Shonen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru
Encyclopedia
, also known as Samurai Kid, is a Japanese anime
series produced by Toei Animation
. 65 episodes aired from 7 June 1964 until 31 August 1965. It tells the story of a ninja
's pupil that controlled the wind.
It was inspired by the manga
'Kaze no Ishimaru' by Sanpei Shirato
and was animated by Hayao Miyazaki
. The anime
was renamed "Kaze no Fujimaru" in order to associate it with its sponsor, Fujisawa Pharmaceuticals
.
The opening theme, 'Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru' and the closing theme, 'Tatakau Shōnen Ninja', were both performed by the Nishirokugo Boy's Choir (西六郷少年合唱団; Nishirokugō Shōnen Gasshōdan). The series originally ended with a repeat of the opening; the separate ending song came later.
, recovers the baby and takes him as a disciple.
Fujimaru grows until he becomes a gifted young man who can control the wind by learning ninjitsu. He knows two strong techniques: 'multiplication' (which allows him to confuse his enemies by creating illusion
s of himself) and 'leaves' (which helps him to run away behind a wind swirl).
Fujimaru has two goals: to see his mother again and to find the 'Ryuen Book', a handwritten parchment
that contains great but dangerous techniques. Fujimaru's main enemy is Japusai, a master of fire techniques who is also searching for the parchment.
In the end, Fujimaru attains both goals: he runs into his mother and finds the parchment, but he decides to destroy it because it would be too dangerous in Japusai's hands.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series produced by Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
. 65 episodes aired from 7 June 1964 until 31 August 1965. It tells the story of a ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
's pupil that controlled the wind.
It was inspired by the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
'Kaze no Ishimaru' by Sanpei Shirato
Sanpei Shirato
, known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and essayist known for his social criticism as well as his realistic drawing style and the characters in his scenarios. He is considered a pioneer of gekiga. The son of the Japanese proletarian painter Toki Okamoto, his dream to become an artist...
and was animated by Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
. The anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
was renamed "Kaze no Fujimaru" in order to associate it with its sponsor, Fujisawa Pharmaceuticals
Astellas Pharma
is a Japanese pharmaceutical company, formed on 1 April 2005 from the merger of and .Astellas' franchise areas are urology, immunology , dermatology, cardiology, and infectious disease...
.
The opening theme, 'Shōnen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru' and the closing theme, 'Tatakau Shōnen Ninja', were both performed by the Nishirokugo Boy's Choir (西六郷少年合唱団; Nishirokugō Shōnen Gasshōdan). The series originally ended with a repeat of the opening; the separate ending song came later.
Plot summary
The story begins when Fujimaru was a little baby. His mother put him in a basket while she was working in the country. Suddenly, the baby was kidnapped by an eagle, but Sasuke, a samuraiSamurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
, recovers the baby and takes him as a disciple.
Fujimaru grows until he becomes a gifted young man who can control the wind by learning ninjitsu. He knows two strong techniques: 'multiplication' (which allows him to confuse his enemies by creating illusion
Illusion
An illusion is a distortion of the senses, revealing how the brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. While illusions distort reality, they are generally shared by most people....
s of himself) and 'leaves' (which helps him to run away behind a wind swirl).
Fujimaru has two goals: to see his mother again and to find the 'Ryuen Book', a handwritten parchment
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
that contains great but dangerous techniques. Fujimaru's main enemy is Japusai, a master of fire techniques who is also searching for the parchment.
In the end, Fujimaru attains both goals: he runs into his mother and finds the parchment, but he decides to destroy it because it would be too dangerous in Japusai's hands.