REVIEW: ‘Ninja Kamui’ Episode 4

Ninja Kamui Episode 4 continues to prove that this anime works better when split into specific parts rather than a complete, cohesive story. Directed by Sunghoo Park (The God of High School, Jujutsu Kaisen 0) and written by Mahfuj Alam, the series is not without its highlights. It’s just that the further we dig into the story, the more it begins to feel like a bundle of disorganized ideas rather than a well-laid-out piece of storytelling. Again, it’s style over substance; happy to allow the bloodshed and visuals to carry the load.

This is exemplified by two significant sequences in Ninja Kamui Episode 4. With the core group splitting up to investigate the corrupt AUZA, Higan (Kenjiro Tsuda) is left with some time alone. While traveling to AUZA city with the help of a mysterious caller who knows the ninja code, the series dives into the past. There, we watch as Higan goes through his naming ceremony. Mari (Yuriko Hino), his future wife, and Zai (Yuichi Nakamura) are also in attendance. Ninjas are bound by their code; they must be emotionally detached, even from allies. We witness the murky waters the three wade in from their overt friendliness and mutual affection. Zai announces that the three are bonded by something more substantial than blood.

But the moment that cements Higan’s fate — though he doesn’t know it then — is when he saves Mari following a botched attack. He refuses to allow her to take her own life and instead saves her, telling her that he’s been breaking the ninja code since the moment they met. Zai finds them the next day, sheltered and huddling for warmth.

In theory, this moment works. It allows us better intel on Higan and what makes him tick while offering insight into the ninja clan. Their naming ceremony is followed (though off-screen) with being given their unique techniques. It’s this technique of Joe’s that everyone who is hunting him is after. The problem is that the flashback needed to start earlier. There’s an overuse of the “show, don’t tell” critique in criticism, but this is a crucial example of why telling instead of showing can be so important. Even before this scene, we don’t get any hints of Mari and Higan’s relationship other than what we know from the future scenes and where the series began. Instead, we must take Higan at face value when he confesses.

This becomes more problematic when we return to the present day. Once we meet Zai, it’s clear that he’s the Reaper from Episode 3. But that’s what makes the flashback lose its momentum. It was an ample opportunity to build on this dynamic, especially as it becomes vital at the end of Episode 4. Instead, we witness the smallest example of their shared history before setting them against each other. There’s an obvious need for restraint when utilizing flashbacks as a form of narrative building. But Ninja Kamui can afford to dip further into that well. Spend an entire episode on a flashback and give these characters greater color and depth.

Higan’s infiltration into AUZA city is one of the finer moments of the episode. Barring a few oddly sped-up sequences, it’s another example of the balletic fluidity of the action animation in the series. Higan’s athleticism is graceful yet lethal as he dispatches all assailants he encounters. The idea of the Reaper and Higan going up against one another is so intriguing. It’s two formidable ninjas with a shared past, and, for once, Higan’s opponent has an interesting character design.

The series also finds leeway in some of the exterior cityscapes in Episode 4. Higan traveling between cities allows for greater world-building, though it doesn’t always meet expectations. Regardless, a few of the settings are beautiful in their depiction, capturing the futuristic, totalitarian system of AUZA. Anything without that city skyline or hyper-tech edge loses visual vigor, too steeped in grays and shadows.

The significant problems remain in the storytelling and the characters. It’s simply hard to invest in them. From Higan’s vacancy to offensive stereotypes or poorly integrated characters, there’s none to latch on to. It’s early days still, but here’s hoping that the series is simply going through the growing pains of trying to establish its voice and tone beyond the brutality of the action.

Ninja Kamui Episode 4 continues clumsily trying to achieve its voice and rhythm. Despite a few highlights, including a major set-piece moment in the last third of the episode, it can’t quite establish a sturdy foundation. Flimsy characters can only do so much to bear the burden of the ever-growing mystery and world-building the series heaps onto viewers. It’s going to buckle from the weight without any significant changes.

Ninja Kamui Episode 4 is available now on Max.