AJnet Anime ClubMovies/TV

Under Ninja is Underrated

Under Ninja is a massively underrated series, and it’s time to give it the respect it deserves.

Ninjas, masters of subterfuge and clandestine operations. Hiding in the shadows and only emerging to strike their opponents down with precision and efficiency, the ninja is one of history’s most respected and feared warriors.

While the legend of the ninja lives on, historians generally agree that the actual age of the ninja ended some time in the late 1800’s, thanks to the advent of modern warfare and the peace and stability brought on during Japan’s Edo period.

But what if the age of the ninja didn’t end?

Under Ninja depicts a world where not only did the age of the ninja not end, but also took advantage of technological advancements and became even more deadly and dangerous.

In the world of Under Ninja, the various Shinobi clans have traded their loose-fitting black outfits for stealth invisibility armor. They utilize high-powered sniper rifles and grenade launchers, and even have a space-based laser weapon called Escape. They also have the ability to transplant human consciousness into other bodies, including animals. The tech is reminiscent of a James Bond movie. I could definitely see Q or R giving Bond some of the tech shown in Under Ninja.

A common complaint I’ve seen people have about this series is that they couldn’t follow what was going on. I’m not sure what those people are talking about, I thought most things were fairly self-explanatory, and anything that wasn’t was explained as the story progressed. When it comes to anime and even regular TV shows in general, I find that a lot of people have a tendency to not actually pay attention to what they’re watching, and because of this they miss things and claim the shows didn’t explain them. Many people also had this criticism about Lost. Most things in Lost were explained, even if they weren’t fully elaborated on sometimes or the show took several seasons to explain them. The same goes for Under Ninja. By the end of the season, I didn’t have any questions other than “When’s the next season?”

The show admittedly starts out kind of slow, and repeatedly flashes back and forth between past and present events. Maybe this is why some people had a hard time following it? The series takes its time for the first few episodes, building the world and setting the stage for the larger story. By the fourth episode though you have a pretty decent picture of what’s going on, and the story picks up.

The main character of Under Ninja is Kuro, a member of a ninja organization called NIN. Kuro hasn’t had an assignment in a significant amount of time, and has been living as a NEET, sharing a small tenement with Ono, a middle-aged man, and Kawado, a perpetually drunk woman in her early 20s. Finally, Kuro receives orders to infiltrate a high school, which is believed to be hiding a rival ninja clan’s base of operations. Kuro is assisted by fellow NIN members Hibi and Kato.

There’s also a bunch of other fun characters too, including a blue-eyed Russian guy who chops off peoples’ dicks, a cat that’s actually a human transplanted into a cat’s body, and a woman who wears a very convincing middle-aged man costume and sells her breast milk to kids. This isn’t an anime that takes itself seriously. It knows it’s weird and silly, and it leans into those traits while still maintaining some semblance of order. Under Ninja stands at the edge of the cliff, but it doesn’t go over that edge. It’s slightly absurd, but it’s not so absurd that it’s a comedy.

I rate this series a 6/10. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it’s still a fun time. If you want a serious anime about ninjas, then you might not enjoy Under Ninja. Similarly, if you want a lighthearted comedic romp, you’re also going to be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a fun series that blends ninjas, urban warfare, and sci-fi, with just a hint of “WTF?”, then I recommend you check out Under Ninja.

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Angry_Jerk

Adam "Angry_Jerk" Baker is the CEO of the AJnet Organization, and the Editor-in-Chief of AJnet Magazine. He hails from the fine village of Northeast Philadelphia, where he lives with his wonderful and amazing girlfriend, who definitely isn't looking over his shoulder as he writes this.