Shadow Kenji

*If you were actually looking for Dark Kenji, click here.*

Shadow Kenji is the Shadow Dimension counterpart of Kenji Uroninja and the main antagonist of Part II of Ninja Island. He later becomes good and joins forces with Kenji in the climax of Season 4.

## Summary

Shadow Kenji was exiled to Crossbones Island with Ikustan very early on after he lost possession of the Ruined Mansion of Sorrow. During his exile, he found the King of Diamonds Climax Card, which used to belong to Sota Shiina but flew into Skull Island's gate to the Shadow Dimension after he got killed.

Later, as Kenji Uroninja was fighting zombies with his companions, Shadow Kenji was watching from a distance. He then got into a fight with Kenji, which he won with the help of the King of Diamonds Climax Card.

Shadow Kenji then returned and had a rematch with Kenji, which he won, until Haruki Tamaki appeared and stopped time. Shadow Kenji was then brought to the Moon, which he was unable to escape from until Arcturus showed up and made a deal with him in exchange for his King of Diamonds.

### Vega

In Ninja Island 105, it was revealed that Shadow Kenji had joined Arcturus' side as the masked swordsman known as "Vega." During Ninja Island 140, in the fight between Kenji Uroninja and Denebola, Vega was tasked to activate his Climax card during the fight to weaken Kenji, but Haruki Tamaki stopped him in time. He then unmasked Vega, revealing him as Shadow Kenji.

### Captain Kenji Shadowbeard

In Season 4, Shadow Kenji was found by a crew of ghost pirates led by Quartermaster Mayu, who took him aboard the Flying Dutchman as their new captain. Shadow Kenji then took up the name "Kenji Shadowbeard" and led the ghost pirates to take over Ninja Island. After failing to take anything, he and the others retreated. Mayu then told Shadow Kenji about meeting Sota Shiina, the Shinobi of Radiant Action, who told her to look for the next Ace of Diamonds. Shadow Kenji then realized that Sota was probably referring to him.

Shadow Kenji then joined forces with Kenji Uroninja, Haruki Tamaki, and Anthony Kingston to fight against Luke Amano, who had an Ultima Shard in his possession.

## Powers and abilities

* **King of Hearts:** Shadow Kenji has the King of Diamonds Climax Card, which gives him enough power to win against Kenji Uroninja.

## Trivia

* Shadow Kenji's yellow eyes is a reference to the shadows in the *Persona* series.
	+ Shadow Kenji's mask in his "Vega" guise could be a reference to the mask worn by Joker in *Persona 5.*
* Shadow Kenji is the first shadow to appear that isn't based on a character from Doki Doki Literature Club.
	+ He is also the first male shadow to appear.
* Vega, Shadow Kenji's alias in Season 3, is based on the name of the brightest star in the Lyra Constellation, which has the same name. Vega is part of the Summer Triangle, an asterism in the night sky which also consists of two other stars called Altair and Deneb.
* As a Climax Card-user, Shadow Kenji is represented by the suit of Diamonds (♦️):
	+ During Season 2, Shadow Kenji holds a staff with a thing on one end shaped like a red diamond.
	+ During Season 3, the mask Shadow Kenji wears has a red diamond in the middle.
	+ The tarot counterpart of Diamonds is the suit of Coins, which represents material possessions. Shadow Kenji's bitterness was caused by losing the Ruined Mansion of Sorrow to Iroyas.
	+ During Shadow Kenji's introduction in Season 2, he planned to steal the head-crystal of Lord Dimanod and use its power for himself. This connects him to diamonds because Dimanod's name is an anagram for *diamond.*