An animated pilot film for Band of Ninja released to the public over three decades later on The Legend of Ninja Kamui DVD volume 7. The pilot film was created in 1969 as director Nagisa Ōshima was wanting to make a TV animation to build off his controversial film from 1967. The pilot was rejected by Shirato himself (the original comic creator the film was based on) and the plan was changed to animate Kamui Gaiden instead, a side story to the Kamui manga also created by Shirato. Though with this change, Ōshima did not partake in The Legend of Ninja Kamui's production.