Anime comedy series are known for being over the top, wild and zany. From Excel Saga to FLCL, there’s an ever-present trend of non-subtle humor,
and adding to that extensive list is Ninja Nonsense.
Taking place in the present day, but harking back to the days of ninjas, we
follow Shinobu, a young female ninja in training who’s trying to become a full
fledged ninja.
Her master, the nefarious Onsokumaru, is possibly the most perverted green man
blob thing ever, and he’s constantly getting not only himself but all his
other ninja underlings into precarious situations. Very strange and often perverted situations…
Review: Ninja Nonsense
Not trying to hide its true identity for long, the series starts off with
Shinobu on a mission to steal panties from a number of select girls in the
area, a mission to not only test her ninja skills, but to get Onsokumaru some
panties.
It’s on this mission that Shinobu meets Kaede, an innocent high school girl
who, after the panties stealing mishap, becomes fast friends with her.
While Shinobu’s a tad naïve to Onsokumaru’s schemes and trickery, Kaede is
keenly aware and always at the ready to foil whatever perverted design he can
come up with.
While an eternal annoyance to Onsokumaru, nothing short of death will stop him
from his goals and ambitions, most of which circle around seeing girls naked,
an aspiration I’m sure most guys can appreciate.
In addition to setting up the requisite perverse scenarios that will take
place throughout, the first episode also gives us a taste of everything else
to come; spot on comedy bits, intermittent fan service, sexual innuendo, and a
raunchier facet to much of the humor that may or may not be your cup of tea.
When Onsokumaru attacks Shinobu with a flip book of a “guy taking a shit in
reverse”, take heed, it is a prelude of things to come.
The most surprising thing about Ninja Nonsense is just how funny its almost
incessant stream of jokes turns out.
I’ve almost never seen a laugh-a-minute anime title that I have liked, FMP!
Fumoffu notwithstanding, but now I have another.
Most of the praise for this development has to go to Onsokumaru, whose
depraved schemes and manly man personality combine for one of the funniest
characters out there.
To be sure, Shinobu and the rest of the cast contribute to the success of the
series, but whenever Onsokumaru comes on screen, you just know you’re going to
have fun. In an effort to keep the material from going stale, every
episode is separated into two parts, each of which is usually a completely
self contained story.
While this keeps the series for dragging its heels too much over its twelve
episodes, people looking for anything deep should steer clear.
With such a focus in the humorous side of things rather than a driving
storyline, there is neither much plot nor character development present.
Ninja Nonsense is out for laughs, and while it may have the occasional
dramatic moment, they are few and far between.
When they are present, such moments are typically between Shinobu and Kaede as
a way to further expand upon some shoujo-ai (lesbian) undertones, with
Shinobu having fallen in love with Kaede, and Kaede being more or less
oblivious to it.
With so many little ten minute shorts, the quality between them ends up
varying quite a bit. There’s a mixture standard fare stories seen in most anime series and
especially comedies, such as the hot springs or cultural festival episodes.
These get added their own Ninja Nonsense flare, but really don’t bring
anything new to the table. There are a few original gems in there though, like when all the ninjas are
plant jumping and Shinobu has cultivated an evil everything-eating plant that
consumes animals, electronics and people alike. It just takes her a while to figure it out.
Whacky and out-there plotlines are when Ninja Nonsense is at its best, and
it’s own special blend of perverted flavor make it a special treat for those
who go for that sort of thing.
I have to give the English dub credit on this one; they really pull it off
well. Not only with the actual voices, which are tricky for these breakneck comedy
series, but with how well they keep the humor flowing, even if they do
sometimes depart from the original.
The character designs, specifically with regards to the women, are done in a
softer, rounder style, which lends a more childish look to them. With suggestive themes and bits of nudity, it’s not the most accurate
portrayal but doesn’t look bad to be sure.
Shinobu is especially adorable when going through the gauntlet of emotions,
Kaede a bit less...
The animation achieves about what’s needed for the series to succeed, but not
much else. One can’t expect anything too amazing from a comedy series.
Ninja Nonsense is a non-stop comedy fest, and while the adrenalin rarely
ceases, it keeps itself surprisingly funny throughout.
Mostly thanks to Onsokumaru who truly carries the series on his green,
shapeless, and wholly nonexistent shoulders.
While I may not be the biggest anime comedy fan out there, Ninja Nonsense was
able to entertain even me. Best consumed in smaller doses if you wish to retain your sanity though.
Related Articles:
Ninja Nonsense (Ninin ga Shinobuden) | |
| Genre | Comedy |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 12 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Jul 10, 2004 to Sep 25, 2004 |
| Producers | Toshiba Entertainment, Happinet Pictures |
| Studio | ufotable |
| Rating | R - 17+ (violence & profanity) |
| Themes | Martial Arts, Parody |
0 comments
Post a Comment