Ninja Kamui (S01E07) Review/ Recap

Emma fills in the gap in her and Mari’s relationship, and we get a glimpse of Yamaji’s rise to power.

Kazuhiro Yamaji as Yamaji, with his face split in half by a line

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Plot Recap

The End of Lil – Higan, Lil, Yamaji, Zai, Joseph

Tatsumaru Tachibana as Joseph giving a menacing look
“Tatsumaru Tachibana as Joseph giving a menacing look,” Ninja Kamui (S01E07), directed by Hisatoshi Shimizu, 2024, (Toonami)

While Lil puts up a good fight, him going against a well-trained ninja, perhaps one of the best alive, leaves him not only dead but dismembered. Yamaji isn’t necessarily pleased, but it is the push he needs to let Zai handle the situation finally. Leaving Joseph quite giddy because there is so much data to collect from all of this.

In fact, he questions if it is possible to convince Higan to work for them if they pay him enough. But everyone knows that Higan isn’t the type who will trade in his honor for money.

My Relationship With Your Wife – Mari, Emma, Higan

Yuki Wakai as Emma with her ninja mask on
“Yuki Wakai as Emma with her ninja mask on,” Ninja Kamui (S01E07), directed by Hisatoshi Shimizu, 2024, (Toonami)

Despite how the last episode looked, Emma didn’t end up dying. We see her out of her suit, like nothing happened, not even so much as a limp, and she and Higan are back on the move.

Their false sense of security, regardless of Emma and Higan likely having fights that triggered all types of alarms and cameras, gives Higan time to ask more about Emma’s relationship with Mari. The long story made short? Mari was Emma’s mentor when she first joined the ninja clan, and her kindness helped her deal with her face, which looked burnt after a childhood accident.

Note that Emma still uses the invention Mari made to hide what her face truly looks like, but in some ways, she is more accepting of it now. But it doesn’t end there. Emma was among the first to learn Mari was pregnant and would leave the clan. This shows how much trust there was between them at the time and why Emma risked her life and safety for Higan on behalf of Mari.

The End Goal – Higan, Emma, Yamaji

Kenjiro Tsuda as Higan looking over at Emma
“Kenjiro Tsuda as Higan looking over at Emma,” Ninja Kamui (S01E07), directed by Hisatoshi Shimizu, 2024, (Toonami)

So, what is Emma’s end goal? Yes, Mari greatly influenced her life, but what was the point of her doing all this? Well, before the former chieftain died or was killed by Yamaji, Emma was tasked with finding the next one. Now, as history has shown, Yamaji snatched that position, decided to expand the ninjas beyond Japan, and focused on money over whatever parts of the code or honor he didn’t agree with.

But from what it seems, Emma wants a return to the way things were, and while Mari was the original choice, she is dead now, and next in line appears to be Higan.

Other Noteworthy Information

  1. Mari’s special technique, allowing for suspended animation, is what Emma used to rescue Higan.

Cast Guide

Character’s Name Actor’s Name
Higan Kenjirô Tsuda
Lil Setsuji Sato
Yamaji Kazuhiro Yamaji
Zai Yûichi Nakamura
Joseph Tatsumaru Tachibana
Emma Yuki Wakai
Mari Yurika Hino

Review

Highlights

Emma’s Background and The Fall Of The Ninja Clan

It has long been questioned how Yamaji came to power and how the Ninja Clan went from a secret Japanese clan to now being the enforcement arm of a major international corporation, and we got our answer. Now, whether Yamaji did anything nefarious, what’s his side to things beyond not wanting the clan to disappear? That is still unanswered, alongside the difference in how they recruited in the past, leading to people like Higan, Mari, and Zai to now having people like Lil, Big D, and others let in.

But with two episodes left and the show really picking up on trying to answer questions that have been neglected thus far, maybe the story might be complete by the time the season finale ends?

On The Fence

Is It That We’re Led To Believe Someone Died Or Want Someone To Die?

At this point, let’s assume that unless you are a villain, you aren’t going to die. You’ll live if you are Mike, an old man near retirement, and you get caught up in explosions or a bullet barrage. If you are like Emma and lose a devastating fight to someone like Lil, you won’t need days or weeks to recover; you’ll be walking around, even running, in no time.

A part of me gets it: these are the heroes, so killing them off should be major, but leading us to believe they are dead when an episode ends lowers the impact of someone potentially dying.

Background Information

Episode Title Episode 7
Release Date March 23, 2024
Network Toonami
Director(s) Hisatoshi Shimizu
Writer(s) Akira Kindaichi
Previous Episode Season 1/ Episode 6
Series Page Ninja Kamui
Character Guide Ninja Kamui Character Guide

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