Trivia

Was aired on anime network back in the early 2000s.

Contrary to misconception, this OVA series is not a ripoff of Ninja Scroll. This anime was adapted from a novel that came out in 1967 (which predates Ninja Scroll by a good 26 years), and it should be worth noting also that Ninja Scroll borrowed a lot of inspiration from Makai Tensho, as well as several other works by Futaro Yamada. The series was not even originally called Ninja Resurrection in its home country of Japan, and it was ADV Films' (who distributed this series) idea to change the name of the anime from "Makai Tensho" to "Ninja Resurrection" in order to capitalize off of Ninja Scroll's success in the west, even going as far as to make the letters in the title look identical to that of Ninja Scroll, which was done without Phoenix Entertainment's (the studio behind Ninja Resurrection) permission or knowledge.

Based on the novel by Futaro Yamada.

Despite being based on Futaro Yamada's novel of the same name, this OVA series also adapts elements from Ken Ishikawa's 1986 manga adaptation of the novel, such the extremely gory and graphic violence, and Amakusa Shiro's ability to cut up his enemies into pieces by using his hair.

Although the series does indeed feature ninjas and has resurrection as the story's main theme, like the title suggests, the ninjas in question are actually minor characters in this series, and not once are any ninjas resurrected from the dead at any point. The characters who are actually resurrected in the story are samurai.