| Ninja Nonsense: The Legend of Shinobu | |
Cover of volume 1 of Ninja Nonsense, published by MediaWorks |
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| ニニンがシノブ伝 (Ninin ga Shinobuden) |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy |
| Manga | |
| Ninin Ga Shinobuden | |
| Written by | Ryoichi Koga |
| Published by | MediaWorks |
| English publisher | Infinity Studios |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Dengeki Daioh |
| Original run | August 2000 – March 2006 |
| Volumes | 4 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Hitoyuki Matsui |
| Studio | Ufotable |
| Licensed by | Nozomi Entertainment |
| Network | CBC |
| English network | Funimation Channel Anime Network (VOD) Anime Selects |
| Original run | July 8, 2004 – September 23, 2004 |
| Episodes | 12 |
Ninja Nonsense: The Legend of Shinobu (ニニンがシノブ伝 Ninin ga Shinobuden) is Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ryoichi Koga. The series subtitle is "The Nonsense Kunoichi Fiction". The manga was serialized in MediaWorks' Dengeki Daioh magazine between August 2000 and March 2006; the chapters were later compiled into four tankōbon volumes. The manga was released in English in North America by Infinity Studios under the title Ninin Ga Shinobuden. A 12-episode anime adaptation produced by Ufotable aired in Japan between July and September 2004. The anime has been released in North America by The Right Stuf International under the title Ninja Nonsense: The Legend of Shinobu.
Ninja Nonsense is an absurdist comedy series which follows Shinobu as she trains to become a ninja. However, the series does not only focus on ninja training, but also focuses on Shinobu's lifestyle and friends through a series of disjointed comedic plot lines. The series uses character designs that favor a soft and rounded look rather than the slender bishōjo style. The original title of the series is based on a pun. In the Japanese numerical system, ni is two, and shi is four. Ni (2) x ni (2) = shi (4), therefore Ni-ni-n ga Shi-nobuden.
Contents |
Ninja Nonsense is an absurdist comedy centering around Shinobu, a ninja apprentice, who is attempting to pass her ninja exams while Kaede, a normal schoolgirl, studies for her school exams. As a part of her exam, Shinobu is ordered to break into Kaede's room to steal her panties by her instructor, Onsokumaru. Shinobu, who despite her enthusiasm, possesses little if any actual ninja skills, believes herself to be invisible and 'sneaks' into Kaede's room. Since Shinobu is perfectly visible to Kaede, the mission does not go as planned. Despite all of this, Kaede takes pity on Shinobu and the two become close friends. Shinobu trains alongside other male ninjas identical in appearance, though one is known as Sasuke.
The manga is written and illustrated by Ryoichi Koga. It was serialized in MediaWorks' shōnen manga magazine Dengeki Daioh between the August 2000 and March 2006 issues. The chapters were collected into four tankōbon volumes under the Dengeki Comics EX imprint between February 2002 and May 2006.[1][2] The manga is released in English in North America under the title Ninin Ga Shinobuden by Infinity Studios, who released the volumes between May 2006 and April 2008.
A 12-episode anime TV series adaptation, produced by Ufotable and directed by Hitoyuki Matsui, aired between July 8 and September 23, 2004 on Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting in Japan. The anime's opening theme is "Shinobu Sanjō!" (シノブ参上!) by Kiyomi Kumano and the ending theme is "Kurukururin" (くるくるりん) by Kaoru. An insert song used in episode five is titled "Shinobu Ondo" (シノブ音頭) by Nana Mizuki. The anime was released by The Right Stuf International in North America originally across four DVD volumes from July 25 to November 28, 2006. A DVD box set was released on December 7, 2007 and was re-released with bonus materials on June 8, 2010.
| # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "Shinobu, the Ninja Apprentice, Appears" "Minarai Ninja, Shinobu Kenzan no Kan" (見習い忍者、忍見参の巻) |
July 8, 2004 |
| "The Master Appears" "Tōryō, Arawaru no Kan" (頭領、現るの巻) |
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| 02 | "Ninja, Enjoying a Cherry Blossom Party" "Ninja, Hanami de Ukareru no Kan" (忍者、花見で浮かれるの巻) |
July 15, 2004 |
| "Shinobu, Date with Kaede" "Shinobu, Kaede to Dēto Suru no Kan" (忍、楓とデートするの巻) |
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| 03 | "Onsokumaru, Getting Angry" "Onsokumaru, Okoru no Kan" (音速丸、怒るの巻) |
July 22, 2004 |
| "Shinobu, Running Away" "Shinobu, Ie o Deru no Kan" (忍、家を出るの巻) |
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| 04 | "Ninja, Getting Hot" "Ninja, Atsugaru no Kan" (忍者、暑がるの巻) |
July 29, 2004 |
| "Miyabi, Falling in Love" "Miyabi, Koi o Suru no Kan" (雅、恋をするの巻) |
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| 05 | "Onsokumaru, Goes to Hell" "Onsokumaru, Jigoku ni Ochiru no Kan" (音速丸、地獄に落ちるの巻) |
August 5, 2004 |
| "Ninja, Enjoying the Summer Festival" "Ninja, Natsumatsuri o Okonau no Kan" (忍者、夏祭りを行うの巻) |
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| 06 | "A Typhoon is Here" "Taifū ga Kita no Kan" (台風が来たの巻) |
August 12, 2004 |
| "Ninja, Going Mushroom Hunting" "Ninja, Kinoko-garu no Kan" (忍者、きのこ狩るの巻) |
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| 07 | "Onsokumaru, Gets Stuck" "Onsokumaru, Kuttsuku no Kan" (音速丸、くっつくの巻) |
August 19, 2004 |
| "Shinobu, Play Ball" "Shinobu, Purei Bōru no Kan" (忍、プレイボーるの巻) |
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| 08 | "Shinobu in Disguise" "Shinobu, Bakeru no Kan" (忍、化けるの巻) |
August 26, 2004 |
| "A Monster Plant Going Wild" "Kaishokubutsu, Abareru no Kan" (怪植物、暴れるの巻) |
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| 09 | "Girls, Getting Warm" "Onna no Ko, Attamaru no Kan" (女の子、あったまるの巻) |
September 2, 2004 |
| "Kaede Catches a Cold" "Kaede, Kaze o Hiku no Kan" (楓、風邪を引くの巻) |
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| 10 | "Ninja Christmas" "Ninja, Kurisumasu-ru no Kan" (忍者、クリスマスるの巻) |
September 9, 2004 |
| "Ninja, Cursed" "Ninja, Norowareru no Kan" (忍者、呪われるの巻) |
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| 11 | "Sasukeden Begins" "Sasukeden, Hajimaru no Kan" (サスケ伝、始まるの巻) |
September 16, 2004 |
| "Ninja, Showing Gratitude" "Ninja, Ongaeshi Suru no Kan" (忍者、恩返しするの巻) |
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| 12 | "Onsokumaru's Secret" "Onsokumaru no Himitsu no Kan" (音速丸の秘密の巻) |
September 23, 2004 |
| "Farewell, 2x2=Shinobuden" "Saraba Ninin ga Shinobuden no Kan" (さらばニニンがシノブ伝の巻) |
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