Recap: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger, Episode 1 – We Are Ninja

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Takaharu Igasaki has just arrived home at his family’s dojo after a long time away when it is suddenly attacked by a bunch of Hitokarage foot soldiers. He pulls out a sword and flicks a shuriken towards them before it returns to him.

He then uses it to henshin and he fights the Hitokarage.

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Meanwhile, a strange Yokai finds a gold mallet in the rubble of the dojo.

After Takaharu finishes off the rest of the Hitokarages, his little sister Fuuka arrives home, shocked by what’s become of their dojo. But she is even more shocked to see her older brother is home after 4 years of wandering about and with the Ninja Ichibantou/Best Sword. Takaharu says actually, he’s been training, especially with this “hot” sword.

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He tries to explain that some weirdos, who are enemies of their family, attacked the dojo, not him. Fuuka finds a picture of their grandfather and apologizes to him up in heaven for her “idiot brother.”

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Their father pops up and welcomes his son home. He brings them to a grove and tells Fuuka that it was he who gave Takaharu the sword, though he did say not to use it.

Father says he’ll explain what’s going on, but they need to wait a little bit.

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But they don’t have to wait for long. Up in a tree appears Katou “Cloud” Yakumo. He’s just returned from England.

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Suddenly, a pair of Shurikens come hurtling towards them. Both Takaharu and Yakumo catch them. They know the Shurikens are from Matsuo Nagi, always the mischievous one.

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Yakumo points to the paper stuck on Nagi’s back. Fuuka has one too. These are from Momochi Kasumi.

These five youngins are cousins. And now that they’re all here, Father asks them take out their Nin Shuriken and he explains.

Their Igasaki clan has long practiced the shinobi arts and even fought during the Sengouku Era to stop the powerful general Kibaoni Gengetsu from uniting Japan through fear and terror. He had been defeated, but Kibaoni left a prophecy that after 444 years, he would return once more.

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Takaharu continues to explain. As predicted, Kibaoni revived as a Yokai, but was sealed away by their very own grandfather, Igasaki Yoshitaka. That’s why he is called “The Last Ninja.” Takaharu thinks he’s “hot stuff.”

Father says about that prophecy. They might have miscounted. And the 444 years is… now. Maybe.

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Takaharu thinks those things he fought were Kibaoni’s lackeys. Maybe.

Fuuka can’t believe both her father and brother are idiots. Maybe.

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Anyway, Takaharu understands that as the descendants of ninja, they must stop Kibaoni from coming back. He’s very excited because his dream is to become as strong a ninja as Grandpa.

Father pulls up four other Ichibantous from the ground to present to the other four. But none of them are as willing as Takaharu. Kasumi says she’s still in college. Yakumo says he still has magic lessons left in England. And Nagi says he’s only learned the basics. He’s never been in a real fight before.

Takaharu can’t believe they’re afraid. But Fuuka says it’s only Oniichan and Father who are afraid of some fairy tale prophecy.

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Father brings them to Kibaoni’s tomb where he was buried by Grandpa using 48 Sealing Shurikens to seal away the Yokai. There has to be some kind of disturbance here.

But there isn’t. Fuuka says this is nonsense. The four turn to leave.

But the mask wearing Yokai from earlier who took the golden mallet form the dojo appears. She does a ritual, the sky turns dark and a large darkness explodes form the tomb. The shurikens fly into the air.

It is Kibaoni Gengetsu. And he is vowing to unite the world in fear once more. He summons his Hitokarage foot soldiers and sends them across the city. They begin attacking the people whose fear is being collected by the masked Yokai in her gourd.

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Takaharu and the others run into town. Suddenly, a sealing Shuriken flies in and attaches to a chainsaw turning it into a Yokai.

Takaharu says this is their chance to defeat the Yokai. But the others are still afraid. Takaharu says he’ll do it himself then. He charges toward the Hitokarages and fights them.

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The others try to stop him. Why isn’t he afraid? “We’re the grandchildren of the Last Ninja! I’ll fight instead of getting scared. That’s all I can do!”

The words touch the others. They are ready to fight.

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Father appears with their Ichibantou. “Use these with pride! You guys are… ninja!”

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The cousins hop up on a rooftop and they each activate their Shuriken before they attach them to their Ichibantous. With a “Shuriken Henge!” call, the five cousins transform.

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Takaharu is Akaninger. Yakumo is Aoninger. Nagi is Kininger. Fuuka is Shironinger. And Kasumi is Momoninger.

Together, they are Shuriken Sentai Ninninger!

They jump down and fight, using their new weapons and ninja tricks.

Fuuka slips on a banana. Takaharu saves her from the Hitokarages and says he’ll take care of her. This frustrates Fuuka. But Yakumo tells them to have their sibling squabble later.

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The Ninningers turn their attention back to the Yokai. Takaharu blocks a pair of the Yokai’s blades. Fuuka and Kasumi use a bow, Nagi uses a blade and Yakumo uses a claw.

Takaharu then uses a Ninja Slash Strike to finish the Yokai off.

But that’s only his first life. The masked Yokai attaches a shuriken to her mallet and embiggens the chainsaw.

A fedora’d man tosses the Ninningers new Shurikens. They decide to try them and these Shurikens summon their mecha who appear around the city.

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For Takaharu, it’s Shinobimaru from inside a building.

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For Yakumo, it’s Dragonmaru from a kite. For Nagi, it’s Dumpmaru from under the road.

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For Kasumi, it’s Byunmaru from a bullet train. And for Fuuka, it’s Wanmaru who appears from inside the train.

“Now this is hot!”

The Ninningers hop onto their Otomonin mecha. Nagi is not sure why his is a dump truck.

The very agile Shinobimaru faces off against the embiggened chainsaw. He then taps the road and Nagi with Dumpmaru appears. Dumpmaru hurls shurikens toward the Yokai.

Fuuka wants to go next. But Wanmaru is overexcited. Kasumi decides to go first and Byunmaru also tosses some shurikens toward the Yokai, but Wanmaru catches them in its mouth. Kasumi tells Fuuka to just hop on and stay out of trouble.

Shinobimaru trips over a building and Yakumo reminds Takaharu to not be too cocky.

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Takaharu’s Ichibantou lights up and he spins the shuriken again which initiates the gattai.

The Otomonin combine into ShurikenJin.

Takaharu thinks this is very hot. It’s a portable shrine for festivals! The Ninningers take control and they continue fighting chainsaw.

Takaharu disengages Shinobimaru from the combination and runs around the chainsaw to make him dizzy before returning to deliver an Appare Giri Splendid Final Strike.

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The Sealing Shuriken used to create the Yokai falls to the ground. Nagi picks it up. They must collect all the Sealing Shruiken, right?

Fuuka asks Yakumo and Kasumi if they remember the ninja rule they learned long ago. Yes they do.

“A ninja should never give in to fear. Or worry. And never underestimate.”

Fuuka says maybe they were all afraid of the day they’d become ninjas. Takaharu made them realize that, perhaps.

Kasumi smiles and says Fuuka really might be like Uncle and Takaharu-kun.

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Takaharu calls to Grandpa and says he will definitely become a Last Ninja like him. “So watch over us from Heaven!”

But suddenly, Grandpa appears right before them. He says they do not fully understand how to use the Otomonin that he created.

“Grandpa… you’re not dead?!”
“Stop trying to decide if I’m dead or not!”

Grandpa hops down from the pointy tower and tells them they still need to improve their Nintality. If they follow in his footsteps, they will be able to bring… love and peace to the world!

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Episode Thoughts

That was an awesome premiere!

I’m definitely missing the train children, but it does seem like we have some new ninja children to become friends with. I absolutely love that the Ninningers are siblings and cousins. From a team of close, childhood friends to a team of cousins. Family! That’s awesome. I haven’t seen that kind of dynamic on Power Rangers or Sentai yet. (I never saw Magiranger.)

I definitely see some tonal similarities with ToQger. And that’s great for me. The Ninningers have left an adorable first impression, much like the ToQgers last year. And it seems to be a very lighthearted, fun season with of course plenty of action and drama.

The music, like ToQger, definitely adds a lot to the overall experience. Plus, the various calls and chants and all that are very amusing to me. All very fun.

Shinobimaru is awesome. I was really amused first seeing him sprinting in the previews. And him being able to pop out of the megazord is very interesting and definitely fun.

But the ninja motif definitely makes the whole thing different and fresh. Just from this first episode, I really don’t even get a Shinkenger vibe from the season. It’s definitely looking like ToQger with stealthy ninja action. This episode really got me pumped for the season.

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