Now this is a post I have been planing to do since July '11... and look what it is now -__- my apologies. Luckily I have a photographic memory so I remember what I was going to say almost exactly (blessed on my say? It's a double-edged blade though) so you won't miss out on much. Now my grandfather had passed away on June 6th, 2011. I know, I am still dealing with the lost and think about him frequently. And I was going to move in with him around July 7th (a month after he died) to take care of him. At the time I was in an internship so I couldn't, and I think I partially blame myself for his death which I know I shouldn't. But anyway I actually was in the hospital for a week and released the day before his death. I had tried to rush back to my research internship, thinking I was completely well, which was not the case by far; my body was still weak from the long bought of pain and pneumonia. And I called my mom to come get me b/c I couldn't work the rest of that week really and she told me to give me some time. So as I waited I thought "I haven't seen Afro Samurai, let me watch that; maybe it will make me feel better!" So I did and while I was in the second or third epi, I got the call from my mom about his death. I cried and such but still watched the show and the character that really stuck out to me was Ninja Ninja. So this is my Thesis on the character (and I apologize for the long intro but thought the backstory for this post was necessary.)
At the 4th episode it is apparent that Ninja Ninja is actually imaginary (I hope I didn't ruin it for some readers who haven't watched yet.) Now one may question "Why would a stone-cold, emotionless killing machine such as Afro have something so child-like such as an imaginary friend?" Well the thing is you have to look at Afro. He lost his father early and right in front of his eyes. And the main thing is with this path and life that he has chosen he can't have such thoughts that Ninja Ninja express dwelling in his head. Like in the 1st episode when Afro takes out that large gang of guys Ninja Ninja says "I'm beginning to question if you have any remorse for human life left in you (or something along those lines)." This is actually Afro expressing sorrow for the way he exterminated those men but he has to keep those thoughts out of his head; things like that can distract him from his path to be Number 1. And Episode 2, Ninja Ninja expresses the things he likes in Okiku/Otsuru such as he attractiveness, cooking ability and how she would make a great wife. Settling down is the LAST thing that Afro could do if he wanted to in order to be Number 1 but the thought is still there; after being treated so well and having his fave foods from his childhood from when he was at the school/group home and seeing the body of that beautiful woman everyday WHO WOULDN'T have such a thought cross their mind? But not Afro for it would weaken his discipline. Now Ninja Ninja can do and think and say such things; for one he isn't trying to be number 1, and two he isn't real! Haha but I digress, Ninja Ninja is the personification of Afro's Id, his pleasure seeker and pain avoider. Ninja Ninja lets Afro "please" his actual Id while he maintains his Id and stoic nature that he must uphold to survive on his Journey. Now one may ask, how did Ninja Ninja interact in the environment? Well maybe Afro or Afro's mind actually did interact with those thing but they just showed it as Ninja Ninja doing so, especially since the story is told from his perspective. But all in all that is my take on one of anime's funniest and coolest characters Ninja Ninja. Enjoy
