Sunday, May 24, 2015

Shuriken Sentai Ninninger episode 11



Some might think that after months of recaps I'd be something of a well-oiled machine, churning them out as required. Sadly there is the greatest enemy of any writing, laziness to contend with. The fine folks behind the scenes of this show are not falling into the lazy trap just yet as they continue to craft Ninninger into something better than it was at the beginning. Let's check on their progress.

Picking up from last week's capper that Kinji needs to defeat the team in order to become grandpa's apprentice. We find that he's taken up a duel role; one is that of an assassins who attempts to murder them in their sleep, the other is that a nursemaid who cooks them breakfast since he feels like he owes it to his potential master to take care of the kids. As an excuse for him to interact with the team and still be a rival it works quite well. Makes for some good comedy too.

Of course it's not long before a monster shows up in the form of a mopey tea kettle alongside one of those giant skeleton. On top of that, Shinobimaru (the red robot) runs off in a huff. While Yakumo and Kinji take on the big critter, the others try to find their runaway robot and the other baddie. Once they find Shinobimaru, Kasumi pulls her newest invention right out of thin air, one that allows them to communicate with things that otherwise can't talk. Kudos to the show on this front as they come up with multiple ways for her to use her smarts and strange mannerisms to be useful without coming across as an asshole. Along with her progress over the past few episodes she's officially upgraded in my view to.....let's go with that sleepy goo you get in the corners of your eyes.

Getting back on topic, the robot's having a freakout cause he thinks he'll be forgotten amongst all the new shiny toys they've collected. Takaharu stays behind to work on the situation while the others chase the tea kettle and find that his power is turning people (and apparently robots) into sad sacks. An affliction he then places on Fuuka & Nagi.


While all this is going on we have a subplot with Kinji and Yakumo butting heads over each ones individual style. Kinji can't forgive a decedent of the last ninja for using magic, and Yakumo won't listen to some daffy rock & roll cowboys judgment. The two of them meet up with the others and fix Fuuka and Nagi with a strange plan of dancing and self-deprecation. Oh and during this, Takaharu gets into another duel with Gabi wherein both of them get beat down something fierce.

 The cowboy and magician learn to work together, people get their shit together, Taka shows up in time for the giant robot fight only to pass out from his wounds once the fight is finished. All in all it was a very busy episode that really illustrated how much the show has improved since the beginning. Humor and action are solid, the stories are flowing smoothly, and the characters all have a voice save for one. Poor Nagi is still tragically underdeveloped. However; it looks like the show is about to give him another shot in the spotlight soon as well as bringing in some new villains. How will the next few episodes pan out? You won't have to wait long to find out since I've got last weeks on tap and another one is about to air in just a few hours. If only those ninjas could slay the lazy monster.

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