Hello, I’m Senku.
I love ninjas—I earned a master’s degree by researching them in graduate school, I currently train at a ninjutsu dojo, and as a member of the Fuma Ninja group, I practice sword choreography and perform ninja shows.
How It All Began
Whenever I tell people I’m into ninjas, they often ask, “So, how did that start?”
If a little boy around elementary school age says he likes ninjas, most Japanese people wouldn’t bat an eye.
It’s only natural for boys to admire ninjas for their superhuman skills.
But I’m a grown woman.
“Wait, what? Ninjas? Why???” — That’s usually the reaction I get.
The spark that lit my obsession with ninjas came from a character in the anime Nintama Rantaro—his name is Senzo Tachibana.
When it comes to ninja anime, NARUTO is much better known overseas, while Nintama Rantaro doesn’t really get the same attention.
However, in Japan, Nintama Rantaro is a beloved, long-running anime that’s been on the air for 31 years, winning hearts across all generations.
https://www.nhk.jp/p/nintama/ts/36L47X4XMX/
Nintama Rantaro is a lighthearted kids’ comedy about three ten-year-old boys—Rantaro, Kirimaru, and Shinbei—who enroll in the Ninja Academy to learn the ways of the ninja.
The story follows their misadventures both in and out of school.
It’s an episodic series, much like Doraemon, with each episode wrapping up on its own.
I watched it a lot as a kid, but naturally, I outgrew it as I got older.
Then, one day as an adult, a video popped up in my YouTube recommendations.
Feeling nostalgic, I clicked on it.
From that point on, I started watching it again during solo meals.
To my surprise, there were new settings and characters that didn’t exist when I was a child.
At first, it felt a bit unfamiliar, but at the same time, it was refreshing.
And then, it happened—I met my destiny.
Meeting Senzo Tachibana
There he was—a calm, collected, and ridiculously cool ninja, his long, beautiful hair flowing behind him as he moved.
That was Senzo Tachibana (whom I’ll refer to as Sen-sama from now on).
(https://www.nhk.or.jp/anime/nintama/chara/index.html#chara2_5_42)
At 15, Sen-sama is part of the academy’s senior-most class.
In Japan’s past, 15 years old marked the threshold of adulthood, so in the world of Nintama Rantaro, he’s closer to a professional ninja than just a student.
And let me tell you—it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Who IS this incredibly cool upperclassman?!
From then on, I started tracking down episodes where Sen-sama appeared.
The problem is, Nintama Rantaro has a massive cast of characters.
The academy alone has about 50 students.
On top of that, there are teachers and a whole host of characters outside the school.
Sen-sama’s appearances are, unfortunately, few and far between.
Chasing After Sen-sama
I watched every episode featuring Sen-sama, collected the original manga (Rakudai Ninja Rantaro), listened to drama CDs, bought DVDs where he appeared, and even picked up character books and merchandise.
But even then, I wanted more Sen-sama.
So, I turned to Google.
Searching for Senzo Tachibana, the first site that came up was Pixiv.
For those unfamiliar, Pixiv is a site where artists and writers upload illustrations, manga, and fanfiction.
That’s where I’ll leave things for now.
Next time, I’ll talk about my discovery of the world of fan-made creations—and yes, that includes BL works.
Stay tuned!
