Ninja Kamui

Japanese anime television series
Ninja Kamui
Promotional poster
Anime television series
Directed bySunghoo Park
Produced byJoseph Chou
Written byShigeru Murakoshi
Music byR.O.N
Studio
  • E&H Production (animation)
  • Sola Entertainment (production)
Licensed byWarner Bros. Television
English network
  • CA: Adult Swim
  • US: Adult Swim (Toonami)
Original run February 11, 2024 – present
Episodes13[1]
Game
Ninja Kamui: Shinobi Origins
DeveloperG.rev
PublisherRainmaker Productions
GenreArcade, action
EngineCriware
PlatformNintendo Switch
Released
  • NA: May 30, 2024
icon Anime and manga portal

Ninja Kamui (stylized in all caps) is an original anime television series produced by E&H Production and Sola Entertainment with executive production by Williams Street. It premiered in the United States on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block in February 2024.

Plot

After escaping his clan and going into hiding in rural America, former ninja Higan, living under the alias of Joe Logan is ambushed by assassins who exact bloody retribution on him and his family for his betrayal. With his wife and son now dead, Higan returns to his ninja ways to avenge his murdered family and sets his sights on taking down the very clan that made him.

Characters

Higan / Joe Logan
Voiced by: Kenjiro TsudaEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Jeremy GeeEp. 2 credits (Higan); Gabriel RegojoEp. 1 credits (Logan) (English)
A former ninja who goes on a journey to avenge his family. Joe and his family lived under the surname alias Logan and concealed their real faces with devices in an attempt to avoid detection from the clan.
Mari / Sara Logan
Voiced by: Yuriko HinoEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Christie GuidryEp. 2 credits (Mari); Chaney MooreEp. 1 credits (Sara) (English)
Higan's wife, and a former ninja, who was trained alongside Higan and Zai. She is murdered along with Ren by the clan.
Ren / Kyle Logan
Voiced by: Arata KimuraEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Noble HutchisonEp. 1 credits (English)
Higan and Mari's son who celebrated his birthday on the day of the clan's attack. He is murdered along with Mari by the clan.
Mike Moriss
Voiced by: Atsushi OnoEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Shawn HamiltonEp. 1 credits (English)
An FBI agent investigating the deaths of Joe's family and partners with Samanda.
Aska / Emma Samanda
Voiced by: Yuki WakaiEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Luci ChristianEp. 1 credits (English)
An FBI agent investigating the deaths of Joe's family and partners with Moriss. She is later revealed to be Aska, a top member of the organization who saved Higan's life.
Boss Ninja
Voiced by: Tomoyuki ShimuraEp. 1 credits (Japanese); Heath MorrowEp. 1 credits (English)
The imposing head of the ninja clan's former ninja hunting squad and the one who personally murders Higan's family.
Yamaji
Voiced by: Kazuhiro YamajiEp. 2 credits (Japanese); Luis GalindoEp. 2 credits (English)
Higan's old clan master and the one sending assassins after him and all other exiled ninjas in order to prevent the spread of their secret arts.
Zai
Voiced by: Yuichi NakamuraEp. 2 credits (Japanese); James MarlerEp. 2 credits (English)
A skilled ninja known as the Reaper and Yamaji's apprentice. He also hunts exiled ninjas.
Kagari
Voiced by: Takaya HashiEp. 2 credits (Japanese); Sean Patrick JudgeEp. 2 credits (English)
A skilled doctor in the ninja underworld and Higan's old acquaintance.
Lil
Voiced by: Setsuji SatōEp. 3 credits (Japanese); Brandon HearnsbergerEp. 3 credits (English)
A capricious and perverted assassin afflicted with dwarfism who relies on technology for battle.
Joseph
Voiced by: Tatsumaru TachibanaEp. 3 credits (Japanese); Scott GibbsEp. 3 credits (English)
An executive at the tech company AUZA who is in a partnership with Yamaji to provide highly advanced tech weaponry for the clan.
Dilly
Voiced by: Romi ParkEp. 4 credits (Japanese); Elissa CuellarEp. 4 credits (English)
Joseph's bodyguard and a highly skilled combatant.
Big D
Voiced by: Kosuke SakakiEp. 4 credits (Japanese); Joe PEp. 4 credits (English)
A vain African American ninja outfitted with cybernetic implants.
Old Chieftain
Voiced by: Takayuki SugōEp. 4 credits (Japanese); David HarboldEp. 4 credits (English)
The previous head of the ninja clan, who inducted Higan, Mari, and Zai into the clan.
Jason Cardenas
Voiced by: Takashi NagasakoEp. 5 credits (Japanese); Joe DanielsEp. 5 credits (English)
A disgruntled former AUZA employee with valuable insider knowledge. His design is based on the show's executive producer Jason DeMarco.[2][3]

Production and release

The series was announced by Adult Swim in May 2022, and is directed by Sunghoo Park. Takashi Okazaki is designing the characters. The series is produced by E&H Production and Sola Entertainment.[4] On July 22, 2023, at San Diego Comic-Con, Adult Swim unveiled a teaser trailer for the series and announced that it would premiere sometime in 2024.[5] In January 2024, Adult Swim announced that the series would premiere on its Toonami programming block on February 11, 2024, in both English dubbed and subtitled formats, both produced by Sentai Studios.[6][7]

The opening theme song is "Vengeance" performed by Japanese rock band Coldrain,[8] while the ending theme song is "Eye Openers" performed by Jessica Gelinas. The ending theme song for episode 10 is "Unbroken" performed by Toft Willingham. Insert songs are also used within episodes.

Episodes

No.TitleInsert songDirected byWritten byStoryboarded byOriginal air date [9]
1"Episode 1""Stillness" by Steve MemmoloSunghoo ParkShigeru MurakoshiSunghoo ParkFebruary 11, 2024 (2024-02-11)
In a city a young man attempts to escape masked ninja assailants chasing him but is caught and beheaded by their boss. Elsewhere, Joe Logan, his wife Sara and son Kyle are enjoying their daily life in the corn fields of rural America. Joe and Sara celebrate Kyle's birthday and that same night the family is ambushed by ninjas. After defeating some downstairs, Joe runs back to the bedroom to find that they already murdered his wife and son before Joe himself is seemingly killed. Joe miraculously awakens in a morgue and is later approached in the hospital by FBI agents Mike Moriss and Emma Samanda, who have arrived for an investigation. Both decide to stay overnight and watch over Joe. On the hospital's rooftop, Joe is once again ambushed by ninjas and he swiftly defeats them before battling the boss back inside the hospital hallway. Joe reveals his true face and identity as Higan after the boss states he cannot conceal himself from the clan. Higan returns home and retrieves a box containing a few personal belongings concealed inside a wall before burning the house down, placing his old ninja mask from the box back on.
2"Episode 2""Erupt" by Michael "Kasper" AbruzzeseHiroki ItaiShigeru MurakoshiSunghoo ParkFebruary 18, 2024 (2024-02-18)
After receiving medical assistance from an old colleague named Kagari, Higan tortures the boss ninja at an abandoned factory before killing him by fire after he fails to uncover any useful information. Higan travels by motorcycle across the southwestern U.S. states in an attempt to find the clan's American hideout but to no avail. Back at headquarters, the FBI has seemingly covered up the ninja incident. Mike and Emma lay low to continue their investigation into the Logans. Higan contacts Mike and agrees to a meeting the following night at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. After getting Higan to confess that the Logan identity was a cover up, Mike holds him at gunpoint and attempts to bring him in for questioning before they are attacked by two ninjas disguised as a single food delivery man. Higan kills the attackers before the restaurant is barraged by bullets and a rocket launcher from disguised men traveling via van. Higan escapes and Mike is left to wonder who created the attacker's blades that were able to pierce his body armor during the assault. In an undisclosed location, ninja clan master Yamaji receives word from Zai that Higan is still alive.
3"Episode 3""We Gon' Do Thi$" by ChezHiro OhkiAkira KindaichiSunghoo ParkFebruary 25, 2024 (2024-02-25)
Yamaji meets up with the assassin Lil after his latest mission and the two discuss Higan's prowess as a ninja. Elsewhere, Zai eliminates his former swordmaster who defected from the clan. Mike joins forces with Higan after the FBI and police cover up the incident at the restaurant and frames the owner on false charges. They meet up with Emma and discover a likely connection between multinational corporation AUZA and the clan, and suspect they might be conspiring together to eliminate mutual enemies. Meanwhile, Yamaji meets with AZUA's top executive Joseph and warns him not to engage exiled ninjas without his consent as he had at the restaurant with disguised men traveling via van. Back at Higan, Mike, and Emma's discussion inside the car about AUZA City, they are attacked by a masked ninja slashing a sword into the roof in an attempt to kill them. During the assault, the car is side-impacted by a truck that seemingly incapacitates both Mike and Emma. After the crash, Higan engages the ninja in battle and successfully kills them as Lil watches from a mounted bodycam. Afterward, Higan receives a phone call from an unknown number.
4"Episode 4""Bitter Sweet" by Steve MemmoloYui MiuraShigeru MurakoshiHiroki ItaiMarch 3, 2024 (2024-03-03)
The mysterious number tells Higan that it's impossible to infiltrate AUZA City without help and offers their services, hinting they also have connections with the ninja clan. Mike and Emma recover at the hospital after the car accident and Higan notifies them about the benefactor. Emma uncovers unrelated potential assistance with a disgruntled former AUZA employee on the dark web and Mike decides meet up with them. Inside AUZA City, Yamaji, Joseph, and other top brass members of the clan meet up to discuss their suspicion that Higan will soon infiltrate the city. In a flashback, Higan, Mari, and Zai's relationship as members of the clan and how Higan and Mari broke the clan's code are debriefed. After being discharged from the hospital, Mike receives word that Emma has been assigned a new case by their boss and the two go their separate ways after dinner. At sunset, Higan begins his infiltration into the city by accessing their underground tunnel networks with hacking help from the benefactor. Higan is just about to enter the city's parameters when he is suddenly confronted by Zai, who is waiting for him on the other side.
5"Episode 5""Legend Begin" by Michael "Kasper" AbruzzeseSunghoo ParkKo YoneyamaSunghoo ParkMarch 10, 2024 (2024-03-10)
Higan misses his chance to enter and Zai warns him that he has merely delayed his death before turning back into AUZA City. Elsewhere in a ghost town, Mike meets up with a former AUZA employee named Jason Cardenas who turns out to have insider knowledge into accessing AUZA's servers. In the city, the clan's top brass decide to willingly let Higan in to directly confront him and plan a timed fireworks festival to distract the city's populous. Mike and Jason successfully hack into AUZA's servers and uncover a list of fake identities being used to plant operatives before suddenly being denied access. After being cornered by mercenaries the two manage to escape the location by car but are chased down, eventually crashing off the side of the road. In the city, Higan slashes down hordes of ninjas and mercenaries before confronting four lieutenant ninjas donning armor suits. Higan attempts to directly confront Yamaji, but the lieutenant ninjas beat him around even after Higan uses his secret art. Laying defeated on the ground, Higan is about to be beheaded by Zai before one of the lieutenants rescues him and escapes.
6"Episode 6""Super Volcano" by Toft WillinghamMasataka AkaiAkira KindaichiSunghoo ParkMarch 17, 2024 (2024-03-17)
The organization begins searching the city for the lieutenant and Higan. After retreating to heal Higan, the lieutenant unveils herself to be Emma, otherwise known as Aska. She explains to Higan that she was sent by the clan in order to spy on him under the guise of a rookie FBI agent. Aska informs Higan that it will be virtually impossible to defeat the organization without using an armored suit, known as Gusoku Gear, and informs him that she has taken the Kamui, the most advanced model during their escape. To use it, Higan must be directly synched to the suit via neural pathways for it to function. Before putting him into deep sleep for the procedure, Aska confirms she was the one who saved him back during the ambush and helped him infiltrate the city. Lil manages to locate their hideout and Aska engages him in battle before swiftly being defeated. During the synching, Aska subconsciously relays to Higan that she was only able to save him because she didn't arrive in time. She explains that Mari saved her life long ago and that the two of them stayed in touch. Higan finishes synching and confronts Lil in the Kamui.
7"Episode 7""Super Volcano" by Toft WillinghamHisatoshi ShimizuAkira KindaichiYui MiuraMarch 24, 2024 (2024-03-24)
Using the Kamui suit, Higan deafeats Lil and sends his severed head back to AUZA headquarters. Yamaji consequently decides to speed up his plans and gives Zai permission to go after Higan. Back inside her truck, Aska explains to Higan how during her childhood, her face was severely disfigured in an accident and she was abandoned by her parents. She was eventually adopted by the former clan chieftain to become a ninja where she became a master of disguise and "watcher" of sorts for him. Aska and Mari developed a close personal bond with each other against ninja conventions. As the former chieftain succumbed to illness, Yamaji became leader and took the clan away from Japan, in turn alienating many members. Meanwhile, Mari had secretly developed a face-changing device which she shared with the dissidents. When Mari became pregnant with Higan's child, they were forced to flee and go into hiding. Aska tells Higan that she decided to stay in order to uncover what future Yamaji was planning for the clan.
8"Episode 8""Bitter Sweet" by Steve MemmoloYui MiuraKo YoneyamaSunghoo ParkMarch 31, 2024 (2024-03-31)
Yamaji and the organization leave the city to hasten their plans. Aska tells Higan that AUZA's endgame is to seize all energy infrastructure and assume control of each country from within, all the while using the clan as their muscle. Higan and Aska launch an electromagnetic pulse to disable the entire electrical network of AUZA City and escape the barrier. The two of them head to an AUZA power plant to steal portal energy tanks for their suits, with foresight that a lieutenant might be present. Aska enters the plant and is confronted by Big D in his Gusoku Gear. Higan arrives in the Kamui and the two brawl it out while Aska disables the plant's charger by blowing it up. Higan saves Aska as the floor collapses and Big D allows them to leave due to his personal honor code. Back on the road, they discover Aska's computer is being used and suspect it's Mike. They track him and Jason down to a motel and Aska confesses her true identity to Mike, much to his frustration for her not allowing him to help knowing the truth. Now on the same page, the group turn their attention towards the organization.
9"Episode 9""Legend Begin" by Michael "Kasper" Abruzzese
"Bitter Sweet" by Steve Memmolo		Takayuki SanoShigeru MurakoshiTakayuki SanoApril 7, 2024 (2024-04-07)
Joseph scolds Yamaji for not keeping Big D in check but is reminded that the partnership can turn at any one of his missteps. Meanwhile, Emma and Jason intend on directly hacking AUZA's internal networks to retrieve dirt on the company. Thanks to a tracking device placed by Big D from the previous battle, they are tracked to the hotel by the organization and a battle ensues. Aska and Mike eliminate AUZA gunmen while Higan battles Big D and Jason continues to hack the company servers. Mike is hit by a bullet in his torso but is saved by his protective vest as he and Aska finish killing off the remaining gunmen. Higan defeats Big D and feeling content after Aska admits she was never on their side to begin with, he accepts his fate. Before Higan is able to finish the job, Joseph remote detonates Big D's Gusoku Gear, obliterating him. Aska receives fatal damage from the blast and gives her final words to Higan and Mike before dying. The men say their final goodbyes before burning her body, with Higan feeling even more determined to take down the entire organization. Meanwhile, Zai's very own Gusoku Gear finishes production.
10"Episode 10"N/AHisatoshi ShimizuAkira KindaichiSunghoo ParkApril 14, 2024 (2024-04-14)
Zai's orphaned childhood and how he ended up joining the clan is revealed. In the present, Higan and company bury Emma's body in the desert. The group holds top secret AUZA data that is unfortunately now encrypted in Emma's computer, leaving Jason to have to decode it all by himself. To make matters worse, they have been publicly disclosed to the media as ecological terrorists targeting AUZA power plants. A message crow arrives for Higan with a duel challenge from Zai. In flashbacks, its revealed how Higan, Mari, and Zai rose to the top within the clan and became an elite ninja trio. After Higan and Mari depart the clan and become exiles, Zai feels a sense of betrayal by the bond he believed they held and warns them if they don't kill him now they will regret it later. Back in the present, Higan arrives at the duel location to battle Zai and the two begin their deathmatch in their Gusoku Gear while Mike unsuccessfully confronts his boss about the AUZA-tied corruption within the FBI.
11"Episode 11"N/AYui MiuraShigeru MurakoshiSunghoo ParkApril 21, 2024 (2024-04-21)
Higan and Zai destroy their Gusoku Gear while fighting and start battling man-to-man, exchanging blows and using their secret arts. Zai becomes infuriated that Higan and Mari not only broke the clan's code, but betrayed the pact they made together as he truly believed he had made friends for the first time in his life. Higan defeats Zai and tells him that they left because the code held them back from loving the ones they hold dear and was told by Mari that their son Ren could show Zai the future beyond being a ninja. Elsewhere, Mike returns to find Jason still hasn't regained access to the data, needing some form of biometrics from Aska to access it. Mike remembers his deceased daughter's paper that she held to inspect and Jason uses it to finally retrieve the data as Mike buys him time by diverting all police attention towards himself. Meanwhile, Joseph has a falling out with Yamaji and the clan as he discovers they're conspiring to betray AUZA and unsuccessfully attempts to kill him with armed soldiers. Yamaji and his men arrive at AUZA headquarters to assassinate Joseph. Dilly arrives and helps Joseph escape the facility before confronting Yamaji.
12"Episode 12"TBATBATBATBAApril 28, 2024 (2024-04-28)
13"Episode 13"TBATBATBATBAMay 5, 2024 (2024-05-05)

Video game

A video game prequel adaptation titled Ninja Kamui: Shinobi Origins is slated for release on May 30, 2024, for the Nintendo Switch. The game is being developed by G.rev and published by Rainmaker Productions.[6][7][10][11]

References

  1. ^ Nunekin Kamui Demarco [@Clarknova1] (April 17, 2024). "It's true, we contemplated 12 in the beginning but realized we needed 13 to wrap up the story right" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Nunekin Kamui Demarco [@Clarknova1] (March 3, 2024). "K, now I have to tell the story. Park: Send me a photo or two of you! We're putting staff in the show for fun. Me: eh, that's okay. Park: Come on, it's just for background stuff. Me: ... fine, I'll send one. (Cut to several months later where I see "Jason" appear in several eps)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Nunekin Kamui Demarco [@Clarknova1] (March 3, 2024). "Me: Uh hey man I thought this was just like a background character? Park: Ha! No, you've actually become an important character so you're in several episodes. Me: ....😫 There you have it folks! You will see more of "me" to come in Ninja Kamui. For better and worse, lol" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ Mateo, Alex (May 18, 2022). "Adult Swim Announces Rick and Morty: The Anime, Ninja Kamui Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  5. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (July 23, 2023). "Adult Swim Reveals Trailers for Uzumaki, Ninja Kamui, FLCL: Grunge Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "New Anime Series "Ninja Kamui" Premieres Saturday, February 10 at Midnight On Adult Swim". press.wbd.com. January 17, 2024. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Mateo, Alex (January 19, 2024). "Toonami to Air Both Dub/Sub for Ninja Kamui Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  8. ^ Shepherd, Charles (February 11, 2024). "Coldrain Drop New Single 'Vengeance' in Conjunction With 'Ninja Kamui' Premiere". Electric Bloom. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "Schedule - Adult Swim". Adult Swim. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  10. ^ Adult Swim [@adultswim] (April 20, 2024). "Ninja Kamui: Shinobi Origins - pre-order now for the Nintendo Switch adultsw.im/ShinobiOrigins #ninjakamui #videogame #nintendo #anime" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2024 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Ninja Kamui: Shinobi Origins for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site". Nintendo. Retrieved April 24, 2024.

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