[Androzani84]

A little later than usual, but here we are with another instalment of…

Androzani’s Tsukai Detour

And this week, we’re covering…

Shuriken Sentai Ninninger vs ToQger the Movie: Ninjas in Wonderland.



"To earn the title of 'Last Ninja', his five grandchildren carry on his will. Their enemy: the strongest Sengoku general, Kibaoni Gengetsu. Now with a new member, these young ninja are Shinobi that don't hide!"

Ninninger:
Takaharu Igasaki/AkaNinger: 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: 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: 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: 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 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.
Kinji Takigawa/StarNinger: An American from a long line of Yokai-hunting cowboys (no, really), whose family was murdered by the Western Yokai Ookami Otoko (wolf man). He idolises the Last Ninja and purchased the gear needed to become a student of Igasaki-Ryu Shuriken Ninpo, which he became after many arduous tests. Kinji bears a likeness to Takaharu, since both are fans of Yoshitaka Igasaki and wish to follow his path as the Last Ninja. Due to this, he labels himself with the title of Youkai Hunter, hunting Youkai to become stronger. Ever since he learned of Yoshitaka being a Ninja, Kinji displays fanaticism over things related to ninjas and Youkai, even likes to take pictures and footprints of any Youkai he comes across with. Kinji himself is naive, having following others' orders and quickly apologizes should he had made a mistake, even tends to leave his opponents alone if they were busy with their situations. After bonding with Yakumo Katou/AoNinger, Kinji's partnership with the magic ninja, who learned the art of magic at a school in England, is jokingly referred to by the other Ninningers as the Western Combo (欧米コンビ Ōbei Konbi, Western Combi), coined by Kasumi, referring to the special relationship between the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

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 immanent, 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. Turns out that in his teenage years, he was actually a prodigy ninja known as “Chou Ninja Tsumuji”, who specialised in wind based techniques (Tsumuji = cyclone), before his powers were taken by his fellow student, along with his memory of ever having powers.

Kibaoni Yokai Army: The followers of Gengetsu Kibaoni, who were defeated and sealed by the Last Ninja 444 years ago. They have now revived to herald in the master’s return.

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. Turns out he was once a student of Yoshitaka during his teenage years, alongside Tsumuji. But he left when he realised the Last Ninja didn’t trust him and stole his fellow student’s Nintality (the energy that makes you a Ninja), converting it into the source of his Izayoi-Ryu Yojutsu, which he shared among 5 of Kibaoni’s ninjas, allowing them to use a variant of Shuriken Ninpo. It also turns out that he?s the first born son of Gengetsu Kibaoni, which explains a lot about his dedication.

Shadow Line
General Schwartz: Military commander for the Shadow Line. He chose to betray the Emperor and side with Noir and Glitter, due to his love for the latter. When the rebellion failed, Schwartz was banished from the Shadow Line. He later rejoined with Noir in a plan to extract Miss Glitter from Zed, which succeeded at the cost of the two of them being absorbed in her place.

What do I think of Ninninger? I think it’s probably my personal best out of the New 10s Sentai shows. It?s got some very good life lessons behind its plots and it moves it?s own main plot along very constantly, compared to the two shows it’s sandwiched between. And the quirky cast help keep the show memorable compared to most.

Now then, as for the creators, this is Naomi Takebe’s second and final stint as main producer for a Sentai show (her next contribution would be as a co-producer for Zenkaiger), our writer is Shimoyama (who this time around, is the head writer) and our director is Nakazawa. So with all of that said, on with the review.

Takaharu wakes up on an old fashioned train, surrounded by his 5 allies.



As Kasumi points out that he ate all of their lunches before he went to sleep (while Fuuka is eating a banana), while Kinji explains that they?re en route to spend a vacation at a ninja theme park.



The train then announces a stop, as a light enters the room.



Kinji then finds himself performing Ninninger’s ED (more on that later) in front of a crowd (with Ninninger?s regular singers Yohei Onishi and Daiki Ise playing the band), before he gets lured off strange by a pretty girl.



Takaharu wakes up on an old fashioned train, surrounded by his 4 allies.



As Kasumi points out that he ate all of their lunches before he went to sleep (while Fuuka is eating a banana)… Takaharu realises that there are two things fishy: 1) they’ve already acted out these events and 2) there are 6 lunchboxes, but only 5 of them. But before they can realise what it is, the voice announces another stop.



Yakumo, Nagi and Kasumi soon find themselves in a spy AU, as agents “Cloud”, “No Wave?” and “Mist” respectively (Fuuka’s counterpart is “Flower”).



No sooner have the initial trio been dispatched on their mission do they run into a man calling himself the Kendama Tantei Hikari.



He then figures out that the three are not spies, but ninjas. Takaharu wakes up on an old-fashioned train, facing Fuuka… and he’s as sick of this loop as I am.



This time, the voice doesn’t even give them time to get their bearings before trapping them in another illusion.



In this fantasy, Fuuka is getting married (and given that they’re in a church, I guess this confirms the Igasaki family are Catholic), with Takaharu as the only guest on the bride?s side (could be worse. The groom’s side has no-one).



Fuuka then looks over to her husband? and realises that she doesn’t even know him (arranged marriage, amirite?).



And for added wedding cliche bingo points, Mio bursts in at the “speak now or forever hold your peace” part. She then chews out Tokacchi for going through with the fantasy.



With the ruse broken, a group of Jukkarage appear (including one disguised as the priest).



Takaharu: It’s one thing after another! What the heck!

Everyone then transforms to fight off the grunts.



But they then get faced with the true perpetrator of the illusions, Yokai Wanyuudo (who the Ninningers were warned about in their meeting with Shurikenger.), a Yokai created from a Kurainer Robo. He forces them back to reality and locks them in his cart.



Takaharu and Fuuka then remember Wanyuudo defeating them earlier and kidnapping them.



Elsewhere, the other 4 are receiving the same explanation from Kagura and Hikari, who explain that they were able to free them by using Wanyuudo’s illusions against him, having been made adults again by Conductor. Not that that makes it clearer to Yakumo (or me, for that matter).



So, Tokkachi decides to fill them in on ToQger’s plot.











And Mio cuts him off there, since he?s rambling. As she explains that the ToQgers defeated the Shadow Line (like that wasn’t obvious). But then Mio explains why there’s a conflict now.



She explains that he’s a bit of a ninja fanatic and he created the Yami Ninja Land to capture the Ninningers. When Takaharu gets excited at having to defeat the Dark Doctor rather than angry, Tokacchi compares him to Right… who shows up as if on cue.



He then breaks a hole for everyone to escape through before they enter the tunnel to Yami Ninja Land… but Takaharu ends up missing the jump due to slipping on the peel from the banana Fuuka was eating earlier (That?s another great thing about Ninninger. Seemingly small details come back in big ways later on)



As Kyuemon prevents Fuuka’s party from giving chase, the Yokai Ressha pulls up to Yami Ninja Land.



Once inside, Takaharu meets the park?s creator, Dark Doctor Mavro (No, not that Mavro), who is a big ninja fanboy. So much so, that he created dark clones of legendary ninja.



Mavro: The famous leader of the Iga Clan.



Mavro: The wild leader of the Houjou’s Fuma Clan.



Mavro: The Kouga-style ninja who served Sanada Yukimura. (Also the inspiration behind Ninja Red and Kamen Rider Kenzan)

In the ensuing fight, the dark clones gain the upper hand with Chou Ninpo: Yami Kaen no Jutsu. Then, at the press of a button, they begin to merge with Takaharu, as Mavro explains his evil plan. Which is not, as it turns out, to create the most outrageously expensive theme park there is (Walt Disney already did that).





The resulting fusion gives birth to Yami AkaNinger (who the writer admitted in an interview that he only added to the plot due to these vs movies having become contractually obligated to include a fight between the two Sentai, yet he thought it would by out of character for the Ninningers to start a fight with the ToQgers and vice versa. Remember that).



And in case you thought this would simply be a possession job, Takaharu separates out of Yami AkaNinger.



Mavro explains that Takaharu is now simply the leftovers, and that he will eventually fade away, while the Yami AkaNinger becomes the real one. Takaharu tries to fight back, which just gets Mavro to discard his disguise and assume his true form. (Which looks even more Wonka-esque). Takaharu is only saved from an instant death by Right appearing to save him.



Elsewhere, Kyuemon reveals this to Fuuka, before disappearing.



After a staff meeting at the Igasaki dojo, Yakumo uses his magic to turn the ToQgers into ninja so they can help stage a rescue, despite Tsumuji’s worrying about them. In the middle of this, Takaharu and Right formally meet, with the latter regretting not saving the former sooner and agreeing to help him stop the Yami AkaNinger. Back at Yami Ninja Land, Yami AkaNinger performs the Shuriken Ninpo: Yami Hadou no Jutsu, to fill the world with darkness.



Mavro and Kyuemon then discuss what their plan is: to fill the world with darkness to create the necessary fear to revive Kibaoni. Though Kyuemon can’t help Mavro any further, he does have hybrid clones of the Shadow Line executives mixed with famous ninja to guard the entrances.







While Takaharu and Right engage Yami AkaNinger, Yakumo, Tokacchi and Mio come across Noir, using Yakumo’s magic to create a large army of clones to overwhelm her. But Tokacchi almost gets caught due to tripping on a nail, requiring them to attack her to get through.



Elsewhere, Fuuka, Kagura and Kinji dress as maiko to have Nero let his guard down… but the one he’s attracted to is not the one you’d expect.



Enraged, Fuuka and Kagura drop their disguises, doing a combo attack to knock Nero down.

Fuuka: Shuriken Ninpo: Senpuuki no Jutsu!

Kagura: I’m a fan! I’m a fan! I’m a fan! SENPUUKI GIRL!



Finally, Kasumi, Nagi and Hikari come across Schwartz, deciding to recreate Ishikawa Goemon’s real world death to overcome him.

Nagi and Kasumi: Joukyuu Shuriken Ninpo! Goemon Ofuro no Jutsu! Mizu no Jutsu/Kaen no Jutsu: Mix!



In the middle of the fight with Yami AkaNinger, Akira shows up, with a welcome new spin on a tired old line, to hold off Mavro.





Back in the city, Kyuemon and Wanyuudo won’t wait for Mavro to finish his plan, instead deciding to gather fear right there and then.



As the Jukkarage appear, they are blocked from getting far by a group of newcomers.



Just like Takaharu did last time, the new Red mistakes Wanyuudo for their villain group, Deathgalien (that is how it’s officially romanised. Trust me). When the new Green points out that they’re clearly not Deathgalien, the new White decides to clarify if they’re bad guys.



Wanyuudo responds by declaring bloody vengeance.



And so, they decide to introduce themselves to the kids at home.

Red: Monarch of the Open Skies, ZyuohEagle!

Blue: Monarch of the Wild Seas, ZyuohShark!

Yellow: Monarch of the Savannah, ZyuohLion!

Green: Monarch of the Deep Forest, ZyuohElephant!

White: Monarch of the Snow Fields, ZyuohTiger!

ZyuohEagle: Doubutsu Sentai…

All:


(That?s not his regular line)

Everyone but Eagle then gains animal attributes (he just gets a sword. Don’t worry, he gets something thematically appropriate in-show).



After beating the snot out of the Jukkarage, the 5 then pull out their guns and aim at Wanyuudo, destroying him (what happens to his Sealing Shuriken, I don?t know). It’s then that Elephant thinks to ask a question.



Back with the battle, the other Ninningers and ToQgers arrive, with the latter lending the former their weapons.



After combining into the Linkup Bazooka, Kagura then instructs Fuuka in its use.



And so, Yami AkaNinger is weakened with the Rainbow Rush: Red Peppers (a fear established in episode 23 of Ninninger proper).



Allowing Takaharu to deliver a punch that finishes off his evil doppelganger.



But this changes nothing, as Takaharu runs out of time and disappears.



In purgatory, Takaharu meets with Yoshitaka, who reminds him of their family”s motto: “Don’t kill me off”, using visions to show that everyone will miss him if he dies with his dream of winning the Last Ninja Race unresolved.





And so, with the power of imagination on both sides, Takaharu returns to the land of the living.



Mavro is disappointed with this outcome.



So he decides to unleash his army to turn everyone into Yami Ninjas. Which means that it’s time to transform.

NinShurikens: AkaNinger/AoNinger/KiNinger/ShiroNinger/MomoNinger/StarNinger Shuriken!

ToQ Braces/AppliChanger: Now transforming! Please wait behind the white line!

Ninja Ichibantous: The Henge! Nin Nin Nin! Nin Ni Nin Nin!

Ninja Star Burger: The Change!

Ninningers: Shuriken Henge!

Kinji: Shuriken Change!

ToQgers: ToQ Change!

Ninja Ichibantous: Aka-ja! Ao-ja! Ki-ja! Shiro-ja! Momo-ja! Ninjas!

Ninja Star Burger: StarNinger! Wow!



ToQ Brace: ToQIchigou, ToQIchigou! ToQNigou, ToQNigou!

Tokacchi: The Shining Glasses!

ToQBrace: ToQSangou, ToQSangou! ToQYongou, ToQYongou! ToQGogou, ToQGogou!

Kagura: Alright!

AppliChanger: ToQRokugou, ToQRokugou!

Takaharu: A Splendid Rampage! AkaNinger!

Yakumo: The Roaring Cloud! AoNinger!

Nagi: The Shimmering Calm! KiNinger!

Fuuka: A petal blowing in the wind! ShiroNinger!

Kasumi: The Wavering Mist! MomoNinger!

Kinji: The Colorful Star! StarNinger!

ToQgers: The Victorious Imagination! Ressha Sentai ToQger!

Takaharu: We may shinobi, but we do not hide…

Kinji: We may be shinobi, but we party all night…

Ninningers! Shuriken Sentai Ninninger!

Takaharu: Instead of hiding…

Right: Full speed ahead!

The fight then begins, with all of the groups having a rematch with their previous opponents, except for Akira and Kinji, who take on the Kuros and Jukkarage. Kasumi and Hikari employ combo moves so the latter can defeat Schwartz with Kaen no Jutsu, Nagi, Fuuka and Kasumi use caltrops to defeat Nero’s use of Shadow Ninpo: Kiri no Jutsu…



And Yakumo and Tokacchi get put to sleep by Noir’s Shadow Ninpo: Oyasuminesai, which gets beaten back by Mio using her ToQBlaster to fight back. Finally, Takaharu and Right defeat Mavro by combining their attacks into the ToQ Nin-Retsu-Zan!



However, Mavro survives and retreats to his Kurainer, deciding to cover the world in darkness himself.



While the ToQ Ressha head him off…



The Ninningers use Shurikenjin and Bison King to fight a pair of Kurainer Robos.

After a short fight, the two OtomoNin combinations knock their enemies into the water.



But Mavro recovers both, combining them with his own Kurainer to form the Cho Cho Kurainer Robo.



Takaharu thus decides to Chozetsu Henge so he can summon Lion Ha-Oh to form Ha-Oh Shurikenjin.

But this doesn’t help, causing Ticket to appear to announce an emergency combination.



ToQ-Oh and the Build Ressha take the places of Shurikenjin and Rodeomaru in the combination, creating Ha-Oh ToQ-Oh.



A name that Akira takes umbrage to (like he did with Cho Cho ToQ-Oh back in episode 23 of ToQger).



The OtomoNin and Ressha then do a combo attack, with Takaharu summoning Paonmaru, UFOmaru, Surfermaru and Dinomaru: OtomNin Linkup Apare Crash, which destroys Mavro and his dark designs.



As the ToQgers depart, and Akira actually introduces himself, Mio realises that she forgot to do her homework… as Conductor’s magic wears off, turning them back into children.





Cue the credits, with a modified version of Ninninger’s ED.

Go!
One two three four five de ja ja ja jaaan!

Nin nin nin alright! Full speed ahead, Ninningers!

Fire up a big, big firework!
Just once, it is our dreams
It's okay to fly, because you...

...always are surrounded by many friends
Shuriken fight! Shu shu shu!

Use your form changing Ninjutsu...
...to dance! Nin ni ni nin!
Tomorrow looks splendid! It's a clear day in Japan!

Go! Go! Sore! Sore! Sore! Sore!

What is a ninja?! (Departing!) Oe oe oh! (Alright!)
We have no intention of hiding! (Go for it!)
What is a ninja?! (Wasshoi!) Oe oe oh! (Wasshoi!)
It's a festival! A festival! Ja ja ja jaaan!

Shuriken Sentai Ninninger! (Wasshoi!)

We then end on a final scene with Tsumuji welcoming Takaharu home after the ordeal.

Final thoughts: A movie with a lot of heart that gives everyone their chance to shine. Combine that with some actual research on these historical figures and well-timed jokes, and I?d definitely recommend this to you.