Aaron Yamasato's "Ninja EX" hits Hawaii cable
06.28 - Posted by Editor
From the official press release:
BLOOD OF THE SAMURAI DIRECTOR UNMASKS NINJA EX
From the award-winning creator and director of Blood of the Samurai comes a throwback to the good old-fashioned Japanese comic book and super hero crime fighter. Hawaii's Oceanic Time Warner Cable Channel OC 16 plans to premiere Ninja EX, from Hellcat Productions and in association with Brotherhood Productions. A new Blood of the Samurai spin-off series that delivers punches packed with action, adventure, martial arts and comedy.
Director/writer/producer Aaron Yamasato is currently in Japan working on five stand-alone episodes of Ninja EX. It will feature individual Hawaii-based stories revolving around a mysterious ninja whose abilities allows him to punish criminals while living an average life during the day. Drawing from influences such as Japan series favorites Kikaida and Kage No Gundan, as well as classic comic book super heroes, Yamasato's protagonist fights for justice as a ninja who protects the innocent and defends the weak.
Kevin Won makes his starring debut as the main character Ninja EX. Won, a Honolulu firefighter and regional Wu Shu Kung Fu champion, has a black belt in Karate and a brown belt in Judo. He has also trained in Capoeira, Jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and is cousin to martial arts/action movie superstar Mark Dacasscos(The Crow, Cradle 2 the Grave).
Special guest appearances include Blood of the Samurai cast members Bryan Yamasaki, Michael Ng, Colleen Fujioka, Stephanie Sanchez, Shawn Forsythe, Alicia Michioka (Miss Hawaii USA 2003) and Egan Inoue (former World Racquetball/Superbrawl Champion). In true Yamasato fashion, the Ninja EX production will be 100 percent Hawaii-made.
Yamasato's first feature film, Blood of the Samurai received numerous glowing reviews and awards, including the prestigious Aloha Airlines Film & Videomaker Award for Best Hawaii-based film at the 2001 Hawaii International Film Festival. And has screened at film festivals around the globe, such as Argentina, Mexico, Canada and Yugoslavia. The recently released DVD, distributed by The Mountain Apple Company, has sold out stores including Costco, Tower Video and Wal Mart. And was sold to exotic ports such as Thailand and Indonesia.
Blood of the Samurai: the Series, the follow-up television sequel, was Hawaii's first ever narrative and all locally produced hit martial arts/action show. It won rave reviews and is slated for a second season on Oceanic/Time/Warner Cable's Channel OC 16. The writers and producers of the show, Anderson Le and Ian Hirokawa, are currently editing the series into a feature-length film and will include added action scenes.
Yamasato's new spin off series Ninja EX also marks the return of Brotherhood Production's Paul Booth, the original producer of Blood of the Samurai and founder of the Hawaii Student Film Festival.
For more information on Ninja EX, contact producer Paul Booth at pkb_1@hotmail.com or Aaron Yamasato at ayamasato@aol.com. For updates, please visit www.ninjaex.com.
