Ninin ga Shinobuden, known here in the west as Ninja Nonsense, is pretty aptly named. There’s ninjas…and there’s nonsense.

Once again, my thanks to Sergio Aviles for sponsoring this review from my “Yuri Wishlist.”

When I reviewed Volume 1 of this series, I labeled it a “Yuri” anime. Not so this one, although there is some Yuri-ish implication and service. But by and large, it’s just silliness all the way down.

There’s fart jokes and crotch jokes and nudity jokes and being scared jokes and gags about sex and food and various body parts…and one or twice some slight ninja-ing goes on. But not much. ^_^

This volume also makes it maddenlingly clear that the protagonist of the series here is not Shinobu, despite the series’ original name, but Onsokomaru. He is the catalyst for pretty much every gag.

In terms of Yuri, the best scene is one that turns out to be a fantasy. But the scene is important for two reasons: one, the massive Yuri-service in and of itself, which is kind of fun, and; the more important two, it parodies the viewer’s interest in that service, even as it feeds the fantasy. In fact, that, in a nutshell, is a good definition of the series. If we, the viewing audience, are Fans of either gender then our assumptions, needs, fantasies and service are all given to us with an open hand…and then with a caustic gag about what a hopeless Fan it makes us. Even Shinobu’s desire for Kaede is parodied as a fannish sort of thing. It’s broad comedy with a sharp edge. And I like it.

I also want to note that the liner notes are really pretty good – better than the “character bios” in the Extras section of the DVD, which appear to be based off of the first episode only. Someone did do their homework over there at the Right Stuf. So thank you, unnamed researcher. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 6
Characters – 7
Yuri – 3
Service – 6

Overall – 7

Insert clever one-liner here to end the review.