Ninku
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese manga
series written and illustrated by Kōji Kiriyama
. The original manga spanned nine tankōbon
volumes and was serialized in Shueisha
's Weekly Shōnen Jump
manga magazine between 1993 to 1995. A second manga titled ran from 1994 to 1995, but restarted in the seinen magazine Ultra Jump
in October 2005, with its sixth tankōbon volume being issued in November 2008. It ranked number 21 among the top-selling manga volumes during the week of its release.
Shortly after its release, Ninku was adapted into an anime
series, produced by Studio Pierrot
and directed by Noriyuki Abe
, spanning 55 episodes and a movie. The anime series, originally run between 1995 to 1996, premiered on the Fuji Television
network, and was broadcast by the anime television network, Animax
, across Japan, Southeast Asia
, South Asia
, and other regions. Geneon Entertainment has released the series in two DVD
boxsets in Japan. The first set containing the initial 28 episodes was released on February 25, 2005 and the second set containing the remaining 27 episodes was released on March 21, 2005.
The anime series spawned a movie in 1996, entitled , which was a "double bill" (the other movie being a YuYu Hakusho
film) release, produced by Pierrot. Media Blasters
's AnimeWorks brand released both movies in their original "double bill" format across North America
in 1998. A DVD version was released in early 2001 as a result of a poll conducted by Media Blasters.
A number of video games based on the series have been released for platforms such as the Game Boy
, Game Gear, Sega Saturn
, and PlayStation
. Jump! Ultimate Stars
, a fighting game
for the Nintendo DS
released in November 2006, has three participants from Ninku, including Fuusuke as a selectable fighter.
and karate
.
It is explained that before the present time in the story that those who could use Ninku were targeted by an evil empire and the Ninku corps were formed to combat the menace. The names of the corps were taken from the twelve Chinese zodiac animals (干支 Eto) and each captain of the corps was called the zodiac animal Ninku master (干支忍 Etonin). Their powers are derived from nature and a specific dragon to their own element, with the Tenkudragon being the almighty master of all the elements. The Ninku were disbanded by their master before the end of the war and as such, the Empire was victorious. After which the Ninku became vilified by the Empire as the perpetrators of the war and made attempts to eliminate any surving members. At the beginning of the story, three years later, Fuusuke, the young former captain of the 1st Ninku corps and controller of the wind and Hiroyuki (ヒロユキ), his flatulent
penguin
, start searching for the other Ninku captains, each of whom can control various elements. However, a new group of Ninku users has arisen and are trying to take over the world. Fuusuke and his penguin must defeat the new Ninku empire with the help of his old comrades.
Techniques
Techniques
FuShabat: Or Air Dessert. Truns the ground into a a tsunami-like state. A high-level Ninku move.
is Fuusuke's pet penguin. He possesses the ability to release explosive farts powerful enough to propel Fuusuke and itself. The stench is described as terrible and can knock others unconscious. Fuusuke considers him a friend and not a pet. He is supernaturally powerful. He is voiced by Katsumi Suzuki
in the Japanese anime.
is Toji's little sister. She was unintentionally rescued by Fuusuke from fake Ninku and, at the time, he was unaware that she is Toji's sister. She desperately wants to meet handsome men and immediately becomes infatuated with Aicho, but has little luck with him. She is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara
in the Japanese anime and by Wendee Lee
in the English dub of the movie.
Kisume: A Former Ninku captain who could command ice. After his fiance was killed during the war he headed out to attack the Empire singlehandedly but was captured and convinced to join the Empire to prevent another war. Later reforms and helps Fuusuke and the others in their final confrontation.
Mekira: A genjutsu expert. She was taken by Kouchin at a very young age and her family was slaughtered by him. Only later does she learn this and turn against him.
Col Ajirada: The sole heir of a martial arts that uses electricity channeled from arm guards into his fists and feet. Later defects after being beaten by Fuusuke.
Gaunin: A subordinate of Colo Ajirada and a self-professed genius. He joins Col Ajirada when he decides to leave the Empire.
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 manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written and illustrated by Kōji Kiriyama
Koji Kiriyama
is a manga artist who created the Ninku series.-External links:...
. The original manga spanned nine tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes and was serialized in Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
's Weekly Shōnen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
manga magazine between 1993 to 1995. A second manga titled ran from 1994 to 1995, but restarted in the seinen magazine Ultra Jump
Ultra Jump
is a Japanese monthly seinen manga magazine published by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. Originally, the magazine was a special issue of Weekly Young Jump which first issued in 1995. On October 19 of 1999, the special issue became the new monthly publication Ultra Jump...
in October 2005, with its sixth tankōbon volume being issued in November 2008. It ranked number 21 among the top-selling manga volumes during the week of its release.
Shortly after its release, Ninku was adapted into an anime
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....
series, produced by Studio Pierrot
Studio Pierrot
is a Japanese animation/animation studio, founded in 1979 by former employees of Tatsunoko Production. Its headquarters is located in Mitaka, Tokyo.The company has a simple logo of the face of a clown...
and directed by Noriyuki Abe
Noriyuki Abe
is a Japanese anime director, storyboard artist, and sound director. He is best known for working with Studio Pierrot on major hits such as Ninku, Flame of Recca, Bleach, and Yu Yu Hakusho...
, spanning 55 episodes and a movie. The anime series, originally run between 1995 to 1996, premiered on the Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
network, and was broadcast by the anime television network, Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
, across Japan, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, and other regions. Geneon Entertainment has released the series in two DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
boxsets in Japan. The first set containing the initial 28 episodes was released on February 25, 2005 and the second set containing the remaining 27 episodes was released on March 21, 2005.
The anime series spawned a movie in 1996, entitled , which was a "double bill" (the other movie being a YuYu Hakusho
YuYu Hakusho
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. The name of the series is spelled YuYu Hakusho in the Viz Media manga and Yu Yu Hakusho in other English distributions of the franchise. The series tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and...
film) release, produced by Pierrot. Media Blasters
Media Blasters
Media Blasters is an entertainment corporation founded by John Sirabella and Sam Liebowitz, based in New York City. They are in the business of licensing, translating, and releasing to the North American market manga compilations and anime and live-action movies and television series to home-video...
's AnimeWorks brand released both movies in their original "double bill" format across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in 1998. A DVD version was released in early 2001 as a result of a poll conducted by Media Blasters.
A number of video games based on the series have been released for platforms such as the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
, Game Gear, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, and PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. Jump! Ultimate Stars
Jump Ultimate Stars
is a fighting video game developed by Ganbarion and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It is the sequel to Jump Super Stars, also released for the DS. The game was released in Japan on November 23, 2006...
, a fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
released in November 2006, has three participants from Ninku, including Fuusuke as a selectable fighter.
Plot
The story in Ninku is about an odd-looking 12-year-old boy named Fuusuke who is a powerful warrior from the Ninku school of martial arts, a style that mixes ninjutsuNinjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
and karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
.
It is explained that before the present time in the story that those who could use Ninku were targeted by an evil empire and the Ninku corps were formed to combat the menace. The names of the corps were taken from the twelve Chinese zodiac animals (干支 Eto) and each captain of the corps was called the zodiac animal Ninku master (干支忍 Etonin). Their powers are derived from nature and a specific dragon to their own element, with the Tenkudragon being the almighty master of all the elements. The Ninku were disbanded by their master before the end of the war and as such, the Empire was victorious. After which the Ninku became vilified by the Empire as the perpetrators of the war and made attempts to eliminate any surving members. At the beginning of the story, three years later, Fuusuke, the young former captain of the 1st Ninku corps and controller of the wind and Hiroyuki (ヒロユキ), his flatulent
Flatulence
Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are byproducts of the digestion process of mammals and other animals. The medical term for the mixture of gases is flatus, informally known as a fart, or simply gas...
penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
, start searching for the other Ninku captains, each of whom can control various elements. However, a new group of Ninku users has arisen and are trying to take over the world. Fuusuke and his penguin must defeat the new Ninku empire with the help of his old comrades.
Characters
- Fuusuke, also called , the main character in the story, is a former captain of the 1st Ninku corps (子忍 Ne-nin, the rat Ninku). With the ability to control wind, Fuusuke searches for other former Ninku after a war with an evil empire. He is voiced by Rica MatsumotoRica Matsumotois a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who was born in Yokohama, Japan. Her name is also sometimes romanized as Rika Matsumoto. She was one of the original members of the popular vocal group JAM Project. After the way of the stage, she embarked on voice acting and a singing career...
in the Japanese anime and by Michelle Moran in the English dub of the movie.
Techniques
- Kuatsuken: Fuusuke's signature move which creates a sphere of air pressure in the users palm and is used in close combat. It is capable of blasting through most kinds of metal and armour and can damage an enemies' internal organs. The technique can also be adapted to propel the user to great distances or to create a shield to forcibly repel all attacks. It was calculated to have a power of 9,320 gigawatts.
- Shouboyo: A genjutsu that usually uses blowing leaves in order to confuse the opponent but it can also use the swinging of a simple nut in a pendulum fashion to confuse an enemy. It can be used against multiple opponents and can paralyse them in some fashion.
- Kushuriken: Uses air in the form of a shuriken in order to cut through steel and most other options. Can be used short range or thrown in twos.
- Fuatsho: translates as wind pressure palm. It creates a strong wind in the users hand capable of repulsing most objects. Or even the user themselves.
- Fubushin: Creates illusionary copies to misdirect the enemy.
- Kunasen: Creates a dangerous hurricane that can also hurt the user. It is a high level Ninku move.
- Aicho, also called , is the former 10th Ninku corps (酉忍 Tori-nin, the rooster Ninku) captain and has extremely strong legs with an attitude to match, enabling him to cover large distances in a single bound and cause big damage on enemy machinery through his techniques. He also hates women, as this can be seen in his attitude towards Toji's sister, who has a crush on him. He also considers Toji an idiot. He is voiced by Mitsuaki MadonoMitsuaki Madonois a voice actor who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes hide a more insidious nature is a voice actor (seiyū) who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes...
in the Japanese anime and by Rudy Luzion in the English dub of the movie.
- Toji, also called , is the former 6th Ninku corps (巳忍 Mi-nin, the snake Ninku) captain specialising in land (ground) attacks and techniques. He owns his own personal plane which he initially dubbed the Hindenburg but he sometimes changes the name to other transport disasters. The Hindenburg usually crash-lands in the beginning of the show as a recurring gag. He is voiced by Juurouta Kosugi in the Japanese anime and by Rob Thomas in the English dub of the movie.
Techniques
FuShabat: Or Air Dessert. Truns the ground into a a tsunami-like state. A high-level Ninku move.
is Fuusuke's pet penguin. He possesses the ability to release explosive farts powerful enough to propel Fuusuke and itself. The stench is described as terrible and can knock others unconscious. Fuusuke considers him a friend and not a pet. He is supernaturally powerful. He is voiced by Katsumi Suzuki
Katsumi Suzuki
is a Japanese voice actor. He is best known as the voice of Kagome's grandfather in InuYasha after Ginzo Matsuo's death. He currently works at Arts Vision.-Television animation:*Kagome's grandfather in InuYasha*Ben Robbins in Kaleido Star...
in the Japanese anime.
is Toji's little sister. She was unintentionally rescued by Fuusuke from fake Ninku and, at the time, he was unaware that she is Toji's sister. She desperately wants to meet handsome men and immediately becomes infatuated with Aicho, but has little luck with him. She is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara
Megumi Hayashibara
is a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin...
in the Japanese anime and by Wendee Lee
Wendee Lee
Wendee Lee is an American voice actress. While she has done voice work for many video games as well as several episodes in the Power Rangers franchise, she is particularly prolific in the dubbing of anime. As of April 2009, with 223 credits to her name, she has more credits in this medium than any...
in the English dub of the movie.
Ninku corps
| Corps# | Ninku | Specialty | Etonin (captain of the corp) | Other members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | rat (子忍 ne-nin) | Wind | Fusuke the Wind (風の風助 Kaze no Fūsuke) | Suzaku (朱雀) Souta (草太) |
| 2 | ox (丑忍 ushi-nin) | Metal | Kei Hayashi the Ore (鉱の林慶 Aragane no Hayashi Kei) | Baku (獏) aka. Byakko (白虎) |
| 3 | tiger (寅忍 tora-nin) | Spiritual | Takeru the Spirit (精霊の火瑠 Seirei no Takeru) | |
| 4 | rabbit (卯忍 u-nin) | Light | Yamabuki the Light (光の山吹 Hikari no Yamabuki) | |
| 5 | dragon (辰忍 tatsu-nin) | Flame | Sekirai the Flame (炎の赤雷 Honō no Sekirai) | Yōkō (陽紅) |
| 6 | snake (巳忍 mi-nin) | Ground | Toji the Ground (大地の橙次 Daichi no Tōji) | Kōshu (黄愁) |
| 7 | horse (午忍 uma-nin) | Ice | Kisumi the Ice (氷の黄純 Kōri no Kisumi) | |
| 8 | ram (未忍 hitsuji-nin) | Plants | Midori the Plant (植物の緑里 Shokubutsu no Midori) | |
| 9 | monkey (申忍 saru-nin) | Thunder | Seima the Thunderclap (雷鳴の青馬 Raimei no Seima) | |
| 10 | rooster (酉忍 tori-nin) | Flight | Aicho the Sky (空の藍朓 Sora no Aichō) | Kirin (麒麟) aka. Hamaji (浜地) |
| 11 | dog (戌忍 inu-nin) | Animal | Shigure the Wild (野生の紫雨 Yasei no Shigure) | |
| 12 | boar (亥忍 i-nin) | Water | Kokuro the Water (水の黒楼 Mizu no Kokurō) |
- Rat, Boar, Monkey, Ram, Horse, Dragon, Snake, and Ox classes have the ability to control their element in question.
- Rabbit: uses the power of light to make optical illusions.
- Tiger: communicates with spirits, control the ghosts in their favor to dominate the field.
- Dog: most talking dogs fall under this class, Ninku of this division that are humans have the ability to tame animals, or else take the form of one.
Enemies
Kouchin: The high priest of the Empire and a master of feng shui. He is the spokesperson of the Emperor and it was he who defeated the Ninku master in a direct duel, forcing the Ninku to disband. His ultimate goal is to control the power of the tenkudragon and for that purpose he has captured Fuusuke's mother in order to draw the dragon out.Kisume: A Former Ninku captain who could command ice. After his fiance was killed during the war he headed out to attack the Empire singlehandedly but was captured and convinced to join the Empire to prevent another war. Later reforms and helps Fuusuke and the others in their final confrontation.
Mekira: A genjutsu expert. She was taken by Kouchin at a very young age and her family was slaughtered by him. Only later does she learn this and turn against him.
Col Ajirada: The sole heir of a martial arts that uses electricity channeled from arm guards into his fists and feet. Later defects after being beaten by Fuusuke.
Gaunin: A subordinate of Colo Ajirada and a self-professed genius. He joins Col Ajirada when he decides to leave the Empire.