A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof
Have you ever had roommates before? People who, for one reason or another, ended up sharing the same room, dorm, or area in general with you? Your misadventures with friends and family are unique because you share a space and have a special bond. You may even cook and clean with them, paving the way for a myriad of unforgettable memories and moments you will look back on later in life.
“A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof," also known as “Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi” ("A Ninja and an Assassin Living Together"), or simply "NinKoro," is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 10th of April until the 26th of June in spring 2025. Pony Canyon, Movic, AT-X, Kansai TV, BS11, Kadokawa, Bit grooove promotion, and Heart Company were the production committee members, and it was brought to life by Studio Shaft. The main staff behind it includes Iizuka Aya, Higashi Mao, Miura Fumito, and Sawahata Kouji as producers. Featuring the comedy genre and targeting the shounen demographic, each episode runs 23 minutes and has earned a PG-13 rating for teenagers 13 years or older. The anime is based on the manga series of the same title, which began publication on the 26th of February 2021 and is still ongoing. Featuring the Slice of Life genre, it got serialized in Comic Dengeki Daioh "g" and is the work of author and artist Hundred Burger. It has even been published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment since the 16th of December 2025.
The series focuses on the protagonist, Konoha Koga, who, on the surface, seems like a regular high school girl living alone in the city. But beneath her simple and nerdy appearance is a killer secret: she performs work as an assassin on the side! On one fateful day, she encounters co-protagonist Satoko Kusagukare, a runaway ninja being hunted by her ex-comrades for accidentally leaving her village. One thing leads to another, and Konoha ends up killing one of the people after the mysterious Satoko, who then uses her exceptional skills to cover up the corpses like it’s a walk in the park. Having seen the untapped potential of Satoko's skill, Konoha proposes a deal: Satoko can live with Konoha, and in return, she is to clean up all her assassination scenes. Having reached a deal, the assassin and ninja begin living under one roof and even start enjoying their new tumultuous life together, be it at home or even during their conveniently aligned collaborations at "work."
From what you’ve read so far, it feels like there won’t be much story here. While that is true, there is just enough plot to keep you invested in the show while getting hit with an occasional twist or turn. Be it from pure moments to undeniable gore, from comedy to no-nonsense, or from slice-of-life to action, the series will make you feel a myriad of emotions that can only be described as teenage angst in a good way. There is plenty of emotional damage to be dealt with as well, which left me aghast about how we even got to that point in the first place, but thinking back, it all makes sense. No matter how ridiculous and random it seems, everything just works in an inexplicably ruthless way that leaves me baffled and on the edge of my seat.
The fast pace is just right for a comedy like this, covering roughly four to five scenarios per episode. The comedy aspect is unassuming, which really works best for series like this, but it can be hit or miss depending on the viewer. You will see the characters who do obscene stuff consistently, way out of the slice-of-life spectrum, as well, alongside some conventional comedy. The worldbuilding itself ties into the humor, making things more interesting and enjoyable than they’d otherwise be.
The character department is full of wacky members who can be one-dimensional at times, but they engage the two protagonists physically and emotionally while serving their purposes well. Starting with Konoha, an assassin who wants to make a name for herself faces the brutal ranking system of the National Assassins and remains in the "delegation zone." After collaborating with Satoko, however, she would start climbing the ranks and spark rivalries within their own system to one-up the others. She is cool, calm, quiet, and always appears to remain in control even when things get out of hand. She sports a very dry sense of humor that makes her hilarious with minimal effort. Meanwhile, Satoko is a dumpster-fire of a character who is clumsy, impulsive, and not very bright, but is super fun to watch and never gets annoying. You can clearly see her bounce off Konoha’s straight-man personality, creating the perfect balance, and their consistent banter always feels authentic and hilarious.
They also share quite a few wholesome moments, but are limited by Konoha’s stern emotional capacity. As for supporting characters, Marin Izutsumi is the “mad scientist” of the show who views Konoha as her rival and spies on her to figure out her sudden success. Eventually, she succumbs to her competition and reverts to being a reluctant friend of the MCs following a consensus, which is honestly better than revolting to have things your way. Regardless, the character is a priority to watch, especially given her short fuse and emotional baggage, which cause her to vent her frustrations regularly. Next up is Satoko's leader, Kuro, who flees the Kusagakure ninja village to pursue true love with the ordinary human Yuriko, but their relationship takes many hits as Kuro starts to experience the “greatness” of the local pachinko parlour, amongst other things. So yes, there is some Yuri here, too.
Moving on to the art and animation department, the sheer production quality here is just amazing. The artwork and visuals are incredibly vibrant and popping with life, creating a fun atmosphere in every setting. The animation is very fluid and plays into the comedy well, fitting the show's tone and packed with goofy faces and exaggerated movement all around. The character designs are adorable, and I found myself easily attached to the main cast, while many new characters also pop up with stellar designs. Some of them were so good that I thought they’d be part of the main ensemble, but ended up dying in a matter of minutes in the most ridiculous ways imaginable! What’s even better is that the show is aware of this and actively conditions you not to feel bad for them, which just makes these events even more hilarious. The action is mostly average, but it does not rob anything from the show, while there are a handful of exceptions where they go all out just to flex what they’re capable of. Overall, the visual direction feels clean, well-polished, and loved, where you just know the team had a great time putting things together.
In the Sounds and Music department, it is safe to say that they did not drop the ball. The OSTs are composed by Ryuunosuke Kasai and possess a unique charm that fits perfectly with the show's eccentricity and silliness. The opening theme is "Yarenno? Endless" by Kana Hanazawa, and the ending theme is "NinKoro Dance" by HoneyWorks feat. HaKoniwalily, both of which are just as trippy as the show, which excels at subverting expectations just for the fun of it. Everything from the sound effects to the voice acting is expertly handled, especially in the exaggerated dynamics and interactions within the wacky cast.
Overall, “A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof” is a hilarious show with a surprising amount of depth and emotional impact. This is evident in how the story's tone shifts slightly halfway through the show, hinting at a darker tale hidden beneath all the absurdity. They take care not to give too much away, and there are moments where the emotions hit harder than you expect them to and may even leave you feeling mildly melancholic. This shift is handled very well and doesn’t lose any humor because of it, or try to become something it’s inherently not. This blend of comedy with seriousness comes as naturally as possible, and both MCs get a surprising amount of development in the process.
Additionally, if you’re a sucker for details like I am and choose to pay close attention to even series like this, you will be richly rewarded, but you aren’t punished for not doing so either. Why? Because, despite being a gag comedy, this show has continuity! Even the downright weird sequences have lasting emotional ramifications for the main cast, and you can bet that every explosion and death has consequences. Nothing resets after the punchline here, because whatever happened did happen, and now the cast must deal with it. I highly recommend this unique comedy to quite literally anyone looking for a good laugh alongside something deeper for the soul, because it seldom gets any whackier or more engaging than this!
