Ninja Kamui Ep 2 Review
I haven’t played it in years, but I’m a big fan of Assassin’s Creed. Besides getting to run around through history, one of the big draws to the franchise is the overarching conflict between the Assassins and the Templars. Or, as they go by in modern times, Abstergo Industries. Abstero is this massive, globally-spanning megacorporation that the Templars use to help them control society. That means they’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, and the money and resources to do anything. The main reason I bring this up is that, after learning a little more about the group that Joe Higan was a part of, they reminded me of the Templars, Abstergo, and even the Assassins. At least we now have a name to call them by: AUZA.
Like I Said, Abstero
Just like in the premiere, the show’s second episode remains intentionally vague about the organization that Joe used to be in. The episode does reveal a few details, enough to get the bigger picture, but not enough to work out the fine details. Here’s what we do know:
Higan was part of a secret society of Ninjas that protected Japan from the shadows.
They eventually fell under the control of a foreign power, which some didn’t agree to, with Higan among them.
Higan, and all the people the Ninjas have killed, had defected from the group after the decision
Throughout the episode, the show isn’t subtle about who this group might be: AUZA, a technology company that reeks of Abstergo/Templar-adjacent motivations. Their motto, “from the cradle to the grave,” feels less like a friendly promise to look out for people and more of a sinister threat that they will follow you until you die. And while it’s never stated in the episode that it was them, it’s heavily implied in the episode that they’ve got enough pull to manipulate the government.
Even a Ninja Needs Help
This is the group that killed Joe Higan’s family, and the group that he’s going up against. And Higan can be as ruthless as them, as shown by how he tortures oen of the people who killed his family for days on end before burning him to death. He didn’t do it for information, either; he was simply venting! However, he’s still only one person. Even Bryan Mills, John Wick, and Batman need help, and so does Joe.
Meanwhile, Mike Moriss, that FBI agent who talked to Joe, is surprised to find himself taken off the murder case. He knows something’s wrong and that his bosses are covering something up, and he’s right. Like I said, AUZA got that pull! However, he and Emma (his partner) can’t do anything about it without getting in trouble. At least, not officially. Once Joe gives Mike a call, though, the veteran agent becomes the Jim Gordon to Joe’s Batman.
The Jim Gordon comparison is pretty accurate. He’s a good officer of the law that knows when something bigger is going on. However, there’s only so much Mike can do to help, and events that transpire show how big this is…and out of his depth he is. When the ninjas come back for Joe, he’s left sitting on the sidelines while an epic ninja battle goes on. Bullets fly, there’s smoke and ninjutsu techniques, and one of the guys splits into two people! And all to the sound of rap and hip-hop music. Holy cow, this is amazing!
This is Going to be Good!
By the end of it, though, Mike’s no closer to answers, and Joe’s got no leads on finding his former comrades. Worse, there’s a good chance that Mike might die before this show is over. The fact that he’s about to retire is a red flag!
So, to recap: Joe was part of this order of ninjas that’s now working for a corrupt company. He refused to accept that and went rogue, and now they’re trying to kill him. And this is only the second episode. Imagine what’s coming down the pipeline in the next few weeks!
