Ninja Scroll 4K Restoration To Premiere At Berlinale

Ninja Scroll is one of the most influential anime movies of the nineties. Originally released in 1993, it was written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri at Studio Madhouse. Set in Japan's feudal era, it follows the exploits of ninja Jubei. Now, the film has received a 4K restoration, which will get its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival this February before getting a 4K UHD release in early 2027.

In summer 2024, Sentai Filmworks together with HIDIVE released Ninja Scroll in more than 500 cinemas across the United States, in partnership with Iconic Events Releasing as part of its AX Cinema Nights series.

Produced by Sentai and overseen by director Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the digital restoration of Ninja Scroll was a painstaking process and restoration of the movie. It was a meticulous process that involved a 4K scan (3840 × 2160 pixels) of the original 35mm negative, then repairing any damage and lastly performing colour correction to create an archival quality digital master of the film. 

 “We’re both thrilled and humbled to be able to preserve the original 1993 Ninja Scroll film as a modern digital movie. This is Ninja Scroll at its very best!,” said John Ledford, President of Sentai. “Ninja Scroll in 4K is nothing short of a pristine version of this cinematic masterpiece, presented in stunning high definition, contrast and colour. The digital adaptation offers a truly immersive experience. In fact, seeing it is like watching Ninja Scroll for the very first time!”

The World Premiere of Ninja Scroll will take place on Sunday, February 15 at 10:00 PM CET at Berlinale, the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, followed by encore screenings on February 16 and 22. The film is one of ten selected from nine different countries and the first ever anime selected for the Berlinale Classics sections of the festival's program.

Beyond Berlinale, fans will get their first chance to see Ninja Scroll's 4K restoration when Sentai release the film as a limited edition Steelbook 4K UHD in early 2027.

Courtesy of HIDIVE