Series / Shuriken Sentai Ninninger

Nanja nanja nanja nanja!?

"To earn the title of 'Last Ninja', his five grandchildren carry on his will. Their enemy: the strongest Sengoku general, Kibaoni Gengetsu. The current young ninjas are the Shinobi that don't hide!"

-Opening Narration

Shuriken Sentai Ninninger (roughly translates as "Throwing Stars Squadron Ninninger^note nin in this case is short for Ninja") is the 39th series in the Super Sentai franchise, which aired from 2015-2016. It is the third Super Sentai team to have a Ninja theme (after Ninja Sentai Kakuranger from 1994 and Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger from 2002). The Theme Tune was performed by Yohei Onishi.

Long ago, the great Last Ninja, Yoshitaka Igasaki, managed to seal away the evil Youkai race, seemingly forever. But when in modern day he passes away, his enemies had succeeded in returning to our realm, ready to spread havoc and destruction. Now it's all up to the Last Ninja's five grandchildren, who must come together as a team to defeat the Youkai threat. These young practitioners of ninjutsu arts are still inexperienced and childish, but through training and hardships they will strengthen their bond and become the ultimate ninja team - The Ninningers!

Aired alongside the Kamen Rider series Kamen Rider Drive and then Kamen Rider Ghost, the former of which sharing a one hour crossover followed by the team making a cameo in the spring Rider movie, in the Super Hero Time block.

On January 12, 2016, it was revealed that Saban Brands would adapt their series as the 2017 and 2018 installments of Power Rangers as Power Rangers Ninja Steel.

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Recurring Super Sentai tropes:

• By the Power of Grayskull!: "Shuriken Henge!"^note Shuriken Change!
  • It's the first time since Samurai Sentai Shinkenger where the transformation phrase is entirely in Japanese.
    • Averted by Kinji/Star Ninger's "Shuriken Change!"
• Color Character: Notably, this is the first Sentai since Himitsu Sentai Gorenger where the rangers use the Japanese names for their colors instead of English names (i.e. Aka instead of "Red").
• Color-Coded Characters:
  • It's the first ninja-themed Sentai to feature a Pink Ranger, and also the first team with two females at the start to not be Pink and Yellow since Magiranger (also the first male Yellow since that series.).
  • This trope does not just apply to the Ninningers themselves. It also expands to their Otomo Nin, too: In addition to the first five matching their respective partners', Paonmaru is green, UFOmaru is sky-blue, Rodeomaru is cyan, Bison King Buggy is brown, Surfermaru is purple and Dino Maru is orange. Lion Ha-Ojo, on the other hand, has a triple color scheme of red, white and gold.
• Crossover: As with 2014's crossover between Kamen Rider Gaim and Ressha Sentai ToQger, the Ninningers team up with Drive in anticipation for Super Hero Taisen GP.
  • Episode 7 features the return of Sasuke and Yosuke, the Red Rangers from the previous ninja sentai, Kakuranger and Hurricaneger.
  • Episode 34 featured the return of the ninja Metal Hero, Jiraiya.
  • Episode 38 reveals that Yakumo trained in magic under Tsubasa Ozu/Magi Yellow.
  • Episode 43 featured Shurikenger apparently Back from the Dead
• Early-Bird Cameo: As per recent tradition, they make their debut in ToQger vs. Kyoryuger.
  • The New Year's card game has cards showing all the past Yokai, except for Wanyuudo, who's on a card ahead of his appearance in Ninninger vs ToQGer.
• Elemental Powers:
  • Rather than each Ninninger having a unique element, the five can access all elements with the Goton Shuriken: Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, and Metal - the last of which takes the form of Drop the Washtub.
  • Meanwhile, Star Ninger wields the Furai Nin Shuriken instead where he can alternate between using the Wind and Lightning elements.
• Fleeting Demographic Rule:
  • It's been 12 years since the last ninja Sentai (Hurricaneger), and 20 years since the one before that (Kakuranger).
  • It's been 10 years since the last Super Family Team (Magiranger), 16 years since the one before that (GoGoFive), and 25 years since the one before that (Fiveman).
• Gratuitous English:
  • Shockingly averted for the colors in the Ranger names, they are in Japanese rather than English. Something that hasn't happened since the very beginning.
  • Yakumo has a habit, though, of dropping a few English words here and there; justified, since he's spent the last few years in Europe studying magic.
  • Kinji is this trope through and through as the Japanese American cowboy Star Ninger.
    • It gets kind of Seinfeldian when Yakumo and Kinji have a semantics argument over how they pronounce the word "easy". Though it's kind of jarring because Kinji's arguing that Yakumo's pronouncing it as British people do, while he's pronouncing it with a more American inflection, yet they don't sound like they're really doing anything to pronounce the word either way.
  • The opening lyrics also contains such: Tenka Muteki NinJAPAN
  • One episode has a civilian calling for help in perfect English while being attacked. When Yakumo steps in, the civilian thanks him in the same. ^note Fun fact: the actor playing that civilian would go on to become a Blue Ranger on the other side of the Pacific, and that actor's brother would go on to become Ao Ninger's American counterpart.
    Civilian: Somebody, help me!
    [...]
    Yakumo: Get away!
    Civilian: Okay, thank you!
• Humongous Mecha: Called "Otomo Nin".
  • Animal Mecha: Dragomaru, Wanmaru (a dog), Paonmaru (an elephant), Lion Ha-oh, and Dinomaru. The Bison King Buggy and the six Gekiatsu Dai-oh components are borderline, as their vehicle attributes tend to outweigh the animal ones.
  • Combining Mecha:
    • Shinobimaru + Dragomaru + Dumpmaru + Wanmaru + Byunmaru = Shurikenjin
    • Rodeomaru + Bison King Buggy = Bison King
    • Shurikenjin + Bison King = King Shurikenjin
    • Shurikenjin + Bison King + Lion Ha-oh = Ha-oh Shurikenjin
    • Hououmaru + Seiryumaru + Genbumaru + Byakkomaru + Pandamaru + Magoimaru = Gekiatsu Dai-oh
    • Gekiatsu Daioh + Bison King + Lion Ha-oh = Ha-oh Gekiatsu Dai-oh
  • Leader Forms the Head: A new variation this time, in that Shurikenjin is a Meta Mecha with a "throne" on the chest that Aka Ninger's Shinobimaru sits on. Subverted when using most alternate formations; as these involve different mecha sitting on the throne and Shinobimaru becoming Shurikenjin's arm instead. Some of these formations involve the Mecha Expansion Packs and one (Shurikenjin Drago) puts Ao Ninger front and center instead.
  • Mecha Expansion Pack: Paonmaru, UFOmaru, Surfermaru, and Dinomaru. And Kamen Rider Drive's car Tridoron becomes one in Superhero Taisen GP.
  • Meta Mecha: In its fully combined form, Shurikenjin consists of a smaller humanoid robot (Shinobimaru by default) riding on a larger frame. Bison King has a similar little-robot-controls-big-robot setup, only Rodeomaru is hanging off of Bison King's back; and King Shurikenjin involves both Shinobimaru and Rodeomaru doing their thing. And then Ha-oh Shurikenjin is Shinobimaru sitting in Shurikenjin, sitting in Lion Ha-oh.
  • Transforming Mecha: The Mecha Expansion Packs all go from animal or vehicle to humanoid mode, as does Lion Ha-oh.
• In the Name of the Moon: After the relatively simpler roll call sequences of ToQger, this series goes back to the more elaborate ones. They also pun on the Ninninger's names; compare the list under Theme Naming below.
  Takaharu: The splendid rampage, ^note Abarete appare! Aka Ninger!
  Yakumo: The roaring clouds, ^note Todoroke yakumo! Ao Ninger!
  Nagi: The sparkling calm, ^note Kirameki no nagi! Ki Ninger!
  Fuka: The shaking wind flower, ^note Hitohira kazahana! Shiro Ninger!
  Kasumi: The wavering haze, ^note Yurameku kasumi! Momo Ninger!
  Kinji: The shining star, ^note Minomori no hoshi! Star Ninger!
  Tsumuji: The slicing whirlwind,^note Kirisaki tsumuji! Aka Ninger!
  Yoshitaka: The boundless sun,^note Hate naki nichirin! Aka Ninger!
  Yoshiharu: Fair weather today, ^note Honjitsu kaisei! Aka Ninger!
  Luna: The fierce full moon, ^note Tagiru izayoi! Mido Ninger!
  Takaharu: We are the Shinobi who don't hide!
  Kinji: Hiding doesn't stop party night!
  All: Shuriken Sentai Ninninger!
  Takaharu: Forget staying hidden, we're running wild!
  • Drive and Mach add themselves to the start of the roll call in Ninninger vs. Drive
  • Likewise, Ninja Red and Hurricane Red add themselves to the start of the roll call in #7.
  • Jiraiya adds himself to the end of the roll call in #34.
• Make My Monster Grow: Done by Kyuemon using a special shuriken and a magical hammer, a reference to the legend of Issun Boushi. In a team-up, it turns out it works just fine on non-Youkai monsters, such as Roidmudes. Shinobi 26 also demonstrates that it's not limited to monsters in general, as when it hits Chouzetsu Aka Ninger, it makes him grow too! The only ones who don't require that gimmick to grow are Superior Yokai (being made from four corrupted Shuriken at once), and, due to his level of power, Tsugumori Masakage himself.
• Mini Dress Of Power: Part of the Ninninger girls' suits.
• Monster of the Week: Like in Kakuranger, they're youkai, but this time created from inanimate objects with the Sealing Shurikens.
• Protagonist Power-Up Privileges: Akaninger is the first one to receive the Chouzetsu armor power-up. While other rangers are able to use it, he gets to use it the most. Akaninger is also the only one to pilot Lion Ha-oh.
• Super Mode: The Chozetsu (Transcendence) Armor, which all four male Ninningers have used in battle (and Fuuka once ended up wearing it in her civilian form as well). Kinji later gets his own personal upgrade, Super StarNinger.
• Transformation Trinket: The Ninja Ichibantou and the Nin Shuriken, and the Ninja Star Burger for Star Ninger. Yes, his transformation device is based off of a cheeseburger phone.
• Two Girls to a Team: Shiro Ninger and Momo Ninger. It's the first ninja-themed Sentai to have two female members and only the second Sentai to feature a Pink and White duo since Changeman.
• Villains Act, Heroes React: As is the norm for Super Sentai, we generally get a Yokai appearing with an Evil Plan Once an Episode, with our heroes then arriving on the scene to stop them.
• Weapon-Based Characterization: The Ninningers have access to a wide variety of weaponry:
  • Cool Sword: The Ninja Ichibantou. Later in the series, Kinji gets a Palette Swapped version called the Gekiatsuto.
  • Handguns: The Gama Gama Gun, a frog-shaped pistol. They double as sensors for detecting the appearance of monsters.
  • Swiss-Army Weapon: The Karakuri Hengen, a shuriken-based weapon that can become either a blade, a bow, or a claw weapon.
  • Kinji: Star Sword Gun^note It's a sword, gun, and electric guitar all rolled into one.

Tropes present in Shuriken Sentai Ninninger:

• Accent Upon The Wrong Syllable: Yakumo and Kinji sometimes argue the proper pronunciation of "Easy"
• Accidental Misnaming: In one episode, Takaharu refers to Ariake no Kata as "Karage no Kata" (literally, Fried Chicken Woman). She actually goes along with it for a moment, declaring "Yes! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside...wait, that's not right!"
• Actor Allusion:
  • Not surprisingly, Ariake No Kata has her own In the Name of the Moon sequence, but the kicker is the moon actually appearing in it!
  • Done indirectly with Tomokazu Seki as the voice of Nekomata, who's otherwise based off of Jibanyan from Yo-kai Watch (where Seki voices another character, Whisper). In episode 26, they even give him Jibanyan's usual Verbal Tic.
  • Yoshi Sudarso's cameo has him being rescued by Ao Ninger. Yoshi plays the Blue Dino Charge Ranger. This particular reference came full circle when it was revealed at Power Morphicon 2016 that Yoshi's brother Peter was cast as Ao Ninger's Power Rangers counterpart, the Blue Ninja Steel Ranger.
• Actually, I Am Him: Shinobi 19. The Ninningers are looking for the man who can craft Yoshitaka's Ninninger technology, and in their quest they find a crazy old bugger very much like a Trickster Mentor and a more regular boy who's groundskeeper of the temple they're looking for. Turns out it's the boy who's the actual master, while the old bugger is the spirit of the mecha itself!
• All Asians Wear Conical Straw Hats: The Hitokarage wear such hats, since they're based on feudal Japanese foot soldiers.
• All Your Base Are Belong to Us: At the beginning of the series, the Igasaki Ninjutsu Dojo gets blown up by the Hitokarage.
• An Aesop: Each episode has at least one of the Ninningers learn something.
• Animate Inanimate Object: Gengetsu can infuse inanimate objects with his willpower and transform them into Youkai.
• Awful Truth: The Reveal in Shinobi 44. The final step in becoming Last Ninja is to kill the previous one. Yes, Yoshitaka killed his own father and expects Takaharu to kill him.
• Badass Family: The Ninningers are cousins.
  • Brother–Sister Team: Aka Ninger and Shiro Ninger.
• Book Ends: The first bit of liquid fear collected was taken from a child crying over an obviously dead parent. The last bit of fear is collected from Ariake no Kata crying over her dead son.
• Boss Rush: The final arc pretty much boils down to this.
• Brick Joke: The first Nekomata, formed from a wristwatch, has the ability to leap through time, while the second Nekomata lacked any sort of function for its watch face. Amusingly, the third Nekomata has a watch face that fills the same function a wristwatch would - it's an alarm that goes off before Tsumuji's disguise wears off!
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: The Ninjas are weird, especially Takaharu. Apparently It Runs in the Family as their grandfather turns out to be just as much as an oddball.
• Butt-Monkey: Fuka in episode 2... and pretty much every episode after that. Also Takaharu as well, whenever him being an Idiot Hero flares up. And Tsumuji has his moments as well. Yep, It Runs in the Family.
• Casting Gag:
  • There's one monster that gives out spiked gifts to the public?
  • Did you know Ariake no Kata and Mangetsu were Murrue Ramius and Andrew Waltfeld?
• Catchphrase: "Maybe/perhaps" for the Igasaki siblings and their dad. "Too easy" for Yakumo. Takaharu personally has "I'm getting all fired up!!"
• Catchphrase Interruptus: In episodes not focusing on Takaharu, the focus character will often end up interrupting Takaharu when he does one of the team catchphrases in order to finish it themselves.
• Chekhov's Gun: Gabi Raizou losing one horn to Takaharu early on, when Kibaoni Gengetsu uses that horn to bring Raizou Back from the Dead.
• Chekhovs Item: Kind of. The tanooki statue that was a decoration in the house actually was hiding a farewell message from Grandpa, giving the rangers a inspiring speech of how proud he is of all of them before their final battle.
• Christmas Episode: Shinobi 40.
• Continuity Cameo: In what would become a new recurring tradition, we get several past Super Sentai heroes showing up in the main series, outside of Crossover movies or anything Gokaiger-related, just for unabashed Canon Welding. From plot-relevant ones like HurricaneRed and NinjaRed to very brief ones like Akaranger, Shurikenger and MagiYellow.
• Cross Cultural Reference: The Yokai Nue is beaten by a mecha that is titled "Flying Otomi Nin" despite just flying once. The actual Nue is very similar to the Greek chimera, which really was beaten by a flying creature - Pegasus.
• Cute Witch: Elena from Shinobi 38 follows this archetype pretty well, flying around on a broomstick and getting into mischief with her magic spells.
• Dancing Theme: With a "count the fireworks" game built in.
• Deep-Immersion Gaming: The premise of Shinobi 37.
• Dynamic Entry: A lovely one in Shinobi 3.
• Epic Fail: Shinobi 2. Nagi, Kasumi and Taka using the Goton Shuriken and all hitting Fuuka despite aiming the same way is one thing, but Fuuka aiming that way too and hitting herself anyway...
• Evolving Credits: At the beginning of the series, the main villains were shown hidden in shadow during the opening narration, with each one being fully revealed as they were introduced in the show.
  • Episode 11 onwards adds Kinji/Star Ninger to the opening and narration.
• Exactly Exty Years Ago: Played with. Tsumuji tells the tale of how Kibaoni was originally defeated, and then returned 444 years later when he was defeated by the Last Ninja. He then admits that there was a miscalculation, and he thinks now is the real 444th year. In the end, Kibaoni revealed that the 444 years is the length of time he brought Kyuemon forward towards using his Youkai power.
• Foil: Over the series, much like GoGoV, the series starts showing just how different did both sides take 'family' issues. The Igasaki clan are tightly-knit and helping each other on their own will (though Yoshitaka required more egging, he eventually came onto it on his own), whereas the Kibaoni clan seems to not even give any crap when it comes to 'family', Mangetsu happily used his mother Ariake no Kata as a meat shield more than once and stomps on her in case she annoys him, whereas Kyuuemon gave absolutely zero craps as his brother dies in front of him even if he knew the identity all along, and then topped with Gengetsu finally pulling a You Have Outlived Your Usefulness on a dying Ariake no Kata, his own wife, and then Kyuuemon as well, all while claiming that this was all fated without remorse.
  • Kyuuemon applies as one to the Ninningers in another way: While the Igasaki kids develop their own skills and Nintality over time and recognize that they still need to improve, Kyuuemon simply steals the talents of more powerful ninja (first Tsumuji, then later Yoshitaka), but still boasts about how this makes him a better ninja.
• Foreshadowing: Yokai Fudagaeshi is really a Squishy Wizard who's the size of a playing card. One ep later, Masakage is revealed to be one as well. Even before this, though, there were times that Masakage seemed to go 'kaboom' monster-style and yet turn up just fine later. Turns out the real, tiny Masakage bailed out of those robot bodies just before their destruction.
  • As seen under Freeze-Frame Bonus, Ariake no Kata is seen in a Hand on Womb pose, but it goes by in an instant. Not much later, enter Mangetsu.
  • When Shurikenger appears, he's first disguised as Tsumuji. In Hurricanger proper, all of his disguises were of other Rangers, actors from as early as The '70s stepping back into (images of) their old roles. You probably took the Tsumuji disguise as a throwaway gag and didn't ask the big question: Why would the guy who only turns into other Rangers turn into him? Should he even be able to? Well, if you did, you get your answer when Tsumuji gets his Nintality back and suits up in #45.
  • Speaking of him, episode 16 also has Takaharu talking about how cool it would be for him, Tsumuji, and Yoshitaka to be a three-generational ninja team. Tsumuji says that would be nice. Again, we'll see it in #45! Also, while the team is helping him pretend to be a great ninja to fool the Monster of the Week, he really gets into it, and reveals that he still has some power left. So, not the Muggle who was never cut out for ninjutsu that we were presented with in the beginning, is he?
  • There is talk about how students eventually grow beyond their masters and leave them behind not long before Yoshitaka dies. Even before his death, we see him fade at points, suggesting that he's being sustained by unnatural means that are not permanent. Sure enough, the End Shuriken is keeping him alive. He loses it to Kyuuemon before we find out one way or another how long it could've kept him going.
• The Four Gods: GekiatsuDaioh has four of its six mecha modelled after them (Suzaku is renamed Houoh though).
• Four Is Death:
  • Gengetsu Kibaoni is supposed to return after 444 years, but in truth, that length of time already happened, when he brought Kyuemon forward in time.
  • Shinobi 44 brings with it the Awful Truth stated above.
• Freeze-Frame Bonus: In Shinobi 37 you can very briefly see AriakeNoKata in a Hand on Womb pose.
• Gashadokuro: Gashadokuros are the villains' Giant Mooks, adapted for Power Rangers Ninja Steel as Skullgators.
• Gotta Catch 'Em All: The 48 Sealing Shuriken originally used to seal the Big Bad Gengetsu Kibaoni. When the seal broke, Kibaoni's power corrupted all of the Shuriken and turned them into the Monsters of the Week. The Ninningers have to get them back, both to stop the monsters and presumably seal Kibaoni again.
• Great Big Book of Everything: Yoshitaka's autobiography "I am the LAST NINJA". It even includes a chapter or two on "How to build your OTOMONIN".
  • Another chapter was about how Yoshitaka collaborated with master clockwork technician Tetsunosuke Saika to build the Otomo Nin. It was through this that Kinji made contact with him online and had Rodeomaru and his equipment commissioned while he was still in America.
• Hat of Power: The Nin Shuriken can turn into Shurikenjin's helmets, which is necessary to form his various formations.
• Highly-Visible Ninja: It's something to be expected when you're watching a show about ninjas fighting using giant robots, but this team outright proclaims it with its catchphrase, "We are the shinobi that don't hide!" Takaharu tries to justify it in the first episode by saying they don't have time to hide.
  • Ninja and Hurricane Red both disapprove initially and fight with a lot more emphasis on stealth but it's later pointed out to them that they fall into that category just as well.
  • Technicolor Ninjas: Averted on a technicality. The trope is about people who manage to be stealthy in spite of being eye-catching, but as stated the Ninningers aren't even trying.
• Imagination-Based Superpower: The Goton Nin Shuriken. With five elements to play with, further training (and improvisation) unlocks even more uses.
  • Gold (actually metal) summons a bath tin at first, and kunais later on, but its greatest strength is as defense. It can also bind the enemy with chains.
  • Wood can be a blast of leaves when untrained, but can be mastered into more specific uses, like growing a whole parasail.
  • Water is pretty straightforward, but who would've thought to use it for propulsion?^note Well, maybe the guys who invented the water-jetpack, but still.
  • Fire is the only one that's exclusively destructive, from a short-range spray to scattered pillars of fire.
  • The Advanced Shuriken Ninpo are even more of this: It's bascially a technique to simulate an illusion by creating a mix of multiple elements. For example, the Boiling Hotpot Technique is a mix of Fire(the heat), Water(the broth), and Metal(the pot/stove), and makes the target feel like they're boiling right in the middle of the hotpot.
• Imported Alien Phlebotinum: The alien Otomo Nin UFOmaru's technology served as the basis for the other Otomo Nins (and possibly the Ninningers' weapons).
• Involuntary Shapeshifting: While all the ninjas are masters of disguise, Yakumo can use his magic to execute something even more advanced and less easily spotted... whether his teammates want to be shifted or not.
• Killed Off for Real: Yoshitaka is killed by Kyuemon in 46. However, he was to an extent Dead All Along- he was only being kept alive by the power of the End Shuriken.
• Land, Sea, Sky: The there auxiliary Otomo Nin technically count as this due to their motifs.^note Land is represented by the elephant-based Paonmaru, sea is represented by the submarine-based Surfermaru, and sky is represented by the flying saucer-based UFOmaru.
• Lighter and Softer: Ninninger is noticeably more whimsical among the cast and episodes (especially with Takaharu) and generally plays this trope straight as opposed to the Cerebus Syndrome ToQger had. It even started a 3-year duration of the Data Broadcast Game before the start of every episode.
• Magic Knight/Kung-Fu Wizard: Yakumo aims to become a new type of ninja by combining magic with ninjutsu.
• Magic Wand: Yakumo uses one to perform his magic, in contrast to their ninja powers which are done either with shurikens or without requiring any equipment.
• Mundane Utility: AriakeNoKata using Kyuuemon's liquefied fear for an impromptu facial.
• Ninja Log: A straw dummy variation is often used by Takaharu whenever Kinji makes an attempt on his life.
• Ninja Run: Aka Ninger's Shinobimaru runs like this.
• Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Shurikenjin. It is a ninja robot based on a Japanese festival shrine with alternative forms based on an European dragon, an Arabian elephant, an alien/astronaut, a surfer, and a dinosaur.
  • Star Ninger, the golden ninja cowboy rockstar member of the team.
• "Not So Different" Remark: Sasuke and Yosuke admonishes how the Ninningers use the 'Ninja that doesn't hide' as their motto and ninjas should be more hidden. They later admit that such ninjas can exist... and then Akaranger reminds them that their teams are also such things.
  • The joke here is that although the Hurricanegers at least hide among the people in ways similar to real life ninjas, they also have one of the longer and fancier roll calls, if not the most, while Kakuranger is worse due to the Post Modern tone and such things as at one point having a camera crew follow them around.
• Nue: The first of the Advanced Yokai the Ninningers battle is a Nue. Due to the fact Yokai in this series are created from inanimate objects using the Sealing Shurikens, this Nue's appearance is mixed with a toolbox.
• Oddly Named Sequel: The Shuriken Sentai part of the title has five kanji characters instead of the usual four that precede the team's name. Unless you count Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger, which did it first.
• One-Steve Limit: Turns out Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (which includes NinjaBlack Jiraiya) and the Metal Heroes' Jiraiya both exist in this universe. Subverted as NinjaBlack Jiraiya really is his given name, while Metal Heroes' Jiraiya is the title of the chosen Togakure shinobi (real name Yamaji Touha).
• Out of Focus: After spending the first half being the Spotlight-Stealing Squad, Takaharu began spending way less time at the forefront in the second half of the series, giving the other five more focus and leaving him mostly for finishers.
• Pink Means Feminine: Zigzagged. Kasumi, the pink ranger, is still female, but she's the team's tech gal. Instead, the role of The Heart goes to Fuka, the white ranger who has pink lines on her uniform. However, Fuka is nevertheless the tomboy to Kasumi's girly girl.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Takaharu and Yakumo, if their designations are anything to go by. While there's less of the clashing over how to do things that many a red/blue pair have, Taka's a Hot-Blooded fountain of excitability who likes to charge in headfirst while Yakumo is more of a thinker. The same goes for Fuuka and Kasumi, so we sometimes get a red oni or blue oni duo.
• Reverse Grip: Half the time the Ninningers are seen holding their swords like this. Probably because they are incredibly flashy.
• Rule of Symbolism: The Ninningers eventually reach the zenith of their training in Shinobi 41 where Tsumuji points out, by using original techniques that their grandfather/mentor (for Kinji) didn't use, for example the Gekiatsu-DaiOh mecha that they have "[broken] away" and "[left] their master behind", completing their training. In response to this, Yoshitaka begins to fade which has its own implications.
• Running Gag: Takaharu always gets his butt burnt from Sealing Shurikens that are about to change into their true forms.
  • Happens to all the Ninningers in episode 32, when their Gekiatsu Otomo Nin Shurikens awaken.
  • Star Ninger futily attempting to take the lives of the Ninningers at the beginning of an episode. It's gotten to the point where, aside from the one being attacked, nobody else in the dojo cares and they simply continue their last conversation.
  • You can probably make a Drinking Game out of how many times Takaharu yells his Catchphrase (see above).
• Set Right What Once Went Wrong: The true reason NinjaRed and HurricaneRed returned to train our heroes is to prevent Takaharu from leaping after a Yokai back in time about 10 years ago, where they saw him die before their eyes.
• Shirtless Scene: Takaharu, after most of his clothes disappear due to the evil ring he was wearing in Shinobi 40.
• Shout-Out:
  • Star Ninger has this covered - a Western-themed guitar-playing warrior, just like Kaiketsu Zubat.
  • The part of the OP with the Ninningers jumping and hurling shurikens into the camera is actually one to the OP of Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya. Basically foreshadowing his appearance well ahead of time.
  • Wanmaru is a cute dog hiding inside a train, which may remind older viewers of The Littlest Hobo, about a cute dog who traveled across America, usually stowing away on a train, helping everyone it met.
  • In the first episode, Yakumo mentions that he's taking magic lessons in the UK.
  • Kamaitachi's design and behavior draw inspiration from Friday the 13th - it was created from a chainsaw, its face resembles a hockey mask (like Jason Voorhees), and it makes the noise "chi-chi-chi-ha-ha-ha."
  • An orange cat Yokai created from a watch and voiced by Tomokazu Seki? Nekomata is one big shout-out to Yo-kai Watch. It even has Verbal Tics that reference songs from the series.
    Nekomata: "It was all a Yo-kai's fault!"
    • One of the watch faces on Nekomata says "SUN 7:30", or Sunday 7:30am, which is when this show starts!
    • Nekomata's second episode is called "The Nekomata Who Leapt Through Time".
  • In Shinobi 9, Ittan-momen uses his magic to turn Fuuka^note and a decoy Kasumi into a rodent, Yakumo later returns the favor by turning Ittan-momen's Jukkarage into turtles, evoking another team of ninja.
  • Just to add to an already awesome moment, Takaharu's Finishing Move against Gabi Raizo is the Advent Children OmniSlash!
  • Starting in Shinobi 15, Masakage starts calling Kyuemon "Kyuubey". Sounds familiar?
  • Also in Shinobi 15, Momo Ninger delivers a Bond One-Liner, "Gokigenyou", to the Monster of the Week, just like Go! Princess Pretty Cure.
  • Shortly before Shinobi 18, Kamen Rider Drive had just done a story about The Lancer appearing Brainwashed and Crazy only for it all to be part of his sting operation, as Yakumo did in that episode.
  • In Shinobi 24, the effect of Franken's Stop Light is near-identical to the Signal Tomarle ability of the Ninninger's second Rider acquaintance, Mach.
  • In Shinobi 25, Takaharu performs one of Kamen Rider Fourze's distinctive gestures (pounding his chest twice, then pointing his fist at the person to whom he's talking).
  • Kyuemon's Machine Kyuubi resembles the Qubeley, from the shoulder armor to fox-head funnels!
  • Seiryumaru is a dragon-themed motorbike, much like Kamen Rider Ryuki Survive's Dragranzer.
  • Gekiatsu Dai-Oh's fighting stance involves it slightly bouncing up and down with both fists raised .
  • Suzumebachi is a female archer who falls in love immediately, which may remind some folks of Carrie Cutter aka Cupid.
  • Kinji being forcibly turned into the next Wolfman Yokai will look familiar to anyone who watched Kamen Rider Gaim.
  • Shinobi 40. Kasumi deals with being in a 'slump' by tripling her efforts and working on more inventions, with patchy results, which was a plot point in Iron Man 3. The fact that she uses bunshin no jutsu to do it also brings to mind Naruto.
  • A fight in the Hyper Battle DVD just decides to say ‘Screw it’ and evoke Attack on Titan.
• Shout-Out to Shakespeare: The Suzumebachi episode. Lampshaded when Yakumo mentions that Shakespeare is required reading for English students.
• Spell My Name With An S: Done on purpose with the Ninningers. The way the Japanese pronounce the word "ranger" is "renjaa". So Aka Ninger's name, said or written in Japanese (Or when said by an English speaker with a non-rhotic accent), will be Aka Ninja.
• Spoiler Opening: The opening credits never included Kibaoni's son Mangetsu. Turns out he was never meant to be part of the final battle.
• Squashed Flat: Shurikenjin becomes this in episode 36, when the Advanced Youkai Oboroguruma rolls right over it.
• Stock Footage: Footage of Hurricane Red's roll call in Shinobi 7 seems to have been taken from when he last appeared on TV in episode 26 of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.
• Theme Naming: The names of the Igasaki Clan members are weather-themed, mostly dealing with winds. With some of them, their names even show up in their roll call phrases.
  • Takaharu = clear sky
  • Yakumo = thick clouds (hence his nickname)
  • Nagi = calm (as in "the calm before the storm")
  • Fuka = An alternate reading of "kazahana", which means wintery winds
  • Kasumi = mist
  • As for the previous generation, "Tsumuji" (the father of the Igasaki siblings) means "whirlwind", while "Yoshitaka" (their grandfather and mentor) means "fine weather". "Harukaze" (Yakumo's mother) means "spring wind".
  • Also holds true for the Kibaoni clan. Their names come from the phases of the moon (getsu in Japanese): Gengetsu = crescent, Mangetsu = full, Shingetsu = new.
• Time Travel: The clock Yokai Nekomata is capable of travelling through time. It uses this to fight the past red ninjas and Takaharu, who follows it back in the past and tries to find the End Shuriken.
• Underestimating Badassery: Gengetsu Kibaoni considered the Ninninger mere pests, and not a real threat to himself. They're the ones who end up destroying him for good.
• The Unmasqued World: Ninjas in this universe are apparently common knowledge, rather like the Kuroko back in theirs. One episode has a ninja obstacle course contest that can still gain a healthy turnout; another one has a small boy that's somehow disillusioned with ninjas. Of special note, one episode has Nagi meeting his career guidance counsellor and putting "Last Ninja" for a career choice on his form, and then admitting that he doesn't know that much about what it entails. The counsellor tells him he should reconsider if it's really the right path for him.
• Urban Fantasy:
  • In the first episode, Yakumo says he takes magic lessons in the UK. Only in episode 2 does it become clear that he means "wave your wand and cast a spell" magic.
  • Later on, Yakumo's aim to use magic in conjunction with his ninjutsu, with Kasumi going a similar route, only with technology.
• We Want Our Idiot Back!: During the "Freaky Friday" Flip episode, Takaharu ends up having Kasumi's mind inhabiting his body. He then proceeds to lay out a well thought plan in a calm manner, which is a far cry from his loudmouthed Hot-Blooded Idiot Hero self. Fuuka's reaction for this is saying that her brother is scary, clearly she prefers the idiotic Takaharu better.
• Wham Line:
  • Shinobi 28.
  Yoshitaka: The source of Izayoi ninjutsu is actually Igasaki-ryu Nintality. Your father didn't lose his ninja skills. They were taken.
  • Shinobi 42:
  Kyuuemon to a dying Mangetsu: My real identity is Gengetsu Kibaoni's son... your older brother.
• Wholesome Crossdresser: Yakumo and Nagi in 25. Yakumo is a bit too comfortable in his disguise.
• Would Hit a Girl: Mangetsu disturbingly strikes his mother several times on the show. It's usually Played for Laughs: Ariake loves that he's like this, as it's just what the heir to an evil empire should act like!
• Youkai: Just like the Kakurangers, the Ninningers face off against them.