REVIEW: ‘Shinobi no Ittoki,’ Episode 7 – “Where Justice Lies”

Shinobi no Ittoki is an action anime produced by Troyca. With summer break ending, it seems like business as usual for Ittoki and his friends. That is until an emergency summons of the Ninja Grand Council puts a hold on daily life as each clan head comes together to discuss the recent events surrounding the Koga Clan’s activities in Shinobi no Ittoki Episode 7.

With the potential conflict between the Iga and Koga Clans brewing in the background since episode one, it feels like it was only a matter of time before Ittoki’s story came to encompass a far larger stage than him and his friends and their schoolyard struggles. With the first Ninja Grand Council called to convene in 70 years, the political situation between the clans is primed to explode.

Shinobi no Ittoki Episode 7 does a lot of work in several ways. Not only does it cement the series’ plot direction going forward, but it also introduces viewers to several new elements in the form of the various clan leaders who are seen for the first time in the council. Several present interesting personalities and I feel like there are a lot of stories to tell with them. Hopefully, the series will have enough time to dive into some of these characters.

While I won’t spoil the moment-to-moment proceedings of the grand council, Shinobi no Ittoki Episode 7 does a fantastic job of pacing the proceedings of its pivotal scene. With accusations, evidence, and testimony brought before the council, the sequence is constantly entertaining. The gravity of the accusations and decisions comes through all of the actors’ voices, as the seriousness of the proceedings is never hampered by misplaced humor.

While the council itself is the lynchpin of the episode, big moments also occur outside of this scene. The ramifications of the council’s decisions are already beginning to be seen in the Iga village and elsewhere, and this applies to Ittoki personally and the larger world around him. By the time the episode rolls its end credits, the feeling that the show is tipping over the precipice is fully realized.

The visual presentation in this episode is good, but not all it could be. While the pivotal moments are presented clearly and well, I think there could’ve been more done to truly make the viewer feel the moments the story hinges on. More dramatic angles and more focused close-ups might have taken the already tense story to another level.

Shinobi no Ittoki Episode 7 does an excellent job of closing the introduction to Ittoki’s story and the world while ushering in the next phase of his journey. I hope the series manages to capitalize on the potential plot energy that this installment has primed, releasing it into actual plot energy next week as the aftermath of this week’s story plays out.

Shinobi no Ittoki Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.