A Fun Watch
I just want to say that this show has some of the best fight choreography I've ever seen. I was really drawn in by how controlled yet dangerous the fight scenes felt because it added a whole other layer of realism to the vibe of the show. There were, of course, many other sides to the show itself, but I wanted to primarily praise the finesse with which they planned and executed the fights.I'd definitely recommend it for the many "oohs" and "aahs" it calls for in thos3 action moments which make up for the slower scenes/bits that happen elsewhere.
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Good Enough
Japanese Drama '' House of Ninjas '' is an action-packed drama about a family of ninjas and a big criminal case they get involved with.The whole '' mythology '' around ninjas, their tactics, their way of life, and their secrets, they were intriguing and enjoyable, even though the drama gave a more humane side to the supernatural warriors.
They also focused more on the family, even though there were plenty of fighting scenes to keep things entertaining. However, the dynamics of the family members, their love for each other, and the way they worked together, were the most enjoyable part of the story. The twists of the story were also well handled and unpredictable.
And yet, the story felt somehow anticlimactic and lukewarm. The ending was also not the typical happy ending, probably suggesting a second season to follow.
Finally, the performances were all enjoyable.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
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House of slayers
House of Ninjas wraps its family dynamic in the fight-functional garb of its titular warriors. While it may not revolutionise the genre, its ability to entertain and intrigue makes it a worthy addition to the streaming landscape. The series does struggle to find a consistent tone, vacillating between dark themes and attempts at levity and romance, which affects its pacing and overall cohesion. As a whole though, House of Ninjas is a great watch for action fans. More importantly, its ensemble cast makes this series unique with humor and innovative takes on tropes that pay off in spades. House of Ninjas is a fun and entertaining story about a family living in the most unusual of situations. The way the action is shot in many sequences feels sloppy, and the pacing suffers towards the middle, but the series is still worth watching.My Rating : 7/10
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Of Modern-Day Ninjas and Their Possible Existence
I finally finished House of Ninjas after a lot of cursing and chants of "Kill Kill Kill". As a whole, it is a great series that showcases the shadowy world of the enigmatic shinobi, revolving around the fictional descendants of Hattori Hanzo, the famed shinobi who was a loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The series captured my attention because there have been very few movies or shows that elaborately depict modern-day ninjas and do it in a more believable or conceivable fashion. I give credit to the writers of the show for creating such a rich world of ninjas filled with colorful and relatable characters (except one). Kaku Kento is an absolute badass as Haru, the skilled but reluctant shinobi who refuses to kill and rebels at the idea of complete subjugation from the government that employs them. Kora Kengo is equally brilliant as his conflicted older brother. And of course, there's their beastly dad played by Eguchi Yosuke who is known for playing Saito Hajime in the Rurouni Kenshin movies and Ichigo's dad, Kurosaki Isshin, in the Bleach live action. But I think my favorite is definitely the grandma even though I found Riku adorable. In fact, I loved most of the characters, including the villains like Yamada Takayuki, because they are so good in this. I loved everyone except Ito Karen (I don't want to search for the actress' name) whose damsel-in-distress and nosy reporter character just bugged me from the get-go. My god, I have never wanted a character to die so bad! 🤣 All she ever does is get herself into trouble and have Haru rescue her. Her pursuit of the truth gets her in deep shit and all because she wants to know everything. Not everything that is kept in the shadows should be brought to light. There's a reason why it is being kept secret and most of the time it's because it will only cause more harm than good to reveal it. She is basically like a cat whose curiosity almost gets her killed. She is such a waste of space. I am hoping they will leave her out in the succeeding seasons and introduce a different love interest for Haru. As for the fight scenes, they are well choreographed and executed, especially the boss fight between the brothers. That was so cool! Kudos to the stunt team and action choreographers for crafting some of the coolest ninja action I've seen in years. Looking forward to the next season, but please, no more Karens.Was this review helpful to you?
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Ninja is a word used by the ignorant. The proper term is shinobi!
"House of Ninjas" offers an entertaining blend of action, humor, and conspiracy, wrapped in a tale of family dynamics with a secretive twist. Set in a household where three generations coexist, each member grappling with their own desires and obligations amidst a dark family secret, the narrative unfolds with a mishap from a past mission looming over their present lives. Soichi, the patriarch, strives for normalcy while managing a failing sake brewery, while Yoko, the matriarch, seeks excitement through shoplifting. Their children, Nagi and Haru, navigate their own paths amidst ninja traditions and modern desires, while Grandma Ninja keeps a watchful eye, especially on the youngest, Riku.The film strikes a balance between humor, romance, and intense fight sequences, with well-choreographed ninja battles and amusing moments, particularly the grannie-on-grannie ninja action. However, the occasional inexplicable decisions and lack of interpersonal communication among the characters may leave viewers scratching their heads. Nevertheless, the ensemble cast delivers commendable performances, capturing the essence of their characters, from Haru's solemn demeanor to Nagi's mischievous spirit.
Notably, the soundtrack, featuring tracks like Graham Nash's "Our House" and several by The Zombies, complements the scenes effectively, enhancing the overall viewing experience. While "House of Ninjas" may not cater to those seeking a serious, blood-soaked drama or a romantic saga, it offers a refreshing take on the ninja genre, blending high stakes with light and dark humor, family drama, and a touch of romance. Despite its flaws, the series proves compelling and entertaining, earning a solid recommendation for those in search of a unique and enjoyable experience.
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I really enjoyed this ninja packed theme drama or how they say "not ninjas, shinobi".
With bits of comedy there and drama within this Ninja family its a combination of parents, children and siblings being bond in this shinobi life, being active and doing ninja mission in a modern world.
The grandma and nephew combination is peak when it comes with the background story and future generations of shinobies.
Loved the entire chemistry and how everybodys stories gets a little bit of highlight.
As main villains, there is a story there but didnt catch my interest, mediocre I might add.
But the ninja world is an attractive aspect and makes you wanna try it so, give it a try with this drama, plus the modern twist.
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Mainly a arama about ordinary people's slice of life with a tiny bit of ninja slashing
A Drama about ordinary people is boring, but what if we make them retired ninjas and make the show about them wanting to be ordinary people?I think everyone who made this show knew that ordinary life is boring, so they added some ninja elements to make it more exciting.
But while filming and writing the script, they forgot that ordinary life is boring, and made the entire show mostly about ordinary life with a tiny bit of ninja action, which gets you this show.
It's incredibly boring and unless you ignore 80% of the entire show, what you're gonna be watching is a slice of daily life. If you like that, then you'll probably like this otherwise just watch something else.
I think the trailer drills it in pretty hard too about what you should expect, which is again, ordinary slice of life mostly with a tiny bit of ninja action.
Oh also guns still exist in the drama so...yeah...
Honestly this show deserves less than a 1.
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Ninja mode: activated. ⚔️ Only a Shinobi can stop a Shinobi
Loved it! Liked it even more than I was expecting to, and I had been keeping an eye on this show ever since it was first announced. I lived in Japan for a while and have long been a fan of Japanese classic samurai/ninja cinema. It is so awesome to see this show bring back some of the great shinobi tropes, themes, lore, etc. From the great classic shinobi films of the 1960s (which are largely little unknown outside Japan). I particularly REALLY liked the depth of character/family development here, the emphasis on the human element of being a shinobi/ninja, and to see excellent martial art action that is done in a very grounded, realistic manner. The action was fast, visceral and not over the top, which made it all the more impactful.The show is not perfect of course, but on the whole very entertaining and well done... The acting, production quality and action are all top notch and this is the exact kind of high quality drama series that I've been waiting to come out of Japan for a while now. There are so many original, interesting things Japan could be doing with TV/streaming series incorporating unique, rich cultural elements and the unmatched cool factor of samurai/ninja history, lore, etc. We will hopefully see even more productions in the future along these lines!
I really hope House of Ninjas gets a season 2! The first season has wonderfully established a world, a unique style/aesthetic, characters we care about, interesting themes and realistic badass action which could really be expanded upon in future seasons. More please!
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HATTORI HANZO FOREVER…
I started watching this drama without any expectations and, before I knew it, I was completely hooked on the story and the characters. The drama, created and developed by the excellent Dave Boyle, presented a sense of common reality of Japanese everyday life in a family composed of “shinobis”, and the storyline was well tied and conducted in just 8 episodes, unfortunately. The fight choreography was so realistic that it became unnecessary to use visual effects to speed them up, where the viewer gets lost in the performances and ends up not watching anything but a bunch of fast movements. Here, Boyle took care to let us enjoy all the choreographies. As for the actors’ performances in the drama, it is noticeable that they were restrained and within the Western standard of acting, far from the theatrical performances that are trademarks of Japanese dramaturgy. Now, I confess I am looking forward to the second season and hope Netflix renews it, however, Japanese dramas tend to end with open endings and continuations simply do not exist. I hope it’s different here.Was this review helpful to you?
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FIRST JAPANESE DRAMA I WATCHED
This is my first Japanese drama and like it...I rated overall 8.It's about the Tawara family, the last shinobi clan, who lived in a traditional 'house of ninjas' in present-day Japan. Six years earlier, the eldest son died during a mission to rescue a kidnapped politician, and the Tawaras abandoned their discipline. They aim to be a normal family, but struggle with some idiosyncratic dysfunctions. Some family member were longing for action because of the boredom, separately they involved in questionable activities while the Dad, the head of family strive to hold family together as ordinary as possible. The head of the Bureau of Ninja Management insisted the Tawara family to take on mission although been rejected multiple times.
When a crisis unfolds, the family is drawn back into the shadows of its past, the son that they thought died was actually survived and recruited by the enemy. The family must take on the greatest crisis as it became personal one and that threaten the nation on political trouble.
Action, little romance, family dynamic, revenge, mystery and comedy. Japanese has special dark humor that I can appreciate.
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First j-drama and the last one
Never watched a j-drama before and hope i stayed that way.I love anime but the Japanese acting has never worked for me i keep cringe all the way when i watch their live action anime adeption and the same happened now I've tried to watch a j-drama so ya i don't think I'll ever even think of watching any other j-drama again
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Dynamique familiale dans un drame mĂŞlant action et arts martiaux
Cela faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas eu plaisir à voir une série d'arts martiaux. J’ai grandi avec les films des Trois Ninjas, ceux avec Bruce Lee et de Jean-Claude Van Damme. Une partie de moi reste nostalgique des œuvres incluant des ninjas, parce qu'elle me rappelle les vacances chez mes grands-parents. Ma grand-mère m'attendait toujours avec la trilogie des Trois Ninjas sous le coude. Donc, je pense qu'une partie de cet avis ne sera pas totalement impartial.Rapidement, on découvre la famille Tawara. Une famille de shinobis légendaire qui n’exerce plus depuis six ans. La maison Tawara se compose du père Souichi Tawara (Eguchi Yosuke) et de la mère Yoko Tawara (Kimura Tae). Du fils aîné Gaku Tawara (Kora Kengo) et du second fils Haru Tawara (Kaku Kento). Vient ensuite la sœur cadette Nagi Tawara (Makita Aju) et la grand-mère Taki Tawara (Miyamoto Nobuko). On comprend que certains membres de la famille ne sont pas vraiment d'accord dans le fait d'arrêter d'être des shinobis pour devenir une famille ordinaire. D'autant plus que le petit dernier de la famille (âgé d'à peine 8 ans) ne cesse de se questionner, notamment sur l'agencement de sa maison.
La plupart des films d’arts martiaux possède une fibre familiale importante. De ce fait, la famille Tawara est le cœur de House of Ninjas. Si en apparence chacun fait son bout de chemin, ils ont tous des blessures. Ces mêmes blessures qu’ils tentent de garder au fond d’eux. C’est ainsi qu’on nous place en pleine lumière un deuil qui n’a jamais vraiment eu lieu. Les non-dits sont forts, tandis que l’intrigue se tisse. D’ailleurs, cet aspect famille est renforcé par un casting exceptionnel. La dynamique familiale est d’un tel niveau que chaque performance en est renforcée.
Les shinobis dans un Japon moderne est une idée incroyable, notamment lorsqu’ils sont actifs de la société. La famille Tawara répond à de nombreuses règles (ne pas manger de viande, ne pas aimer sans permission…). On peut y voir un fonctionnement archaïque que Dave Boyle a su intégrer de façon moderne tout en donnant à l’ensemble cohérence et fluidité.
Par ailleurs, les scènes de combat sont soignées qu’on peut l’espérer. C’est vif et entraînant avec des chorégraphies parfaitement exécutées. Elles sont visibles avec un fond sonore qui vient rehausser l’ensemble. Si certains points de l’intrigue ne surprennent pas, son dynamisme nous garde accroché jusqu’au bout.
Netflix a gardé une ouverture pour une seconde saison, sans réelle surprise. Et c'est compréhensible avec ces huit épisodes entraînant avec une photographie sublime et des personnages fascinants.
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