Continuity mistake: In one of the first scenes with Joe and Curtis reporting to Capt. "wild Bill", Joe and Curtis are just getting ready to walk out of the office. But who's that playing Joe? Certainly not Michael Dudikoff! The next shot Curtis and Joe are comming out of the office and there is Michael Dudikoff again. (00:11:55)
Character mistake: During the whole movie the rank of the CO "wild Bill" is Captain. But in one of the final scenes where they are saying their goodbyes Curtis suddenly says Colonel. (01:24:45)
Other mistake: When Joe (The American Ninja) pushes the girl out of the moving truck, one sees the stuntMAN (playing a girl) mis-time the fall and land on a large clump of rock and dirt, after which, before the scene cuts, we see the stuntman curl over in pain. Obviously a very painful fall for the stuntman and a very very funny scene for the viewers.
Continuity mistake: When the Asian Police Chief leaves the office he puts on his hat twice. Once when he stands up and then after the cut again when he´s at the door.
Other mistake: At the end of all the beach fighting scenes Joe (the American Ninja) and his side-kick jump off a rather large cliff into a waiting boat. Watch how they land. Is it a Ninja landing technique or the fact that they jump and land, with such ease, from an obviously lower platform. (Note also the very bad acting involved in trying to conceal this fact!)
Other mistake: When Joe escapes with the girl and runs out the back of the bar with her, he fights one particular man who confronts him in the alley. In the fight scene, Joe flips him over his head with both his hands. But if you look closely, you will notice that Joe's hands aren't even touching the guy. His wrists are just pressed against the back of his attacker who then pretends to fall down.
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie, when they are riding the three bikes, one of the bikes has Yamaha written on the dash, but when they park, one of the bikes is Suzuki and the other two are Kawasaki.
Continuity mistake: When Joe and Toto and the woman are driving in the pick-up truck they are being chased by one ninja. When he first gets on the truck he has no gloves. Then when he is hanging on the truck from behind with a rope he is wearing black leather gloves. Then once he is on the hood of the truck he is not wearing gloves once again.
