Ninja Kamui

A banal plot, at the beginning they show a happy family, which means that by the end of the first episode they will die and the main character will take revenge.

The animation is not bad, but there is a lot of pointless blood and action. If they show a fight, then it’s just a lot of quickly changing cuts, it’s beautiful, but nothing is clear and it doesn’t create tension.

Anime is perfect for teenagers who like 80% of anime to be rivers of blood and fights for the sake of fighting.

I didn’t see any humor, drama, depth or plot. Even for background viewing, this anime ... is not suitable.

Picture this scene: you find yourself thrust into a thrilling pursuit across rooftops illuminated by neon lights, with the brisk wind rushing past you while enigmatic figures engage in fierce clashes with unparalleled finesse. This exhilarating sequence merely sets the stage for Ninja Kamui, an anime that delivers relentless action alongside poignant emotional impact. This impactful debut marks the first original series from director Sunghoo Park, known for his work on Jujutsu Kaisen, and it boldly showcases "Ninja Kamui's" commitment to action and intensity with a mix of bloodshed and graceful choreography.

In the inaugural moments of Ninja Kamui, viewers are immediately ensnared as they are ... thrust into an intense pursuit. Through the eyes of Joe, our introspective protagonist, one is hurled into a frantic dash across rooftops, relentlessly pursued by assailants. The sequence is unrelenting in its brutality and swiftness, impeccably establishing the ambiance for the ensuing episode: somber, raw and merciless.

In Ninja Kamui, animation is executed with unwavering excellence. The combat sequences unfold akin to macabre ballet performances, wherein every movement flows seamlessly and resonates with significant force. Viewers will find themselves grimacing at the sound of bones being crushed by powerful kicks, gasping in awe at gravity-defying leaps, and perhaps even cheering as Joe elegantly dispatches his adversaries with lethal accuracy. It's a visual extravaganza that tantalizes the senses and leaves one yearning for further immersion.

Sure the storyline isn't particularly original, centering around a protagonist driven by an intense fury ignited by the tragic loss of all that he cherishes. But if you're critiquing the show solely based on this aspect, then you'd likely dismiss a significant portion of anime, particularly isekai genres. However, the focus should shift towards how well this storyline is executed. Additionally, it's unrealistic to anticipate complex narratives and character development in such shows. If that's what you're seeking, there are numerous other series available and I would be more than happy to suggest a few. But shows like Ninja Kamui are primarily enjoyed for their action, though it's reasonable to expect a certain level of competence in character development and plot structure.

Ninja Kamui offers a visceral and stylish initiation into a realm where vengeance reigns supreme. With its unrelenting brutality, adrenaline-fueled sequences, and captivating style, this anime promises to enthrall viewers craving an electrifying experience. However, it's important to brace oneself for the intensity of the violence depicted, as Ninja Kamui boldly diverges from the conventions of traditional anime, offering a gripping narrative that pushes boundaries and leaves audiences yearning for further exploration.

The fighting scenes and animation are top notch but it's the only thing carrying it. The plot is predictable, the classic a family trying to live a peaceful life despite their violent past but end up getting killed and then the man avenges his family. The characters are shallow and the viewers aren't given any actual information about them besides vague mentions. There is no moment in the show where you're on the edge of your seat curious to know what'll happen next despite the fast paced action the show is trying to achieve, instead you would already figure out how the plot will maneuver ... ruining the thrill of the whole show.
I am hopeful for the upcoming experience and the show would make up for the lack luster plot

Ninja Kamui starts out great for people who can look past a middling Story and Characters in favour of the Animation. The early fights are visually stunning, with fluid animation and great hand to hand choreography. The story then switches mostly to using CGI in fights which, while its still above average in terms of 3d-Animation, simply doesn't carry the oomph the show had in its earlier episodes.

It also starts losing itself in endless exhibition and twists which never feel like they're really going anywhere, making you want to skip through it just so you can go back to the fun action parts. Once ... those action scenes lose their glamour there isn't really anything left to keep you interested. One major subplot even turns out to be completely pointless after a certain reveal, making you wonder why they wasted your time with several episodes about it.

Overall the show fumbles by not sticking to its initial premise of a simple, action packed revenge story by bogging it down with its pacing and completely letting go of the great animation it had in the first few episodes.

"Finally! An anime for John Wick fans!"

Is how I'd describe Ninja Kamui

Ninja Kamui is a difficult one to describe or recommend however.

It depends what you're interested in, do you like over the top violence or are you looking for a logical story?

If you're looking for any semblance of character development or artistic vision..look elsewhere

... This is for the John Wick crowd. This is purely a revenge driven anime and nothing more.

The plot revolves around an assassin who is coming home to roost so to speak. He tried to live a normal life but can't and now he has to fight his past and avenge his family 

Its just not for me. The animation is superb and the dub cast is good.

But I just couldn't get into it. Theres just too much action and little room to breathe.

There's a sci fi element to it so if you're not a fan of robots or anything SciFi then I would avoid this.

Is it bad? No. As I said the art style is great the animation is fluid and wonderful..there's just nothing really interesting here. It isn't BAD. But comparing something like Ninja Kamui to Naruto or Hell's Paradise..? It's difficult.

For example, the first is aimed at kids but has a heavy story with heavy character development and the 2nd is an action drama with a feudal theme.

Reviewing a modern day sci fi ninja anime with an emphasis on action isn't easy because there isn't much to say compared to the previous suggestions.

The main character Higan wants revenge on his clan for killing his family.

People will give this 10/10 and 9/10 or whatever but won't focus on the story or elements of the said story.

If we rated this purely based on the action it would be 100/100.

But we aren't. When properly reviewing an anime or piece of media we have to take ALL factors into account.

Story? It's a guy going on a rampage to avenge his family.

Character development? None. Protagonist is a broody angry guy. Usually silent.

Entertainment? If you like tons of violence then yeah.

There are moments when the anime TRIES to create a coherent story or get the audience thinking about the plot.

But then it's replaced with violence.

There just isn't much in Ninja Kamui to talk about. It's clearly made for the John Wick audience and that isn't me.

I'm not giving it a 1 because it isn't awful but it's just not something I'd recommend unless you REALLY like John Wick and over the top action/violence.

A waste of talent

When I first saw the trailer for Ninja Kamui I thought "this has some potential"
Needless to say this show was far below my expectations

Story:
Just a revenge quest, nothing more, nothing less.

Characters:
Each character can be boiled down to 1 character trait like small horny guy, the one non-corrupt cop, and "my family's dead what do I do"
...
Animation/action:
Knowing that this was being done by Sung-hoo Park, with his own studio no less, I was expecting top tier fight scenes. To give the show credit, the first few episodes were exactly that, which allowed me to look over the lackluster plot to at least have a feast for the eyes. But as it stands now, since the show has decided to abandon the hand-to-hand in favor of ninja mechs, now the fight scenes are just CG models slamming into each other. The villains having mechs is one thing, but as soon as Higan gets his own, which is of course the strongest mech ever, the battles become less interesting. I want to see this man fight the odds and use his own skill to take down these mechs, instead of just getting a mech himself

Conclusion:
While this show could have been okay, the shoe-horned sci-fi elements act towards the show detriment. If you are looking for something to watch, there are many other shows that deserve your time over this.

This show is awesome. Animation and fights are top notch. Most the reviews on here are weird people honestly. The show has a score near 8 so the studio clearly made content appealing to their target audience and the reviewers on this site are generally out of touch. If you like action, adult content, and great fight animation you have it all. It's a Ninja Gaiden classic story being remade. Haters gone hate.

Story: Dope action revenge Ninja Gaiden story being retold.
Animation: Amazing art style, fluid animation, great fights
Chatacter: Badass, Adult MC
Audience and Content: Mature, Seinen

For whatever reason to write a review I need ... to use more words even though I described most the suggestions. So I'm writing more words here even though this stipulation is redundant garbage. So here it is again.....

Story: Dope action revenge Ninja Gaiden story being retold.
Animation: Amazing art style, fluid animation, great fights
Chatacter: Badass, Adult MC
Audience and Content: Mature, Seinen

I paused at least 3 times in the first few episodes and said "I don't like that this happened just to further the plot". If you think too hard, the show falls apart but if you just put it in the background and tune in for the action scenes it was quite stunning. The music also fully in English is something I'm going to listen to far after the show is finished. This is an afternoon action slop show.

The worst part of the show is the fights have no arc and we NEVER hear what's inside the main character's head or their reaction through their ... super suit. He wins because he's cooler, and has cool techniques. He doesn't get stronger through the fights, he doesn't learn anything through the fight scenes. It's just a pretty distraction away from the mediocre mystery plot.

Most of the show is built around the action scenes, foreshadowing and giving minimal context on who's next. It's a very Mario-like story where you gotta fight all the different Bowser Jrs, and they're all a bit quirky but nothing beyond that. It's actually kinda unique that we don't hear any person's thoughts at all across the entire series. We can only see their expressions and flashbacks, we actually know less than the characters do.

The best part of the show outside the eye candy is the unraveling of who the characters are. We slowly learn their motivations and we are surprised at the same time the characters are surprised when an insider is revealed or a betrayal happens. I feel like if I watched the show in reverse it would've been a little.. Better? Things make a bit more sense as we learn more, but the production didn't have the patience that other shows have. We slowly learn about the CEO, the Secret Society, and other side characters. But we spend too much time setting up the big action scenes that they don't get any breathing room.

Overall, the writing is mediocre at best, there are no clear good or bad guys. If you took this premise and let it cook for another year with more episodes it could've turned a lot closer to a noir ninja flick where nobody is in the right. They all have an obvious good belief and bad execution/interpretation of that belief (other than the first 2 "villains"). I won't spoil anything, but pay attention to everyone's primary goals and then see how they execute those goals.

I think the ultimate message of the show unironically is when you have differences, fight it out and the winner gets to decide who's right. I suppose "family makes us stronger" and the power of friendship but those are not expressed in the most pivotal moments of the show... They're backdrops to the former message. It's def a brainless action movie kind of show, but I believe you'd have a better time with other shonen such as early RWBY, Jujutsu Kaisen, or Demon Slayer.

Flashy fights with everything else below standard.

Story 5/10
The protagonist is out for revenge. That's the story. Mostly a setup for crazy action sequences.

Art 8/10
The art style is reminiscent of American cartoons, which might be a turnoff for some. The main focus of the series is action and, boy, do they deliver on that front. The action is amazing animation wise, but lacks buildup leaving fights feeling meaningless. If you keep an eye out, you'll catch a fair amount of slightly funny looking shots, but regardless the animation is really promising. With a little more honing there will be nothing left to complain about.

Sound 4/10
Environmental sounds ... and music are both great, but the most important part of sound, voice acting, is just poor most of the time. From not so good voice acting to bad sound quality. Some lines are just hard to listen to, the sound quality is so bad. As if they recorded inside a barrel.

Characters 4/10
No personality to most characters. The series is so action-driven, they completely disregarded writing characters.

Enjoyment 7/10
So much action that it's impossible to get bored. Turn your brain off and watch for the action. Paying attention to the plot or characters can only worsen your experience.

Overall 6/10
Not great, but worth the watch for the action alone. If you're in for anything more than mindless action, don't bother with this series.

This is my first review and I will make it simple.

First episodes are top tier in term of animation, characters, emotions, and the opening is awesome.

Then the quality drop very badly, the events dont make any sense, animation became poor and character developpement should be called character regression.

I will watch the 2 last episodes when they come out but exept for the first episode and the second the rest is a waste of time and a big disapointment.

Is the story unique? If it was predictable, did you enjoy it anyway because you like this genre/set-up?
Story not unique at all, could be really good but is ... completly wasted.

Do you think the art style is fitting for the story?
Yes, and the usage of CGU makes sense, maybe it's the only point that makes sense in this anime.

Were the characters well-rounded? Did they have flaws and strengths, or were they unusually strong/smart/stupid?
They seems to be at the start, but the more information we got the more obvious we can say that they were not.

Did the characters react to situations and events in a realistic way?
First yes, and we quickly start to question it and latter it's obvious that the choice made by the characters are really stupid.

Do you think others will enjoy/dislike this series, even if you didn't? Why?
I dont think anyone will like a good starting anime become garbage in every way possible.

DONT FALL FOR IT ITS A MECHA ANIME.
Lets keep the review short. The anime got potential atleast the first few episodes. What a start, you can feel the budget. It could have been thhe first anime jhon wick but IF, If it could have hold its story as same as those first four episodes.It Littrely got changed from godly hand to hand combat ninja anime to mecha anime like gundam (i hate mecha anime, eveligon,gundam every oneof them).Didnt liked the side characters that much, the fbi spy girl was interesting but they killed her very soon(unless the whole anime will be ending in 1 ... season). too much hollywood vibe, feels like an Netflix animated show more than a Japanese anime although i dont think its bad as long as the story is good. But the story gets preety boring soon.the fight in episode 11 was the biggest letdown ever. Its like they poured every budget in first 3 episode then gone bankrupt.

First things first, If you don't know who the director of this anime is then I'll let you know.
His name is Sunghoo park, most notably known for directing the amazingly choreographed fight scenes in Jujutsu Kaisen among other stuff. So I decided to watch this with that in mind. This guy has so much raw talent, it's insane. He needs to be appreciated more.

Now on to the review.

Story : The first episode is one of the best premiere episodes I've seen in recent memory or even in the past year, It just throws everything all at you and hooks you in! I seriously was not ... expecting the story to be this engaging from the get-go. I assumed it's gonna be a run of the mill spy/assassin esque story but it actually has several exciting elements like who is the main character and why is he so good at what he does. The story kind of reminds me of John wick, atleast the starting portion. Go into this blind and I won't spoil anything for you.

Animation/Art : Now this is where the anime truly shines, the background art is superb and it blends so well with the action scenes. The thing that blew me away with this anime is the fluid blending of action and non action scenes. Usually when an anime has an action scene or Sakuga scene, you can tell from the different outlines and art but here it's not visiblly apparent and it just comes at you out of nowhere. This makes for such a refreshing experience that I haven't experienced much. Top tier really, nothing much to say.
Soundtrack/Music : The music is also surprisingly well suited for this type of anime. On top of that, The opening is done by Coldrain which is amazing band known for their rock and metal songs.

All in all, This is a very surprising out of nowhere anime that Toonami decided to produce and it deserves more attention than it's getting right now. It has high production values and a stellar staff, So it's in safe hands.

As of right now, The anime is a very easy 8/10 but this rating may or may not change depending on how the rest of the show goes.

Thanks for reading!

The first impression of this movie, not an anime, is it’s like watching a cinema at a theater. Detailed depictions of persons and surroundings including the background are realistic at an appropriate level, and especially the descriptive pictures in the motions are outstanding. The action scenes appear like those captured by the high-speed cameras surrounding the characters in the fight. As a consequence, these scenes deliver the fighting energy to the audiences. It is hard to depict the fighting energy in the motion pictures, and there are rare shows delivering the fighting energy.

The second impression is its speedy pace in storytelling, including places of the ... scene adequate to the storytelling. The places the protagonist is heading are where his fury is heading to. The protagonist is seeking the enemies to revenge and he visits people in the seeking of the enemies, and this storytelling is so speedy that the audience have little time to do something other than watching an episode before the episode finishes.

The third impression is from its sound effects and music. These also make this movie close to a cinema at a theater. Exact timings of sound effects composes the realism in the action scenes and appropriate background music excites the fever in the fight. Theme songs are also at a high quality. The motion pictures, sound effects and themes songs comprise this movie, not just an anime.

This movie appeals to the masculine ones in the all ages, and would emerge as a new genre in the movies.

The first 4 episodes - what an adrenaline rush! Thrilling fighting scenes, shaky camera, and splashes of blood everywhere. But that's about it. With all the violence stripped away, the main plot of Ninja Kamui was just a clichéd revenge story weaved in some bigger conspiracies.

It's easy to see which audience this anime is target for. From theme to characters, everything screams deja vu. Is it Ninja Slayer? Or maybe John Wick? It doesn’t matter - any of the characters showing up could be traced to a number of prototypes.

The biggest shortcoming of this anime is that it still harbored the ambition to tell a ... complicated and cool story. Unfortunately, when the creators tried to cram too many elements and parties into a story, it’d be too easy to gloss over details, or fail to explain the logic clearly. Even those impressive fighting scenes, which were supposed to be a highlight of the anime, “elevated” to some high-tech version when the story progressed - and they just didn’t look as exciting.

Soon after finishing this anime, I might completely forget what the plot was about and why the characters were fighting. It's a good time-killer, but not worth watching if you are looking for a persuasive story.

It is almost a masterpiece from the very first episode.

The story is not unique if we address it to the cliché: "character seeking revenge", but as the plot develops, it can become unique. The plot may seem cliché in theory, but the animations are up to the task of making it interesting.

The artistic style is at the top. The animations are of a high standard, as are the accompanying sounds. I really enjoy watching the fights.

As the episodes go on you see more character development. It's worth watching. If you like Samurai Champloo, you'll probably like Ninja Kamui.

The story is pretty straightforward, with quite a few cliches, and most of the twists ( so far) are quite predictable. The characters don't have a lot of depth, but the action and soundtrack elevate the overall experience, thus I have found myself entertained enough to finish all released episodes so far.

It's a bit of a shame that the story, setting, and ninja lore with its blend of sci-fi aren't expanded on more ( so far). This story HAD the potential to be much better, despite its cliches. E.g. a dangerous man's family gets brutally murdered and he embarks on a journey of blood and ... carnage to avenge them (The cliches matter little if the execution is good and gets you invested in the story and characters, IMO)

Nonetheless, if you're just looking for a good action anime with a cool soundtrack and some gore, then I recommend it.

If you're looking for something deeper, intricate, and complex in terms of storytelling and characters, this might not be for you.


Personally: I'd recommend it. (Raising my score from a 6-Fine- to a 7-Good- because the music is bangers and helps get you pumped up for the action sequences)

Objectively, as a reviewer: readers of this review might have mixed feelings over this series.

This anime has a unique style and is spicy, unlike what we see in usual anime.

Story: The plot and storytelling are logical and reliable in relation to the situation, and the direction is also well made. Although we don't get to watch a good ninja show, this anime has the potential to meet your expectations.

Art: Its very good and well made.
Sound: good and well made, related to the time.
Character: Although characters are well made, their expressions are not as good as you would expect, and their backstory is like half baked. and like this anime is circling around some people only, you will not get ... to see more surrounding characters, maybe.

Personal enjoyment: I have enjoyed well one of the good anime I have seen.

Ninja Kamui so far has been an interesting ride. I'll open this by saying the first episode was abysmal, I could not for the life of me understand why it was rated so high and its score seemed to confirm the idea that as long as the fight scenes are flashy and loud then a show does not need any more substance than that to do well. It was predictable to the point that it was insulting to view. It also didn't help that they condensed what ostensibly should have been the entire first episode into a 3 minute montage not allowing the viewer to ... attach themselves to the MCs struggle adequately just for some shock value and so they could squeeze another fight in at the end to keep the monkey brains interested.

Now with that being said, episodes 2 and 3 seemingly turn this on its head and grant the series a much needed mystery hook as well as genuinely compelling motivations for its cast allowing the view to ask questions that the first episode did not such as “how did this world come to be”, “Why do these people choose to abandon their way of life to hide in constant danger” and “Who is pulling the strings and to what end?” The turn around is not only impressive but makes me wonder if episode one's poor pacing issues and lack of interesting drive was due to corporate meddling by adult swim and not lack of writing talent by the staff at Sola entertainment.

So long as the quality of that mystery and script continue to be held at that displayed during these past two episodes then Ninja Kamui could be an easy recommend for a brand new up and coming studio but if I am proven wrong by my assumption and that first episode becomes the standard for the majority of the season then it will be a shame that a seemingly compelling narrative would be undercut but unfortunate mistakes.

As a final point, if someone tries to describe this show either to recommend or disparage it as “Anime John Wick with Ninjas” you really should just disregard their opinion because they clearly don't understand what John Wick is about outside of “Angry cool guy gets revenge” which Is not only reductive but completely ignores core aspects of each ones characterization for no more than a cheap comparison

What happens when you combine a talented director known for his expertise in crafting compelling fight scenes with a substantial budget, but neglect to develop a coherent script? the result is Ninja Kamui.

However, this anime reflects a broader trend in the industry, where some newer talents mistakenly believe that dazzling animation alone can elevate their work above established classics like Naruto and Bleach and this perspective is deeply flawed.

Anime enthusiasts are drawn to captivating narratives and character development, not just visually stunning fight sequences. We were captivated by Naruto's journey to become Hokage, Ichigo's exploration of his dual life as a soul reaper, and ... Luffy's quest to become the Pirate King.

Ninja Kamui's narrative follows a generic revenge plot reminiscent of Kill Bill. It raises the question of whether Kill Bill would have been more effective as a series rather than a film franchise and that answer is NO. Ninja Kamui's stretched-out storyline suggests a narrative that was intended for a film but expanded into a series, likely to capitalize on streaming revenue.

However, the true core issue of all this lies in the industry's growing emphasis on budget over storytelling. This shift mirrors Hollywood's trajectory, where spectacle often is used to hide substance. Is anime destined for a similar fate? Only time will tell. Yet, Ninja Kamui epitomizes the forgettable nature of many contemporary Hollywood productions. It offers little substance and fails to leave a lasting impression.

If you're drawn to flashy visuals without regard for depth, Ninja Kamui may appeal to you. However, its lack of substance ensures it will fade from memory quickly, much like many modern Hollywood films.

TL;DR: John Wick the anime with ninjas.

The first episode was somewhat promising, but after that it became clear, that this is a low effort hack-and-slash anime, whit a massive budget spent on animation quality.

It's the similar type of rubish, what we can see in Demon Slayer, but at least in this one, the story is trying to remain true to it's genre.

If you're the type of person, who can be decieved with smokes and mirrors, than this anime will most likely entertain you for 3-4 hours. But after that, you will not even remember watching it, because it's just that generic.