A list of characters from the videogame Mini Ninjas.
Work in Progress.
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The Ninjas
Hiro
Game Hiro
Main protagonist and the only disciple to seek the temple on his own, Hiro is an expert with the sword but, most importantly, can learn and master the nigh-forgotten Kuji magic arts. He and his best friend Futo are sent to find the source of the new chaos.As the main character, Hiro is balanced, can learn Kuji Magic and is the only one who can fight bosses. His Strong Attack has him freeze time to lock on his enemies and attack them for massive damage.
- All Love Is Unrequited: Hiro has a very visible crush on Suzume in her unlockable video trailer. This is probably the reason Hiro has a poster of her in his quarters in the village.
- Animorphism: Thanks to his second Kuji art, he can possess a single animal and move around in his body. In this form Hiro's unable to fight at all (unless he's possessing bears, pandas and boars), but since animals have better senses he can spot collectibles with more ease.
- Bullet Time: When Hiro activates his Strong Attack, he briefly enters the Spirit World and thus all enemies seem immobile compared to him, allowing him to deliver a powerful attack.
- Calling Your Attacks: Using a Kuji spell will have Hiro call its name out loudd in Japanese.
- The Chosen One: He's the only ninja on the mountain who can learn and master the Kuji magic.
- The Hero: He's the first character you can use and the main protagonist, as he's the only one who can perform certain mandatory acts such as retrieving Kuji scrolls, cast spells, defeat summoners, fight bosses and fish.
- Katanas Are Just Better: His weapon of choice is a katana with a squared hilt carried across the shoulder He's the main hero, though Futo, Kunoichi and Tora do have stronger attacks.
- Elemental Powers: Most of the Kuji spells involve elements, mostly fire, wind, Sound, sunlight and devastating storms made of either lightning or icicles.
- Jack of All Stats: In terms of agility and fighting skills he sits in the middle amongst all ninjas.
- Meaningful Name: Hiro means "prosperous" and also sounds a lot like hero.
- Spell Blade: Hiro's mainly a swordsman but his strong suit are Kuji spells.
TV Hiro
- Adaptation Personality Change: In the games, Hiro is a stoic and patient ninja, who upholds his training with the utmost importance. However, in the TV show, Hiro is more reckless and stubborn with himself, and is considered to be the opposite of his characterization in the game.
Futo
Game Futo
Endowed with prodigious strength and appetite, Futo soon proved to be too clumsy, strong and fat to master the nimble and deadly ninja weapons, until his friend Hiro didn't provided him with a giant wooden hammer. What he lack in finesse he compensates in strength.Futo is very slow and can't jump well, but has the highest attack and can hurt even giant samurais. His Strong Attack is a powerful pound with his hammer.
- Acrofatic: Despite his bulk and his low jump height, Futo can still move stealthy, balance on thin surfaces and wallrun if required.
- Big Eater: Loves eating apples, and you even find him resting under an apple tree.
- Domino Mask: Despite his status as a ninja, he only wears a small domino mask to protect his identity.
- Fat Best Friend: To Hiro especially, but also to the other ninjas such as Kunoichi.
- Gentle Giant: Despite his size, Futo is kind and pacific.
- Ground Pound: His Strong Attack consist in one of these.
- Stout Strength: He's the strongest of all the ninjas, but his bulk makes him slow.
- Tap on the Head: He can deliver one to the big samurais as a special attack.
TV Futo
Suzume
Game Suzume
A female ninja who never parts from her cherished wooden flute, which she turned into a versatile weapon capable of charming enemies or shooting darts. She was sent by the Master after Shun's disapperence, but was captured by the enemy forces.Suzume is slightly more agile than Hiro and her Strong Attack allows her to make some enemies dance to her music, leaving them open.
- Action Girl: He's one of the two female ninjas alongside Kunoichi and is no less capable than her friends.
- Crippling Overspecialisation: It's hard to work out what role she fills. Shun is simply a better long-range character, Hiro is better at faster attacks, Futo excels in melee, and even her Limit Break is literally just an extended stun attack using her flute. She's not a bad character to pick, and still does very good damage, but comes off as being Boring, but Practical more than anything.
- Exposed to the Elements: Not in-game but referenced by one of her notes found in the snowy mountain path, where she complains about the cold and tries to withdraw from it.
- Improbable Weapon User: She uses an incredibly sturdy flute as a weapon, one she has kept ever since she was a baby.
- Instrument of Murder: Her flute is normally used as a staff but can also shoot hidden darts and, when played, hypnotize enemy soldiers to make them vulnerable.
- Magical Flutist: Playing her flute stuns enemies briefly, leaving them open to attack.
- Meaningful Name: Suzume means "sparrow".
TV Suzume
- Adaptation Personality Change: Compared to her no-nonsense behavior in the game, she appears to be more cheerful and teasing in the tv show. Along with this, she is always the sensible one towards Hiro, who is more reckless than her.
Shun
The Archer
Shun
An hyperactive boy who's always on the move, not even the training in archery did something to soothe his personality. He was sent into mission after Tora, but was captured by the Samurai troops.Being armed with a bow, Shun is unable to attack close by or destroying obstacles and crates, but he can snipe enemies from afar and, as a Strong Attack, shoot an arrow loaded with a firecracker.
- Abnormal Ammo: His Strong Attack is an arrow with an explosive rocket tied to it.
- Demoted to Extra: He spends most of the gameplay in the NDS version protecting the hidden pass in the Snow Wilderness.
- Friendly Sniper: How it's best to play him, due to his lack of melee.
- Glass Cannon: He's the only ninja without a melee attack, but he can snipe from a safe distance and even destroy small groups of enemies with his explosive arrows.
- Meaningful Name: Shun can mean "sudden" or "instantaneous".
Tora
Tora
A wild ninja who believes he's a tiger and acts like a ferocious wild beast. He's armed with claws he forged himself from swords. Was the second ninja to be sent to investigate the chaos and was captured by the enemies.Tora is the fastest ninja and his attacks are restless and suited to take on crowds of enemies, but he's fatally weak against spearmen and archers. His Strong Attack has him performing a running attack.
- Animal Motifs: Tigers, of course. Tora really thinks he is one.
- Deadly Lunge: His Strong Attack has him performing a lashing dive forward.
- Demoted to Extra: the NDS version has Tora being injured and sit out the entire game staying at the Earth Wilderness.
- Glass Cannon: He has the greatest speed and offensive potential, but is deadly vulnerable against spearmen.
- Meaningful Name: Tora is the Japanese for tiger, the animal he believes to be.
- Spin Attack: His stun attack has him jumping and spinning his claws while in midair.
- Wild Child: He believes he's a tiger and act as a wild animal most of the time.
- Wolverine Claws: Due to his animalistic nature, he refused to use other weapons and instead crafted himself two sets of hand claws for his hands. Initially used to climb trees.
TV Tora
- Character Exaggeration: Compared to his game counterpart, he actually behaves like a real tiger in the TV series.
Kunoichi
Kunoichi
The best pupil of the Ninja Master, since infancy Kunoichi has shown proficiency with her naginata, which she can use with incredible skill to keep everyone but her friends at bay. She was the first ninja sent to investigate.Thanks to her naginata, Kunoichi excels in combat, especially against many enemies, and is suited to fight spearmen. Her Strong Attack has her spinning her weapon to damage multiple enemies.
- The Ace: She was the strongest ninja in the village and the Master's first choice to deal with the forces of evil.
- Action Girl: Alongside Suzume, though to a greater extent.
- Beat Them at Their Own Game: Thanks to her glaive, Kunoichi can easily attack spearmen with her stun attack.
- Demoted to Extra: She is reduced to be a minor character who stays to protect the water Wilderness.
- Meaningful Name: Kunoichi is the term to define female ninjas.
- Naginatas Are Feminine: She is a graceful ninja lady with an elegant naginata which compliments her fighting style.
- Tell Me How You Fight: As noticed by the Master, she has the tendency to keep everyone but her trusted friends at a distance, making the naginata the perfect choice for her.
- Weapon Twirling: Her Strong Attack involves some acrobatic twirling before unleashing the attack.
TV Kunoichi
- Age Lift: In the TV show, Kunoichi is a toddler and the youngest among her ninja friends compared to her game counterpart who is a teenager.
- Token Mini-Moe: She's the youngest among her friends, and the most innocent one.
The Ninja Master
Ninja Master
The old master of the temple and teacher of the current ninja generation, he's the adoptive father of our heroes. He acts as the narrator of the story. The Tengu
Tengu
Bird people with mystical powers who aid the ninjas in time of need, they can be encountered as NPCs, quest-givers and sellers.- Only Six Faces: There are only two Tengu models (three if you include the armed ones in the tutorial) yet it's implied there are a lot of them.
- Tengu: They look like typical Karasutengu, with the older ones being dressed as monks and carrying shakujo crosiers.
The Forces of the Evil Warlord
The Earth Boss
Lumbering Fool
A colossal samurai warrior clad in armor and armed with a gigantic sword, it possesses great strength paired with terrible agility. He guards the Earth Castle on behalf of the Warlord. Was created from an ox.- Adaptational Intelligence: He can apparently speak in the NDS version even acknowledging Hiro for defeating him.
- BFS: Wields a gigantic katana resembling the Buster Sword, so big Hiro can walk on it without even balancing.
- Blade Run: You can start the quick-time event which leads to the Fool's defeat by jumping on his sword and running over it to reach his back and helmet.
- Bullfight Boss: You need to divert his attacks towards you and hide behind the pillars so that his sword will be stuck, leaving an opening.
- Dumb Muscle: As the name suggest, this boss possesses an incredible strength but is very stupid and clumsy.
- Giant Equals Invincible: Zigzagged, the Lumbering Fool is so large Hiro's attacks and weapons can't harm him, but he can defeat the boss by turning his own size and weight against him.
- Large and in Charge: The largest enemy encountered and the leader of the samurai in the Earth Castle. Downplayed in that he's the first of four bosses.
- Meaningful Name: He's gigantic but not too bright and very uncoordinated, his defeat brought on by his own clumsiness.
- Tactical Suicide Boss: Like a charging bull, he keeps attacking Hiro over and over, always falling for his trick when he hides behind the pillars.
Tne Night Boss
Windy Pants
A smarmy and disgusting samurai who makes use of super-powered flatulency to fight our heroes in the Night Castle. Created from a skunk.- Combat Hand Fan: Uses a tessen to better direct his farts and to blow Hiro away if he's too close.
- Defeat Equals Explosion: In a disgusting variation, he lets out a tremendous final fart when defeated.
- Fartillery: Has an entire arsenal of fart-based attacks, including homing clouds, multiple shots and large explosions.
- Fat Bastard: He's rather portly and an evil minion of the Warlord.
- Green and Mean: Is an evil beast samurai with a mostly green color palette, which goes nicely with his toxic powers.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Hiro can use his own homing farts as a decoy to set up a quick time event and damage him.
The Water Boss
Timid Swimmer
Boss with the looks of a warrior monk controlling the minions in the flooded Water Castle, he fights from atop some tall stilts with a naginata and shurikens. Was created from an heron.- Attack Its Weak Point: In order to defeat him, Hiro targets his stilts, cutting them shorter and shorter until he loses balance and falls into the water.
- Death by Irony: He's the water boss, but he ends up falling into the water and drowning when Hiro defeats him. Justified in that he was based on a bird, not a fish or some amphibian creature.
- Significant Headgear: Wears a komuso hat typical of monks.
- Warrior Monk: Has the robe, tall geta, hat and naginata usually associated with sohei, the warrior monks.
The Snow Boss
Screeching Owl
Guardian of the Snow Castle, this white-clad samurai sports sharp talons and massive wings allowing him to attack from the sky. Was created from an owl.- Boss-Arena Idiocy: True, on the castle's roof he has the advantage of flight, but since the roof's full of snow Hiro can hide in the snow piles, forcing the Owl to descend to look for him and make him vulnerable to a sneak attack.
- Brutal Bird of Prey: Based on an owl, this wicked warrior attacks from the sky with brutal slashes of his four talon sets.
- Disney Villain Death: When defeated, he falls from the sky into the mist below.
- Holding Your Shoulder Means Injury: Does this during the final part of his fight, to signify that his arm and wing are out of commision.
- Light Is Not Good: Dressed in white, but still a villain. Downplayed since in this case, the white is associated with snow rather than light.
- Winged Humanoid: It's a warrior with human limbs tipped with claws and two large feathery wings.
The Evil Warlord
Evil Samurai Warlord
The source of the evil plagueing the land, this diminutive yet extremely powerful sorcerer wants to conquer the entire kingdom with an army of samurai created from wild animals and seeks to control the Kuji magic.- Bad Boss: Has the habit to transform his minions back into animals when they bring bad news.
- Beat Them at Their Own Game: Rather than fight him like a Puzzle Boss as with the others, you must damage his magical orbs to defeat him, the easiest way to do so being Kuji magic.
- Big Bad: The main villain of the game, trying to conquer Japan with an army of transformed animals.
- Disney Villain Death: After the fall of his castle, as it's the case with many villains, he falls from the floating ruins down a gigantic chasm, never to be see again.
- Evil Sorcerer: Can use Kuji magic in many different ways and fights only through sorcery.
- Forced Transformation: His power can transform animals into soldiers for his army.
- Large and in Charge: Inverted, he's barely taller than Hiro and leads all the forces of evil.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Upon the defeat of the fourth boss, the Warlord angrily (and rethorically) asks the ninjas if they think this is a game.
- Levitating Lotus Position: He's costantly sitting like this and can float above the ground for his boss battle.
- Living Structure Monster: He transforms the final castle in a giant living monster, which provides the final level.
- Orcus on His Throne: He never moves from his keep, sending his minions to do his bidding all over the country.
