Like a ninja out of nowhere, Gungho released a impressive ten minute episode showing off the world and characters of the upcoming online, free-to-play game for the Nintendo Switch Ninjala.
We first see about the history of the game and its Ninja roots. Course with a brief history from Japan and how the occupation became unneeded when peace came to the world. In a dark turn, ninjas were culled, purged, and scattered. Now the ninja bloodline is everywhere. Just all hiding in plain sight. We meet a ninja descendant of Hanzo Hattori, Burton. Oddly enough, he shares a strange resemblance of Ryuji Sakamoto of Persona 5. Funny enough, he is voiced by the same voice actor Max Mittleman.
It is the year 2020 where ninja culture rules, and he is researching on finding a place for the modern day ninja. He is developing a new type of ninja-gum that can awaken the dormant ninja DNA that lies in all people. With a certain magical bell, it reacts to the concoction and blows up in his face. In the end it works out well and he is able to make the first ninja-gum. Unfortunately one his assistant is a ninja out for Burton’s life. We see a bit how the ninja-gum is utilize and clues us what may come to be in the game. Spitting gum as projectiles and making your weapons from gum.
A small tick, but did anyone feel irked on the bad guy’s pronunciation of Hanzo as Haan-zoh? Debatable whether it was purposefully change to get away from its Japanese origin.
After the fight and explaining Berreca, his pink-haired assistant, there is a side effect that happens to them. They are reverted back when they were kids. Funny that Burton also checks his “family jewels”” to make sure. A worthy note it that there is a bit more to Berecca and to her father, as hinted that maybe she knows more in regards to ninja-gum. To end the episode, Berreca says the only to get back to normal is by entering Ninjala. That is where the episode ends and the fat cat disappears.
This a very surprising and impressive CG episode. With this, it seems that Nintendo is continuing on the trend of delivering a colorful world that blends cartoon violence and pop culture, namely ninjas. Yes the game itself is not from Nintendo directly, but they are publishing it for Gungho and allowing it for Switch. We had ARMS, Splatoon, and now Ninjala enters the Switch family. One thing that is so endearing about these series that they share, is the indirect lore exposition. The world tells the story and it is up to audience to piece it all together. Why ninjas are back in such as way? What are the clans that are now present in this world? Will there be more cats? Either way I’m quite excited to see the next episode whenever it releases.
Ninjala is dated to be released on May 27th.