The Ninja Skooler anime, which was announced at the Kinema Citrus Sweet 16 panel at Anime Central 2024 with a pilot trailer, has now resurfaced with a pilot film featuring the song “Knots” by Takashi Iwami. The latter simultaneously received a separate digital release.
The pilot film was revealed by BLUE RIGHTS, the entertainment production company founded by Makoto Kimura (who had production-related credits on anime like Terror in Resonance, Hell’s Paradise, Vinland Saga Season 2, and Chainsaw Man). The company says that the larger Ninja Skooler project “aims to build lasting IP value across animation, music, publishing and digital content,” and that it is “developing ways for audiences to experience NINJA SKOOLER through serialized manga, shorts, character projects, toys and other merchandise.”
As part of those plans, the press release includes a call for partners in the publishing, music, digital content, character merchandise, and international expansion fields to reach out to “explore potential collaboration opportunities.”
The Ninja Skooler pilot film was directed by Studio HALE’s Shunsuke Takarai (Ninja Skooler pilot trailer, “non-reflection.” music video, Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun Episodes 6 and 11) with Hiroko Oguri as character designer and breccia and Kinema Citrus handling the animation production. In a statement for the press release, Takarai, who also drew the storyboards, explained, “Visually, I tried working without outlines to capture the uncertainty and vulnerability of childhood. I hope you enjoy the atmosphere that emerges as the characters and backgrounds blend together.”
Other production credits include:
• Original character designer: Hami (Ninja Skooler pilot trailer character designer, Sound! Euphonium manga artist)
• Background art director: Lee Jooyuong
• Color designer: Akiko Saito
• Compositing director: T2 Studio’s Tsunetaka Ema (Made in Abyss)
• Music composer: Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss)
• Produce: BLUE RIGHTS
• Producer: Makoto Kimura
• Producer: Muneki Ogasawara (Goodbye, Lara senior producer, former Kinema Citrus chairman, breccia representative member)
• Animation producer: Studio HALE’s Satoshi Wada
The synopsis for Ninja Skooler reads:
Rappa is an orphan who idolizes fictional ninja. One snowy night, he falls from a rooftop and is saved by a real ninja named Okachimachi and his master. Rappa turns up at their door asking to become an apprentice, and the three begin living together as a family. Years later, Rappa throws himself into training to become a ninja who can protect the town. The children who look up to him gather at the master’s traditional Japanese candy shop, a place where he can laugh with family and friends. Rappa thinks these days will last forever, but he sees Okachimachi tending to their retired master and catches a glimpse of the pain the master has kept hidden…
Source: Press release
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