Recap: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger, Episode 6 – Spirited Away by a Tengu

Ninninger 6

Father tells the Ninningers that they’ll be having a mid-term exam to test what they’ve learned so far. They’ll be facing off against a simulation of Youkai Kasha.

Yakumo wishes he had actually studied. (Nagi and Fuuka know he’s studied a great deal.) Takaharu thinks a mid-term is hot.

Ninninger 6

Fuuka, Nagi, Kasumi and Yakumo seem to get through their exams fine.

But Takaharu’s Fire Technique ends up including him in the flames as well.

Meanwhile, Gabi Raizou yells at Kyuuemon for interrupting his duel with the red guy. Kyuuemon denies doing any such thing. Gabi Raizou warns him/her to not get in his way ever again.

Ninninger 6

Next day, Father announces the results of the mid-term. Kasumi got a 90 and Yakumo got an 88, the highest scores. Yakumo is surprised to have gotten 2nd place. He says he must have been over thinking and should’ve just taken it easy. (Suuureee…)

Next up are Nagi with a 72 and Fuuka with a 75. All of them who got over 70 pass.

Takaharu, on the other hand, gets a score so low he has to take an incomplete and must retake the exam.

Ninninger 6

Across town, Gabi Raizou finds a Sealing Shuriken and uses it to give rise to Youkai Tengu. The Gamagama-ju alerts the Ninningers and they have to go ahead while Takaharu is still in the middle of his exam.

They meet Youkai Tengu who says he expected to see a red guy. The Ninningers promise to defeat him before he ever meets the red guy.

The Ninningers are doing okay, but Gabi Raizou appears and sends his signature slash at them. They are not worth his time. He tells them they’ll be waiting at Cape Kinme for the red one. And for insurance that the red guy won’t back down, Youkai Tengu grabs Fuuka and sends her into another dimension.

Ninninger 6

Yakumo, Kasumi and Nagi are back home and are bowing to Father and Takaharu, apologizing for not protecting Fuuka. Father says it’s not their fault. Takaharu runs out.

Father tells them to go after Takaharu as the enemy is too dangerous for the four of them to handle.

Ninninger 6

Father knows Grandpa has been listening. Grandpa says this is because they are not strong enough yet. They must overcome it on their own.

Father is annoyed that Grandpa always insists on doing things on his own terms. Grandpa forced this Last Ninja stuff on the kids and he didn’t even teach his own son Ninjutsu. Because of that, he can’t even go out and save his own daughter.

But even without any power, Father says he’ll go and try to save her anyway. Grandpa uses the Binding Technique to keep him from leaving.

Grandpa says he didn’t teach Father Ninjutsu because he had no shinobi potential, that’s all. He says he’s leaving to go sell some oden.

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Fuuka wakes up in the strange location and is attacked.

As Takaharu is running, he runs into Grandpa. He reminds Takaharu that when he comes home from school, he should return with a parent or friend.

Ninninger 6

Takaharu doesn’t understand. Grandpa says Takaharu, his other grandkids and even his son still don’t understand what it means to follow in his footsteps. Until they all understand that, he cannot let them go alone.

Suddenly, Kyuuemon pops in. Grandpa says Takaharu is no match for her/him. Indeed, Kyuuemon blows Takaharu away.

S/he asks Grandpa to tell her/him where the Finishing Shuriken of the End is. Grandpa says he has no such thing.

Takaharu gets up and knowing Grandpa will be okay on his own, continues running to Fuuka.

Ninninger 6

Grandpa manages to keep out of Kyuuemon’s way. S/he notes that Last Ninja not being able to permanently seal Kibaoni Gengetsu means he was not able to use the Finishing Shuriken of the End.

Grandpa says it’s not that he couldn’t, but just chose not to.

Grandpa poofs himself away.

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Takaharu finds Youkai Tengu and he henges as Gabi Raizou appears. Tengu releases Fuuka and she runs to her brother, apologizing. Takaharu says it’s okay, things like this happen from time to time.

Gabi Raizou calls Takaharu over to the other dimension, but Fuuka tells her brother to wait for the others. He says it’ll be okay.

Fuuka tries to henge, but Youkai Tengu shoots at her. The others arrive just in time and henge together to defeat Tengu and help Takaharu.

Ninninger 6

Takaharu and Gabi Raizou are battling, but Takaharu is overpowered. Gabi Raizou uses his signature attack to forge Takaharu to dehenge.

Meanwhile, Yakumo and Kasumi are able to defeat Tengu forcing Takaharu and Gabi Raizou out of the other dimension.

The others suggest they work together, but Takaharu says this is his fight. Yakumo reminds Takaharu that he just learned that it’s better to work together. Together, they are more powerful.

“Don’t try to carry the burden alone!”

Ninninger 6

Takaharu remembers the oden as Grandpa watches his grandchildren from the cliff above.

Takaharu henges and they face off against Gabi Raizou. They manage to chop off one of his horns.

Kyuuemon arrives and picks up the horn. Gabi Raizou tells her/him to get out of the way, but s/he asks him to forego his selfishness this one time. S/he embiggens Youkai Tengu and the Ninningers hop into Shurikenjin.

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With Youkai Tengu tossing them around, the Ninningers summon Paonmaru to form Shurikenjin Paon.

Using all their nose idioms and puns, the Ninningers are able to finish off Youkai Tengu for good and retrieve the Sealing Shuriken.

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The Ninningers are at the park. Father comes running toward them, happy Fuuka is safe. She pushes him away and hides behind Kasumi.

Father bows and apologies to them for not being of any help. Yakumo tells him not to worry.

Anyway, they’d all like to retake the exam. Kasumi asks for him to make this one harder. They want to improve and become stronger. Takaharu agrees and wants to retake the test too. But Fuuka says for him, it he’d be re-retaking the test.

They all head home.

But watching them are two other red ninjas.

Ninninger 6

Episode Thoughts

Hmm… it was an okay episode. But I think it highlighted what the season has been lacking so far.

I think they’re dropping the ball with (a lot of things, but especially) the family aspect of this season. They might as well have not made them related at all. Fuuka acting like her dad was some child predator at the end was a big WTF moment. But that also goes along with the mishmash they’re writing for Father and even Grandpa. There’s legit story there about Grandpa not teaching Father Ninjutsu, but they’re treating it as some punchline of a joke that doesn’t exist. I don’t understand.

They had Fuuka being kidnapped, Takaharu going hot-blooded to save her, Father being completely helpless and the cousins bowing for their possibly grave mistake. Then they threw all that away for ANOTHER “Takaharu needs to learn teamwork” conclusion. Why?! It doesn’t make any sense.

There’s such a great foundation here for awesome story, but it feels like they’re not trying. Despite the cast and characters and even mecha being very likeable and cute, six episodes in, the story still leaves much to be desired. And that’s disappointing because I really want to love the season. =(

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