Violent, gritty and exciting, a new hero/anti-hero named Yakuza Tengu has emerged in Neo Saitama to fight the ninjas in Ninja Slayer’s absence, but does he have what it takes to fight them? Find out in vol. 4 of “Ninja Slayer ~Atrocity in Neo Saitama~”.
© 2012 by NINJ@ Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
MANGA TITLE: Ninja Slayer ~Atrocity in Neo Saitama~ vol. 4
ORIGINAL WORK BY: Bradley Bond and Philip Ninj@ Morzez
STORY AND ART BY: Story by Yuki Yogo and Art by Yoshiaki Tabata
FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Kadokawa Corp.
PUBLISHED IN USA BY: Vertical Comics
RATED: Ages 16+
RELEASE DATE: April 19, 2016
Recently rumors have been swirling all across Neo Saitama of Ninja Slayer’s death. But deep within the darkest crevices of the underworld there is word of another ninja hunter! Is this masked man a ninja? Is he a renegade yakuza? Or could he be a cyborg developed by the NSPD? No one really knows who the man behind the Tengu nose really is….or his purpose.
Neo-Saitama, the futuristic city in which an army of cybernetic-clad ninjas controlled by the Soukai Syndicate, run the streets.
Rumors have been spreading throughout the city that Ninja Slayer has been killed. But out of nowhere comes a new mysterious individual known as Yakuza Tengu! Is he friend or foe? And who is this mysterious individual?
Find out in vol. 4 of “Ninja Slayer ~Atrocity in Neo Saitama~”.
What is “Ninja Slayer” about?
“Ninja Slayer” purportedly is the product of American authors Bradley Bond and Phillip “Ninj@” Morzez. Posted originally on Twitter and translated in Japanese by Honda Yu and Sugi Leika, it would become popular and would be released in 2012 in a volume titled “Ninja Slayer: Neo-Saitama in Flames” by Enterbrain.
In Japan, there have been five tankobon volumes. In 2013, a second manga adaptation titled “Ninja Slayer: Glamorous Killers” with art by Ageha Saotome was featured on Enterbrain’s “B’s-Log Comic”. A third manga adaptation titled “Ninja Slayer Kills” was serialized in Kodansha’s “Suiyobi no Sirius”.
A manga adaptation was released in 2015 on Niconico and a planned TV broadcast set for 2016. The anime series simulcast in North America courtesy of FUNimation.
The series is set in a gritty, futuristic city of Neo-Saitama and many people are getting killed, monsters roam the streets but the most deadly are the menacing army of cybernetic-clad ninjas under the rule of the Soukai syndicate.
But as many citizens are getting killed in the ninja turf war, one heroic ninja known as Ninja Slayer plans to make sure that all ninja are slaughtered by his own hands.
In vol. 2, we see the Ninja Slayer interrupt a Massacre Games fight against the Kill-Zone Sumo Wrestler by the Kachigumi Salarymen.
Meanwhile, two teenage ninjas are introduced. A teenage girl named Yamoto Koki, who’s ninja powers just came out and a mysterious new transfer named Shogo.
Featuring the origin of Yamoto’s ninja power and what happens to Shogo when he is apprehended by police?
In volume 3, we see the aftermath as Shogo has been kidnapped and tortured by the powerful ninja henchman, Sonic Boom.
Sonic Boom wants Shogo to lure Yamoto Koki, so they can control her.
But will Shogo allow that? And will the two be able to face off against the powerful and evil ninja?
In volume 4, the after-math between battle of Ninja Slayer and Sonic Boom has led to a major explosion and rumors are quickly swirling that Ninja Slayer was killed in battle.
In Neo-Saitama, a Sumo Shop is the residence of the Kill-Elephant Yakuza Clan led by their Yakuza Boss, Yamahiro.
And because ninja are above the yakuza, they are trying to get payment from the yakuza or else they die. But one person is there to protect the yakuza, a mysterious being known as Yakuza Tengu.
Meanwhile, a team of ninja brothers – Green Elephant and Gas Burner are causing trouble in the area and Yamahiro tries to make himself a yakuza samurai hero to protect shop owners from these ninja brothers.
But when the ninjas are on a murdering rampage, can Yakuza Tengu beat them?
“Ninja Slayer” is a fascinating manga storyline that is violent, dark and action-packed.
In some ways, it reminds me a little of “Hokuto no Ken” (Fist of the Northstar) and how a city is overrun by madmen and sick monster-like beings. In this case, Neo-Saitama is run by ninja who operate under the rules of the Soukai Syndicate. But one ninja, known as the Ninja Slayer, will do anything to make sure all ninja are killed.
In this latest volume, it’s less about Ninja Slayer and more about what happens when Ninja Slayer (who is rumored to be dead) is not around? Who is there to fight the ninjas?
The answer is Yakuza Tengu, a yakuza member using high technology and sporting a tengu mask to fight ninjas. But is this mysterious individual up to par with the powerful ninjas? Especially now that Saitama has become chaotic courtesy of ninja brothers who have been stealing and killing?
And is Ninja Slayer dead?
Yoshiaki Tabata does a great job in keeping the story flowing smoothly, while Yuki Yogo’s artwork is gritty, dark and features wonderful character design.
Violent, gritty and exciting, a new hero/anti-hero named Yakuza Tengu has emerged in Neo Saitama to fight the ninjas in Ninja Slayer’s absence, but does he have what it takes to fight them? Find out in vol. 4 of “Ninja Slayer ~Atrocity in Neo Saitama~”.