“Ninja Kamui is a blood-soaked action anime laser-targeted at the Toonami generation, delivering fights that feel like a John Wick movie directed by a samurai.”
The A.V. Club Staff
The A.V. Club

United States"A ninja returns from the dead to burn his past to ash."
User Score
376000 votes
Adult Swim's Ninja Kamui launches a brutal, high-octane assault on the screen in early 2024. The series follows Joe Logan, voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda, a former ninja who fled his clan to live a quiet life with his family. When his past catches up in the form of a ruthless hit squad, the show pivots instantly from domestic drama into a visceral revenge story. With its TV-MA rating and sharp animation style, the program targets adult audiences hungry for intense martial arts action mixed with cybernetic intrigue.
Created by Shigeru Murakoshi, the first season premiered on February 11, 2024, and concluded on May 5, 2024. Atsushi Ono lends his voice to Mike Moriss, adding depth to the supporting cast as Joe navigates a world where loyalty is fleeting and violence is currency. The show has garnered an 8.1 out of 10 rating from viewers who appreciate its unflinching look at betrayal and survival. As a returning series with two seasons planned, it promises to expand this dark universe while maintaining the tight pacing that defines its first run.
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Joe Logan thought he had left his violent past behind when he faked his death and assumed a new identity in the United States. Living under the name Higan, he built a peaceful existence with his wife Mari and their young son Ren, working a mundane job and hoping to forget the years he spent as a legendary assassin for the Kamui clan. This fragile peace shattered one night when a squad of elite killers, including a terrifying cyborg operative named Emma Samanda, breached his home. They systematically slaughtered his entire family, leaving no survivors to witness the carnage. The attack served as both punishment for Joe's betrayal and a grim warning to others who might try to escape the organization's reach.
Devastated but driven by grief, Joe realized the law could not touch the Kamui clan due to their deep political influence and lack of evidence. He decided to take justice into his own hands, transforming from a grieving husband into a relentless hunter. His journey took him across the globe, from the neon-lit streets of Tokyo to high-tech corporate facilities, as he hunted down the people responsible for destroying his life. Along the way, he crossed paths with FBI agent Mike Moriss, who was investigating the same massacre and recognized Joe's unique fighting style. What began as an adversarial relationship quickly evolved into an uneasy alliance as they uncovered a web of corruption involving government agencies, private military contractors, and rogue scientists enhancing ninjas with cybernetic implants.
The first season established a clear trajectory: Joe's quest for vengeance was not just about killing specific individuals but dismantling the infrastructure that allowed the Kamui clan to operate with impunity. As he delved deeper, he uncovered the chilling reality that the clan viewed humans as expendable tools. The conflict escalated as Joe faced increasingly powerful enemies, each possessing advanced technology and deadly abilities. Despite the overwhelming odds, Joe remained driven by a singular purpose: to ensure that no other family suffered the fate of his own. The series is characterized by its intense, choreographed fight scenes, which blend traditional martial arts with futuristic weaponry, creating a unique visual language that appeals to fans of gritty action dramas.
As the season progressed, the stakes rose, and the line between hunter and hunted blurred. Joe had to constantly adapt to new threats while grappling with the emotional toll of his mission. The show explored themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of violence, all set against a backdrop of near-future dystopia where the old ways of the ninja had been corrupted by modern technology. While the first season concluded with Joe having made significant progress in his war against the Kamui clan, the path ahead remained fraught with danger. The second season, titled Ninja Kamui: Red Vendetta, promised to expand on this dark universe, introducing new allies and enemies while pushing Joe to the brink of his physical and mental limits. The series maintained a focus on the central conflict of a man seeking redemption through destruction, ensuring that every episode delivered a pulse-pounding experience filled with tension, emotion, and spectacular action.
Official Trailer
Trailer [Japanese with English Subs]
Critical Consensus
Critics praise Ninja Kamui for its relentless pacing, stunning animation quality, and emotionally resonant core story of revenge. The series successfully blends traditional ninja lore with modern cyberpunk aesthetics, offering a mature and compelling viewing experience for adults. While some note its reliance on familiar tropes, the execution is so polished and the action sequences so breathtaking that it transcends genre conventions.
“Ninja Kamui is a blood-soaked action anime laser-targeted at the Toonami generation, delivering fights that feel like a John Wick movie directed by a samurai.”
The A.V. Club Staff
The A.V. Club
“In the end, Ninja Kamui's strengths are the same as John Wick's. There's awe-inspiring action and an intriguing premise set in a world that's... where the old ways of the ninja have been corrupted by modern technology.”
MovieWeb Staff
MovieWeb
“Adult Swim's Ninja Kamui launches a brutal, high-octane assault on the screen, proving that there is still room for traditional action anime in the modern era.”
Anime News Network Staff
Anime News Network
Director
Sunghoo Park
Writer
Shigeru Murakoshi
Composer
R・O・N
Producer
Jason DeMarco
Tokyo Anime Award Festival (2024)
Best Animation in the Television Category: Won
Annie Awards (2024)
Best General Audience Animated Television/Broadcast Production: Nominated
Toonami Fan Choice (2024)
Viewer Poll - Action Series: Ranked #1
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