| Ninku | |
Logo for Ninku |
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| NINKU -忍空- | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Martial arts |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Kōji Kiriyama |
| Published by | Shueisha |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Jump |
| Original run | 1993 – 1995 |
| Volumes | 9 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Noriyuki Abe |
| Studio | Studio Pierrot |
| Network | Fuji TV |
| Original run | January 14, 1995 – February 24, 1996 |
| Episodes | 55 |
| Anime film | |
| Ninku: The Movie | |
| Directed by | Noriyuki Abe |
| Studio | Studio Pierrot |
| Licensed by | Media Blasters |
| Released | 1996 |
| Runtime | 26 minutes |
| Manga | |
| Ninku -SECOND STAGE:干支忍編- | |
| Written by | Kōji Kiriyama |
| Published by | Shueisha |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Magazine | Ultra Jump |
| Original run | 1994–1995, 2005 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 10 |
Ninku (NINKU -忍空- Ninkū) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kōji Kiriyama. The original manga spanned nine tankōbon volumes and was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump manga magazine between 1993 to 1995. A second manga titled Ninku Second Stage: Stories of Etonins (忍空 -SECOND STAGE 干支忍編-) ran from 1994 to 1995, but restarted in the seinen magazine Ultra Jump in October 2005, with its sixth tankōbon volume being issued in November 2008.[1] It ranked number 21 among the top-selling manga volumes during the week of its release.[2]
Shortly after its release, Ninku was adapted into an anime series, produced by Studio Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe, spanning 55 episodes and a movie. The anime series, originally run between 1995 to 1996, premiered on the Fuji Television network, and was broadcast by the anime television network, Animax, across Japan, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and other regions. Geneon Entertainment has released the series in two DVD boxsets in Japan. The first set containing the initial 28 episodes was released on February 25, 2005 and the second set containing the remaining 27 episodes was released on March 21, 2005.[3]
The anime series spawned a movie in 1996, entitled Ninku: The Movie (NINKU 忍空 ナイフの墓標 Ninku The Movie: Knife no Bohyou), which was a "double bill" (the other movie being a YuYu Hakusho film) release, produced by Pierrot.[4] Media Blasters's AnimeWorks brand released both movies in their original "double bill" format across North America in 1998.[5] A DVD version was released in early 2001 as a result of a poll conducted by Media Blasters.[6]
A number of video games based on the series have been released for platforms such as the Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Saturn, and PlayStation. Jump! Ultimate Stars, a fighting game for the Nintendo DS released in November 2006, has three participants from Ninku, including Fuusuke as a selectable fighter.[7]
Contents |
The story in Ninku is about an odd-looking 12-year-old boy named Fuusuke (Fuusuke of the wind (風の風助 Kaze no Fūsuke)) who is a powerful warrior from the Ninku school of martial arts, a style that mixes ninjutsu and karate.
It is explained that before the present time in the story that those who could use Ninku were targeted by an evil empire and the Ninku corps were formed to combat the menace. The names of the corps were taken from the twelve Chinese zodiac animals (干支 Eto) and each captain of the corps was called the zodiac animal Ninku master (干支忍 Etonin). Their powers are derived from nature and a specific dragon to their own element, with the Tenkudragon being the almighty master of all the elements. The Ninku were disbanded by their master before the end of the war and as such, the Empire was victorious. After which the Ninku became vilified by the Empire as the perpetrators of the war and made attempts to eliminate any surving members. At the beginning of the story, three years later, Fuusuke, the young former captain of the 1st Ninku corps and controller of the wind and Hiroyuki (ヒロユキ), his flatulent penguin, start searching for the other Ninku captains, each of whom can control various elements. However, a new group of Ninku users has arisen and are trying to take over the world. Fuusuke and his penguin must defeat the new Ninku empire with the help of his old comrades.
Techniques
Techniques
FuShabat: Or Air Dessert. Truns the ground into a a tsunami-like state. A high-level Ninku move.
| Corps# | Ninku | Specialty | Etonin (captain of the corp) | Other members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | rat (子忍 ne-nin) | Wind | Fusuke the Wind (風の風助 Kaze no Fūsuke) | Suzaku (朱雀) Souta (草太) |
| 2 | ox (丑忍 ushi-nin) | Metal | Kei Hayashi the Ore (鉱の林慶 Aragane no Hayashi Kei) | Baku (獏) aka. Byakko (白虎) |
| 3 | tiger (寅忍 tora-nin) | Spiritual | Takeru the Spirit (精霊の火瑠 Seirei no Takeru) | |
| 4 | rabbit (卯忍 u-nin) | Light | Yamabuki the Light (光の山吹 Hikari no Yamabuki) | |
| 5 | dragon (辰忍 tatsu-nin) | Flame | Sekirai the Flame (炎の赤雷 Honō no Sekirai) | Yōkō (陽紅) |
| 6 | snake (巳忍 mi-nin) | Ground | Toji the Ground (大地の橙次 Daichi no Tōji) | Kōshu (黄愁) |
| 7 | horse (午忍 uma-nin) | Ice | Kisumi the Ice (氷の黄純 Kōri no Kisumi) | |
| 8 | ram (未忍 hitsuji-nin) | Plants | Midori the Plant (植物の緑里 Shokubutsu no Midori) | |
| 9 | monkey (申忍 saru-nin) | Thunder | Seima the Thunderclap (雷鳴の青馬 Raimei no Seima) | |
| 10 | rooster (酉忍 tori-nin) | Flight | Aicho the Sky (空の藍朓 Sora no Aichō) | Kirin (麒麟) aka. Hamaji (浜地) |
| 11 | dog (戌忍 inu-nin) | Animal | Shigure the Wild (野生の紫雨 Yasei no Shigure) | |
| 12 | boar (亥忍 i-nin) | Water | Kokuro the Water (水の黒楼 Mizu no Kokurō) |
Kouchin: The high priest of the Empire and a master of feng shui. He is the spokesperson of the Emperor and it was he who defeated the Ninku master in a direct duel, forcing the Ninku to disband. His ultimate goal is to control the power of the tenkudragon and for that purpose he has captured Fuusuke's mother in order to draw the dragon out.
Kisume: A Former Ninku captain who could command ice. After his fiance was killed during the war he headed out to attack the Empire singlehandedly but was captured and convinced to join the Empire to prevent another war. Later reforms and helps Fuusuke and the others in their final confrontation.
Mekira: A genjutsu expert. She was taken by Kouchin at a very young age and her family was slaughtered by him. Only later does she learn this and turn against him.
Col Ajirada: The sole heir of a martial arts that uses electricity channeled from arm guards into his fists and feet. Later defects after being beaten by Fuusuke.
Gaunin: A subordinate of Colo Ajirada and a self-professed genius. He joins Col Ajirada when he decides to leave the Empire.
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