I thought this was going to be ‘just another manga’, but it isn’t. It is gritty, gripping and full of tension but the tension sits with the reader because we know what the characters don’t know.

And what they don’t know is that one of them is a yakuza and the other is a ninja and they are both sworn enemies.

Two young men bump into each other and realise that they both like the same princess manga. They bond and become buddies but they don’t know that they are actually enemies whose ancestors and fellow henchmen have murdered each other for hundreds of years. With different powers and fighting techniques they are actually weapons and they fight to slaughter and kill.

Shinoha is a ninja and Kiwami who looks like a regular young business man is actually a murderous yakuza. Unknowingly the two become fast friends whilst waging war against each others clans.

This will make a brilliant anime (hopefully one day) because who can resist a twist in the tale all wrapped up in blood and vengeance?

The artwork was brilliant and the manga reminds me of that masterpiece series, Lone Wolf. I was on tenterhooks wondering what would happen when they realise that they are actually sworn enemies.

Oh my goodness! This is going to be a brilliant series! Definitely going on my list of exquisite reads of 2024.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

“THEY MEET IN THEIR PRIVATE LIVES AND BECOME GOOD FRIENDS UNKNOWINGLY. OH, THE EMOTIONAL STRUGGLE WHEN THEY LEARN THE TRUTH.”

Just finished and need volume 2!

Shinoha is a quiet young man who can’t smile or laugh due to a traumatic event involving the Yakuza. By chance he makes a friend with a shared interest and he slowly becomes more and more comfortable… little does he know this new friend is actually his sworn enemy. Kiwami is Gokuda and yakuza will a long standing feud with Shinoha’s people - the ninja. The tension is high as the fighting is going on all the while these two new friends are enjoying each others company. What will happen when the truth is revealed and they must decide to kill the other?

I had a feeling I would really like and I wasn’t disappointed. Now I am desperate to read volume 2 because that cliffhanger has me on the edge of my seat!

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this and will be picking up a copy as soon it releases. 💕
It was well written and I really enjoyed my time reading it.

Rating 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ninja Vs. Gokudo is a unique manga. Shinoha, a ninja with a laughter issue due to past trauma, meets Kiwami, a cheerful businessman who also has ties to the yakuza. Despite bonding over anime, their ninja and yakuza backgrounds lead them into a bloody conflict spanning centuries, with a touch of magic. The ongoing series intrigues with its intense action and hints of BL, though the plot can be hard to follow at times. The art style is bold and fits the manga’s gritty tone, but the excessive violence lacks clear purpose and could benefit from more backstory.

Ninja Vs. Gokudo is a weird one. Shinoha is a ninja boy, but he cannot laugh because of a trauma. Kiwami on the other hand is a happy-go-lucky business man and he, like Shinoha, likes the same anime to two bond over. But, Kiwami is also a yakuza, and ninjas and yakuzas have fought for over 300 years. Basically this series is about these two groups fighting and killing each other for no good reason yet not to forget the magic part. The manga is very bloody and our protagonists don't know about each other yet - well, about their ninja and yakuza pasts. The series is ongoing still, which amazes me, since how can you really make this type of a story long? Heads roll and blood is everywhere and still I sense some BL in this for God knows why. I had hard time understanding the plot, if there was one.

The art is very manly and pointed, which works with the manga well enough. There's obviously too much violence, even though I do like that in manga, but now it serves no purpose. Also, the story would need more explaining. An odd choice to be published if you ask me.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for allowing me to read the first volume of this manga series!

I gotta say, the art looks really good including the action scenes included. I have to admit, Kiwami is mighty fine like he seems an interesting frenemy! Now the only downer is that the story is rather too quick for my taste even though I have watched Jojo but still, you just don’t always keep up with the madness lol!

This is an interesting story. There is a revelry where one group keeps killing another because they are doing bad things in the underground which is normally what people do in the underground. So the other group finds a way to fight back. Meanwhile the leader of the group who is fighting back meets a boy who has a love for an anime they both like and they become friends while they are talking about the anime and it has to do with their life as well. I would read book 2 in this series

Ninja Vs. Gokudo 1 by Shinsuke Kondo
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: 11 June 2024

Since time immemorial, the relentless conflict between ninjas and yakuzas has shaped human history. This rugged and fiercely masculine manga chronicles the exploits of two warriors from these opposing factions as they paint the streets of modern Tokyo red with blood, vying to establish dominance over the elemental forces!

Prepare for an audacious new action series, blending the outrageousness of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure with the grit of Fist of the North Star!

Meet Shinoha, the epitome of a NINJA. Scarred by a dark past that will be unveiled in due time, he's a silent force to be reckoned with, unleashing unparalleled mayhem upon his foes. And then there's Kiwami, who may seem like an ordinary businessman, but beneath that facade lies the heart of a YAKUZA. With three centuries of animosity fuelling their rivalry, when Kiwami and Shinoha clash, it's a whirlwind of blades, strikes, and explosive confrontations.

This was an exhilarating, action-packed read. The storyline was captivating, and the character portrayal was superb.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kodansha Comics, and the author, Shinsuke Kondo, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.