7 Years Later, This Overlooked Anime Movie Still Rivals Naruto’s Best Fight Scenes

Released all the way back in 2019, Black Fox is an original anime movie that merged traditional ninja vibes with modern science fiction. While this movie had a limited theatrical run and didn’t perform well at the box office, it featured strong mechanics that were some of the most unique in the genre.

Furthermore, in the action, there are clear parallels to Naruto. While Naruto is the standard for ninja animation, Black Fox doesn’t fail to match its combat intensity. Let’s dive into what made the action in this movie so good, what the movie was about, and how we lack good action choreography in modern anime.

Black Fox Is Full of Ninja Action That Rivals Naruto

The action in this movie is precise, and the animation is fluid, prioritizing motion and clear frame-by-frame action. It is clear that the animators knew how a human body moves better than most other animators, as no movement in the fight sequences looks odd. Furthermore, rather than ignoring the ninja tools due to the movie being set in the future, the movie integrated items like kunai, shuriken, and wire traps seamlessly into the hand-to-hand combat.

We can directly compare this to Naruto, which is also known for its fluid action, the usage of tools, and the complexity behind each move. While there are mystical powers in the anime, Naruto ensures the action remains close-quartered. With each punch or cut, the viewers can feel the weight. Furthermore, every fight is given utmost attention to detail, even if the protagonist is not part of it. That’s why the series has many fights that don’t feature Naruto and Sasuke.

There is a particular scene that stands out in the movie. When Rikka’s house gets attacked by the drones, she, as a little child, attempts to defend it all on her own. Since she is small and physically weak against her enemies, she utilizes various pieces of equipment to trap and defeat her opponents. This perfectly mirrors Naruto’s earlier battles in the anime, where he was physically weak but was full of creativity.

For viewers who appreciate the tactical ninja battles found in the earlier arcs of Naruto, Black Fox provides a comparable visual experience. While lore-wise, Naruto is clearly superior to not just this movie but many modern anime altogether, we cannot deny that Black Fox perfectly captures the essence of Naruto’s action.

What Is Black Fox Anime Movie About

Mia from Black Fox | Credit: Studio 3Hz

Rikka Isurugi is a 16-year-old girl born into a bloodline of Ninjas. She was trained by her grandfather. However, unlike her, her father broke free from the tradition and focused solely on his scientific endeavors to the point that he is well known in the world. He is someone who made a drone technology that the entire world seeks after.

One day, as a child, Rikka’s household was attacked for those very drones. She tries to defend it; however, she had to end up running away with the drones themselves. It’s been many years since that incident, and Rikka now lives a normal life along with her roommate Melissa. However, at night, she goes out wearing a fox mask, taking revenge on those very people who attacked that night.

The story, at its core, is a straightforward revenge plot. There are no subplots, maintaining a clear focus on Rikka’s objective. The ninja action set in a futuristic setting is planned out really well, making this movie stand out in the genre. Furthermore, the studio had worked on Dimension W previously, something that clearly shows in the action of this anime movie as well.

Modern Action Anime Often Lack Good Action Choreography

Melissa from Black Fox | Credit: Studio 3Hz

There is a clear decline in the quality of action choreography in modern action anime, as there is a clear favoritism for power scaling that goes beyond standard logic. Characters are always splitting mountains, leveling cities, or simply manipulating the very laws of physics to win the fights. While this creates a really good sense of scale, it also removes the primary requirement for good action choreography.

We can take a clear example of Solo Leveling here. The fight between Beru and Sung Jinwoo was pure hype; however, it lacked proper choreography because both of them were so fast that they practically appeared to be moving beams of light themselves. Furthermore, in powerscaling like this, the fight is about who is faster, not about who is more technical.

However, it’s not all negative. We can take an example of Demon Slayer, where the fights solely rely on swordwork, and even though it does end up being faster than the opponent from time to time, Studio Ufotable makes sure that it provides the amazing animation and choreography that it has.

What are your thoughts on this anime movie? Let us know in the comments.

Black Fox is streaming on Crunchyroll