Under Ninja Review: Yamazaki's Deadpan Ninja, Uneven Fights

This Under Ninja review looks at a Japanese action comedy that treats secret ninja clans like a gig economy gone wrong. Directed and written by Yuichi Fukuda, it adapts Kengo Hanazawa's manga with a dry sense of humor. It is odd, funny and a little scrappy.

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

The Under Ninja plot starts from a clever idea. After the war, the occupying GHQ disbanded the ninja organizations, yet the film insists ninjas still exist in secret, with about 200,000 of them. Some are elite operatives working behind national-level power struggles, and others are ordinary grunts who cannot find steady work.

Kurō Kumogakure belongs to the second group. He is a low-ranking member of NIN who lives a lifestyle close to the NEET generation. Then he is told to investigate Under Ninja, an organization that has stayed hidden for more than 70 years, and to go undercover at a high school.

That setup gives the film a neat tone: spy-thriller stakes mixed with the shrugging mood of a part-timer who would rather be at home. It runs 123 minutes, and the early stretch is the most focused.

What Works in Under Ninja

The humor is the main draw. Fukuda is a comedy specialist, and one reviewer said there was more than one scene where they laughed out loud. The jokes rely on deadpan timing and on the contrast between ancient ninja tradition and bleak modern life.

• The premise: Ninjas as underpaid, overlooked workers is a sharp, fresh angle.

• The tone: The film never takes itself too seriously, which keeps things light.

• The lead: A flat, expressionless hero becomes the comic engine.

If you like comedy movie reviews with a quirky streak, the tone should feel familiar and welcome.

Under Ninja Cast and Performances

Kento Yamazaki plays Kurō Kumogakure, and he is the reason the film holds together. Audience comments single out how he gives life to a simple, expressionless character. His blank stare and slow reactions get laughs without any big gestures.

Minami Hamabe appears as Ayaka Noguchi, and Amane Okayama plays Saruta. Chihiro Yamamoto is Mitsuki Yamada, Ryubi Miyase is Shion Hachiya, and Ryotaro Sakaguchi plays Eita. The ensemble suits the heightened, cartoonish world, even when the script gives some of them little to do.

Where Under Ninja Stumbles

The action is the weak spot. One reviewer put it bluntly: the fight scenes are not top-notch. For a film that sells itself on ninjas, the choreography rarely thrills, and viewers hoping for sharp set pieces may feel let down.

The tone also works against the material at times. An IMDb reviewer argued the adaptation could have been top-tier if it had been taken more seriously. The jokes sometimes undercut the stakes, and the secret-world mythology feels thin if you have not read the manga.

Reception is mixed. IMDb sits at 5.5/10, while TMDB lists a 6.8/10 audience score from a small number of votes. MyDramaList users are warmer, at 7.1.

Is Under Ninja Worth Watching?

Yes, if you go in wanting a dry, silly comedy rather than a polished action showcase. The film delivers entertainment, as one critic noted, and Yamazaki's performance is a pleasure.

It arrived in Japan on January 24, 2025, and the Under Ninja release date marks it as an early-year curiosity rather than a blockbuster. Skip it if you want tight choreography or a serious spy story. Fans of action movie reviews who can tolerate loose fights will find enough charm to stay on board.

If you want something with a similar offbeat energy, our take on Donde Tu Quieras shows a very different kind of action film for comparison.

Who Will Enjoy Under Ninja

• Fans of Kengo Hanazawa's manga who want to see it on screen.

• Viewers who enjoy deadpan Japanese comedy and absurd premises.

• Anyone curious about Kento Yamazaki in a comic, low-key role.