When thinking about what anime I am more interest in for this season, seriously, most of it seems to be quite typical. However, Under Ninja has caught my attention. It may be due to the uniqueness of the plot among many anime this season, many of which have a typical plot. Surely, Under Ninja wasn’t comparable to big names like JJK, Spy x Family, The Eminence in Shadow or Sousou no Frieren but Under Ninja has some unique storytelling. That’s the reason why, in my opinion, Under Ninja is a hidden gem of this season.
▶ (Like the ed with classic Japanese rock band's vibe)
Particularly, credit must be given to the storyboard, which is brilliantly done. The plot may be interesting enough; however, the arrangement of storyboards has finely enlarged the potential the plot initially had. For instance, the introduction of the Russian guy at the beginning and him being the central event surrounded by hidden Japanese assassinators – Ninja that were gradually revealed. Until episode 4, the title of the show was recalled and that was where the real story of the show began. With the closing of the consecutive murders conducted by the Russian, we have finally got a clear image of what the anime is exactly about and of who Under Ninja is.
Besides, the character design has been a personal favourite. Each character apparently carries a characteristically different personality, and most of them are weirdos. Not gonna lie, these weirdos did come along and create stunning chemistry and effects for the show. The noticeable characters somehow slightly remind me of Prison School which will break your common sense, especially considering that real-life Japan is the stage of this comical event.
The progression of the plot was always intriguing, and the momentum was kept even until the last episode. Moving on to the plot per se, it displayed a ninja community that is hiding among the normal citizens, but at the same time, it later turned into bureaucracy division and conflict within the community which enlightened the gusto of the show as it began to show more battles. Honestly, it was quite disheartening to see how Kumogakure Kurou ended up in the final episode as bro has been acting so chill and dope throughout the show. This merely proved that Kurou was a Genin after all and he has no ability to confront such conflicts initiated by the finest ninjas above him.
Last but not least, hopefully there will be a season 2 in the near future to see the Kumogakures who showed up surprisingly, take revenge for Kurou. Under Ninja is an interesting anime that you can give a try if you are tired of typical harem or shonen fights. Its peculiar story settings are what make it stands out among many names.