Existing since ancient times, ninjas have always worked in the shadows for Japan. After World War II, the allied command in Japan, recognizing the skill of ninjas, created an agency that tasked them to handle various domestic affairs. Given time, their responsibilities soon branched out to international issues as well. Now, there are estimated to be 20,000 ninjas operating in the shadows at home in Japan and abroad.
However, unrest against the ninja is beginning to stir with foreign powers seeking to turn the skills of ninja assassins back on the organization that manages them. Kuro is one of many ninjas who are left unemployed due an over-saturation of ninja and a lower demand for their skills. However, one day he receives his orders to infiltrate a high school and finds himself increasingly wrapped up in the growing intrigue.
This certainly is no Naruto, but between modern ninjas and realistically, comically scummy characters, Under Ninja builds a series that, before you know it, has you knee-deep in surprisingly thick plot. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Under Ninja, then head on down below.
Anime Like Under Ninja
For Fans of Modern Ninjas
Shinobi no Ittoki
After the death of his father, Ittoki Sakuraba didn’t really think to much of his mother, uncle, and even childhood friend being extra protective of him. However, when a second year girl asks him out on a date and tries to kill him, he learns the shocking truth.
His mother, uncle, childhood friend and so many people around him are actually ninjas of the Iga clan that defend him, the son and heir of the previous chief, against the Koga Clan that seeks to destroy them in vengeance for Iga killing their own clan chief.
For his own safety and to hone his skills, he is sent to the prestigious Kokuten Ninja Academy, but the intrigues of the ninja world are just beginning.
Both Under Ninja and Shinobi no Ittoki attempt to meld ninjas with a modern setting. Both series present ninja as a tool for espionage that has lasted under the radar of public view since ancient times. Now, when they conduct missions, it isn’t just using ancient ninja tools, but advanced technology as well.
While Shinobi no Ittoki shares the modern spin on ninja with Under Ninja, it also shares a a plot that focuses on building intrigue in the ninja world. That said, Shinobi no Ittoki does squander that a bit by putting too much focus on the main character going to ninja school and gathering himself a harem that may or may not want to kill him.
Nabari No Ou
In this modern world, ninja clans still survive and thrive in secret all around us. In the midst of this sits Miharu, a relatively apathetic young man that is the bearer of a powerful ninja technique.
There are many ninja clans that seek his power in order to become ruler over Nabari, the ninja world.
Enduring several attacks, Miharu has no choice but to accept the protection of his English teacher and the resident Banten ninja clan.
Like Under Ninja, Nabari no Ou features ninjas in a modern setting. Ninja clans have existed outside the public view since ancient times and operate in secrecy to this day. However, while Under Ninja presents ninjas realistically as assassins that rely on tools and skill, Nabari no Ou goes a more Naruto route in featuring ninjas with elemental magic.
Both series follow rather quiet and apathetic main characters that become increasingly caught up in – or the center of – conflict among the ninjas of the nation. However, whereas Under Ninja is filled with comically scummy characters and and viscous action, Nabari no Ou is more a melancholy shounen story that is focused on the sadder character stories and less focused on action.
Ninja Slayer
In years past, ninja would commit honorable suicide to strengthen their souls for resurrection, now in the future city of Neo-Saitama, resurrected ninjas from thousands of years ago cast a shadow over the city.
After having his wife and child killed in a ninja turf war, Kenji Fujikido is possessed by an enigmatic ninja soul that craves only vengeance.
While both series present a take on ninjas in a not traditional ninja setting, Ninja Slayer goes right past a modern setting and right into a futuristic one.
While both series are about ninja tactics and their intersection with access to advanced technology, you do need to know something pretty crucial about Ninja Slayer. It is a parody of 90’s anime and how ninjas are typically used in anime. This means that you get some wildly differing opinions on it from those who went into the series taking it at face value and wondering what was up with the animation given Studio Triggers’ usually good reputation.
Regardless, both Under Ninja and Ninja Slayer follow intrigue within the ninja world. However, Ninja Slayer is more a revenge story than Under Ninja which is about the unraveling of Japan’s ninja organization from outside forces.
For Fans of Realistically Trashy Characters
Uncle From Another World
Takafumi’s uncle has been in a coma for 17 years after being hit by a truck when he was 17. However, after all this time, he has woken up.
As Takafumi discovers, while his uncle was in a coma in his world, he was transported to a fantasy land and became a great hero despite constantly being confused for an orc due to his appearance.
Now, Takafumi has to room with this man who needs to catch up on 20 years of gaming and anime culture while still possessing literal magical powers.
Like Under Ninja riffs on ninjas while telling an actual ninja story, Uncle From Another World riffs on isekai while also being a sort of isekai story.
Both series present main characters that aren’t eye-meltingly handsome, but rather look like normal dudes and act like normal dudes, right down to their obliviousness. While they certainly don’t look like main characters, they still are followed as a main character who is so serious that it is comical in many situations.
Gantz
Kei Kurono is an apathetic young man that, while waiting for his train, runs into a childhood friend. When a homeless man falls onto a track, his friend coaxes him into helping save his life.
Unfortunately, the train comes in and they both die.
When they both wake up, they are in a strange room with other recently deceased people and a big black ball that tells them to kill aliens in order to gain their freedom.
If I had to quickly sell Under Ninja to an anime fan, I would say it was like Gantz and Chainsaw Man had a baby, and that baby was a ninja.
Both Under Ninja and Gantz are sci-fi stories that aren’t afraid to make the heroes be realistic people. They are gross, shady, scummy, and likable because they are flawed humans who still have skills. While Gantz is about being forced to fight aliens, it is also a fairly gruesome and occasionally comically weird series like Under Ninja, but it definitely leans into a more sci-fi story.
Inuyashiki
At only 58 years old, years of overwork and stress has Inuyashiki Ichirou looking like he is well into his 80’s.
Ignored and disrespected by his family as well as diagnosed with cancer, all seems hopeless. However, a light descends from the sky and strikes Ichirou where he stands.
When he awakens, he finds he is a new man, one augmented with alien technology. He sees this as just the power he needs to become a hero and earn the respect of his family.
As it shares a same creator with Gantz, Inuyashiki also shares a few innate sensibilities as well. Conveniently, its shared similarities are also what Gantz shares with Under Ninja.
While Inuyashiki is a more sci-fi series, it is also one that shows the worst sides of perfectly normal human beings not unlike Under Ninja. If you enjoyed the variety of scummy characters in Under Ninja, Inuyashiki provides that as well, but with a smaller cast and more compact story.
For Fans of Absurd, But With Building Serious Intrigue
Chainsaw Man
After his father’s death left him with a pile of debt, Denji and his pet devil Pochita struggle to pay it off. However, after the yakuza kills him, Pochita fuses himself with Denji’s corpse and he awakens as a Chainsaw Devil.
Found by government devil hunters, Denji is brought in to hunt other devils on an experimental squad where he is finally able to pursue his simple teenage dreams of eating good food and spending time with a cute girl.
Chainsaw Man and Under Ninja may be two action anime about different genres – supernatural demons versus sci-fi ninjas – but they share two things that are quintessential to both series. Humor based on the likable stupidity of its characters, and the fact that neither series is afraid to brutally and suddenly kill off characters – even main ones.
Both series present main characters that are surprisingly capable in a fight, but definitely don’t seem like the brightest people outside of that. It is what endears them to you and sets up a lot of the comedy. However, both series often switch from comedy to action suddenly, and allow that action to be brutal.
Dorohedoro
Hole is a disorderly district where death and mutilation are common. The residents of Hole are the dregs of society and the test subjects of the magic users that live separate from it. As such, these residents are constantly tested on or just murdered by these mages.
In Hole is Kaiman, a man with a head cursed to be that of a lizard, but with an immunity to magic. He spends his time set on hunting down these magic users in one small bit of justice for the people that live in Hole.
Under Ninja does a surprisingly apt job at melding action and comedy together in a way where neither suffers or diminishes the other. Dorohedoro does something similar, but with horror and comedy.
Like Under Ninja presents ninja battles as the most normal thing, Dorohedoro presents otherwise horrific incidents as just another day on the job. It is as casual with having your chest cut open to sign a contract on your heart as Under Ninja is to having a ninja brain in a baby’s body.
Akudama Drive
The region of Kansai is overrun by powerful criminals known as Akudama.
One night, after picking up 500 yen dropped by an Akudama, an Ordinary Girl finds herself wrapped up in a huge plot to foil a public execution.
Now with a bomb collar around her neck, she and other Akudama must complete tasks given by a mysterious Black Cat.
While Akudama Drive is distinctly different in its more dystopian cyberpunk setting, it features a passion for ridiculous action, scummy characters, and a good amount of comedy from all of that.
Yet, like Under Ninja, as Akudama Drive goes on, it becomes less about the ridiculous quirks of its characters and transforms into a tale of serious intrigue. By that time, you are so invested that you don’t miss the comedy anymore and need to see what happens next.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Under Ninja? Let fans know in the comments section below.
