability with the blade, and his genius for the tactics of battle had made him a god to his people, and a demon to those he had defeated. It was said that when he was first named a kensei—a “sword saint”—in recognition of his mastery of the katana, he barely went a day without being challenged by some samurai desperate to make his name ring out over the land. All of them had died.

*Real adventure involved pain, loss, and blood. Sometimes all at once.

*She seemed now as strong as ever. Her face was lined by the years and the harsh water of the sea, but there was still prettiness in the sparkling eyes and the pleasingly oval line of her jaw. She smiled and was illuminated almost by a kind of inner light that only the kindest and wisest of people possess.

*Land that is rained on will harden. Suffering makes us strong.

*He saw his own hands as they flew between bow and quiver, knocking ninja after ninja to the ground, every shot perfect, whether he aimed at eye or chest or hand raised to throw. He saw the ninja beside him, his blood master now, draw a long and perfect samurai sword from a concealed scabbard that ran down his spine, under the black cloak. Taro saw the wavelike pattern of sand-cooled steel down the sword’s blade and knew that it was a masterpiece.

*Hana breathed in the scent of the pine forest. She was not far from the castle where her father, Lord Oda no Nobunaga, ruled his fiefdom, but she was alone in this clearing, and for once could simply enjoy the feel of the horse beneath her, and the clear country air around her. Her father had no sons, but sometimes he joked that Hana had inherited his male spirit, even if she could never inherit his title of daimyo and rule over the Kanto when he died.

*The drama of death, the grace of the hawk, the elegance of the twisting branch.

*He missed them the same, and in that moment he didn’t know which was worse—to never again see the one who was dead and beyond the torments of this world, or to never again see the one who lived and who languished somewhere in fear and hiding.

*Form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Form is not different from emptiness, and emptiness is not different from form. It is the Heart Sutra.

*I will be rained on, he thought. It is in the nature of revenge to suffer. But I will grow strong, and I will use my strength to find my mother and avenge my father.

*A person cannot be killed simply for failing in the face of impossible odds.” Shusaku came back for the third man, the ambassador himself. “Usually,” he said softly, “that is just what gets people killed.”

*He remebered lying covered by the bodies of the dead. Six days he had lain there, sucking dew from the ground, and moisture from the cold swords of the dead. He had tried to move, but his leg had been split open from hip to knee, and even if he had possessed the strength to cast aside the horse that lay over his lower half, he would not have been able to stand. So he had remained trapped there, and it was after two days that the bodies around him had started to fill with living things, and crawl with them. Rats had emerged from the stomach of the horse, chittering. Worms had crawled from men’s eyes and nostrils, quivering in the air as if nosing the scent of death. Even frogs had made an appearance, and of course the flies, the endless flies. By the time he was finally rescued, Kira had known that he could no longer be the same man, that he could no longer endure the insult of the organic. The men who had pressed against him in the mud of the battlefield had been fat and bloated with the gases of decomposition, roiling with the life of the low creatures that had infested their corpses. That would never happen to Kira. From the day when he had been rescued, he had never again allowed flesh to pass his lips, or anything in fact but water, rice, and vegetables. He could not tolerate that the meat of another creature should be inside him, within the confines of his flesh, as those worms and flies had insinuated themselves into the dead. The water of the stream, the roots of the earth, the rice of the field. These were the only things he would eat, and when he died, he would be burned as the samurai tradition demanded. Yes, he would leave nothing behind but gray ashes, clean and dry, just as the swords of Yoshimoto’s men had remained unspoiled—uninvaded—in that cold mud.

*The fourth tower! That was where her father usually kept prisoners, men who had plotted against him or otherwise gravely offended him. It was the tallest part of the castle, and was protected by a circular staircase in the Portuguese style. In theory a single man could defend it. The staircase turned to the right as it ascended, meaning that a man stationed above could wield his sword in his stronger right hand, while an attacker would have to move his to his left. It had not escaped Hana’s notice that her father had made the tower impregnable to all but himself—for who but a left-handed sword saint could hope to fight their way up? This was Lord Oda’s way; he liked always to have insurance policies. The fourth tower would protect him and his family from attackers. But if for any reason he was outside and needed to get in, the tower was perfectly configured for his disability.

*Yukiko bowed. “I expect to suffer. It is in the nature of revenge.”

[Shaitarn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars - it was okay but nothing special.

From the back cover:

Japan, 1565.
Taro has been brought up as a fisherman's son. He will become a ninja, a silent assassin trained in the arts of death.
He will face samurai, warriors as sharply honed as the blade at their side. He will battle warlords for the title of Shogun.
But he will live in darkness, for no Blood Ninja can face the light of day.

So this is a YA novel about vampire ninjas set in Sengoku period Japan and features fictional depictions of several historical characters, most notably Oda Nobunaga.

On the plus side, it was a fast moving novel with plenty of action. And for me personally the idea of vampire ninjas was an interesting one.

On the minus, the characterization was slight, and the plot was pretty thin and predictable on the whole. And some things (like the training, and Hana and Yukiko both switching sides happen far too quickly) But the book was written for YA or even older children, so this probably wouldn't be a problem for the intended audience.

Recommended for a teen audience (with a warning that some of the violence is pretty graphic), but perhaps not for adults. Unless you like vampires. And ninjas.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the characters and the main plot of the story, but there are weaknesses in other areas. The mythos, for one, has some holes. Some of the circumstances in the story are a little too conveniently explained by folk tales that randomly pop up here and there. In that aspect, the author's world building was not strong enough. Nor do I like the idea of *spoiler* all ninja being vampires because, I mean, how else could they have been so fast, strong, and silent? Oh, yes, and that's also why they only do their dirty work at night...I'm sorry, but this is an insult to the flesh and blood human beings who were actually ninja. *end spoiler*
There were also a few plot holes here and there, but not so bad that it detracted from enjoyment of the book. Also, while the author does well in making the setting look like Japan. It doesn't always feel like it. The culture seems a bit too Western at points. If you've never read Chris Bradford's "Young Samurai" series, you should. The world feels very Japanese without being wholly unrelatable to Western audiences (since the main character is from England). That cultural awareness is not as prevalent here, which is a shame because traditional Japanese culture was as beautiful as it was brutal. On the whole, I liked this book, and I will continue to read the series, but there were problems that prevent me from rating this book any higher than 3 stars.

[Rei Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my god, I read this so long ago! Never knew I could stumble upon a book that was, basically, vampire ninjas. Super weird, but creative. I didn't like the protagonist at all. Rather, I was much more interested in the mentor. But sadly he got axed. I might pick up this series again? If I'm motivated to put myself threw the main character's bs.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book- I wonder where the story will go in the next book

[Luv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story. Enjoyed the beginning and middle parts a lot. I know that most of the 'twists' were super obvious and could be seen coming from a mile off. But, the author still kept me invested in the story. Towards the end things got a bit contrived, forced too much. Still, an exciting read

[Corinne Morier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. DNFed at 25% (page 92) I just wasn't feeling it with this one.

Taro is our main character, yet I couldn't care less about him. I much preferred reading Hana's chapters, although they were shorter, and all in italics too (what a freaking headache). From the beginning, it's implied that Taro is some sort of special snowflake, but everyone keeps saying they don't know why he was chosen (except "the girl" in the prologue who we assume is Hana, who says that the ninja she's killing "had better bring Taro next time; that boy owes me a death.") Except no one wonders why Taro is specifically the target of the ninja assassination, nor does Taro even wonder about that himself. Nor do we get any hints from Hana during her chapters as to why she wanted Taro dead. I mean, maybe it wasn't the same girl, but I never got past that impression.

Then there's the issue of DEAR MR. LAKE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE A PREEXISTING LANGUAGE AND PRERECORDED HISTORY AND HISTORICAL FIGURES, AT LEAST TRY TO STAY ACCURATE TO WHAT IS ALREADY OUT THERE. Like "mako, which, since it's in italics, is implied to be a native Japanese word rather than an English replacement. There is a species of shark called the shortfin mako shark, which is what I assume the author was trying to say, but in Japanese, the mako shark is called "aozame," using the kanji for "blue" and "shark."

Or kissing. GOD DAMMIT THE KISSING. KISSING WAS NOT A THING IN FEUDAL JAPAN. IT DIDN'T BECOME A THING UNTIL THE LATE 19TH CENTURY WHEN JAPAN OPENED ITS BORDERS TO WESTERN INFLUENCE. TARO EFFING KISSES HIS FATHER ON THE FOREHEAD AS A SIGN OF AFFECTION AND THAT IS TOTALLY AND CULTURALLY INCORRECT.

Also IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE ODA NOBUNAGA AS A CHARACTER IN YOUR BOOK AT LEAST GET HIS FATHER'S NAME RIGHT; IT'S ON FUCKING WIKIPEDIA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. HIS FATHER'S NAME ISN'T MASAHINE, IT'S NOBUHIDE. ONE GOOGLE SEARCH TAKES TWO MINUTES. YOU CAN'T EVEN SPEND TWO MINUTES MAKING YOUR BOOK ALIGN WITH THE ACTUAL RECORDED HISTORY.

And for those of you who are protesting, "It's fantasy, not historical fiction!" the very fact that many other of the language and cultural aspects of feudal Japan are portrayed faithfully and beautifully to what it would have actually been like in the 16th century gives off the impression that Lake only half-assed it, making up stuff that he didn't already know offhand without double-checking his facts via Google. And the back of the book even says that Lake is "combining two genres (fantasy and historical fiction)," so since it is technically historical fiction, he should have taken the effort to ensure all his facts were correct. Go all the way or go home, lazy bastard.

That, combined with the fact I wasn't enjoying this book one bit and essentially had to force myself to get through it, as well as some parts having weak writing that kept turning on my editor brain, led me to the decision to DNF. I'm not about to force myself to finish a book I'm not 100% invested in finishing, especially not after the fiasco that was the last book I rated low, because I have way too many other books and I am not about to spend time on a book I'm not enjoying.

This book was a part of my Year of Asian Stories challenge. You can view my full Asian Stories TBR blog post using the link below:

Year of Asian Stories Announcement

[Emma Pack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Ninja has to be a new favorite of mine as I loved the setting and concept that flowed throughout the story. Personally, there is a lot for me to like as I am a huge fan of stories that have to do with Feudal Japan and I cannot deny that vampire novels and plots are often a guilty pleasure of mine. With both of these in one, I was most definitely charmed with the way that Lake played around with the ideas together and showed a wonderful story.

There were many strengths in the text from its amazing structure and plot development to its intricate attention to details in descriptions. I also loved the way Lake mixed together the ideas of ninjas and vampires and showed Japanese culture through the new vocabulary and feudal timeline that flowed and intertwined in a very interesting way. The way he showed the corrupted honor that the Lords of that time used to make their loyal warriors put their lives down without a second thought while the Lords themselves, much like Lord Oda Nobunaga, are very cruel and would not hesitate to kill someone even if they are innocent. We see this very clearly when Nobunaga kills one of the best swordsmiths after making a splendid sword but not naming a price quick enough. I loved the way Taro's character was put together and how he had to go through the discovery of his father being killed and his mother being sent away from him only to find out that the person he thought was his father, the person who fueled his entire mission and caused him to become a vampire, was not his actual father.

I do not have many things that I found flawed about this novel but there were some downsides to this text an example of this is how it was really hard to get completely into some of the characters because of how detached the story seemed to be at times, but I still found ways to latch onto different characteristics that came from the characters. Another downside was sometimes I would have a little bit of boredom as I read the story, but it was soon picked back up. I found some details unnecessary to start off with but by the end, I realized they were important. I also believe that they did not really portray ninja culture too well considering how fast Taro, Hiro, and the girls went through ninja training. From previous knowledge, I know that the profession of ninja takes a lifetime to fulfill, but it was understandable because there has to be action and movement in a story for it to keep a reader hooked.

Overall, I would give Blood Ninja full five stars. There were some moments I wished could have gone a bit different but in the end, the story was definitely something I would recommend to those who just love to sit down, enjoy a good book, and if you are interested in the feudal time period but not too into the factual side.

[Hailey Lo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book contains: Gore; Spoilers for Book 1 (Blood Ninja) and Book 2 (Blood Ninja: Revenge of Lord Oda)

Catch up for those who live under a rock:

The beginning of the story in Blood Ninja I is enough for you to catch right on on what’s happening, with Taro, the main protagonist, having introduced as a simple village boy in Shogunate Japan with his best friend Hiro and his ailing father as well as his ama (or rather, sea diver) mother. It’s a fairly simple lifestyle easy enough to imagine at first glance.

It’s all interrupted, however, when ninjas suddenly invade Taro’s house, his family inside, and behead his sleeping father. As the shock and denial of it all starts to settle in Taro’s mind, another ninja (known as Shuushaku) attacks and successfully defeats the others with the intent of protecting Taro for an unknown reason. Shuushaku then instructs Taro’s mother to run away to find a safe place to hide, and later takes Taro himself to safety, yet turns him into a vampire in the process. Upon all the commotion, Hiro runs out to find out what is happening, and learns of all that has happened. Despite all danger, Hiro decides to tag along with Taro and Shuushaku for his unwavering loyalty to Taro from a past event.

———

As a novice reader who happened to pick this book up for the sake of it, I’d say that both books 1 and 2 are easy to follow along. Its pacing isn’t too fast or slow, and it’s a good book for imagery (gore not included). Would recommend to shonen readers.

My only problems with it, however, is that I was not motivated at all to read it whatsoever.

I’m not sure whether it was just me whose brain was turned off, or whether it was just a book with a plot that’s not for me, but it took me a VERY long time to finish both 1 and 2. I literally had to check this book out so many times again and again because the due date kept expiring for the long amount of time I procrastinated reading this.

I mean, maybe it was just how compressed the lines were vertically on the page that caused my eyes fatigue. Either way it’s a pretty good book, and I would recommend it, especially for readers who prefer the shonen genre, but it just didn’t hit the right notes for me.

Not only that though, whatever that was, but some characters didn’t strike me as the type to support either.

Our Lovely Protagonist Taro:

Before I say anything, I would like to address that our lovely protagonist, Taro, is completely human and thus has completely acceptable human emotions, thoughts, and feelings. He can feel anger, regret, sadness, remorse, all the above. I don’t blame him for that. But one thing about him that kind of irritates me? He’s definitely pessimistic.

A lot of times, he’ll put himself down by his thoughts, thinking he’s not good enough to do this or that. Or like how he’ll abandon his best friend, Hiro, to go off alone to go somewhere (I don’t have any real remembrance of why he left, as it’s been some time since i’ve read this), as if there wasn’t any other option to protect Hiro.

And at one point (SPOILERS START:) in the middle of Taro’s training with the monk at the temple in the second book, Taro constantly feels hopeless about his and his abilities and often complains about it, even though he’s provided help from a monk. He doesn’t actually think about how the monk’s story could possibly help him in any way, when the answer is clearly right in front of him. He couldn’t control the Buddha Ball or sharpen his abilities without the constant pessimism beforehand. (SPOILERS END) I mean, it’s hard to support someone when they’re oftenly letting themselves down. Like, c’mon Taro, as your readers, please try to actually think about this, it’ll all do us some good. 🤥

Although there are many scenes in which his emotions are humanly justified, I believe Taro is still very emotionally immature in some aspects even after book 2. Hit me up when character development happens in book 3, by all means.

Otherwise, there are some characters like Little Kawabata and Hana that I think deserve more of a little backstory or just more reason.

Wasted Potential, Hana:

Take Hana for example, we already know that she is the love interest of Taro as well as the daughter of our antagonist, Nobunaga. She’s been quarantined in her castle, and longs to go out and experience the world for herself while also not wanting to be babied or protected all the time. (SPOILERS START) She passes into some coma after the ambush at the temple in book 2, and wakes up with the help of Taro and his Buddha ball (SPOKLERS END), not to mention she’s very pretty.

But is that all there is to her? Just a Rapunzel no.2? As the main love interest, I kind of hoped there would be more to her character and story overall, maybe she could have some more fighting spirit in her after escaping her castle in book 1. Maybe her father could have been more abusive to her or ignored her more before so that when she’s released, Taro could emotionally help her with her internal problems that could potentially create a better relationship between them. Maybe she could be more of a major turning point in the plan of defeating evil, other than making Yukiko angry. What i’m saying though, is that there was some wasted potential in Hana as of the ending of book 2.

Most developed, Little Kawabata:

Little Kawabata, on the other hand, has more of a story to him. He wants to gain the recognition of his father (who barely gives him attention or the love he deserves) by turning into a vampire and becoming the best. In the beginning he tries to kill Taro, as he views him as being a threat to the love Little Kawabata so dearly wants from his father, yet faces character development after Taro brings Little Kawabata to life as a vampire after the duel later on. From this point, Little Kawabata realizes how corrupt his father is, notices his past mistakes, and supports Taro in Nobunagas castle battle as the story progresses, all while trying to be a better fighter overall as a turned vampire.

Real character development. But I would have liked to see Little Kawabata enjoy the little things of life outside the vampire cave underground, though. Especially after the massacre taken in the Ninja base underground by Nobunaga in the second book. Like, add in a little amount of detail of how Little Kawabata adjusts to the outside life a little more or something. It’s just me, but Little Kawabata deserves it, and plus it would be really wholesome generally.

——————

Generally speaking?

It was a well written book, the plot and characters really were the stars of the show. If it were up to me, I would definitely make some minor changes to a lot of the characters, but overall it wasn’t a bad read. Though it may not be for me, I would recommend this to younger readers, 11-16, (if they can stand the gore) as the plot is more direct and straightforward compared to other YA books out there.

So overall, 3/5 stars for me. 😋

[Frezanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ninja is actually vampire!
This is quite an original story ( I never even find any manga that has similar idea). Because of that, I started reading with a jubilant mode, expecting to be entertained.
Well....
The execution is not as good as the idea.
First, I don't like the main character, Taro. Character wise, he was raw. He tends to be repetitive ( See second reason), a bit of an idiot ( but didn't know it), and somehow has the best of luck out of all the characters ( the fact that he's still intact at the end of the story when other noble and deserving characters died irritates me). The characterization is shallow. The good points of Taro is that he's supposed to be brave, great with bow, handsome.....( I don't see any more good points about him)
Second, the author's tend to repeat the same lines over and over again. For example, Taro's need of revenge. I wanted to shout "I get it already" when I saw same lines again and again.
Third, the story progress fast but without a strong foundation. We went through a journey from taro's village to the prophet's house to the ninja's valley to Nobunaga's castle> Many characters was introduced. But many characters also were killed unnecessarily.

I really hate it when an author executed a great idea sloppily.

[Beth_Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was dubious at first, picking up this book already knowing it was another story cashing in on the vampire explosion. I was pleasantly surprised. The vampire part was, by all means, downplayed and I believe the story was better for it. It's like a buddy flick for boys in print. And it's not just for the boys, the world of Ninja represents for the girls too.
Though some of the characters seem less defined and not as full as some of the others, I am more inclined to believe it is because the characters themselves are not yet defined rather than it being the product of lazy writing. (At least I hope so)
With my boys currently reading it I look forward to their take and the discussions that will inevitably ensue as we all await the second instalment.
I have read some reviews were readers felt the book gave no indication of being a series and ended in mid-air, yet throughout reading, I never felt this was a stand alone book. The plot is quite complex and will require at least 2 more books I would think to really do the story justice. I personally felt it ended exactly where it should have, leaving you hungry for more, wanting to know the answers to the questions left behind. I look forward to Blood Ninja II: Lord Oda's Revenge.

[Tabitha Olson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of this book held my interest intensely. I could hardly put it down. But the second half slowed down significantly, and the main character started doing things that I had a hard time believing he would do (such as the incident with his bow). From that first incident, there were many more, and it seemed like a different set of characters had taken over the story. Also, the prose switched from engaging and interesting to dry and a bit verbose. As a result, I struggled through the second half of the story. And I really didn't like the end.

That said, I think this is just my personal taste. If you're a fan of epic stories that gets a bit into the political workings of things, then this is a book you will probably enjoy.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taro's whole life has been spent in a small fishing village on the coast of Japan. He hunts while his dad fishes and his mom dives for treasures to sell to passing merchants. One night, ninjas attack the village, killing Taro's father and wounding his mom. One of the ninjas, Shusaku, rescues him before the other ninjas can finish their mission. Together with Hiro, Taro's best friend, they set off for the ninja headquarters to train both Taro and Hiro, and to keep Taro safe.

Taro is special. He's the son of one of the lords fighting for control over Japan, but will he be wanted? Shusaku had to make him a vampire to save his life. Even so, Taro is still special.

A great action book but it's a little slow going. The story is fascinating, yet takes a while to pick up and move.

[razzmataz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up from my library on sale because I thought the cover was cool and i have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by it! I really enjoyed the historical lore and the story was decent , even if a bit predictable. I loved how my two favourite things were combined into one... not ninjas, not vampires but VAMPIRE NINJAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to continue reading the series mainly because of the last point ;)

[JOSY · Rating 4 out of 5]

"She expected to suffer. It was the nature of revenge"

I like anime and comics so I felt like I was reading a comic or anime, I like it. but it was a bit cheesy in some parts, just some parts I wish it didn't end like that, I know this is a serie but still it wasn't a good ending. I will read the second one as fast as I can.

[Giff · Rating 5 out of 5]

a truly thrilling, suspenseful and engaging novel

[Snapback.Sapphic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

[Angela Christianson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love? Sent in ancient Japan, ninjas and vampires equals great action! Surprisingly well written. And a lot of fun. I'll be ordering the second book in the series.

[Ace Newberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, Really liked all the plot twists

[Rosenblue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edit: I added more warnings and fixed auto correct spellings names,places and eras.

WARNING! Bloody violence(including beheadings),bloody battle scenes and odd scenes related to death.
Despite the back cover of the book stating that it is rated ages 12 & up,Blood Ninja is on the company's website's teen section and some scenes are extremely bloody and dark.

Be aware that there are some slight and medium spoilers ahead in this review:

Blood ninja book 1 is set in the year 1565 during the Sengoku era(a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval that covers years 1467 to 1615) and follows a boy named Taro who lives in a quiet fishing village in the Kanto Province.
The story can be VERY fast moving at times and slower at other times and I wish this book had better pacing.
In a course of A DAY,Taro's entire life changed:
His father is murdered before his eyes,his mother goes missing during a assassination attempt towards Taro and he is taken by a mysterious ninja called Shukaku on a perilous journey toward safety and who fails at it,resulting in Taro's death and resurrection(no that isn't a spoiler the back of the book edition I have mentioned some of this already) all in one chapter.
Taro is immediately caught in the crossfire of a bitter conflict between rival lords for control of imperial Japan and has multiple assassination attempts towards him constantly throughout the story causing multiple deaths to characters,INCLUDING some who just simply interacted with him,causing Taro more enemies.
Taro then goes into hiding and trains to become a ninja himself,but he isn't sure that he wants to be one,but when his real identity is revealed,it becomed impossible for Taro to turn his back on his fate so he reluctantly followed it.

Okay there's a lot to review here,let's start off with the characters:
Taro can be annoying,immature,selfish,bland,a push over crybaby for a lot of the book,but he's occasionally likable and even adorable.
My issues with him:

1- He cried constantly about his struggles and losing this family. Which is fine,I don't mind male characters having emotions but not when they act uncharacteristically about it.
The way the emotional/sad scenes are written in this book makes it difficult to be sympathetic to anyone especially towards Taro and Yukiko.The scenes were usually written at random and makes me think that they were written just to have a "deep emotional scene" so he can keep the "innocent unfortunate boy" image or so readers will be sympathetic towards Yukiko when as soon as Taro discovered his real identity he stops caring about his adapted father,scattering that image and Yukiko is simply a power-hungry revenge maniac from day one.
He should have been shocked,sadden or conflicted a bit more but instead he mostly moved on except for the occasional mention of his late father and the same goes for Yukiko,she is very sadistic and revenge hungry for a child.

2-
There are times Taro didn't react to anything at all INCLUDING when one of his allies was killed.Taro just MOVED on and when their family was upset by his reaction in a particular scene he just stared at them emotion-less. Why is Taro like this?

3-
He extremely hypocritical and selfish at times:
Taro killed people without remorse or hesitation after the first couple of kills,which was strange since he hated killing before and refused to even defend himself in battle.
There are a few scenes of Taro even judging Shukaku for killing( even when the writer did a "U turn"and said Shukaku never killed anyone and that he simply knocked them out) over and over again,almost NEVER grateful for being saved from assassins.
Also there's a time he flirts,get's shy and cutesy with the daughter of his enemy right after another one of his companions was MURDERED by her father's men which was insensitive especially in front of the sister of the victim before who was also there and he just moved on like nothing a few pages later.
Is he heartless or airheaded? I'm not sure.

4- He doesn't always take responsibility or apologize properly nor does he defend himself when he SHOULD,like with the situations he had with Yukiko.
He cared more about his family heirloom and revenge than his friends.
At this point he wants revenge for revenge sake.The heirloom was just to prove his birth right in this situation and these scenes just showed even more than Taro started to stop caring about his late father even more than I first thought.
I think these scenes were bad moves if you ask me,I thought Nick Lake wanted us to feel sympathetic to Taro and his misfortunes?
Instead he made Taro almost completely unlikable and boarder line like Towa from Yashahime.
The only thing keeping me from not completely disliking him is what? I don't even remember,maybe it was his airheaded behavior that made me think he wasn't cold hearted but a dumbass with no backbone or proper thinking who did things on a whim.
Yeah that's probably it.
I don't think I like this character that much,but at the same time I don't hate him. At least he's better than the Yashahime trio.

I think Yukiko was entitled,rude and needed to chill out with the power-hungry-revenge stuff,the dialogue she had was melodramatic(through sometimes I enjoyed it)and her rivalry with Taro was strange and obsessive.
She even teamed up with her family's murder for revenge which made no sense in some ways,but in others it actually did.
She isn't badly written but her personality is awful.
I could say more about her but I don't want to spoil anything.

Hiro(Taro's best friend)was the generic "fat funny friend" but he was still funny and kept story light hearted during sad or annoying scenes at times and other times his scenes felt forced and boring.

2-
He was a decent friend to Taro when he wasn't all over Yukiko and called him out on some of his crap, but he's also a jerk whenever his crush is around,I don't like him either.
3-
His WHOLE point was to be funny and he lacked character development and consistency.

I don't have much to say about Lady Hana,Heiko or Shukaku yet, I'll have to re-read the book first before I comment about them and a few other characters I didn't mention.

I enjoy reading Kenji Kira's part of the story despite his dialogues and monologues being too gruesome for a kid's book.
He and Oda Nobunaga has the best scenes and dialogue in the whole book.
Kira's backstory and Oda's scenes of wrath are surprisingly my favorite scenes to read aside the parts on Taro's origins.

The fight scenes:
From I remember they were written like flash backs particularly the training scenes.
I wish the training was more detailed and not in a flash back style.

[MrG LikesBooks&Booze · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this book, I felt that some of the pacing was stilted and slow. Hopefully, this will not be the case going forward as this is part of a trilogy. When I found this perusing the used book store, I didn't know it was part of a trilogy, so I'll be on the hunt for books 2 and 3. One interesting choice made by the author was to use italics for scenes that did not include the main character.
The concept of ninja vampires is interesting, and they way it is described in the novel makes perfect sense.
I feel like we begin to see a few of the characters developed, but I was disappointed and somewhat put off by a few of the choices the author made, but not so much that I don't still want to read books two and three. While I understand advancing the story, some of the decisions made seem foolish.
Its also interesting that the books starts at the end and then goes back and progresses. I spent much of the book trying to figure out who the woman from the prologue was and what death Taro (the main character) owed her. Who she was and her contempt for both Lord Tokugowa and Taro was interesting to uncover.
All in all, an enjoyable read, if a little hard to really get immersed in. Good enough to read books two and three, but not so much that I've gone online and ordered them already.

[Neko~chan · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, I was hovering between a 2 and a 3 on this one. I decided on a 3 since the ending was, well, quite a twist, and the last fifth or so of the book made up for the lack of movement in the first four-fifths.

My main issue with Blood Ninja was the writing. A little rough, a little unpolished at times, wrought with unnecessary descriptions that read like fanfiction. The writing improved a little as the book progessed -- although that may be because those descriptions ended up tying into the action near the end. And the pacing was horribly slow at times. Dear lord, the drag. Was all the action in the dojo really necessary? (Although that might just be setting us up for the sequel, I don't know.)

Also, I guess I'm just not a big fan of vampire ninjas.

But still, I loved the ending. Shusaku, why didn't you tattoo your eyeballs? Cruel plot turn, but rather an effective one, I think. Ugh, now I have to read the sequel.