After what felt like a jolt of electricity for a first episode, Ninja Kamui has finally ended, albeit on a rather mixed note. However, the focus here is on the very central theme of the show, ‘The Way Of The Ninja.’ The show does an appropriate job with its mixture of martial arts and combat technology in portraying the ‘Ninja.’ It simultaneously retains the important elements attached to the concept of ninjas and the ‘Shinobi,’ like the secret arts, abilities, and even combat gear.
The show also has no shortage of characters through which these elements are showcased, specifically regarding their various abilities. Therefore, it is only natural to wonder about these abilities, which might be the most powerful. Here is a detailed examination of the show’s most dangerous ninja abilities.
6 Illusionary Mirage
User: Higan
- Debut: Episode 1
The Illusionary Mirage makes its debut alongside Higan in the series debut episode, during a rather gory battle between Higan and the ninja assassins sent to murder him and his family. Due to his mastery of the ninja arts and stealth, Higan is the only character capable of using the illusionary mirage. By leveraging his deceptiveness, he can conjure illusionary clones that leave most of his opponents dazed and in a frenzy as they try to figure out who the real Higan is.
The true advantage of the ability shines through when Higan engages in battle against multiple opponents, as it works to an extreme degree against the ninja assassins during Higan’s first murderous spree of the series. However, the ability only works so well due to the large skill gap between himself and the assassins.
5 Shadow Veil
User: Higan
- Debut: Episode 2
The Shadow Veil is another ninja art seen throughout the series but only used by Higan. Like the Illusionary Mirage, the Shadow Veil is produced from a mysterious shadow mass that pours out of Higan’s mouth whenever he tries to use the skill. Higan shrouds himself in a smokescreen with the shadow mass, and what emerges is almost akin to a shadow clone.
However, rather than a complete clone, the skill allows Higan to conjure extra arms attached to his body, significantly increasing his offensive abilities. He first uses the ability in the show’s second episode following the battle against the mantis assassin sent to murder him and the detective, Mike Morris.
4 Secret Art: Stark Awareness
User: Higan
- Debut: Episode 1
The secret art of Stark Awareness is arguably the most lethal of the abilities displayed, given the sheer level of its user, Higan. Unlike specific secret arts bestowed on assassins who become ninjas like Higan and Zai, the secret art of Stark Awareness can be used by any ninja, and its effectiveness is directly linked to the martial level of its user. However, throughout the series, Higan is the only character to use it.
The ability is activated by releasing embedded pins in specific acupressure points, as seen with Higan. By releasing these pins, the user goes into a berserk-like state where only the wild survival instincts remain with the user. Stark Awareness is usually used as a last resort in battle when survival is paramount, as is seen with Higan against the ninja assassins and his first encounter against the Lieutenants. While effective and extreme, the ability also incurs heavy drawbacks, which can go as far as death after its use, as is seen with Higan’s damaged body after each use of the technique.
3 Secret Art: Thunderclaps
User: Zai
- Debut: Episode 11
Zai’s secret art is one of the specific secret arts used throughout the series, The Thunderclap. Typically, an assassin can only be honored with the title of Ninja after receiving a secret art known only to its user. However, to receive such a secret art, the assassin must have completed numerous missions and passed multiple examinations set by the clan.
Therefore, Zai, alongside Mari and Higan, are the only titular ninjas in the series outside of the clan head, Yamaji. In addition to Zai’s specific skillset, Thunderclaps is an ability that accentuates his best quality: speed. Thunderclaps allow him to surpass the human speed limit, making him move faster than the speed of sound, akin to lightning. Zai uses his secret art once in the series, during his battle against Higan, where he is ultimately defeated.
2 Secret Art: Serenity
User: Higan
- Debut: Episode 11
Like Zai, Higan was one of the three assassins to be granted the title of Ninja, which meant he was also granted a secret art— Serenity. Due to the secrecy behind the secret arts, they are typically abilities specifically attuned to their user’s most important attribute. Unlike Zai, Higan’s biggest strengths lie in the perception of his five senses. Extremely perceptive, Serenity is an added layer to the sensitivity of Higan’s five senses and inner mind.
Having honed all of his senses to an extreme, Higan’s Serenity allows him to read the flow of the most minute movements in his environment while responding to them at the most appropriate timing. Higan uses Serenity for the first time in the series during his battle against Zai. However, the ability’s full extent comes to the fore during the final battle against Yamaji.
1 Secret Art: God’s Will
User: Yamaji
- Debut: Episode 13
A secret art befitting for the series’ final antagonist and villain, God’s Will belongs to the clan head of the Ninjas, Yamaji. By far, the most deadly ability in the series, God’s Will, is more or less an encapsulation of everything Yamaji is and aims to be through his actions of world domination. Yamaji does not reveal his secret art until the series’ final episode. As typical of every personal secret art, God’s Will accentuates Yamaji’s best traits— mentally toying with the minds of his enemies through various methods.
With God’s Will, Yamaji can directly alter the minds of his enemies and make them relive the worst and most painful moments of their lives, as he did with Higan in the final battle. By doing so, he weakens his opponents mentally and physically, almost to the point of losing the will to fight, before delivering the final blow.
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