Ninja Slayer
| Ninja Slayer | |
|
Cover of the seventh issue of the novel series | |
| ニンジャスレイヤー (Ninja Sureiyā) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Bradley Bond, Philip Ninj@ Morzez |
| Illustrated by | Warainaku |
| Published by | Enterbrain |
| Original run | September 29, 2012 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 15 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Bradley Bond, Philip Ninj@ Morzez, Yoshiaki Tabata |
| Illustrated by | Yūki Yogo |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| English publisher | |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Magazine | Comp Ace |
| Original run | June 27, 2013 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 5 |
| Manga | |
| Ninja Slayer: Glamorous Killers | |
| Written by | Bradley Bond, Philip Ninj@ Morzez |
| Illustrated by | Ageha Saotome |
| Published by | Enterbrain |
| Demographic | Shōjo |
| Magazine | B's-Log Comic |
| Original run | July 2, 2013 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Manga | |
| Ninja Slayer Kills | |
| Written by | Bradley Bond, Philip Ninj@ Morzez |
| Illustrated by | Kōtarō Sekine |
| English publisher | |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Suiyoubi no Sirius |
| Original run | January 22, 2014 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Original net animation | |
| Ninja Slayer From Animation | |
| Directed by | Akira Amemiya |
| Written by |
Akira Amemiya Yu Sato |
| Music by |
Kenji Fujisawa Hiroshi Motofuji |
| Studio | Trigger |
| Licensed by | |
| Released | April 16, 2015 – October 8, 2015 |
| Runtime | 15 minutes (per episode) |
| Episodes | 26 |
Ninja Slayer (ニンジャスレイヤー Ninja Sureiyā) is a Japanese science fiction novel series, purportedly created by the American authors Bradley Bond and Philip "Ninj@" Morzez. After they gave permission for Japanese translations to be published via Twitter, Enterbrain published the first translated novel in September 2012, with illustrations by Warainaku. Fourteen novels have been released as of July 2015. It has received three manga adaptations. An ONA adaptation produced by Trigger and directed by Akira Amemiya started airing in April 2015.[1]
Plot
The story takes place in the cyberpunk metropolis of Neo-Saitama. After his wife and child are killed in a ninja turf war, salaryman Kenji Fujikido gets possessed by a mysterious ninja soul known as Naraku Ninja. As Naraku's craving for massacring the evil ninja overlaps with Fujikido's lust for revenge, together they bring Ninja Slayer – a terrifying ninja-killing grim reaper - into existence. The more their mental resonance and physical symbiosis deepens, the more powerful Ninja Slayer becomes. If Fujikido completely surrenders himself to Naraku, he will be unstoppable.
Characters
- Ninja Slayer (ニンジャスレイヤー Ninja Sureiyā) / Fujikido Kenji (フジキド・ケンジ Fujikido Kenji)
- Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese), Christopher R. Sabat[2] (English)
- A man who becomes a ninja that eliminates other ninja to get revenge on the ones that got his family killed, the Soukai Syndicate. His ninja soul is the Naraku Ninja.
- Darkninja (ダークニンジャ Dākuninja) / Fujio Katakura (フジオ・カタクラ)
- Voiced by: Shō Hayami (Japanese), Chris Ryan[2] (English)
- A high ranking ninja that serves Khan and the Soukai Syndicate. He is also responsible for killing Kenji's wife and child.
- Nancy Lee (ナンシー・リー Nanshī Rī)
- Voiced by: Chiwa Saitō (Japanese), Trina Nishimura (English)
- A journalist that seeks for the truth and follows Ninja Slayer around. She has special hacking skills and also can directly connect herself and enter cyberspace.
- Yamoto Koki (ヤモト・コキ)
- Voiced by: Sora Amamiya (Japanese), Monica Rial[3] (English)
- A teenage girl who is also a ninja. She later becomes Ninja Slayer's comrade. Her ninja soul is the Shi Ninja.
- Dragon Yukano (ドラゴン・ユカノ Doragon Yukano) / Amnesia (アムニジア Amunijia)
- Voiced by: Risa Taneda (Japanese), Bryn Apprill (English)
- An experienced kunochi and Gendoso's granddaughter who helps out Ninja Slayer for time to time. Unlike Ninja Slayer and Yamoto, she is an actual ninja.
- Dragon Gendoso (ドラゴン・ゲンドーソー Doragon Gendōsō)
- Voiced by: Yōsuke Akimoto (Japanese), Greg Dulcie (English)
- The head of the Dragon Dojo and the last real ninja in Japan. He is also Ninja Slayer's master.
- Laomoto Khan (ラオモト・カン Raomoto Kan)
- Voiced by: Masane Tsukayama (Japanese), Bill Jenkins[2] (English)
- Leader of the Soukai Syndicate.
- Clone Yakuza (クローンヤクザ Kurōnyakuza)
- Voiced by: Tesshō Genda
- Silver Karasu (シルバーカラス Shirubākarasu) / Kagi Tanaka (カギ・タナカ Kagi Tanaka)
- Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara
- A ninja who has cancer and is on the verge of dying. He is hired to kill criminals and ninjas to test new weapons. He is Yamoto's sensei and is a iaido master.
Media
Novels
Ninja Slayer was originally posted piece by piece on Twitter by Japanese "translators" Honda Yu and Sugi Leika, allegedly adapting the story from American authors "Bradley Bond and Philip "Ninj@" Morzez". After the series grew in popularity, Enterbrain published the first Japanese-translated volume in print, Ninja Slayer: Neo-Saitama in Flames, in September 2012. There appears to be no evidence of an original copy of Ninja Slayer, and the original creators "Bradley Bond and Philip Ninj@ Morzez" appear to be fictional authors created to produce the illusion of an elaborate backstory, and have no record of an accurate bio.
| No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neo-Saitama in Flames 1 (ネオサイタマ炎上1 Neo Saitama Enjō 1) | September 29, 2012 | ISBN 978-4-04-728331-2 |
| 2 | Neo-Saitama in Flames 2 (ネオサイタマ炎上2 Neo Saitama Enjō 2) | November 30, 2012 | ISBN 978-4-04-120942-4 |
| 3 | Neo-Saitama in Flames 3 (ネオサイタマ炎上3 Neo Saitama Enjō 3) | January 31, 2013 | ISBN 978-4-04-728481-4 |
| 4 | Neo-Saitama in Flames 4 (ネオサイタマ炎上4 Neo Saitama Enjō 4) | March 30, 2013 | ISBN 978-4-04-728858-4 |
| 5 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 1, Shadow of Zaibatsu (ザイバツ強襲!(キョート殺伐都市 # 1) Zaibatsu Kyōshū! (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 1)) | June 29, 2013 | ISBN 978-4-04-728946-8 |
| 6 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 2, Ninja and Geisha (ゲイシャ危機一髪!(キョート殺伐都市 # 2) Geisha Kiki Ipatsu! (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 2)) | August 31, 2013 | ISBN 978-4-04-729120-1 |
| 7 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 3, Three Dirty Ninja-Bond (荒野の三忍(キョート殺伐都市 # 3) Kōya no Sannin (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 3)) | August 31, 2013 | ISBN 978-4-04-729120-1 |
| 8 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 4, Nunchaku Destruction (聖なるヌンチャク(キョート殺伐都市 # 4) Seinaru Nunchaku (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 4)) | December 28, 2013 | ISBN 978-4-04-729353-3 |
| 9 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 5, Reboot, Raven (ピストルカラテ決死拳(キョート殺伐都市 # 5) Pisutiru Karate Kesshi Ken (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 5)) | April 12, 2014 | ISBN 978-4-04-729362-5 |
| 10 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 6, Maguro and Dragon (マグロ・アンド・ドラゴン(キョート殺伐都市 # 6) Maguro Ando Doragon (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 6)) | July 9, 2014 | ISBN 978-4-04-729755-5 |
| 11 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 7, Kyoto: Hell on Earth (Part 1) (キョート・ヘル・オン・アース【上】(キョート殺伐都市 # 7) Kyōto Heru On Āsu [Ue] (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 7)) | October 14, 2014 | ISBN 978-4-04-729932-0 |
| 12 | Kyoto: Hell on Earth 8, Kyoto: Hell on Earth (Part 2) (キョート・ヘル・オン・アース【下】(キョート殺伐都市 # 8) Kyōto Heru On Āsu [Shita] (Kyōto Satsubatsu Toshi # 8)) | January 24, 2015 | ISBN 978-4-04-730189-4 |
| 13 | Ninja Slayer Never Dies 1, Secret Society Amakudari Sect (秘密結社アマクダリ・セクト (不滅のニンジャソウル # 1) Himitsu Kessha Amakudari Sekuto (Fumetsu no Ninja Sōru # 1)) | April 16, 2015 | ISBN 978-4-04-730418-5 |
| 14 | Ninja Slayer Never Dies 2, Who Killed Ninja Slayer? (死神の帰還 (不滅のニンジャソウル # 2) Shinigami no Kikan (Fumetsu no Ninja Sōru # 2)) | July 25, 2015 | ISBN 978-4-04-730606-6 |
| 15 | Ninja Slayer Never Dies 3, Killing Field Sappukei (キリング・フィールド・サップーケイ (不滅のニンジャソウル # 3) Kiringu Fīrudo Sappūkei (Fumetsu no Ninja Sōru# 3)) | November 30, 2015 | ISBN 978-4-04-730790-2 |
Manga
A manga adaptation with art by Yūki Yogo and scripted by Yoshiaki Tabata is serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace since June 27, 2013. It has been collected in currently five tankōbon volumes. Another manga adaptation titled Ninja Slayer: Glamorous Killers (ニンジャスレイヤー グラマラス・キラーズ Ninja Sureiyā: Guramarasu Kirāzu) with art by Ageha Saotome also began serialization from July 1, 2013, in Enterbrain's shōjo manga magazine B's-Log Comic. It has also been collected into three tankōbon volumes. A third adaptation titled Ninja Slayer Kills (ニンジャスレイヤー 殺(キルズ) Ninja Sureiyā Satsu (Kiruzu)) is serialized in Kodansha's Suiyoubi no Sirius.
Anime
In April 2014, Enterbrain announced that an anime adaptation of the novel was in production, later revealing that it was being produced by Trigger.[4] More details were announced in Los Angeles, CA at Anime Expo 2014.[5] The anime, titled Ninja Slayer From Animation, is directed by Akira Amamiya, and the main theme is "Back In Black" performed by electronic band Boom Boom Satellites.[6] The anime premiered on Niconico on April 16, 2015, and a later television broadcast will start airing in 2016.[7] The series is licensed in North America by Funimation, who is simulcasting the series with subtitles and began streaming a dubbed version from May 21, 2015.[8][9]
Episode list
| No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Born In Red Black" (ボーン・イン・レッド・ブラック) | April 16, 2015 |
| A salaryman is given a second chance by becoming Ninja Slayer to get revenge for his family. | ||
| 2 | "Machine of Vengeance" (マシン・オブ・ヴェンジェンス) | April 23, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer faces some of the elite Soukai ninjas. | ||
| 3 | "Last Girl Standing, Part 1" (ラスト・ガール・スタンディングPART1) | April 30, 2015 |
| Yamoto enjoys her school life with friends until a transfer student she knows from the past shows up. | ||
| 4 | "Last Girl Standing, Part 2" (ラスト・ガール・スタンディングPART2) | May 7, 2015 |
| Yamoto faces Suicide's boss, Sonic Boom and gets help from an unexpected person. | ||
| 5 | "Rage Against Tofu" (レイジ・アゲンスト・トーフ) | May 14, 2015 |
| 6 | "Surprised Dojo" (サプライズド・ドージョー) | May 21, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer tries to prevent Soukai ninjas from getting to the Dragon Dojo. | ||
| 7 | "Bane of Serpent" (ベイン・オブ・サーペント) | May 28, 2015 |
| Nancy Lee follows a lead that puts her in big trouble. | ||
| 8 | "Apocalypse Inside Tainted Soil" (アポカリプス・インサイド・テインティッド・ソイル) | June 4, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer and Nancy sneak into a secret clone manufacturing plant to gather intel that would be of use to them. However, they aren't the only ones snooping around. | ||
| 9 | "One Minute Before the Tanuki, Part 1" (ワン・ミニット・ビフォア・ザ・タヌキ PART 1) | June 11, 2015 |
| Nancy and Ninja Slayer sneak into a Yoroshisan facility for intel, but they are tailed by Survival Dojo and a ninja hacker called Daedalus. | ||
| 10 | "One Minute Before the Tanuki, Part 2" (ワン・ミニット・ビフォア・ザ・タヌキ PART 2) | June 18, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer fights the Survival Dojo ninjas so that Nancy can gather the intel, who in turn also has a problem of her own. | ||
| 11 | "Menace of Darkninja" (メナス・オブ・ダークニンジャ) | June 25, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer heads to one of Dragon Dojo's safe houses to cure his master's disease. However, he is unaware that he is being followed by a Soukai ninja that has a deep connection to him. | ||
| 12 | "Day of the Lobster" (デイ・オブ・ザ・ロブスター) | July 2, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer rescues Nancy from Lobster, only to rescue her again when Lobster is mysteriously resurrected. | ||
| 13 | "Swan Song Sung by a Faded Crow, Part 1" (スワン・ソング・サング・バイ・ア・フェイデッド・クロウ PART 1) | July 9, 2015 |
| Yamoto meets Kagi Tanaka AKA Silver Karasu, who eventually becomes her future sensei. However, Silver Karasu is also on the verge of death. | ||
| 14 | "Swan Song Sung by a Faded Crow, Part 2" (スワン・ソング・サング・バイ・ア・フェイデッド・クロウ PART 2) | July 16, 2015 |
| Yamoto shows her improvement with iaido while Kagi makes his last decision before perishing. | ||
| 15 | "Sushi Night at the Barricade" (スシ・ナイト・アット・ザ・バリケード) | July 23, 2015 |
| A riot breaks out between residence resistance and Omura Industry. | ||
| 16 | "At the Treasonersville" (アット・ザ・トリーズナーズヴィル) | July 30, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer stays and observes the resistance that Yukano (now going by Amnesia) has joined after having lost her memories. | ||
| 17 | "Treasure Every Meeting" (トレジャー・エヴリー・ミーティング)) | August 6, 2015 |
| Along her travels, Yamoto meets Genocide, a runaway zombie ninja. | ||
| 18 | "Ever Felt Cheated?" (エヴァー・フェルト・チーティド)) | August 13, 2015 |
| 19 | "Stranger Stranger Than Fiction, Part 1" | August 20, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer planned an assassination of Laomoto, only to find out that he knew all about it. | ||
| 20 | "Stranger Stranger Than Fiction, Part 2" | August 27, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer gives chase to rescue Nancy from former Soukai Ninjas. | ||
| 21 | "Neo-Saitama in Flames, Part 1: Like a Bloodarrow Straight" | September 3, 2015 |
| After recovering, Ninja Slayer continues searching for Nancy while running into familiar faces. | ||
| 22 | "Neo-Saitama in Flames, Part 2: Darkninja Returns" | September 10, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer has a rematch with Darkninja. | ||
| 23 | "Neo-Saitama in Flames, Part 3: And You Will Know Him by the Trail of Ninja" | September 17, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer, with the help of Nancy, fights though the Soukai's Six Gate Ninjas to get to Laomoto. | ||
| 24 | "Neo-Saitama in Flames, Part 4: Dark Dusk, Darker Dawn: Part 1" | September 24, 2015 |
| Ninja Slayer begins his fight with the Soukai Syndicate leader, Laomoto. | ||
| 25 | "The Best of Ninja Slayer from Animation" | October 1, 2015 |
| A compilation of shorts that weren't seen during the season. | ||
| 26 | "Neo-Saitama in Flames, Part 5: Dark Dusk, Darker Dawn: Part 2" | October 8, 2015 |
| The conclusion of Ninja Slayer's battle with Laomoto Khan. | ||
References
- ↑ "Inferno Cop's Amemiya to Direct Trigger's Ninja Slayer Anime". Anime News Network. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- 1 2 3 https://twitter.com/NebsTV/status/599704052491022336
- ↑ "Woohoo! I can now announce that I'm playing Yamoto Koki in Ninja Slayer! Check out the new broadcast dub Yeart! 😈.". Twitter. June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Ninja Slayer Sci-Fi Novels by U.S. Writers Get Anime". Anime News Network. April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
- ↑ "Ninja Slayer Novels' Online English Release, English-Dubbed Trailer Unveiled". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ↑ "More details for Ninja Slayer anime revealed". Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ↑ "Ninja Slayers Anime to Stream in Japan, US, Over 20 Other Countries". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
- ↑ Michelle Lee. "Funimation Acquires the Rights to Ninja Slayer". Funimation.com Blog. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
- ↑ "Funimaton Streams Ninja Slayer, Yuki-chan, Ultimate Otaku Teacher, Arslan, Show by Rock, Mikagura with English Dubs". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
External links
- Official website
- Official website (Japanese)
- Official website (anime) (Japanese)
- Ninja Slayer: From Animation (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia