Shounen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru

少年忍者風のフジ丸 if you like martial art anime and especially the subject of "ninja", you should watch this TV series, which is the first to be based on a manga by Shirato, Sanpei. The black and white adaptation by Toei Animation (then Tōei Dōga) can without doubt be called the forefather of today's martial arts anime. Story: simple, classically structured, but the narrative is well done (8/10) The story can be roughly divided into two parts. Episodes 1 to 28 are based on the original work “Kaze no Ishimaru [風の石丸] by Okamoto, Noboru better known by his pen name Shirato, Sanpei. The story takes place in the timeof feudal Japan and begins inconspicuously with a young woman who works in the fields. She has left her little son – Fujimaru in a basket in the cool shade of a tree, suddenly a big eagle kidnaps the baby. Fortunately, a ninja master saved the baby and takes him as his disciple. Years later we re-meet Fujimaru, who has grown up and has been accepted into the Ninja clan Fūma. Under the guidance of the ninja master, Fujimaru not only learns how to create large hurricanes to sweep his opponents off his feet, but can also use ninja-magic and become familiar with ninja-weapons, and so become a well-trained ninja. All of these skills are in great demand, as three feudal lords are at war in the country and are fighting for possession of the "Book of the Smoking Dragon (Ryuen Book)". The unique scrolls contain the secret of special techniques and Fujimaru wants to protect them from access by the wrong people. But he has not yet been informed of an even more important goal and an even greater desire that will drive him forward. From episode 29 to episode 65 (last episode), Shirato's notation as the original author has disappeared, instead Nashio Kidani and Souji Fukuhara have been named as creators of the series for episodes 29-51 and 52-65. Also the supporting characters Mika and Taro are renamed Midori and Tasuke respectively, while the main character remains unchanged. Fujimaru faces other villains, such as the ninjas from Nanban and the ninja Haguro. Characters: In accordance with the epoch, good character development (7/10) Personally, what I liked about the anime was that the subject of "ninja" has been treated seriously. Most ninja anime, such as "Pyun Pyun Maru" or "Ninja Hattori-kun" are more geared towards comedic entertainment. The cast of Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru is well described and its characteristics fit well into feudal Japan, and all characters have an influence on the development of the story. The base and the characters are simple, but very well staged, similar to maybe "Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran", but this anime has the theme "Samurai" as a base and is rather comedic. Fujimaru: He appears naive at first, but gains strength and foresight under the influence of the other characters. His development as a ninja, which is faced with obstacles and difficult decisions and yet keeps a sincere and good heart, is well portrayed. In addition to his companions, his opponents Japusai, the Iga Ninja and others drive his development and he decides to search for the scrolls himself to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Sasuke: For me, the most interesting figure in the cast, who is brought into a very difficult conflict by the Fuma clan. He has brought the foundling Fujimaru into the clan and now has the task of killing him. The decision he made and implemented in a fight with Fujimaru is a turning point. On the one hand, Fujimaru gets a new goal based on previously unknown information about its mother, and on the other hand it becomes clear that Sasuke is not just a teacher and friend, but rather behaves like a father. Mika/Midori: One might criticize that she has been simply designed, but it does not do her justice. Her behaviour is in keeping with the spirit of the times and her support is often a great help to Fuji-Maru. Japusai: He is a prime example of an opponent. He doesn't need a reason to be malicious or to do something bad. His goal is simply to rule the world. He does everything necessary to achieve this goal, regardless of losses. He is refreshingly vicious, without shyness or remorse, just plain evil. It's a bit of a shame that he also looks visibly evil. If he were a good looking opponent, he would be the role model for Morow, Hisoka of Hunter x Hunter. But unfortunately no. Visuals: good Art and Animation for the times (7/10) The list of participants of the art and animation department reads like a "how is how" of the later very famous animation artists. In the early 1960s, the anime industry was still in its infancy. The animated films were traditionally made with Cel animation, which is a very elaborate process and you also need a lot of experience to avoid colour deviations. For testing purposes, a colour version of the first episode was created, but in the end the series was only broadcast in black and white. The art is good for a TV series from the 60`ies. The life in Japan during the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate is detailed, a lot of attention was paid to historical details, so that the series is overall very realistic. The anime doesn't have the typical bigeye style yet, which goes back to the works of Tezuka, Osamu (e.g. Astro Boy) and will become more and more popular in the following years. But the animal character designs can't keep up with the "Koneko no Rakugaki" anime that Mori, Yasuji drew in 1957 in terms of detail and cuteness. On the other hand, one also have to take into account that this is a TV production with 65 episodes, which was usually realized with a lower budget. Surprisingly, the animation is better than expected in many parts. The realized action sequences, which are based on the manga by Shirato, Sanpei, are very good and just as exciting as the manga. Shirato's Manga sets the standard for the unfolding of action scenes. During the fight, shuriken are thrown, manriki chains are used, ninja kamas as well as traditional swords. In addition, until the 28th episode, the final part of the show was a live action mini special "Shinichi Ninjutsu", in which Hatsumi, Masaaki explaining Ninjutsu to the audience with Chiyoko Honma as the listener. A nice plus. Sounds: decent BGM, good VA, OP & ED a matter of taste (7/10) The BGM was arranged by Hattori, Kouichi and consists of classic orchestral elements. The music sounds rather typical and is not very noticeable. But I like the fact that the music was not disturbing or exaggerated. It is background music, it should underline certain moments but not be omnipresent so that there is enough space for sound effects and the dubbing. So the music is fine for me. The OP "Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru" is performed by the Nishi Rokugo Boy's Choir and was initially also used as an ED. The title is basically an advertising element for the sponsor Fujisawa Pharmaceuticals (Astellas Pharma since 2005; Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturer). For this reason, the title of the original work "Kaze no Ishimaru" was changed to Fujimaru for the anime and the name of the company was even sung at the very end of the opening theme song, which makes the context clear. The ED "Tatakau Shōnen Ninja" was later recorded and has received a total of three modifications, the first version uses the ED video (still picture) from the first half, the song is a chorus, the second version is a moving picture with a chorus and the third version is a new video in the second version and expanded to 2 choruses. Regarding the voice actors, I particularly liked the interpretation of Kato, Midori as the voice of Mika / Midori. Her voice and interpretation of the role matched the figure very well. Overall, I found the synchronization work very good. The series is not easy to get, I know, but it is highly recommended for fans of the genre. A beautiful anime with a balanced mix of genuine historical weaponry, credible martial arts and superhero magic. Moreover, they added a short vignette at the end with explanations of a Ninjutsu Grandmaster as well as live-action footage about the art of Ninjutsu. As far as I'm concerned, a real plus point of the series. As always, thanks for reading and have fun watching.

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