Action Cult Classic

When a comic artist’s rage meets mad science, the Robot Ninja is born—ready for street justice.

ROBOT NINJA

1989 · 1h 22m · NR · Action / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

A scientist helps a comic-book artist to become the superhero he has created in order to battle a vicious gang of rapists.

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Quick Answer

What is Robot Ninja about?

Robot Ninja is a 1989 American action-science fiction film directed by J.R. Bookwalter about a comic book artist who becomes his own superhero creation to battle violent criminals.

Programmer's Pick

Robot Ninja trades four-color fantasies for blood-soaked pavement, where a comic artist’s midlife crisis gets turbocharged by mad science. The result? A vigilante tale that’s as rough around the edges as its hero’s costume—and twice as raw.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Leonard Miller is a disillusioned comic book artist who sees his creation, Robot Ninja, turned into a commodity by his agent and publisher. When he witnesses a horrific crime carried out by a gang of thugs, Leonard’s frustration boils over into a desperate need for real-world justice. Enlisting the help of the eccentric Dr. Hubert Goodknight, Leonard undergoes a transformation—donning the armor and persona of Robot Ninja to hunt down the vicious criminals roaming his city. Set in a gritty urban landscape, this film blurs the lines between comic book fantasy and harsh reality, exploring what happens when a broken artist tries to become the violent hero he once only imagined on paper.

Details & Specs

Director: J.R. Bookwalter
Writer: J.R. Bookwalter
Release: 1989
Runtime: 1h 22m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Action, Science Fiction

Why This Matters

Written, produced, directed, and edited by J. R. Bookwalter, this 1989 film brings together an eclectic cast including Scott Spiegel, Burt Ward, and Linnea Quigley, reflecting the crossover appeal of cult actors in late 1980s genre cinema.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: J.R. Bookwalter Writer: J.R. Bookwalter

MT Michael Todd Leonard Miller (Robot Ninja) BP Bogdan Pecic Dr. Hubert Goodknight MM Maria Markovic Gody Sanchez FE Floyd Ewing Jr. Officer Hickox BM Bill Morrison Buddy Revelle

James L. Edwards Sculley MK Michael Kemper Officer Cameron JK Jon Killough DePalma

J.R. Bookwalter Spinell JM Jennifer Mullen Christine

Linnea Quigley Miss Barbeau

Scott Spiegel Marty Coleslaw

David DeCoteau Russ Mazzola KJ Kenneth J. Hall Bert Ralston

Burt Ward Stanley Kane RS Rodney Shields O'Bannon MP Michael Porter Nash LK Lori Kozar Susan SR Steve Rossiter Jon MJ Michael J. Giffin Christopher MS Mike Shea Rip Himhoff MR Michael Render Joey McHeister DL David Lange Greg Lange BK Bernie Keister TV Studio Technician HK Hans Kenneth Hammerstrom Bookstore Ken JW Jeffrey W. Scaduto Shemp Hardware Store Clerk

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