NINJA SKOOLER Pilot Film

Ninja Skooler Pilot Film is a short test film for an original anime project from the studio Kinema Citrus. The studio is also known for work such as My Happy Marriage. It first showed the project at the Anime Central event in 2024, during a panel about the studio's past and future work. Along with a poster image, a short trailer was shared online. The studio has said more news, such as a release date and cast, would come later. No release date was confirmed in the sources I could find.

The project is led by director Shunsuke Takarai. He earlier worked as a key animator, which means an artist who draws the most important frames of a scene, on shows such as My Happy Marriage and Shangri-La Frontier. Hami is named as the character designer in news reports.

In news about the larger Ninja Skooler project, the series is described as a light story about daily life at a ninja school. The trailer introduced a few characters. Rappa is the main hero. Kamari is his rival and classmate. Machi Okachi is a new teacher at the school. Some reports say the world is a made-up version of the Edo period, an old era of Japan, where ninja still live.

The story summary for this pilot film follows Rappa as a young orphan who admires ninja from stories. After meeting real ninja, he asks to become their apprentice, and they form a small family. Years later he trains hard so he can protect his town. Local children look up to him, and they gather at a traditional Japanese candy shop run by his master. It is a warm place full of laughter. Rappa believes these happy days will last forever, but he soon sees signs of a hidden sadness in the people he loves.

The mood seems to be a mix of action and quiet, everyday moments. The genres listed are action and slice of life. Because this is a pilot film for a project still in development, the final series may differ from what was shown here.