Seek (2025) Review: Ninja Fever Returns on a Shoestring

This Seek review starts with a simple question: can a small, heartfelt action movie win you over with craft instead of cash? Shane Kosugi's directorial debut is a Japanese action film about secret agents, Yakuza and the legacy of the ninja. It runs a lean 93 minutes and knows what it wants to be.

Seek Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Seek plot centres on Kyohei Aizawa (Kansuke Asano), an assassin for a covert, non-governmental espionage group known as SEEK, or 四十九. He is still grieving his girlfriend, who died in a plane accident, and he carries that loss into every job. Then the group's leader, Ryo Mikumo, calls him in for an emergency mission.

The assignment has three parts. Kyohei must save a fellow agent, recover a new and highly explosive liquid called RDX, and stop a Yakuza leader named Sojiro Kotsuki before his gang takes over Japan. The film is set in modern Japan, where ninjas are believed to have vanished, and it hints that a new breed of assassins is quietly protecting the country.

That is the whole setup, and it is a familiar one. The pleasure lies in how the film stages the fights rather than in surprises.

What Works in Seek

Action is the reason to watch, and the fight work is the film's strongest card. One festival reviewer praised some solid action sequences despite the low budget, and that matches what the film is aiming for. Another singled out a climactic stretch shot as a 3.5-minute single take, a bold choice for a first-time director.

A few strengths stand out:

• Ambition over budget: the film attempts long, choreographed set pieces that many bigger productions avoid.

• Martial arts heritage: the Kosugi name carries real weight in ninja cinema, and the film leans into that history.

• Tight running time: at 93 minutes, it rarely overstays its welcome.

Shane Kosugi directs with obvious affection for the genre. This is an action movie made by people who love action movies, and that sincerity helps.

Seek Cast and Performances

The Seek cast is led by Kansuke Asano, who also wrote the screenplay, as Kyohei Aizawa. Kane Kosugi plays the Yakuza leader Sojiro Kotsuki, and a festival reviewer singled out his performance as a highlight. Masaki Miura appears as Naoya Machida, and Nahana plays SEEK's leader, Ryo Mikumo. Masayuki Ino and Yasuaki Ishii round out the credited cast.

Asano as the grieving killer

Asano carries the film physically, and his quiet, burdened approach suits a man who fights to avoid feeling. The grief angle gives him something to play beyond the choreography. It does not run especially deep, but it gives the lead a clear emotional anchor.

Kane Kosugi as the threat

Kosugi brings presence and menace, which every film like this needs. A villain with a credible physical edge makes the fights feel like they matter.

Where Seek Stumbles

The film is not free of problems. One Letterboxd reviewer called it generic and compared it to 2000s direct-to-video action, and that criticism is fair. The espionage setup, the explosive MacGuffin and the Yakuza menace are all well-worn ideas.

The low budget also shows at times. Do not expect the polish of a studio thriller. If you want fresh storytelling, you may find the plot too predictable.

A word on ratings: Seek has an IMDb user score of 9.3, but that comes from only 128 votes. A sample that small leans toward enthusiastic fans, so treat it with caution. A Rotten Tomatoes listing for the director shows 52%, which feels closer to the film's true standing.

Is Seek Worth Watching?

Yes, if you are an action fan who values practical fight scenes over big-budget spectacle. Seek is not original, but it is energetic, sincere and well suited to its modest scale. The long-take finale alone may be worth the ticket for genre devotees.

If you want a layered story, look elsewhere. For something with similar muscle on a bigger canvas, try our Operation Hadal review. For more brawling in a lighter key, see Chase for Amber.

The film also earned festival attention, with its official site claiming 82 awards from 42 festivals. You can find more details on its IMDb page. Reported release dates vary by region, so check local listings before you look for it.

Who Will Enjoy Seek

• Fans of ninja and martial arts films who enjoy the Kosugi family legacy.

• Viewers who like practical, choreographed fights and don't need a big budget.

• Anyone curious about a first-time director's ambitious one-take action.