The film was originally shot in 1984 by director and martial artist John Liu but was abandoned due to financial difficulties. However, the negatives were discovered years later by cult film distributor Vinegar Syndrome, who completed the film with the help of new footage and dubbing. The film stars Liu as the titular New York Ninja, who takes to the streets to avenge the murder of his wife by a criminal gang. Along the way, he teams up with a group of street kids to take down the bad guys using his impressive ninja skills. The completed film features additional interviews with Liu and his co-stars, as well as a newly recorded score by composer Shawn Lee.