Jiraya the Ninja
(Gôketsu Jiraya)

Left without a family after his vassals betrayed
him, the last heir of the lord of Higo, Ogata Shûma
Hiroyuki (Jiraiya), leaves to get trained in the ninja
art with the hermit frog living on mount Myôkô
in Echigo, in order to avenge for his family. This
is one of the last films Makino Shôzô, the father
of Japanese cinema, and his favourite actor Onoe
Matsunosuke, from the Senbonza theatre, made
together. Their collaboration started in 1909. It is
also supposed to be the first Japanese film to ever
use special effects.