Nintama Rantarō
| Nintama Rantarō | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Screenshot of the series' title from the anime | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 忍たま乱太郎 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Genre | Comedy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Sōbe Amako | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anime television series | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Directed by | Tsutomu Shibayama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Music by | Kouji Makaino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Studio | Ajiado | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Original network | NHK G (1993-1994) NHK E (1994-present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Original run | April 10, 1993 – present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Episodes | 2,504 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nintama Rantarō (忍たま乱太郎; "Rantarō the Ninja Boy") is a Japanese anime series produced by Ajia-do Animation Works and Japanese broadcast on NHK since April 10, 1993. It is an adaptation of the manga series Rakudai Ninja Rantarō, written and illustrated by Sōbe Amako. Nintama Rantarō centers on the title character and his friends as they attend a school for budding ninjas. Like the manga on which it is based, there is a considerable amount of anachronisms for comedic purposes; for example, the titular character Rantarō is bespectacled. The anime also references other Japanese media personalities such as Ken Shimura. The series is currently the longest-running anime on NHK. The official English title is Ninjaboy Rantaro.
In July 2011, a live action film version directed by Takashi Miike titled Ninja Kids!!! was released. A sequel was released on July 6, 2013, called Ninja Kids!!! Summer Mission Impossible! (忍たま乱太郎 夏休み宿題大作戦! の段, Nintama Rantarô Natsuyasumi Shukudai Daisakusen! no Dan).