Ask John: Whatever Happened to Ninku?

Question:
I really like Ninku and have been interested in it ever since it was bundled together with the first Yu Yu Hakusho movie on [American] DVD. It’s one of the last really big shonen series to never really come to America and that’s always fascinated me. Plus I like old school shonen. However, there’s been very little fansubbing of it and not much viewership of said fansubs. Also, it seems like no anime companies have ever really tried licensing this series at all in any way. Why do you think anime fans and licensing companies have shown so little interest in the series?

Answer:
I consider myself a moderate fan of the 1995 Ninku anime television series. I’ve watched the half-hour long 1996 movie several times, and I’ve watched a number of the series’ 55 TV episodes. I’ve long thought that the relative obscurity of the Ninku anime franchise is a result of the show’s own attributes and the time it was released. The series is too episodic to generate a devoted audience, and too old to gain traction in America. Ninku can be compared to similar shounen adventure anime like Flame of Recca, Zenki, Asobot Senki Goku, Project Arms, Groove Adventure Rave, Black Cat, Busou Renkin, D. Grey-man, and Soul Eater that were successful and even relatively long running but never broke through to become major hits. While successful enough, in many cases, to extend beyond 26 episodes and even get OVAs or short movies, these second tier shounen series never reached the plateau of success attained by breakout hits like Yu Yu Hakusho, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach.

I distinctly remember the Japanese TV anime of 1995. That year was ripe with fantasy themed shounen adventure series including Ninku, Zenki, Gulliver Boy, Eto Rangers, and Gulkeeva. I clearly remember watching untranslated weekly episodes of Rayearth, Gundam W, Street Fighter IIV, Tenchi Muyo, Bakuretsu Hunter, Evangelion, and Virtua Fighter. However, even while the series was on the air, Ninku seemed overlooked. I attribute this lack of devoted interest to the fact that much of the Ninku TV series lacks compelling narrative development. More Americans have doubtlessly watched the Ninku movie than any of the TV episodes since the movie is available on commercial American DVD but none of the TV series has ever been officially released domestically. The TV series is like watching a slightly less well animated version of the movie over and over and over again. The mistaken identity gag resurfaces frequently in the TV series. Practically every episode involves the three heroic ninja meeting then defeating rival of the week ninja. The Ninku TV series doesn’t really utilize the sequential lengthy story arc structure that makes shounen action shows like Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach addicting. The Ninku characters are fun, and the ninja fights are animated pretty well, but practically seeing the same fights every week just gets repetitive after a while. Ninku promises a compelling conflict between the misunderstood wandering ninja trio and the ruling military faction but doesn’t significantly develop that story. The show is fun in small doses but doesn’t encourage much viewer loyalty.

Probably exactly for that reason, Ninku got overshadowed by numerous other contemporary shows that intrigued and captivated viewers to continue watching week after week. The big hits like Rayearth, Tenchi TV, Gundam W, and Evangelion achieved lasting repute. And during the early growth of America’s anime licensing business, these shows and popular titles like Bakuretsu Hunter and Street Fighter were quick to be acquired for domestic release. But Ninku, with it’s distinctly un-cool looking heroes and lack of American awareness didn’t get licensed. As time progressed the series got older and therefore even more unappealing for potential American release. Viz did finally release 1995’s Flame of Recca domestically in 2004, to minimal success. Hirameki’s 2003 domestic release of the 1995 adventure anime Soar High! Isami was an outright flop. During the height of American anime licensing, Ninku was an unknown property with no American audience demand. And it’s a show starring two ordinary looking young men and a goofy looking kid. It doesn’t project an image of “cool” or trendy. It didn’t resonate with American anime viewers in the 90s. It doesn’t seem to interest American anime viewers now. As I mentioned, I like the show. Like, not love. Today’s American anime fans will probably never develop a taste for early ninja anime series like Sasuke (1968) or Ninpu Kamui Gaiden (1969). 80’s ninja anime series including Sasuga no Sarutobi (1982), Iga no Kabamaru (1983), and Kamen no Ninja Akakage (1987) are likely too silly or just too old to interest fans fascinated by contemporary productions. Even modern animation and production values don’t necessarily ensure an American audience; as proven by the obscurity of the 2005 ninja drama Shinshaku Sengoku Eiyuu Densetsu Sanada Juu Yuushi. However, considering the popularity of unconventional ninja anime Naruto and the popularity of shounen adventure anime among American viewers, I don’t think that American otaku may be entirely opposed to watching Ninku. The show will never be a big hit among Americans, and it will probably never get an authorized American commercial release. But some discussion of it in the fan community might encourage some American anime fans to seek it out and give it a try.