This wasn’t as good as the first episode but still manages to get the message across that a lot of Ninja’s are going to die:  quite possibly the hero, Kenji.  I think what makes this series so wonderful is how authentic it handles this idea of Ninja.  We’re seeing a cross between the American culture of a ninja’s revenge story mixed with the traditions that are upheld with the Japanese view of Ninja.  I like this a lot because TRIGGER is meddling with both styles–  distracting its viewers with a retro video game style of stop motion animation and B-rated dialogue.  After having seen two episodes of Ninja Slayer’s dialogue between the people he kills it seems to be intentional.

Ninja Slayer which I will call Kenji from now on faces off against another Ninja.  Arson.  Reminds me a lot of the Mortal Combat video games.  It’s ridiculous tropes and homages help get this story moving along at a very fast pace.  15 minutes per episode really works when you don’t have a lot of budget to throw on screen–  TRIGGER learned this when they experimented with ONA Inferno Cop.  For Ninja Slayer this is just as much a comedy series as it is a violently aggressive action anime that jumps into the perspective between American and Japanese cultures about upholding honor.  More heads get chopped off this episode yet they greet each other respectfully, Kenji slide dodging laser beams to the Aku no Hana-esque grey-scaled images of Kenji’s inner demon of a Ninja soul.  I am curious where this will go from here since we get to see an even larger Yakuza-like organization after him.  Good thing this show will be 26 episodes long.

The quick rescue scene on the jet skis remind me a lot of the times where Mako is saved by Ryuko in Kill la Kill—  everything looks so silly and have surprising facial expressions!

ED 2: “Halo Of Sorrow From ANIMATION” by Melt-Banana

Most of the animation here is the same–  a scrolling upward style that uses characters featured in the episode in various situations.  It’s ok, just wish the animators had done something a bit more daring if this show is going for different endings each episode.  I did not like this song one bit due to personal tastes around this genre.  As for how it correlates to this show it works extremely well.  The high-pitched screaming and fast guitar riffs illustrates that we are looking at a crazy adrenaline pumping action show where a lot of Ninjas are going to die in cruel ways.

The opening sequence is still awesome.  I wish Boom Boom Satellites would do more anime-related work.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 6/10

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