Is The Wachowskis' 'Ninja Assassin' Really 'Ninja Scroll' in Disguise?

So there's a little mystery starting to brew on the net surrounding the Wachowskis' action flick, Ninja Assassin. Over at kungfurodeo.com, there are reports that a new casting call for the flick is proof that the brothers are actually making a live-action version of the classic anime, Ninja Scroll. For those fans of Scroll out there, maybe you can tell me if the characters on the casting sheet over at Freebase Media look a little familiar.

The story of Ninja Scroll is set in feudal Japan. A ninja-for-hire is forced into fighting an old nemesis that has set his sights on toppling the Japanese government. Complicating matters is a group of super-demons under the bad guys control. So far, not much is known about the plot of Ninja Assassin, but all we do know is that Korean pop star Rain has scored a part in the James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) directed flick.
Now that DiCaprio's live-action Akira has gotten the go-ahead, it makes logical sense that other studios would start looking for their own anime remakes. Hollywood is known for beating a trend into the ground; it's about time that the art of anime is next on the block. So far, nothing has been confirmed, but according to various reports, the character names on the casting sheet bear a striking resemblance to the characters from Scroll. Ninja Assassin is tentatively scheduled to shoot from March to July in Berlin for Warner Bros. So what do you think? Are Wachowski and company keeping their project under wraps until it's time to reveal a big surprise? Or is Ninja Assassin just another ripoff, er, I mean homage to the anime that they seem to love so much.

[via First Showing]