Ninja Scroll: The Series
Encyclopedia
is a 2003 Japan
ese animated
television series based on Yoshiaki Kawajiri
's Ninja Scroll
. The series is directed by Tatsuo Sato
and animated by Madhouse Studios.
is the protagonist
of the show. He is a wandering vagabond ninja who wants nothing to do but rest until one day, he got himself involved in a battle between the Hiruko and the Kimon Clan. Later, one of the Hiruko Clan members gave him a Dragon Stone in which he must give it to the light maiden, Shigure. Now he is on an adventure to give the Dragon Stone to Shigure and to protect her from both the Hiruko and the Kimon Clan.
Shigure
All her life, has lived in the mountains until her village was burnt to the ground by the Kimon Clan. Lost and confused, she doesn't know what to do until she meets up with Dakuan and Tsubute and realizes that she must go to the village of Yagyu. Shigure is known as the Light Maiden and is highly treasured by her fellow people.
Tsubute
is a sneaky mountain thief who ends up tagging along with Dakuan and Shigure and he tries to steal the Dragon Stone whenever he can.
Dakuan
One day, bumps into Shigure and Tsubute and decides to help them both when, in reality, he also wants the Dragon Stone for his own reason.
Mufu is the leader of the Hiruko Clan who is rebelling against the Kimon Clan. When the Dragon Stone was stolen, he sends his Clan to find it and to take it back from Jubei.
Rouga
Rouga is a tragic shinobi that wears an iron mask. He is the one responsible for stealing the Dragon Stone from the Hiruko to give to the light maiden. He fails in his quest but is able to give the stone to Jubei for safekeeping. He has werewolf-like abilities, his full transformation occurring when he removes his mask. He is killed during the Kimon clan's assault on Shigure's village by Ubume's rodents.
Mozuku
Mozuku is a shinobi with green skin and a specialized gland on his forehead that spews a thick spiderweb substance. He was sent after Roga to retrieve the Dragon Stone but attacked by the Kimon ninja instead. He was killed by Ubume's rodents.
Nekome
Nekome is a maliciously playful kunoichi with feline-like feet and claws. She attacks Jubei in an attempt to recapture the Dragon Stone, unaware that Roga entrusted it to him. She is defeated in battle by Jubei.
Nubatama
Nubatama is a coquettish kunoichi with long dark hair that she can manipulate freely to attack her enemies. She first tries to seduce Jyashi who spurns her advances and is then run through from behind by Rengoku. She survives, however, only to return and be slain in battle by Rengoku.
Azame
Azame is a surreptitious kunoichi who can extend her limbs into root-like appendages which she can use as weapons as well as merge with the surrounding flora to manipulate their root systems. She works covertly from a safe distance using the roots to attack her opponents. She manages to steal the Dragon Stone from Jubei but splits it into two halves in the process. She retains one half but loses it later to Kitsunebi. She is attacked and wounded by Kawahori and dies, but not before giving Jubei half of the Dragon Stone.
Hakurou
Hakurou is a venomous shinobi with a body covered in reptile scales and a lizard-like face. His skin is thick enough to withstand an attack from Jubei. His back is covered with spines that he can rapid fire at his opponent. Jubei kills him by ramming his sword down his throat.
Nenmu
Nenmu is a bodiless shinobi that exists as only a single eye and a purple ooze-like substance. He gains possession of a host by forcefully invading his victim's body and taking control, living on even after they die. He takes possession of a number of travelers taking refuge from the rain along with Jubei. One of the travelers, a mother traveling with her son, is possessed but gains some control and walks into a fire killing Nenmu.
Zoufu
Zoufu is a self-possessed shinobi with a skill in swordsmanship equal to Jubei's. He has a monstrous parasite that has lived in his abdomen most, if not all, of his life. He has tried numerous times to kill the beast by coaxing it out by putting his life in danger, as the creature always comes to his aid during battle to preserve its host. His duel with Jubei leads to him finally killing the beast only to realize that its death meant his own as well.
Rokai
Rokai is an exuberant shinobi with a voracious appetite and an effeminate disposition. He was imprisoned by his own clan, perhaps for being so annoying, but escaped to find Shigure, the light maiden. He has the ability to expand his squat frame into a massively obese grub-like form. He is killed by Yamidoro while trying to protect Jubei.
Mokuji
Mokuji is an infant sized shinobi that lives stuffed in the mouth of Ashizo, a big, green dumb shinobi. Mokuji seems to be the brains whereas Ashizo is the brawn. Ashizo is run through by ninja under the spell of Utsushiei, then decapitated. Mokuji is left defenseless and is stabbed by Utsushiei disguised as Shigure.
Anden Yamidoro is the leader of the Kimon Clan who wants to overthrow the Hiruko Clan. He wants the Dragon Stone so he can use its fortune to overtake the shogun. He is later revealed to be the brother of Mufu, leader of the Hiruko clan. Yamidoro and Mufu are identical twins who reside in what is later revealed to be robotic bodies.
Yamikubo
Yamikubo is Yamidoro's master who wishes to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate by using the fortune of the Dragon Stone.
Magai
Magai is a diminutive shinobi that wields a giant spear; attached is a peddle-powered umbrella that spins and flies like a helicopter. While trying to steal the Dragon Stone from Rouga, he is cut down by Jubei.
Ubume
Ubume is a malevolent kunoichi with a body of semi-metamorphing flesh. Her son, Yadorigi is melded with her body and can come to the surface to form his own tiny body. Also melded with her body is a small army of razor-sharp toothed rodents that can freely attack her opponent as well as merge into one giant rodent. She carries a flaming thorn whip. She attempts to steal the Dragon Stone from Roga, but is scared off by Jubei's intervention. She later returns to attack Shigure's village, only to be slain by Jubei, which also causes the deaths of Yadorigi and her rodents.
Jyashi
Jyashi is a stolid shinobi who carries a katana and has a specialized eye socket that houses a hypnosis device that transports his opponents to an illusory world. He can also take an eye from a corpse and place it within his eye socket to see its final images. His left arm is mechanical and has an automatic launcher that fires arrows at a tremendous rate. He is the brother of Rengoku.
Rengoku
Rengoku is a mysterious kunoichi with a unique body and talent for self-surgery
. Rengoku can sew replacement or extra body parts to herself. She has four arms and a variety of stitch patterns across her body. Her arms stretch out to resemble spindly spider legs and she is viewed as a monster by local villagers. She is obsessed with her brother to the point of incest. His death sent her on a path of vengeance toward Jubei, instead of focusing on collecting the Dragon Stone. She is killed by Yamidoro, while in her madness mistaking him for Jyashi.
Kitsunebi
Kitsunebi is a blood thirsty shinobi that possesses a semi-transparent glass-like body, through which a blue flame can be seen in his chest. He is capable of controlling a swarm of moths that sprinkle a sleeping powder on his enemies. With concentration and mysticism he calls forth a giant moth composed of red energy. Like many of the ninja, he has a wicked personality, exhibited in his attempted rape of Azami. He is killed by Jubei in a sulfur pit in which his moths were repelled.
Tobizaru
Tobizaru is a shinobi with a baboon-like appearance. He commands a horde of lesser monkey ninja. He uses strange angled swords as well as retractable wrist mounted straight swords. He is actually much smaller than he first appears, as he wears an anthropomorphic mechanical suit which just shows his head. He is killed by an explosion caused by Yamidoro in an attempt to kill Jubei.
Gouten
Gouten appears to be an inhumanly massive shinobi that wears tank-like armor and carries two giant clubs that act as wheels on which he rolls like a car. On his back are four mounted flamethrowers. All this is a façade, though, as Gouten is actually a normal sized ninja that drives the enormous body like a tank. He also controls a little mechanical girl that acts as a spy, and a mechanical bird that acts as a messenger. He is killed by a trick of Dakuan's that resulted in him falling to the bottom of a lake where he drowned, unable to escape in time.
Aizen
Aizen is a manipulative shinobi who has a golden rifle in place of his right arm. He tries to convince Tatsunosuke into joining the Kimon clan. He is killed when Jubei flings his sword into Aizen's forehead.
Kawahori
Kawahori is a snide shinobi that has gray skin and white hair, complete with pointed ears and fangs. He has a pair of mechanical bat wings granting him flight, and he controls a colony of bats that he uses to enshroud his opponent. He is killed by Jubei while attempting to steal the second half of the Dragon Stone from Azami.
Utsushiei
Utsushiei is a conniving kunoichi with a shape shifting ability. She has special acupuncture pins she places into the necks of others that allows her to control their minds. She also has the ability to take the form of others by manipulating her own flesh. She is killed by Yamidoro in his attempt to send Jubei into a volcano.
Tatsunosuke, calling himself Mr. Diamond, is a thief that cannot do anything right. He later meets up with Tsubute and they become friends. He is totally useless when he is hungry.
Yayoi
Yayoi is Tatsunosuke's sister. While her brother is out, she grows vegetables so that they will not go hungry. She considers her brother useless since he cannot do anything right.
Yagyu Renya
Yagyu Renya is a government ninja who was sent to find Shigure and collect the Dragon Stone. He is cold-blooded and doesn't care if his men die before him.
Genza
Genza is a man who looks after Shigure while she lives in the hidden village. Despite Shigure trying to prove she isn't a child, he still treats her like one.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese animated
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series based on Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Yoshiaki Kawajiri
is a critically acclaimed writer and director of Japanese animation. He is the creator of titles such as Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.-Career:...
's Ninja Scroll
Ninja Scroll
is a 1993 Japanese animated action thriller film set in feudal Japan, written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri who was best known for his previous thriller Wicked City . The character designs were done by Yutaka Minowa. The movie is in homage to the Ninpōchō series, ninja novels by Futaro Yamada...
. The series is directed by Tatsuo Sato
Tatsuo Sato (director)
' is a Japanese anime director most famous for Martian Successor Nadesico.- Works :* Martian Successor Nadesico* Cat Soup* Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars* Stellvia* Ninja Scroll: The Series* Tokyo Tribe 2...
and animated by Madhouse Studios.
Plot
The story takes place in feudal Japan and follows the adventures of Jubei Kibagami, a mercenary ninja who is given a duty to guard the Dragon Stone and to protect the Priestess of Light (Shigure) from the Hiruko Clan and the Kimon Shu. He is aided by the government spy Dakuan and the thief Tsubute.Main characters
Jubei Kibagamiis the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the show. He is a wandering vagabond ninja who wants nothing to do but rest until one day, he got himself involved in a battle between the Hiruko and the Kimon Clan. Later, one of the Hiruko Clan members gave him a Dragon Stone in which he must give it to the light maiden, Shigure. Now he is on an adventure to give the Dragon Stone to Shigure and to protect her from both the Hiruko and the Kimon Clan.
Shigure
All her life, has lived in the mountains until her village was burnt to the ground by the Kimon Clan. Lost and confused, she doesn't know what to do until she meets up with Dakuan and Tsubute and realizes that she must go to the village of Yagyu. Shigure is known as the Light Maiden and is highly treasured by her fellow people.
Tsubute
is a sneaky mountain thief who ends up tagging along with Dakuan and Shigure and he tries to steal the Dragon Stone whenever he can.
Dakuan
One day, bumps into Shigure and Tsubute and decides to help them both when, in reality, he also wants the Dragon Stone for his own reason.
The Hiruko Clan
MufuMufu is the leader of the Hiruko Clan who is rebelling against the Kimon Clan. When the Dragon Stone was stolen, he sends his Clan to find it and to take it back from Jubei.
Rouga
Rouga is a tragic shinobi that wears an iron mask. He is the one responsible for stealing the Dragon Stone from the Hiruko to give to the light maiden. He fails in his quest but is able to give the stone to Jubei for safekeeping. He has werewolf-like abilities, his full transformation occurring when he removes his mask. He is killed during the Kimon clan's assault on Shigure's village by Ubume's rodents.
Mozuku
Mozuku is a shinobi with green skin and a specialized gland on his forehead that spews a thick spiderweb substance. He was sent after Roga to retrieve the Dragon Stone but attacked by the Kimon ninja instead. He was killed by Ubume's rodents.
Nekome
Nekome is a maliciously playful kunoichi with feline-like feet and claws. She attacks Jubei in an attempt to recapture the Dragon Stone, unaware that Roga entrusted it to him. She is defeated in battle by Jubei.
Nubatama
Nubatama is a coquettish kunoichi with long dark hair that she can manipulate freely to attack her enemies. She first tries to seduce Jyashi who spurns her advances and is then run through from behind by Rengoku. She survives, however, only to return and be slain in battle by Rengoku.
Azame
Azame is a surreptitious kunoichi who can extend her limbs into root-like appendages which she can use as weapons as well as merge with the surrounding flora to manipulate their root systems. She works covertly from a safe distance using the roots to attack her opponents. She manages to steal the Dragon Stone from Jubei but splits it into two halves in the process. She retains one half but loses it later to Kitsunebi. She is attacked and wounded by Kawahori and dies, but not before giving Jubei half of the Dragon Stone.
Hakurou
Hakurou is a venomous shinobi with a body covered in reptile scales and a lizard-like face. His skin is thick enough to withstand an attack from Jubei. His back is covered with spines that he can rapid fire at his opponent. Jubei kills him by ramming his sword down his throat.
Nenmu
Nenmu is a bodiless shinobi that exists as only a single eye and a purple ooze-like substance. He gains possession of a host by forcefully invading his victim's body and taking control, living on even after they die. He takes possession of a number of travelers taking refuge from the rain along with Jubei. One of the travelers, a mother traveling with her son, is possessed but gains some control and walks into a fire killing Nenmu.
Zoufu
Zoufu is a self-possessed shinobi with a skill in swordsmanship equal to Jubei's. He has a monstrous parasite that has lived in his abdomen most, if not all, of his life. He has tried numerous times to kill the beast by coaxing it out by putting his life in danger, as the creature always comes to his aid during battle to preserve its host. His duel with Jubei leads to him finally killing the beast only to realize that its death meant his own as well.
Rokai
Rokai is an exuberant shinobi with a voracious appetite and an effeminate disposition. He was imprisoned by his own clan, perhaps for being so annoying, but escaped to find Shigure, the light maiden. He has the ability to expand his squat frame into a massively obese grub-like form. He is killed by Yamidoro while trying to protect Jubei.
Mokuji
Mokuji is an infant sized shinobi that lives stuffed in the mouth of Ashizo, a big, green dumb shinobi. Mokuji seems to be the brains whereas Ashizo is the brawn. Ashizo is run through by ninja under the spell of Utsushiei, then decapitated. Mokuji is left defenseless and is stabbed by Utsushiei disguised as Shigure.
The Kimon Clan
Anden YamidoroAnden Yamidoro is the leader of the Kimon Clan who wants to overthrow the Hiruko Clan. He wants the Dragon Stone so he can use its fortune to overtake the shogun. He is later revealed to be the brother of Mufu, leader of the Hiruko clan. Yamidoro and Mufu are identical twins who reside in what is later revealed to be robotic bodies.
Yamikubo
Yamikubo is Yamidoro's master who wishes to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate by using the fortune of the Dragon Stone.
Magai
Magai is a diminutive shinobi that wields a giant spear; attached is a peddle-powered umbrella that spins and flies like a helicopter. While trying to steal the Dragon Stone from Rouga, he is cut down by Jubei.
Ubume
Ubume is a malevolent kunoichi with a body of semi-metamorphing flesh. Her son, Yadorigi is melded with her body and can come to the surface to form his own tiny body. Also melded with her body is a small army of razor-sharp toothed rodents that can freely attack her opponent as well as merge into one giant rodent. She carries a flaming thorn whip. She attempts to steal the Dragon Stone from Roga, but is scared off by Jubei's intervention. She later returns to attack Shigure's village, only to be slain by Jubei, which also causes the deaths of Yadorigi and her rodents.
Jyashi
Jyashi is a stolid shinobi who carries a katana and has a specialized eye socket that houses a hypnosis device that transports his opponents to an illusory world. He can also take an eye from a corpse and place it within his eye socket to see its final images. His left arm is mechanical and has an automatic launcher that fires arrows at a tremendous rate. He is the brother of Rengoku.
Rengoku
Rengoku is a mysterious kunoichi with a unique body and talent for self-surgery
Self-surgery
Self-surgery is the act of performing a surgical procedure on oneself. It can be a rare manifestation of a psychological disorder, an attempt to avoid embarrassment or legal action, or an act taken in extreme circumstances out of necessity.- Genital :...
. Rengoku can sew replacement or extra body parts to herself. She has four arms and a variety of stitch patterns across her body. Her arms stretch out to resemble spindly spider legs and she is viewed as a monster by local villagers. She is obsessed with her brother to the point of incest. His death sent her on a path of vengeance toward Jubei, instead of focusing on collecting the Dragon Stone. She is killed by Yamidoro, while in her madness mistaking him for Jyashi.
Kitsunebi
Kitsunebi is a blood thirsty shinobi that possesses a semi-transparent glass-like body, through which a blue flame can be seen in his chest. He is capable of controlling a swarm of moths that sprinkle a sleeping powder on his enemies. With concentration and mysticism he calls forth a giant moth composed of red energy. Like many of the ninja, he has a wicked personality, exhibited in his attempted rape of Azami. He is killed by Jubei in a sulfur pit in which his moths were repelled.
Tobizaru
Tobizaru is a shinobi with a baboon-like appearance. He commands a horde of lesser monkey ninja. He uses strange angled swords as well as retractable wrist mounted straight swords. He is actually much smaller than he first appears, as he wears an anthropomorphic mechanical suit which just shows his head. He is killed by an explosion caused by Yamidoro in an attempt to kill Jubei.
Gouten
Gouten appears to be an inhumanly massive shinobi that wears tank-like armor and carries two giant clubs that act as wheels on which he rolls like a car. On his back are four mounted flamethrowers. All this is a façade, though, as Gouten is actually a normal sized ninja that drives the enormous body like a tank. He also controls a little mechanical girl that acts as a spy, and a mechanical bird that acts as a messenger. He is killed by a trick of Dakuan's that resulted in him falling to the bottom of a lake where he drowned, unable to escape in time.
Aizen
Aizen is a manipulative shinobi who has a golden rifle in place of his right arm. He tries to convince Tatsunosuke into joining the Kimon clan. He is killed when Jubei flings his sword into Aizen's forehead.
Kawahori
Kawahori is a snide shinobi that has gray skin and white hair, complete with pointed ears and fangs. He has a pair of mechanical bat wings granting him flight, and he controls a colony of bats that he uses to enshroud his opponent. He is killed by Jubei while attempting to steal the second half of the Dragon Stone from Azami.
Utsushiei
Utsushiei is a conniving kunoichi with a shape shifting ability. She has special acupuncture pins she places into the necks of others that allows her to control their minds. She also has the ability to take the form of others by manipulating her own flesh. She is killed by Yamidoro in his attempt to send Jubei into a volcano.
Other characters
TatsunosukeTatsunosuke, calling himself Mr. Diamond, is a thief that cannot do anything right. He later meets up with Tsubute and they become friends. He is totally useless when he is hungry.
Yayoi
Yayoi is Tatsunosuke's sister. While her brother is out, she grows vegetables so that they will not go hungry. She considers her brother useless since he cannot do anything right.
Yagyu Renya
Yagyu Renya is a government ninja who was sent to find Shigure and collect the Dragon Stone. He is cold-blooded and doesn't care if his men die before him.
Genza
Genza is a man who looks after Shigure while she lives in the hidden village. Despite Shigure trying to prove she isn't a child, he still treats her like one.
Episodes
| # | Title | | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
External links
- Ninja Scroll: Urban Vision Series Official Website (Archived from the original on 2008-06-02)
- Animerica review