My feelings are always swirling! And with that begins the typically energetic anime theme song to 2x2 Shinobuden. As per usual with anime openings, we get hints of lots of characters that we'll be introduced to as the series progresses. The one I am most interested in after watching the opening is a generic ninja in black with the head of an alligator (!)

The first thing I noticed as the episode began was the great animation off the top. Shinobu is bouncing from rooftop to rooftop under the cover of night and the whole thing is done smoothly and effectively. The quality of the animation is really shown off as she passes a cat on a nearby fence. The angle changes to Shinobu's POV and the cat and BG all rotate with her leap.

She lands on the balcony of Kaede, a high school girl who is studying for an exam the next day. Shinobu does some quick hand seals and shouts "Concealment Technique!" and then thinks she's invisible (she's not). She open the door to balcony and walks into Kaede's room, snickering all the way. This is where things get a little weirder.

Shinobu walks over to Kaede's bed an lays down. There is along moment of silence. looooooong moment of silence. Suddenly she gets up and says she needs to get to work, but is quickly distracted by a plush cat. Kaede, who has been watching this the entire time is finally fed up and demands an explanation.

Shinobu finally realizes she's not invisible and introduces herself as a ninja in training ("you know, NinNin"). She explains that she is actually in the middle of an ninja exam. We then get a really funny moment of her choosing which exam she atn to take. She gets a thousand different choices like, "Nullify the duty tax" or "Fine couples in the street 100,000 yen" or "Pinch an alien and make it cry" or my favorite, "Cry endlessly."

She chooses exam 412 which is to gather female high-school student's underwear. including Shiranui Kaede's. At hearing this, Kaede immediately tries to protect her clothes drawer.

Shinobu first tries to get the underwear by using bushin no jitsu, but only manages to make it rain clones of her arms-- so weird!

Then she is going to try shurikens, but the explains that she doesn't carry any because she doesn't like the smell of iron... okay.... Embarrassed by her lack of shurikens, she offer a trade. A karaoke discount coupon for the panties. Of course Kaede refuses.

Pushed to her limits, Shinobu calls on her partner, "Onsokumaru!" Suddenly flying in through the window is an animorphic yellow ball with wings yelling, "Gabora!" Which I doubt means anything at all.

Kaede immediately wants to know what the hell Onsokumaru is and Shinobu explains that he is a hawk. A hawk? WTF! Thankfully Kaede shared my confusion, and runs over to her bookshelf to reveal a picture book of hawks. Shinobu is rightfully confused and demands an explanation from Onsokumaru, who pulls out a cigarette (!) takes a puff and in a weirdly sexy way tells her that he is in fact a hawk. SHE BELIEVES HIM.

Eventually Kaede voluntarily gives up a pair of her undies, citing that she knows what it's like to be stressed during an exam. And everyones lives happily ever after.

All together this first chapter in the 2x2 Shinobuden is actually pretty damn hilarious. Lots of really strange humor that I hope continues for the rest of the series.

Thanks for reading 2x2 Shinobuden!

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