Looking for Ninjasmin

**"Looking for Ninjasmin"** is the one-hundred and second episode of *Kobushi*. It was released in April 11, 2015, on Mangas, and later in January 25, 2017, on Gulli.

## Synopsis

Master Tako would like to personally thank the mysterious Ninjasmin for rescuing the Kobushis from the clutches of Néko for the umpteenth time.

He starts his students looking for him.

## Plot

The episode begins with Toro, Tamago, Onigiri, and Master Tako all being captured by Néko near his Néko's altar. As Néko figures out which of the sushi will he eat first, Ebi and Oni San are both watching him on top of the altar's roof, revealing that it's all part of their plan to get the Kobushis all to be eaten by Néko. However, Oni San points out to Ebi that Néko is supposed to eat the Kobushis *and* Ebi if he wants to break the stinkypoo curse. Ebi assures to him that Néko probably forget, but he becomes unsatisfied when he found out that Néko have actually tricked him into eating the other Kobushis and not including him. Not wanting his friends to be eaten, Ebi transforms into Ninjasmin and throws one of Néko's sauce flasks to where the porcelain cat's battery compartment, electrocuting him by the spilled sauce from the flask. Ninjasmin breaks the jar that contains the Kobushis, freeing them from Néko's clutches. Oni San then warns Ninjasmin that he must immediately flee to avoid the Kobushis finding out his secret identity.

Later that day at the bonsai tree, Master Tako organizes a meeting to show their gratitude for Ninjasmin's constant rescue by announcing his students that he decided to give him an honorific emblem: the golden sword (really, a gold-colored toothpick). Tamago have doubts about Ninjasmin, seeing them as nothing more but traitors, but Master Tako tells her that since he help rescuing them from Néko's clutches all the time they all must show respect to their "hero". He even tells that the Kobushi who finds and bring back Ninjasmin to the tree will be automatically earn the title as the "Sushi of the Month".

At the Sakura, the Kobushis and Shaké are all talking about who would be the first to bring Ninjasmin to the bonsai tree to earn the title. Ebi, aware of Shaké's attraction to his alter ego, starts flirting with her when Shaké tells them how "beautiful" Ninjasmin is and he wants to reveal his secret identity to her by wearing a mask. However, Shaké, disgusted by Ebi's odor, makes fun of him by having him wears the mask on his mouth to cover up his bad breath, much to Tamago's, Toro's, and Onigiri's amusements. Tamago then suggests to Toro and Onigiri that they should work together to find Ninjasmin, but Toro points out to her that there should be only one "Sushi of the Month" and that it's everyone for themselves during the competition. Toro then whispers his plans to Onigiri about how he could capture Ninjasmin.

Meanwhile, Ebi is very desperate since no one really respect him for his true self and they only admire his secret identity instead. Oni-San explains to him that if Ebi reveals his secret identity to the others, it will be hard to conspire against his friends and keep his secret deal with Néko. But Ebi has enough of his family curse ruining his life, and he transforms into Ninjasmin. He then stays in a very long line of sushis masquerading as Ninjasmin when Master Tako and Shaké are both trying to find the real Ninjasmin. However, the line is too long that his odor causes his jasmine flower petals to all fell off and by the time he reaches to the table, Shaké and Master Tako both recognize him as Ebi. And in an ironic twist, instead of recognizing him as Ninjasmin, they both see him as Ebi in a Ninjasmin disguise. Master Tako, having enough of waiting for the real Ninjasmin to come, decides that he and his students should put themselves in danger so that he could come rescue them again.

The Kobushis all walk to Néko who's napping at his altar. Sho, Yu, and Ka all see that they have arrive and alert Néko about it, waking the porcelain cat up. Néko, surprised at their presence and isn't prepare for his trap, places a paper towel above them, even though one of his sauce flasks points out that it's not a practical trap. Toro asks Master Tako if they should run, but Master Tako tells his students that they have to wait for Ninjasmin to come rescue them, unaware that Ninjasmin's civilian form is right next to them. Ebi nervously tries to tell Master Tako about his alter-ego, but he doesn't finish talking and Master Tako reveals to his students that he have found out Ninjasmin is actually a traitor working for Néko since he noticed that Ninjasmin always know their every movements by any chance every time they're capture by the porcelain cat. He explains to his students that once Ninjasmin arrive, they're going to unmask him to reveal the mysterious traitor's secret identity. Ebi, now in serious trouble, asks Néko that he must eat him immediately in hope it would prevent the Kobushis from figuring out his secret. However, Néko refuses the offer and trap the other Kobushis by a container. Ebi is now upset that Néko still refuse to eat him, tries to transform into Ninjasmin but he suddenly can't. Oni-san reveals to him that because Ebi constantly transform into Ninjasmin for every little stupid reason, he have run out of jasmine flowers to transform. Ebi, not wanting his friends to be eaten, decides to takes down Néko and his sauce flasks as himself. He knocks down Sho, Yu, and Ka, and sprays waters to where Néko's battery compartment is, electrocuting him again and dropping the Kobushis he's holding.

The Kobushis are all grateful for Ebi rescuing him instead of Ninjasmin, still doesn't recognize him. Ebi asks Master Tako if he could give him the golden sword for his rescue, but Master Tako refuses, revealing to him that he has no intention to give away the golden sword and it's actually a trick to get Ninjasmin to come and get unmasked. But because of Ebi saving everyone instead of Ninjasmin, Master Tako made him the Sushi of the Month. Later that day, Oni-San nags at Ebi about how happy he is despite Ninjasmin is now view by Master Tako as a traitor who secretly works for Néko. Ebi doesn't care about it since he earn the Sushi of the Month award and he wants to be happy about it. However, Master Tako arrives and gives Ebi a mop, saying that since he's the Sushi of the Month, it's his turn for cleaning month, much to Ebi's chagrin.

## Characters

* Ebi/Ninjasmin
* Oni San
* Hokkigaï
* Master Tako
* Shaké
* Toro
* Tamago
* Onigiri
* Néko
* Sho, Yu, and Ka
* Torigai (background)
* Ikura (background)
* Tekka (background)
* Villagers

## Trivia

* In the French version, the episode is called "A la recherche du Ninjasmin", meaning "In search of Ninjasmin".
* According to Tamago, she sees ninjas as nothing more but traitors. This is true in real-life feudal Japan, since ninjas were often spies and assassins, gifted with their own deadly magic and martial arts. However, their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the samurai. And not only that, but Ebi can be view as a traitor to his fellow sushi kind since he's desperately wants to be eaten by Néko to get rid of the stinkypoo family curse and he was force to make a deal with him that if he can help Néko eat all of Ebi's friends, Néko would eat him last to break the curse.
* **Irony:** When Ebi wants to reveal his secret identity to the other villagers, he transforms into Ninjasmin, but he was force to wait in a very long line when many villagers all dress up as Ninjasmin to trick Master Tako and Shaké into giving them the golden sword. However, because of Ebi's odor, by the time he reaches to the table, Shaké and Master Tako didn't recognize him as Ninjasmin but as Ebi in a Ninjasmin disguise instead.
* Néko had been electrocuted twice in this episode. The first time is when the sauce from one of his sauce flasks got spilled onto where his battery compartment is, and the second time is when Ebi sprays water at it.
* When Ebi earns the Sushi of the Month title, it's revealed that Tamago has earn the title nine consecutive times before he breaks her streak.

### Errors

* When Ninjasmin starts standing in line, there're two Tekkas in the line.

## References

1. ↑ https://playtv.fr/programmes-tv/mangas/11-04-2015/
2. ↑ https://playtv.fr/programmes-tv/gulli/25-01-2017/
3. ↑ https://playtv.fr/programme-tv/1583364/kobushi/