Kage Kara Mamoru!

Title:Kage Kara Mamoru!
Protecting you from the Shadows
陰からマモル!
Overall:Rent
Keywords: , , , , , , , ,
Notables: FURUKAWA Erina
KISAICHI Atsushi
KOJIMA Sachiko
NAKAHARA Mai
SHIMIZU Ai
SHINTANI Ryouko
YAMAGUCHI Noboru (seiyuu)
Yuna Konyaku is a very stupid girl. Accident prone and unaware of most things that goes around her (She can't tell the difference between a boys bathroom and a girls) and the only reason she is still alive is because of her childhood friend Mamoru Kagemori (Mamo-kun). Mamoru usually is dressed in a school outfit and ugly glasses so no one realizes he is really Yuna's bodyguard. The reason for that is the Kagemori-clan are the ancient protectors of the Konyaku-clan (The Konyakus are Artists-of-legend and the Kagemoris are Shadow-Ninjas). With the help of his family (Mom, Dad, and ninja dog Bluemaru) Mamoru rescues Yuna from danger (Which is frequent) as well as keeping his Ninja skills secret from her friends and the rest of the school.

So far Mamoru has to deal with yuri Friends, a crazy Swordswoman, a love starved Loli, a Female Ninja from a rival clan, and a local Yakuza that hires some very powerful assassins.

12 TV Episodes
Produced by Group TAC & Aniplex
Based on a novel by Tarou Achi

The manga is reported as being R1-Licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment. Pls see ANN news article for more information.
Episode Details 
00, 01, 13, 99, 101
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Watch 7 7 8 7 7 7 Dreamer [series:1269#2279]
I had watched this one a while back but didn't add a review, so here it is.

Art, Animation and Character Design
The art and animation was nothing special and a bit on the average side. The frame rate was average as well. However, the character designs were or seemed above the norm and uber cute looking! Then again, you have the mob boss (Hidou) who looks like something out of a super low budget cartoon (if there is such a comparison). But wow, Yuna was super uber cute! I loved not only her character but her appearance and her voice. Very cute. Just her alone almost made the anime for me.

Music
The opening theme at first was annoying.... since I'm nota big fan of a high-pitched voice as the lead singer. However, as I sat through the first couple episodes, it started getting catchy and I found myself watching through the OP. The ending song however.... eh.

Episode and Series Stories
There's plenty of silly laughter and cute moments in this one. Yuna's "simple-mindedness" kept it interesting. The plot, a typical harem progressed at a steadily with a few fillers here and there. Some of the fights scenes were cool with witty dialogue.

Overall, good series. I would've given this series a lower "overall" rating if it wasn't for Yuna. It's still worth the time spent on it.

Last updated Monday, February 16 2009. Created Monday, February 16 2009.
Buy Stretch [series:1269#628]
(Buy- or Rent+)

A burglar is fleeing from a mansion late at night, when he is jumped by two ninja girls--except it turns out that they are not particularly interested in recovering stolen property! This is the sort of hilarity to expect from Kage Kara Mamoru. It's official--I love this show! The first episode of this series neither thrilled me nor left me particularly disappointed. It seemed to be a modestly amusing show that would be worth watching, but not worth taking down detailed notes or composing episode reviews for. But I think this series steadily grew on me. I went into episode four ("the Banana episode") expecting something perverted, like the Banana scene in Girls Bravo--but it turned out to be just plain hilarious, and only slightly risque. It's curious how this show manages to be so funny without resorting to blatant fanservice (I didn't think that was possible!). Episode nine ("UFO Hunt" episode) was godawful hilarious--the first time I watched it, that is; the second time it wasn't nearly as funny since I knew what sort of behavior to expect from the aliens and the usual characters (sometimes episodes--of any series--are like that). I started out thinking that this was a second-string show, but I'll be damned if these guys don't know their stuff! If this is another harem series, at least the male main character, Mamoru, isn't a complete loser or thoroughly average guy--he is, in fact, a highly skilled ninja in training. Yuna may be a total ditz, but she's also completely innocent and pure of heart--it's hard not to like her. The animation was satisfactory to me--it has to be either fantastically good or appallingly bad before I notice it, but this one fell inbetween. I wish the technique Mamoru used in the climactic fight was more clear, but this is one of those all-too-few episodes which just left me feeling good all over. The best thing about Kage Kara Mamoru is that it really is funny, and in a fresh way, on a level above the humor we usually get from harem comedies. It's always fun to try out a new show--especially when they turn out to be as good as this one. I'd love to see more episodes of KKM, which I think of as a sort of burried treasure among the river of anime being produced nowadays. Now, if only I could "rip" the Banana song without all the background noise...

P.S: As evidence of why I gave this show such a high rating, I'm rewatching it yet again. The very best shows are the ones I rewatch as soon as I finish them the first time, and this is one of the next highest class, the ones I rewatch after waiting six months or so. (I'm also rewatching Slayers after a lapse of several years). I suppose Kage Kara Mamoru could be R1 licensed, but I wouldn't bet on it. For some reason I enjoy short 12 or 13 episode comedies, with silly premises, which probably will never be licensed over here--maybe that's one of the reasons why.

P.P.S: I'm currently rewatching Kage Kara Mamoru a third time. This show is a riot--well, not always an LOL riot, but it continually has me grinning as I watch. Stuff happens unexpectedly instead of in the usual semi-predictable manner of generic harem shows. And, wacky stuff happens, like the hunt for an underwear thief. I wasn't completely happy with the way things got serious in the final episode--it seemed to go from plausibly serious in the next-to-last one to overdone serious in this one. But it was better than not having any serious conclusion at all. There was a bit of a cop-out at the end, where Yuna loses the moving brainpower she attained in the previous one; maybe that was for the best, or maybe it was just because fans of harem shows might not want the guy to commit to any one girl. Anyway, the animation is a bit modest, but this will always be a favorite of mine, and I expect to rewatch it yet again. Just thinking about this show makes me smile.

And I have just watched KKM a fourth time. This is a show which has a clever premise and is genuinely funny. With things reset back to usual at the end, there could always be a second season, and this show deserves one. As a result I have upgraded KKM to 'Buy' status. I don't award 'Buy' ratings easily, since DVDs are fairly expensive and I usually have plenty of new anime ready for watching, but a show worth watching four times probably qualifies.

See Tsubaki and similar sword-wielding female characters at the Kendo Girl Scrapbook.

My favorite line: "A shadow has no name!" --Mamoru

Also: "It's showtime!" --Airi

Last updated Wednesday, May 27 2020. Created Monday, February 27 2006.
Rent Forbin [series:1269#1573]
Drama : Low
Comedy : Med
Action : Low/Med
SciFi : Low/Med
Ecchi : None

Complete Review

This started out as a filler series to watch because NOTHING else was on. It turned into the 4th or even 3rd most liked series of 2006 so far!

First off, this is a harem. It ends in typical harem fashion. Darn I just gave it away!
This should've been a BUY, I wanted it to be a BUY. But the animation keeps it at RENT.

What I liked out it:
  • Bluemaru the Dog: He is one sweet ninja dog!
  • Hotaru the Ninja Girl: She is most likely to be Mamoru's mate. None of the others come close.
  • The OP Song: It just grew on me to the point where I'm humming it.
  • The story: Shockingly there is a coherent (if slightly unbelievable) story.
  • The jokes: Great funny jokes.
  • The fact that it doesn't need sex to carry the story. I think the most sex you get is when Mamoru cuts Tsubaki's shirt or when the Talent Scout showed Yuna a bed as a stepping stone to greatness.
  • Another fact that this harem's Hero is actually a hero. This is rare for a harem. Most harems keep their main character clueless and a loser.
What I hated about it:
  • Yuna: For being the #1 of a harem, she is drawn the ugliest! In fact, each girl is less and less ugly until you get to Hotaru. Listed in the order of beauty, first being worst : Yuna, Airi, Tsubaki, Yamase, and Hotaru, which happens to be the order that they are introduced.
  • The animation: Besides the ugliness of the main character, this Animation studio was VERY CHEAP. Many resused scenes. And episodes 8-10 are just plain filler. They should've done more with them.
Episode Rundown
  • 1 : We meet the Main Character Yuna and her friend/bodyguard Mamoru (Mamo-kun). Yuna is so stupid she uses the boy's restroom and thinks it's the girls (Umm Urinals?). She sees a shady deal go down and thinks it's a doll convention for boys. She is also in constant danger it seems.
  • 2 : The shady guys from episode 1 hire a Samurai girl to take out Yuna. Aforementioned girl gets taken down by Mamoru and promptly falls in love with him. Add #2 to the Harem.
  • 3 : We meet little girl from the past who is in love with Mamoru (Like Yui from Ichigo 100 Percent (TV)). We also get to see a little bit of Burmaru in action. (Sweet ninja dog!) Add #3 to the harem.
  • 4 : The Banana Episode. Very funny. I didn't remember the legend of yelling down a well until I saw this. Poor Mamoru. Here we find out the Yuri friend isn't yuri after all. Add #4 to the harem.
  • 5 : The Date Episode. Not as good as #4 but still watchable. The highlight of the episode is Burumaru. Also during the Mahou Shounen (hehe) sequence it surprised me.
  • 6 : The Love Confession Episode. At least we have girl #5, Hotaru-san. And she is a ninja! Ooo his parents are so proud. Probably the best episode so far. Rent Status Achieved!
  • 7 : The Childhood Memories Episode. The harem effect is in full swing and the members are starting to fight with one another! Burumaru (old generation) is a sweet ninja dog! Another great episode.
  • 8 : The Security Mansion Episode - We learn more about #4 and how rich she is. While it is funny, it's not as good as Episode 6. It also confirms that #4 is definitely part of the Mamoru harem and how Mamoru is completely clueless about his harem.
  • 9 : The UFO Episode - Pretty good but it seems like such a filler. Bluemaru is truly the greatest ninja dog out there!
  • 10 : The Tunnel Episode - Tsubaki looks much better when her hair is down. Hotaru looks like she is going in for another kiss!
  • 11 : Yuna Confesses - Then she is hit by a car! Mamoru is fired from his 400 year old duty!
  • 12 : Final Episode - Mamoru is trying to get his position back.
Note : I removed High School. It might take place in a high school, but we do not see ANY of it. Not even other students.

Last updated Sunday, April 23 2006. Created Thursday, February 23 2006.

Other Sites
NameURL
Aniplex Japanese Language Web Site http://www.aniplex.co.jp/kagemamo/

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