Wow, great images you have here. Were they made with all available light? Most shots look like they were made with only streetlight while others seem to have lighting setup.
It must be a matter of taste. I love the shoot, but find the ninja thing distracting, especially when racking, because as it appears, my eye is drawn from the overall aesthetic to the bokeh component, to the exclusion of the whole composition. But, that's just me... and I don't like facebook either, while millions do.
Why do you think the Japanese version has these different shutter speeds?
Ninja Star Bokeh isn't uncommon. But can be distracting. Several copies of cinema primes have the same thing. IN fact, you might be able to spot it in your favorite feature film.