Under Ninja vol. 4

He may have come out on top during a four-way ninja battle in an apartment complex, but now Kuro Kumogakure faces his greatest challenge:  Infiltrating a high school.  This is crucial because his bosses in the National Organization of Ninjas believe it has some connection to their rival organization Under Ninja.  Why they’ve picked Kuro to do this, well… still waters run deep, I guess.  Fortunately he’s been preparing for this by getting to know trendy girl Noguchi, and social outcast Eita.  Their information will help give him the edge he news in this infiltration.  Or maybe their association will wind up having him facing off against some delinquents while wearing a cardboard box behind the school.  It could be one, the other, or both!

Given that there was a rather lengthy wait between vol. 3 and this one it seems that “Under Ninja’s” uneven but fun anime adaptation didn’t light a fire under sales of the manga over here.  Which is a shame since it’s still an enjoyably quirky series to behold if you’re on its wavelength.  That does require being amused by Kuro’s “master of reality” and name-ranking shenanigans, as well as his ninja combat skills.  The supporting cast also get a few more scenes to flesh out their own quirks while the main story picks up momentum in the form of a future antagonist.  I know that last bit after watching the anime, and my knowledge of what’s coming next is the only real drag on enjoying this volume.  Not that it’s enough to get me to stop reading this before I find out what happens after it.