FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS

FIVE ELEMENT NINJAS
a.k.a. Chinese Super Ninjas 1982

Five Element Ninjas is a tour de force from the legendary Shaw Brothers film studio in Hong Kong.
I first saw it on video, baked out of my skull in the early 1990s. Strange to think that the film was only about a decade old at the time.

The plot of Five Element Ninjas is simple - rival ninjas infiltrate a Martial Arts Academy. The Chinese martial artists have to take on the "Five Element Formation" - five groups of ninjas with fighting styles and costumery based on Gold, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth.

 The ninjas make quick work of our brave martial artists, the Gold ninjas are my favorite with their spinning metal hats that refract the rays of the sun into the eyes of the challengers. This special feat is accompanied by a truly wonderful sound effect.

Chinese characters flash on the screen to announce the appearance of each new weapon or fighting style "Water Spiders", "Copper Hats", "Falling Petals", "Foot Claws"

Eventually, a foxy girl ninja in a fishnet body suit betrays the Alliance and the ninjas slaughter the entire base.
The last one alive seeks to be trained in the arts of ninjutsu to seek bloody vengeance.

Hanging out of his shorts? Entrails. Red gooey ones.

Bodies are torn to shreds, entrails drag on the ground, and comically bright red blood soaks the screen. The action plays out on the Shaw Brothers' gorgeously constructed sets (the forest of tree ninjas is truly inspired) and the result is one of the best Kung Fu films ever made.

I'm totally writing an adventure about a Five Element Formation of my own in my campaign.

GOLD
Four sorcerer knights with golden dragon scale armor. They refract the rays of the sun and also can unleash a spray molten gold from their shields.

WATER
Like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, jumping out at you when you're walking over a bridge. They strangle and drown their victims with their large webbed claws.

WOOD
Evil halflings and evil dryads lurk in the trees. They have nets, hooks, and blowguns, ready to kill all intruders in their murderous grove.

FIRE

Eight pissed off lava children, dancing on the slope of a volcano.

EARTH

The earth element formation consists of four elf rangers who can summon up swarms of fire ants and killer shrews.

Let me hear your ideas! What's your five element formation!?