Hoodies, Hidden Ninjas and Forced Gags: Under Ninja Review

This Under Ninja review starts with a simple question: what if modern Japan secretly hid 200,000 ninjas? Director Yuichi Fukuda turns that idea into a live-action action comedy with Kento Yamazaki in the lead. It is a busy, uneven film, but its fight scenes give it real energy.

Under Ninja Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Under Ninja plot rests on a neat conceit. After the war, the occupying GHQ disbanded the ninja organization, yet the ninjas never really disappeared. Some elite agents still work in the shadows of national-level power struggles.

Kurō Kumogakure is nowhere near that elite. He is a grassroots ninja who cannot find work and drifts through life much like a NEET. Then a major assignment lands on him, complete with a modern ninja hoodie and orders to infiltrate a local high school.

The film is based on Kengo Hanazawa's manga, and a TV anime adaptation also exists as a separate work. Fukuda, who also wrote the script, keeps the setup quirky and slightly absurd. The tone sits somewhere between spy parody and slacker comedy.

What Works in Under Ninja

The action is the clear highlight. Audience reviewers repeatedly single out the ninja combat, and the choreography is clean, inventive and easy to follow. If you come for action movie reviews style thrills, this is where the film delivers.

The central idea is also fun. Treating ninjas as an underemployed underclass gives the film a wry, modern edge. Instead of mystical warriors, we get people struggling with gig-economy problems who happen to throw shuriken.

At 123 minutes, the film keeps a lively pace in its set pieces. The one critic review on Rotten Tomatoes says it delivers entertainment in spades, and that fits the best stretches of the movie.

Under Ninja Cast and Performances

The Under Ninja cast is led by Kento Yamazaki as Kurō Kumogakure. Audience reviewers often praise his work, and it is easy to see why. He sells both the physical stunts and the deadpan loser charm the role demands.

Minami Hamabe plays Ayaka Noguchi, and the supporting line-up includes Amane Okayama as Saruta, Chihiro Yamamoto as Mitsuki Yamada, Ryubi Miyase as Shion Hachiya and Ryotaro Sakaguchi as Eita. The ensemble fits the film's heightened, cartoonish world. Nobody plays it realistically, and that is the point.

Yamazaki Carries the Film

Yamazaki gives the movie a steady center when the plot gets noisy. His comic timing is dry rather than loud, which helps in scenes where the script pushes too hard.

Where Under Ninja Stumbles

The biggest complaint is the humor. One IMDb reviewer calls the comedy forced and repetitive, and a MyDramaList reviewer says the jokes embarrass rather than amuse. Gags that start as charming often return one time too many.

The story can also feel confusing. The film assumes viewers will absorb its ninja factions and power games quickly, and newcomers to the manga may feel lost. Tonal swings between parody and sincere action do not always land smoothly.

Reception is mixed overall. IMDb users give it 5.5/10, Letterboxd sits at 3.05/5, and MyDramaList users rate it 7.1/10. Details are on its IMDb page.

Is Under Ninja Worth Watching?

Yes, if you value fight choreography and goofy premises over tight storytelling. The film's best scenes are well-staged and fun, and Yamazaki is a charismatic lead.

But if broad, repetitive comedy grates on you, the patience required may be steep. Think of it as a stylish action romp with an unreliable funny bone. The Under Ninja release date in Japan was January 24, 2025.

Fans of comedy movie reviews with a martial-arts streak will find the most to enjoy. For another recent action pick on the site, see our take on Madharaasi.

Who Will Enjoy Under Ninja

• Fans of Kengo Hanazawa's manga who want to see its world in live action.

• Viewers who love inventive fight choreography and Japanese action comedy.

• Kento Yamazaki fans who want to see him in a physical, comic role.