“House of Ninjas” is a story of rivalry between Fuma and Hattori clans. It is assumed that the Hattoris have destroyed the Fuma clan, but they are in for a surprise. Tawara family, after a family tragedy, wants to remain like a normal family, but with weird deaths taking place, the agency for the Ninjas constantly reaches out to Tawara to help solve the case. The show has battles, familial drama, love betrayal, and so much more.
This article contains spoilers.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Recap:
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 1 – The Offer
The episode one of “House of Ninjas” begins with a group of Ninjas fighting. In the next scene, we see a reporter saying the abducted governor of Tokyo is found. In another scene, we see two ninjas diving inside a water body and one Ninja from above wailing Gaku. Haru Tawara and his colleague are stocking up the vending machines in the area. Haru is a ninja, and he is using his skills to stock the beverages quickly. His colleague is surprised by his speed.
They drive, and his colleague teases him about visiting Gyudon to see a girl. Meanwhile, a ninja is on the rooftop of a building. The police are inside investigating a missing artifact. Suddenly, the lights go off, and the artifact is in its place. Haru visits Gyudon and sees the girl there. They introduce themselves to each other. Her name is Karen.
In the next scene, we see many dead bodies, and Karen is one of the people asking around about the murders. There is another man with a photographer witnessing the tragedy. Haru is home and greets his grandmother and younger brother, Riku. Riku calls his grandmother for breakfast and rushes in, only to find her sitting there. Obviously. he is curious and confused. Haru’s father, Souichi Tawara, asks him to work with him at the brewery. He refuses and asks him to ask Nagi to take over.
She tells him that she is interested only in being a Shinobi. Riku does not understand much about his family as he is young and does not know they are shinobis. Subsequently, Haru has a bad dream about a masked ninja attempting to kill him. Souichi goes to the brewery to find a resignation letter from his employee. He explains that the funds for the brewery will run out in less than a year. Souichi has a visitor.
Hamashima from the cultural affairs agency has come to visit. It is the same man who was at the crime scene. He has brought Oki, a new employee, with him. In fact, he knows that Souichi is a descendant of Hattori Hanzo. Hamashima explains that there is a new shinobi threat. Souichi says he is sure they had ended the Fumas, and no shinobis are left. Hamashima asks him to work for him again, but Souichi says they are a normal family. Hamashima brings up Gaku, and Souichi is angry and threatens Hamashima’s life.
Nagi has an admirer, and he asks her out, but she refuses, saying it’s a rule, and calls herself a weirdo. Haru’s mother, Yoko Tawara, uses her shinobi skills to steal groceries from the store. A woman drops her purse in a subway, and another man picks it up and gives it to her. The girl pulls out a knife and asks him to wait for instructions. Nagi is the one stealing and replacing the artifacts from the building.
In a flashback, we see Gaku (Haru’s brother) teaching Nagi shinobi techniques. Nagi uploads pictures of these artifacts on her social media. Meanwhile, Karen asks Haru out, and they exchange numbers. Hamashima stops Haru from going out with the girl and shows pictures of her at the crime scene. Haru spies on Karen. Souichi asks Haru to come and work in the brewery as Gaku would have wanted that. However, Haru says he can’t replace Gaku.
Haru dreams about the night Gaku was killed. The Fuma’s had killed him. Keeping an eye on Karen is Haru’s shinobi mission. Hamashima catches Yoko stealing groceries and convinces her to do a mission. Nagi gets a follower, and they ask her if she is a real shinobi, as shinobi are always in the shadows. Later, we see Karen enter a club to meet someone to get some information on the case. There is another person in a mask who is killing people, and they kill Karen’s informant. They are about to attack Karen, but Haru comes to the rescue. Consequently, we see Haru use his shinobi skills to kill the man.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 2 – The Trail
The episode begins with schoolchildren being taught about Fuma and Hattoris. Riku is amazed to see Ninja’s skills. Nagi is wondering who the online stalker is. Yoko informs her husband of the new job and insists on taking it up to support her family. Riku thinks Fuma’s are cool. Yoko catches a bowl that is falling off, and Riku says his mother is like Fuma.
Haru has a nightmare, and in it, Gaku blames Haru for his death. He visits Gyudon and meets Karen, who is at first suspicious about Haru. However, he acts like he is unaware of the club incident. She asks him to meet her and visit the victim’s house and reveals she is an investigative journalist. Hamashima introduces Oki to the clean-up crew, and Oki is in charge of the technology side of things.
Haru is in charge of club murder and keeping an eye on Karen. They enter the victim’s house and realize someone else is entering. They hide in the closet. It is a woman, and another person walks in and kills her, making it look like suicide. Haru recognizes the scar on his hand, and Karen records the entire scene. Yoko is in charge of the cruise incident, but she does not get very far in trying to extract information. She only gets to know about one word, Matsuura.
Souichi hires a new salesperson. Riku is becoming observant. He notices bizarre things at home. Nagi does not know that the police have captured pictures of people who had visited the scene. She comes as usual to return the artifact but is interrupted by another ninja. That Ninja steals her artifact, and she chases the person. The police spot her, but she escapes. Later, she comes home, and Riku sees Nagi enter the house in shinobi style.
Yoko is alone at the office along with another man. Someone sneaks in, kills him, and tries to make it look like suicide. Yoko fights him, and the man jumps out the window. Karen gets a lead that the logo is from a religious group called Gententkai, led by Tsujioka Yosuke. Karen and Haru visit the gathering. Tsujioka starts his speech, and it moves Haru.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 3 – The Flower
The episode begins with Nagi as a child fascinated by Gaku’s skills. In the present, Nagi is disappointed as she lost the artifact, but Ninja X agrees to return it if she gives him a scroll that is in her house. Meanwhile, Haru and Karen watch videos of Yosuke. They notice a yellow flower in the video, and Haru is asked to get it. Haru decides to go on this mission alone and does not want to use Karen.
Souichi tells his family to visit the family brewery on a Saturday for a family picture. The family is busy with their schedules and doesn’t pay attention to his request. Yoko is really busy, and Souichi wonders if she is having an affair. Oki and Yoko work together, and Yoko has a new mission. She is going to be Misa-san and has to date Matsuura to get more information. The other members are trying to fix the shredded paper to find clues. Haru enters Gententkai hall and is surprised to see Karen there. They decide to work together, and they are given access to Yosuke. Furthermore, they blackmail a man who is a cop, and he is the same person who murdered the woman. He gives them access to Yosuke.
Police drop by Nagi’s school to chat with Kyotani, who is suspected of having stolen the artifact. But luckily, he has made an alibi for Nagi as well. The police visit Nagi’s house, and Riku reveals to them that Nagi comes home late at night and runs around on the roof. His grandmother listens to this conversation. Nagi asks Haru if Gaku is really dead. On Saturday, Nagi sends Riku and her grandmother for the photoshoot and searches the entire house for the scroll, and she manages to find it in the ceiling. Souichi is impatient as nobody turns up for the photoshoot except Riku and his grandmother. Yoko is with her date, and she is unable to escape, but she sees someone giving him some orders.
Haru and Karen meet Yosuke, who is able to scare Karen by revealing her past. He feels Haru is too gentle, and someone brings a sword and asks him to liberate Karen. Haru decides to leave, and a man is brought out. Yosuke asks Haru to liberate him, but instead, he sets him free. Yosuke gives them the yellow flower. Haru asks Karen to leave. Yosuke says he has taken power from 18 generations, and he is God now. Subsequently, Yosuke tells Haru that he is the one who created him and he isn’t going to harm him. He asks him to strike with his sword, but Yosuke stops him with his hand. He tells him he is disappointed as he is a ninja who is unable to kill.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 4 – The Resurrection
The episode begins with a flashback to the battle between Fuma and Hattori shinobis. The masked man supposedly kills Gaku, but in one scene, we see the masked man put his mask on another dead person. Many shinobis who are assumed to be dead wake up. A lot of the Fuma shinobis are dead, and the remaining elect the 14th Fuma Kotaro is Shikkoku. He decides to train and get the Fuma’s strength and come back when the shinobis who are in the shadows come to light. Karen enquires Haru if he knows Yosuke. In fact, he does not reveal any information and tells her he is protecting her. They go back to Karen’s house, and he persists in knowing the truth about who Haru really is, but he does not give in.
Yoko is trying to get information from Matsuura, but he tells her he wants to ask her out for a meal. However, he is busy and has to leave. After Karen does not get anything out of Haru, she tells him she isn’t naive and shows him the board. The board has all the news articles and personal research on all the unsolved cases, and she believes it isn’t a coincidence. Moreover, Haru sees a picture of Gaku and his entire family.
He realizes and confronts her about their meetings not being an accident. She retorts, saying he lied to her and that he is the one who saved her in the club. She asks him who he really is, but Haru does not answer and decides to leave. As he is leaving, she tells him that she intends to publish an article on all this information. He smirks and walks out the door.
Oki gets a lead on the missing person from the cruise case. Hamashima asks Souichi to realize he is and will always be a shinobi. Nagi texts Ninja X and tells her she has the scroll. They agree to trade, and Nagi thinks Ninja X is Gaku. She asks if Ninja X will come home if she gives them the scroll. Ninja X agrees to remove their mask and go home with her. Yoko follows Matsuura. She leaves a message to Hamashima about the update, but the battery is low. She uses creative ways to give directions to Hamashima and the team.
Haru informs Hamashima about what Karen knows and also tells him that Fuma shinobis are back. Police are following Nagi, but she deceives one of them and reaches the location of the trade. Karen visits another organization to publish the story, but all her evidence is missing from her bag. In the next scene, we see Haru burning all the evidence he has taken from Karen’s house. Nagi and Ninja X exchange the items. Ninja X removes the mask, and it isn’t Gaku but the same woman with Yosuke. They fight, but Nagi is defeated.
At the right time, Yoko arrives, and a group of shinobis emerge, and it turns out they’re the Fumas. Yoko starts to fight along with Nagi. Nagi falls unconscious because of the attacks. Yoko traps the others with fire and fights. Turns out Matsuura is a Fuma shinobi as well. Yoko is being cornered, but Souichi turns up, and they fight together. Fortunately, they manage to defeat them all, but the woman escapes. Oki and the team arrive to watch Yoko, Souichi, and Nagi walk out of the building. Karen is waiting at the subway, and an older woman stands behind her. Subsequently, the train approaches and Karen is about to fall on the tracks.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 5 – The Confession
The episode begins with Haru saving Karen from falling onto the tracks. Karen is mad at Haru as she is sure he is the one who has taken all the evidence. She asks him not to lie to her anymore. Haru tells her that there is danger and she needs to trust him. Souichi, Yoko, and Nagi are on their way home. Nagi reveals how she was tricked. Suddenly, a man appears in front of their car, and he thanks them for saving his life six years ago, and they need to take the details from Haru.
Riku breaks a lock on a door his father uses. Behind that door are shinobi uniforms and all the details of the Hattori shinobis. Taki finds him inside and, gives him a tour, and explains that they are a shinobi family and Fuma’s are their enemies. Yosuke has gathered new people to join the Fuma’s. He gives them ‘holy water,’ but most of them die, and the remaining ones are the chosen ones.
Yoko, Souichi, and Nagi come home to find Haru with Karen. Haru explains that there is danger from Fuma’s, and she is important to him. Hamashima and Oki arrive, and they ask Karen to hide under the dining table. Hamashima is thrilled to see Nagi’s debut. Oki gives a presentation about Gentenkai and Fuma. The yellow flower is used to make a poison. Haru reveals the truth behind Gaku’s death, and Yosuke, the same man Haru had saved, is the new leader of the Fuma.
Riku appears and confronts them about being a shinobi family. He hides in his room and begs his parents to train him to be a shinobi so he feels like he is part of the same, and they give in. Taki asks Nagi about the scroll, but she isn’t angry. It turns out the scroll is fake, and Sawabe appears from nowhere and wants revenge. Yosuke says a human cannot kill him. Matsuura is tortured to reveal information, but he does not give in.
Souichi and Yoko trick Matsuura into revealing the truth, and Matsuura talks of an eclipse. Karen is asked to stay until the danger from Fuma is resolved. Riku is happy to have her over. Karen asks Haru about the shinobi rules, and he says he can’t eat meat or drink alcohol and he cannot date until the person is vetted. They then make out. Souichi and Yoko make out in a car in traffic. Nagi misses Gaku and reminisces about their time together. The entire family comes together to train Riku. We see a man struggling to walk and fall off on the road. An ambulance takes him to the hospital, and his face looks like Gaku’s.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 6 – The Stranger
The episode begins with Yosuke giving an inspiring speech while his men burn the bodies of the dead. Yoko gets a call that leaves her speechless. Souichi takes the phone, and he is shocked. Nagi gets a call as well, and she is shocked. The call is about Gaku’s return. Hamashima’s men are interrogating Gaku. Gaku says for the last six years, he has been working in a field of yellow flowers. One of his legs got amputated when his leg fell in the water and got stuck to a propeller. He draws a picture of the location. Oki reveals that Gaku has killed some Fuma men on the way. Hamashima brings Gaku home, and they have a reunion. Taki has her suspicions about him, and she changes the location of the scroll.
Haru introduces Karen to Gaku. Karen tells Haru that the timing of Gaku’s return seems suspicious, but Haru does not want to hear it. Sawabe realizes he is being tailed and calls Haru, saying he wants revenge on Yosuke and that he can give him information about the eclipse. Gaku listens to the conversation, and he also starts looking for the scroll. Luckily, Taki had changed the location. Gaku asks Haru to practice with him like in the old days.
Haru confesses to him the reason he was stabbed is Haru. Gaku asks him not to change. Souichi listens in on the conversation. Hamashima and Oki visit the Tawaras. Oki plants listening devices in the house. Hamashima sends Yoko and Souichi in search of the field and Haru to the dead Fuma’s house. On the way, Souichi gets a call from Mayuko (salesperson). She seems suspicious. Yoko and Souichi come to an understanding that if Gaku is lying, then this is a trap.
They arrive at the location, but all the flowers have been harvested. Yoko gives the number plate of a truck to Hamashima, asking him to track it. He gets the location, and Yoko and Souichi follow the truck. Oki realizes Karen is living with the Tawara family and asks his men to get rid of her. Haru gets inside the killed Fuma man’s house and sees information about an eclipse. The man’s family wakes up, and Haru is thinking about Gaku’s words that he will kill anyone who stands in his way. Yosuke is thrilled that everything is going according to plan. Gaku sneaks out of the house, but Nagi sees him. She follows him and watches Gaku fight like a beast to kill Sawabe. Nagi feels terrified seeing her brother like this.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 7 – The Trade
The episode begins with a flashback to the day Gaku supposedly died. Gaku is saved by Ayame (Yosuke’s most trusted confidant). Gaku tries to escape from them, but his leg prevents him. Yosuke shows the grave of a woman Gaku had killed and explains Fuma always decides for themselves who to kill. They give him a chance to think things over. Gaku decides to become a Fuma. Gaku gives Ayame one of his family’s shinobi tools. Subsequently, Gaku is appointed as Fuma’s Goki (Deputy Head). His new Fuma name is Crow.
Gaku and Nagi talk, and she asks him if he is a Fuma. Gaku confirms that Sawabe was Fuma, and hence, he had to kill him. Riku is training to be a shinobi. Karen is convinced something is fishy when she gets a call from Hamashima’s men. They kidnap her. Souichi sneaks into the factory to keep an eye on what is going on while Yoko waits outside. Haru calls Karen, and Hamashima picks up. He realizes the house is bugged.
He catches Oki, and they visit the headquarters. Hamashima says he will kill him and Karen. Haru begs him to spare their lives, and if needed, he will also kill. Hamashima asks if he will kill Gaku if he is a Fuma spy. Hamashima gives them a minute to say goodbye. Gaku meets Yosuke and Ayame and reminds them that they promised not to harm his family. Yosuke, in turn, reminds him that he now belongs to the Fuma family.
Fuma’s attack the Tawara family. Taki, Riku and Nagi fight. Taki is smart and tries to kill as many as she can. Ayame and the remaining alive circle the trio, wanting to kill Taki. Gaku stops them and asks Taki for the scroll. She gives it to him, saying it was Fuma’s anyway. Haru comes home to find it a mess. The rest of them fill him in. Taki says she has no idea why it is so important to Fuma. Yoko and Souichi are spying on Fuma, but Yoko breaks down, seeing Gaku giving the scroll to Yosuke.
House of Ninjas (Season 1) Episode 8 – The Eclipse
The episode begins with Mukai giving a speech and interacting with the crowd. In the crowd, she sees a peculiar man, and her smile turns to a frown. Yosuke gets the real scroll and confirms with Gaku if he is ready for the eclipse, even if it means harming his family. Haru and Nagi prepare for the battle. Taki reminds them that Gaku died six years ago, and they need to be wise about their decision. Karen is set free but asked not to go home as the Fuma are chasing her.
Haru and Nagi meet up with their parents. Souichi and Yoko decide to bring back Gaku and finish the other Fuma. Oki reminds them their mission is to stop the poisoning and not bring Gaku back. The group nods but adds about bringing Gaku back as a part of their mission. Nagi finds the parcel containing the power, but Fumas arrives. Luckily, her family is there to fight alongside her.
They ask Haru to bring Gaku while they hold the ground. Taki takes Riku somewhere, but Taki realizes someone is following them. She asks Riku to wait in a corner, kills the old lady following her, and continues on the journey. Later, she takes Riku to an old bookstore. She converses with the lady there using body movements. Fumas outnumber Hattories, but Taki sends in another group of Ninjas.
Yoko and the others are confused as they assume they are the last surviving shinobis. They call themselves Guardians of the Demon Gates. Haru meets Gaku and asks him to come home. Instead, Gaku asks him to join Fuma and its cause. They have a duel, and it seems like Haru is down, but he holds his own and knocks out Gaku instead of killing him. He enters a door to find Yosuke. He tells Haru that he is the last piece of the ritual and he will become a God.
At first, Yosuke beats Haru, and he is almost physically disabled due to the injuries. Haru focuses and manages to cut off one of Yosuke’s hands. Yosuke buys time and attacks, but Haru outdid himself and is about to slit Yosuke’s throat. Before he acts, Gaku kills Yosuke from behind. Haru asks him why, but Gaku asks his brother to remain the same. Hamashima appreciates the family but warns them that Gaku has committed a felony and they will keep an eye on all of them. They agree. Hamashima also shows a weapon used by the Guardians of the Demon Gates, but Taki laughs it off, saying Fuma is using such obvious weapons.
Karen watches the news and realizes Mukai is the target and reaches the hotel. She warns Mukai to evacuate, but she does not listen. She had seen Ayame in the kitchen. Mukai says a toast and almost everyone in the room dies after having a drink. Gaku and Ayame watch everything that’s happening. Mukai meets Gaku and Ayame. Turns out Fuma planned everything. Mukai is a descendant of the Hojo family.
A House of Ninjas (Season 1) Ending, Explained:
Will Fuma be successful in their mission?
Gaku is not the leader of Fuma. He tells Mukai that as long as they have the scroll, the Demon Gates will open, and Fuma will lead the country. Hamashima gets a call from Ayame saying there is a change in command, and Hamashima agrees. Riku is continuing to train, and Yoko is upset about losing Gaku in this way. Haru watches Karen at Gyudon, but from afar.
The season concludes with some explanations but also leaves some loose ends. Gaku, despite having changed his views, does not forget about his family. He proves that by saving Haru. Haru has still not hardened, as he cannot kill someone as easily as the rest. Yosuke or the Fuma’s intention was to bring new blood into politics and all-powerful places in the country. The eclipse was meant to kill all the old blood. Hamashima taking orders from Ayame was a twist, and when the Tawara family finds out about it, how will they handle the situation? It’s going to be the Tawara family against the world in the coming season.
