Episode 3

**Quirks of Fate** (合縁奇縁, *Aienkien*) is the 3rd episode of Shinobi no Ittoki anime series.

## Synopsis

Ittoki arrives at the Ninja Academy. Meeting the kind and chipper Kirei and the beautiful and graceful Ryoko gives Ittoki hope about life at the Academy, but the Koga students' influence threatens to make life miserable.

## Summary

At his school graduation, Ittoki shows up to say goodbye to his schoolmates and explains he will be moving to a school in Tokyo. Later, he is taken by Tokisada to Tokyo, where he and Kosetsu get on an underground train. After three hours, they arrive on a series of islands where his new school is located. There, he sees a girl and stares at her. As she notices, she guess they haven't met before and introduces herself as Ryoko Suzunone.

Ittoki starts to believe he will enjoy his school life. As he looks around, he doesn't notice that Kosetsu goes elsewhere and he ends up bumping into some guys from Koga, who recognize him, but a girl comes acting like she knows Ittoki and takes him away. She guesses he is a transfer student and explains that those guys where elite Koga ninjas. She introduces herself as Kirei Kisegawa and is surprised to learn that Ittoki is from Iga, as everyone has heard about the Iga ninjas, although Iga's situation isn't as good as before, she suggest being friends and Ittoki agrees.

The school principal, Juzen Jiraibo, congratulates the students for reaching the next grade. He reminds them of the Three Ninja Principals: do not be discovered, do not kill and do not betray. Kirei ends up in the same class as Ittoki and he introduces Kosetsu to her. At lunch, Ittoki is excited buy himself some food, but Kirei orders him the ninja meal. She explains that Koga ninja are the one with money and if he orders something more expensive, he may tick them off, so its better to just avoid them. In that moment, the Koga ninja notices that Ittoki looks at them and Himura gets angry wondering if Ittoki is trying to pick a fight. Ittoki isn't aware of what is happening and that only annoys Himura more as he thinks he is screwing with them. Suzaku tells him to calm down. Suzaku then wonders if Ittoki doesn't really know anything and explains that Kishinmaru, the Koga chief had been killed by Iga. Suzaku explains how great Kishinmaru was and that he was trying to compromise with all villages, and didn't deserve to die. Koga won't forgive Iga and will definitely destroy them.

Tokisada wonders why Yumika didn't tell Ittoki anything, but she explains she wanted the truth to come out and then tell him. Tokisada wants to use more force to get to the truth, but Yumika doesn't allow him.

Ittoki sees his new dorm and gets excited at how good it looks. However, Kirei tells him that this isn't his dorm and leads him to a house in bad shape causing Ittoki to wonder if its haunted. Kirei explains she also lives here and that the previous dorm was Koga's. She tells him that girls are on the third floor, while boys stay on the second. Later, Kosetsu enters Ittoki's room and tells him to not think of what the Koga said, and is better to spend his time in training.

The next day, they combine two of the classes for field training. Kominami explains that they will be learning hands-on how to use Ninja Suits and Ninja Cores. While everyone knows about them from their previous years, Ittoki is hearing about the suit and cores for the first time. Kominami points at the next island and explains they need to get to the roof of the tower. The principal is there eating manju and they need to bring one manju back as proof they reached it. There is a time limit as the principal loves manju and is slowly eating them all.

Ittoki manages to activate the suit, but is unable to operate it and is unable to move. While most students have already left, Ryoko decides to help out Ittoki and helps him sizing and adjusting his suit. As she helps out, she is too excited and can't stop talking about the technology behind the suits and the cores. When she is done, Ittoki gets excited he can move, but ends up falling from the cliff. To his surprise, he is totally fine. Ryoko explains its thanks to the suit, which is powered by the ninja core and he must be careful to not damage it, otherwise his suit will lose power. Ittoki thanks her for explaining and helping him out. Ryoko reveals she is from Saiga village, and for generations they have been producer of ninja tools, including suits and cores, which is why she loves ninja tools. She also reveals that each suit has its own characteristics depending on what village is the ninja from, but Ittoki stops her as he got already too much information. Meanwhile, Suzaku almost climbs up the tower. He sees Kosetsu behind him and attacks her, but she manages to hang on and reaches the top second. Before leaving, he questions her if she think her skill is enough to protect Ittoki.

Ittoki and Ryoko reach the bridge connecting the islands. On the middle of it, they see Suzaku, who attempts to attack Ittoki, but Kosetsu blocks his attack. In the forest on the second island, Kirei is surrounded by Homura and other Koga ninja, and he tells her to give up her manju. Reaching the island, Ittoki notices something and tells Ryoko to continue without him. Ittoki finds Kirei, who explains she was attacked by Koga, who also broke her core. Ittoki wants to tell the teachers, but she tells him not to as the principal had said that if they are not caught doing certain things, then its okay as they are ninjas.

The Koga pick up on another student, but Ittoki shows up and tells them to stop. He rushes at Homura, who just dodges and Ittoki hits a wall. The Koga then start beating him up. Ittoki attempts to break the core of Homura, but is unable to. As they were about to finish him off, the principal shows up and stops them. Ittoki returns to Kirei and gives her manju, revealing he got it back from Homura as they fought. Homura returns to Kominami, but can't find his manju. He gets angry and then realizes that Ittoki wasn't going for his core, but to steal his manju. As he yells in anger, Suzaku slaps him for his disgraceful display.

Ittoki carries Kirei to the bridge, where he meets with Ryoko, who is returning after getting her manju. As Ittoki needs to go and get his manju, he leaves Kirei to Ryoko and asks her to help her out. Ittoki reaches the top and sees that there is only one manju left. Juzen states that the character for shinobi is written with blade above heart, but you can't be a shinobi with just blade or heart, and then proceeds and eats the manju, shocking Ittoki.

At lunch, Ittoki notices that everyone is avoiding him. Homura and the other Koga reveal they had threatened everyone who talks to the Iga ninja, and Ittoki will be now alone. After he gets his food, Ittoki sits with Kosetsu and is joined by Ryoko and Kirei. Meanwhile, Tokisada receives a note, telling him to infiltrate Koga.

## Characters

* Ittoki Sakuraba
* Yumika Sakuraba
* Kozo Moriyama
* Reiha Tsuge
* Kosetsu
* Tokisada Kaga
* Ryoko Suzunone
* Himura Takamine
* Suzaku Ban
* Kirei Kisegawa
* Juzen Jiraibo
* Kido Minobe
* Kominami Mitsuhashi