[Androzani84]

Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Shinobi 7: Spring Ninja Festival

"To earn the title of 'Last Ninja', his five grandchildren carry on his will. Their enemy: the strongest Sengoku general, Kibaoni Gengetsu. The current young ninjas are the Shinobi that don't hide!"

The characters

Takaharu Igasaki/AkaNinger: “A Splendid Rampage”. One of Yoshitaka Igasaki's successors, Takaharu was one of his grandchildren chosen to become the Ninninger, even the first one to use its powers. While on his way to his family's dojo, an army of Hitokarage destroyed it, with Takaharu transformed for the first time as AkaNinger and eliminate them. After reuniting with the other Ninninger candidates, Tsumuji Igasaki, his father leads them to Gengetsu Kibaoni's resting place, which was sealed by Yoshitaka until the Sealing Shuriken were released by the revived Gengetsu and wandered off to various part of the city. After the Ninningers destroy Youkai Kamaitachi, it grew large and they received five OtominNin Shuriken, which they used to form Shurikenjin and finished the Youkai. Yoshitaka revealed himself to be much alive, but lectured them for their inexperience and lead them to the new dojo that they will use as their new base. Over time, Takaharu becomes his team's leader, as they face many more Youkai and tried to reclaim their grandfather's 48 Sealing Shuriken while trying to inherit the Last Ninja title. Takaharu is the type that acts before thinking. He acts like a big brother, trying to pull everyone together, sometimes unsuccessfully. His caring nature makes him draw the shortest straw most of the time, but even then, he is an optimist who believes everything will be alright.

Yakumo Kato/AoNinger: “The Roaring Cloud”. Takaharu’s cousin who spent his time in England, learning magic from a special school. He’s spent so much time there he now considers himself an Englishman and has picked up a habit of saying “Easy, isn’t it?” as a catchphrase. Yakumo has lived most of his life abroad and was learning European magic in England when he was called back. He is the rich boy type with a cool demeanor and somewhat presumptuous. In contrast, however, he has a quick temper and can be a bit of a bonehead at times. Out of his cousins/Ninningers, Yakumo is a quick-learner and can master ninjutsu more quickly than the others, claiming it easier than magic. Yakumo at first had no interest in Ninjutsu, claiming it easier than magic training. This was however until when he was lectured by Takaharu/AkaNinger and had developed a rivalry with him, he decided to compete with the others to inherit his grandfather's title as the Last Ninja.

Nagi Matsuo/KiNinger: “The Dazzling Calm”. Another cousin who is a high school student. His main character trait is helping others in need. Nagi is a very friendly young man. He may seem to not be thinking of anything but is actually very observant and street smart. He is obsessed with getting licences and certifications for different things to make good use of. Knowing of his grandfather's title as the Last Ninja, he decided to compete against his teammates to inherit it, thinking the title would help him in looking for jobs.

Fuuka Igasaki/ShiroNinger: “A Petal Blowing in the Wind”. Takaharu’s younger sister, who is still in high school. Unlike the rest of her family, she would very much like to pretend she is not a ninja… probably because of all the abuse she takes on the job (though she still gets some off the job). A pure, optimistic and hard working young girl. Fuuka is Takaharu’s younger sister and her reliability may be the product of growing up with a fireball like Takaharu. She is jolly most of the time but when something saddens her, it is very deeply.

Kasumi Momochi/MomoNinger: “The Wavering Mist”. The last of the 5 cousins competing for the Last Ninja title. Kasumi’s field is science and experimentation, often coming up with plans that could hurt someone if they go wrong… which is why all of them are tested on Fuuka. Kasumi is a very reserved girl with something of a genius in her. She loves science and is very astute with mechanics, but she is unable to read between lines or take a hint. Hence there are times in which, in spite of her looks, she can be really sharp-tongued. At the same time, deep within her there are some very girly aspects she seldom shows. Inspired by her grandfather's ability to communicate with aliens, she dreams of becoming an astronaut.

Allies:

Yoshitaka Igasaki: The legendary Last Ninja, who was active 444 years ago. Among his feats are making first contact with extraterrestrial life and defeating the Kibaoni Yokai Army all those years ago. With Kibaoni’s revival imanent, he created the NinShurikens and OtomoNin for his grandchildren to use both to defeat the Yokai threat and to compete to succeed him as the Last Ninja.

Tsumuji Igasaki: Takaharu and Fuukas’ father, who never learned ninjutsu. So of course, Yoshitaka put him in charge of teaching the next generation the ways of Shuriken Ninpo. Is basically an older and wiser version of Takaharu in personality.

Other Sentai heroes

Sasuke/NinjaRed: The 24th descendant of Sarutobi Sasuke, who, along with 5 other legendary ninjas, sealed away the Yokai Army Corps (no relation to Kibaoni’s). In 1994, their descendants formed the Ninja Sentai Kakuranger to prevent the return of the Yokai from destroying the world.

Tsuyoshi Kaijo/Akarenger: A soldier for EAGLE (EArth Guard LEague), who was the sole survivor of the destruction of the Kaito base at the hands of Kurojuji Army’s Ōgon Kamen. He and EAGLE’s chief this gathered the survivors of EAGLE’s other branches into HimitsuSentaiGorenger Sentai Gorenger, Earth’s first Super Sentai warriors(in terms of chronicle. Choriki Sentai Ohranger’s KingRanger is the first in history).

Kibaoni Yokai Army Corps.

Kyuemon Izayoi: The retainer of Kibaoni, who now seeks to revive him by turning the 48 Sealing Shuriken that imprisoned him into Yokai to collect grief. He also has mastery of Izayoi style Yojutsu, a similar style to Igasaki style Ninpo, which he uses to enlarge defeated Yokai and to create a gigantic, barely sentient Yokai known as a Gashadokuro, though he uses a hammer rather than a sword to perform these techniques. He has an (currently) unknown history with Yoshitaka, who he believes to be carrying the “Owari no Shuriken”(Shuriken of the End, often rendered as End Shuriken in English), which he needs for an unknown purpose.

Raizo Gabi: the Spearhead of the Kibaoni army, who possesses a fierce hatred of the Igasaki Ninja and a lust for power. The first of the army’s leaders to be resurrected in the modern day, he cares little for the goal of reviving the master, instead focusing on defeating AkaNinger, the only Igasaki ninja who can match him in combat. He only goes along with Kyuemon’s orders because the Ninningers are after the Sealing Shurikens, which he can use as an excuse to have the fight he’s looking for.

Hitokarage: The footsoldiers for the Kibaoni Corps.

A lot of fans hate Ninninger. I am not one of them.

This episode actually has another name you won’t be familiar with if you only follow my threads to know who’s who in Sentai writers. Namely, Kento Shimoyama. He was a staff writer on Sentai from Shinkenger through Go-Busters, before moving on to do the Kikaider REBOOT movie, before doing this show. After this, he stayed on as a staff writer through Zyuohger and Kyuranger, before jumping ship to Kamen Rider to write Zi-O. And since that, he hasn’t done much Tokusatsu related (though reportedly, he is in talks to do Zi-O’s novel). With all that said, on with the review.

The episode opens with the 5 Ninningers pushing themselves harder than normal, which Tsumuji notes.



Yakumo explains that it’s because of how badly everyone was defeated by Gabi in the last episode.



As Takaharu defeats Nagi handily (which was ironically, what they were trying to prevent in order to get stronger. Guess the training isn’t going well), and Kasumi gets the better of Fuuka, Fuuka tries to work up the courage to thank him for saving her life in the last episode… and fails miserably (man, this just isn’t her day).



Tsumuji stops the training as Yakumo beats up Nagi (it isn’t his day either) to give a speech about how Fuuka getting kidnapped last time made him realise how helpless he was, not knowing ninjutsu like they do. So that’s why he’s called in a pair of special teachers in to help them improve.



The titles then commence and our usual narration gets replaced with one explaining why two legendary Sentai are showing up in what is ostensibly not another Gokaiger.









(This was supposed to air on the direct anniversary, but due to ToQger’s penultimate episode being preempted for coverage of a murder, it was pushed back and aired a week later).

We then cut to the titles and the absolute banger that is “Saa Ike, Ninninger!”

As the episode resumes, the two new teachers introduce themselves.





As the students bow in deference, Sasuke asks them to consider something before training begins.



Takaharu answers this as “one who doesn’t give in to fear or worries, or takes things lightly.” Yosuke then chimes in with my opinion on some callbacks that aren’t entirely right.



Sasuke and Yosuke then give their own ideas of what a ninja is (read: their team’s mottos).









They then make it clear that this isn’t so much a lesson, as it is an intervention related to the Ninninger motto “We are shinobi, but we do not hide”. (Which producer Naomi Takebe said in interviews she deliberately chose as the Ninninger motto because it was the opposite of Kakuranger’s, so to show these were a new breed of ninja for the 21st Century)





We then cut away from the “it was better in my day” stuff to the training, with the two legends during it out in front of the kids. Sasuke uses his Wakemi no Jutsu.



Yosuke then counters with Chou Ninpo: Soragake.



The fight then ends with the lesson plan for today.



Despite Fuuka’s protests, everyone breaks into groups and tries it. But Fuuka’s worries prove correct when her own Shuriken Ninpo: Bunshin no Jutsu goes awry. (Though it’s not seen here, Kasumi’s falls apart immediately afterwards)



As Nagi proves unable to do better than a Migawari no Jutsu (using a scarecrow as a double to fool your enemies. For reference, he was trying the Bunshin no Jutsu), Yakumo seems to have mastered the Soragake no Jutsu. Or so it seems.



Finally, Takaharu gets knocked out of his transformation by Sasuke before he can do a Migawari no Jutsu.



At the Kibaoni headquarters (I think it’s a mansion, but I’m not sure), Kyuemon sends Gabi to recover from his injuries sustained in the last episode (wherein Taka beat him up and cut off one of his horns).



He agrees reluctantly, but leaves one request behind for when he returns (which’ll be two episodes from now).



Kyuemon then remembers Yoshitaka telling him that the Owari no Shuriken was not in his position, which he disbelieves, having seen it in his possession before (this’ll be expended upon in a few episodes).





Back at the Igasaki dojo, everyone receives their scores for the day.













Yosuke and Sasuke then make it clear they think all of them are fairly bad at being ninjas, but Takaharu in particular is someone they’re surprised is even still alive (to be fair, he is an idiot and none of the monsters so far do much actual fighting).





Takaharu says that it sounds fun, which just confuses the two.

Takaharu: I’m counting on you two for stronger training. This is hot. I’m on fiiire!”

As the two legend ninjas shoot each other confused looks, a Sealing Shuriken finds its way to a stopwatch, creating the Yokai Nekomata (despite what the caption is translated as, that is not a subtitle. That’s the literal translation of Nekomata).



As the Yokai alert sounds in the dojo, Sasuke stops Takaharu from leaving, despite everyone’s glowing testimony, using his On Saru Nin technique to freeze him, before Yosuke binds him with Chou Ninpo: Jizai Nawa (wasn’t that one of Sandaaru’s techniques?)



As Nekomata uses his power to send things backwards in time, Kyuemon finds him and gets an idea.



He entrusts Nekomata with locating the Owari no Shuriken from the point in time where Kyuemon last saw it, ten years ago. As the Ninjas show up to face him, and Takaharu escapes the ropes with his teeth, Kyuemon stops the Ninningers with Yojutsu: Ikazuchi Shourai no Jutsu (which sadly, does not summon the Gouraigers, despite the name).



Nekomata thus uses this opening to blast everyone out of their suits and open a doorway to time, allowing him to go back to the past. Takaharu shows up and runs into the door just as it closes.



Yosuke and Sasuke thus lament that they failed.



They explain to the others that Taka and the Yokai went back in time ten years, explains why they decided to train the Ninningers today, rather than before.













To help out his newcomer, Yosuke initiated Ryuuha Choetsu: Kage no Mai.



But Nekomata had what he’d come for and opened a doorway of time to return to the future. When Takaharu tried to stop him, he was blown to pieces by an attack from Nekomata.



All that remained was his burnt out score sheet he’d received earlier.



They came to train the Ninningers to try and help Takaharu save himself from death. But they failed. And Fuuka has a sobering realisation.



But Yakumo refuses to believe the Takaharu is dead, because that would mean that he died before Yakumo could become the better ninja. (I see he’s in stage one of grief) Nekomata then returns and hands off the box he recovered to a Hitokarage who takes it away. Before he can attack them, Takaharu appears and kicks him from behind (“Don’t kill me off” is practically his family motto, after all).



He explains that he made the Yokai think he was dead with a Migawari no Jutsu and then crawled after it through the doorway. Sasuke is sceptical though.





Everyone then shows a remarkable amount of faith that he was alive the whole time (where was this faith when he was seemingly dead)



As Nekomata recovers, everyone prepare for battle with the obligatory transformation scene.

Ninningers: Shuriken Henge!

Sasuke: Super Henge, Doron Changer!

Yosuke: Ninpuu, Shinobi Change!



And then, it’s roll call time.



Sasuke: Ninja Red, Sasuke!

Yosuke: The winds cry, the sky rages! Sky Ninja, HurricaneRed!

Takaharu: The Splendid Rampage, AkaNinger!

Yakumo: The Roaring Cloud, AoNinger!

Nagi: The Dazzling Calm, KiNinger!

Fuuka: A Petal Blowing in the Wind, ShiroNinger!

Kasumi: The Wavering Mist, MomoNinger!

Takaharu: We are Shinobi, but we do not hide…

Ninningers: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger!





A fight then begins.

Takaharu: Instead of hiding, we rampage!



The Ninninger face down Nekomata, who gives them some slight trouble before they get the better of him through the aid of the Legend Ninjas, who invite Takaharu to join them, after Sasuke blasts Nekomata with On Saru Nin: Kaen Tsumuji no Jutsu and Yosuke hits him with Chou Ninpo: Ranbu San-Juu Shou (that technique that was crucial to victory in the first two Sakai episodes of Hurricaneger. I finally learned how to spell it).



After Nekomata finds his techniques have no effect on the now, more powerful Ninjas, who all hit him with their most powerful sword techniques.

Sasuke: Kakure-Ryu: Mangetsu Giri!

Yosuke: Uchuu Toitsu Ninja-Ryu Kengi: Shippu Zan! (Nice nod, but in the 10 Years After, it was still Hayate-Ryu Kengi.)

Takaharu: Nin Retsu Zan!

As Nekomata dies from this, the two Legends give their one-liners.

Yosuke: Say bye bye!

Sasuke: Praise Buddha.

Then Takaharu feels his ass burning, which means there’s a new NinShuriken incoming. This time, there’s two, based off Kakuranger and Hurricaneger.



The team collectively realises what this means.



Elsewhere, Kyuemon opens the box… only to find that it’s not the Owari no Shuriken inside.



He then throws it away in disgust, much to Sasuke’s hilarious consternation.



Kyuemon leaves them for today, summoning a Gashdokuro as he does so via Gashadokuro Shokan no Jutsu. The Ninningers has summon their 5 OtomoNin, Shinobimaru, Dragomaru, Dumpmaru, Wanmaru and Byunmaru, combing them into Shuriken Gattai Shurikenjin.

When the Gashadokuro proves much more powerful than the first one they faced, they get advice from Sasuke to use their new Waza NinShurikens to turn the tide.

First, they use Shuriken Ninpo: Kakure no Jutsu to replicate Shurikenjin for a four-pronged attack.



Takaharu then has Shinobimaru attack close up using Shuriken Ninpo: Hurricane no Jutsu.



They then destroy the Gashadokuro with Shurikenjin’s Appare Giri (Splendid Cut). They then find neither a hide nor hair of Sasuke or Yosuke.



Fuuka then decides to thank Taka at long last, saying that it’s whatever when he doesn’t remember what she’s thanking him for.



From afar, Sasuke and Yosuke observe the Ninningers, realising there’s a merit to the “shinobi who don’t hide” thing.





Then Akarenger and Yoshitaka showing up, with the former pointing out that for all their mottos about being in the shadows, they were much the same in the hiding record (well, Sasuke was. Yosuke’s support crew included memory wiping robots).



The episode then ends with a discussion between Yoshitaka and Akarenger, as the Ninningers go home, unaware of this.







In my next instalment, the Ninningers recap their past battles with the help of another legend, but things don’t quite go as planned. This and more in “Shinobi 43: The Legendary Ninja! Yokai Karuta Tactics!”

Final thoughts: A fairly good display of the idea that the new generation, while they might not be doing things the way it was done in your day, can in fact produce results that are just as good, if not more. Or as a wise man once put it “tradition sucks”. And we get a monster with a unique gimmick on top of that (even if I did think there was slightly more that could be done with it, especially in an anniversary episode, but I’ll let that slide).