Ninja Kamui Don’t waste time getting from zero to 100. Within five minutes of the first episode, a bespectacled salaryman is ambushed by a barrage of projectile needles and attacks delivered by about a dozen armored attackers, who dart up and down with uncanny precision, countering each of their blows before being attacked by a taunting brute with dreadlocks is brutally beheaded. It’s a strong first impression for director Sunghoo Park’s first original series after his work on Jujutsu Kaisenone who says it boldly Ninja Kamui‘s statement of intent with bloody and balletic finesse. In an anime season full of strong premieres, Ninja Kamui positions itself as an action anime to keep an eye on.
[Ed. note: Minor spoilers for Ninja Kamui episodes 1 through 2.]
The first original anime production from Park’s studio E&H Production was produced in collaboration with Sola Entertainment and tells the story of Higan, a former ninja who flees with his wife and young child to make a new life in America after he escaped his clan under threat of death. Joe and his family lead an idyllic and quiet life, taking on new identities and making a living as farmers – until Higan’s clan finally catches up with him, massacring his wife and child and leaving him just a hair’s breadth away from death. After surviving the attack on his home, Higan sets out on a single-minded quest for revenge as he attempts to hunt down his former masters and avenge the murder of his family.
There’s not a lot of subtlety in these first few episodes, although there are some cool little touches that show how conscientious Higan was, willing to do anything to protect his family, like secretly wiping their fingerprints after leaving a supermarket or …Set up a sophisticated, multi-camera surveillance system to detect potential threats. While the main focus of the series is Higan beating up and taking down anonymous villains, there are still notable supporting characters, such as FBI agent Mike Morris and his partner Emma Samanda, an eccentric, cat-loving doctor who has previously worked with Higan before She turned away from him Clan and the as yet unnamed CEO of Auza, a ubiquitous mega-corporation that is clearly implied to be in league with Higan’s former employers.
While there isn’t a lot of time spent focusing on these characters in these first two episodes, that’s okay because those details all serve the main appeal of Ninja Kamui: the action. Park received widespread recognition for his work in the first season Jujutsu Kaisen and its 2021 feature-length prequel Jujutsu Kaisen 0Both films featured fast-paced and creative fight sequences with memorable choreography and editing. fans of Jujutsu Kaisen I won’t be disappointed here as the action is in Ninja Kamui is easily comparable to JJKs, although far more gratuitous in the amount of blood and guts. Character designs by Takashi Okazaki, the creator of Afro samuraialso contribute to the attractiveness of the Ninja Kamuias fans of the 2007 anime and its 2009 sequel film Afro Samurai: Resurrection The level of violence and action choreography on offer here will also delight you.
There are no particularly grandiose or daring ambitions to be seen Ninja Kamuiis the opening episode. The series knows what it is: a hyper-violent revenge thriller with expertly paced action sequences and a uniformly dark and gritty tone. In this sense, Ninja Kamui is quite successful as a captivating and entertaining action anime. With a confirmed total of 12 episodes, only time will tell how this original premise will evolve and change throughout the season. But what I know for sure is this Ninja Kamui is a stunning addition to Adult Swim’s catalog of anime programming, and no matter where this story goes, one thing is certain: there will be blood.
Ninja Kamui airs Saturdays on Adult Swim and is available to stream on Max.