1995 · Adventure · Fighting

Ninku

Ninku (忍空) is a Sega Game Gear action game based on the anime series of the same name.

Released: 21 July 1995
Platforms: Game Boy Game Gear PlayStation Sega Saturn
Genres: Adventure Fighting Martial art
Developers: —
Publishers: Jump Comics
Themes: Action
Country: Japan
Languages: Japanese

About

Ninku (Japanese: 忍空, Hepburn: Ninkū) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kōji Kiriyama. It was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from June 1993 to September 1995, with its chapters collected in nine tankōbon volumes. The story follows Fūsuke, a 12-year-old boy with extraordinary powers and the former captain of the Ninku Corps. The group specializes in a martial art that combines ninjutsu and kung fu. Fūsuke embarks on a journey to find other former Ninku captains and stop an enemy threat.

A 55-episode anime television series, produced by Fuji Television, Yomiko Advertising, and Studio Pierrot, aired on Fuji TV between January 1995 and February 1996. The anime features an original story with characters and elements from the source material. A sequel manga, titled Ninku: Second Stage – Story of Etonins, was serialized in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Ultra Jump from September 2005 to September 2011, with its chapters collected in 12 tankōbon volumes.

Keywords

martial arts
anime
ninja
turn-based
based on - anime
young protagonist

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Story

The series follows Fūsuke, a 12-year-old boy with an odd appearance who is a powerful warrior from the Ninku (忍空, Ninkū) school of martial arts. a style that mixes ninjutsu and kung fu. Before the present time in the story, an evil empire targeted the Ninku, prompting the formation of the Ninku Corps (忍空組, Ninkū-gumi) to combat the menace. The corps' names are taken from the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (Eto (干支)), and each captain is called a zodiac animal Ninku Master (Etonin (干支忍)).

The Ninkus derive their powers from nature and a specific dragon associated with their element. The almighty master of all the elements is the Sky Dragon (天空龍, Tenkū Ryū). Before the end of the war, the Ninku were disbanded by their master. As a result, the empire was victorious, and the Ninku were vilified as the perpetrators of the war.

Reception

The Ninku manga has had over 9 million copies in circulation.

In a 2012 fan poll by BIGLOBE about the favorite Weekly Shōnen Jump anime adaptations, Ninku ranked 45th out of 50, and in a 2019 poll conducted by Goo Ranking of '"90s Anime That Deserve Remakes", it ranked 40th out of 60 series.