After years of training, teenage ninja Kagetora gets the job he’s been waiting for – tutoring and protecting the young heir of a renowned martial arts family in the skills of the warrior. Unfortunately, sweet schoolgirl Yuki is a bit of a klutz and has trouble learning the basic moves – and even worse, Kagetora has begun to develop feelings for her. Can he teach his student the skills she needs without compromising his duty as a ninja?
Although it makes a decent attempt to be a funny and heartfelt work, Kagetora ends up as a rather average manga. The plot is simplistic and episodic, mostly centering on Kagetora or Yuki misinterpreting the other’s words or actions; the blandly-rendered characters communicate mainly through surprised or sappy expressions, with several needless instances of fanservice to boot.
This series might have been at least saved by savvy characterizations, but both the main and supporting characters are one-dimensional and are defined more by what character “type” they are supposed represent than by what they actually say or do. Despite being the heroine of the work, Yuki doesn’t have much motivation or personality beyond getting frustrated with her training or quietly crushing on Kagetora; likewise, Kagetora spends much of the work over-reacting to Yuki’s gentle flirtations and endlessly debating about his duty as a ninja.
It seems Kagetora’s intended audience is younger readers, who might be a good “gateway” series to kids that enjoy the “ninja style” and humor of Naruto, but are ready for something with a little more emotional depth; in fact, Kagetora could make for a snappy, once-in-a-while read for older (i.e. adult) readers as well.
I don’t think it’s going to make anyone’s Top Ten list…but Kagetora does succeed in at least being a likeable, if average, series.
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