Difference between revisions of "Ninja High School"

Revision as of 14:16, 18 October 2006

Cover art for issue 40. Characters in order foreground to background: Jeremy Feeple, Ichi, Asrial. Asrial is in her 'human' form. NHS © Antarctic Press/Ben Dunn.

Cover for issue 72, featuring Asrial in her natural Salusian form and Jeremy Feeple. The cape hides Asrial's tail from view. NHS © Antarctic Press/Ben Dunn.

Ninja High School (also known as NHS) is a comic series created, written, and illustrated by Ben Dunn, and published by Antarctic Press. On occasion other artists and writers have contributed to the series.

NHS takes place in a suburban town known as Quagmire, located "Somewhere in the Midwest". The series originally centers on the misadventures of one Jeremy Feeple, a 16 year old boy attending Quagmire High School, an alien princess named Asrial from a planet called Salusia, and a young female Ninja named Ichi-Kun Ichihonei, from Japan. Originally intended as a mini-series, the comic hit such a boom of popularity that it became a full series, currently totalling over 139 issues (as well as two mini-series, Ninja High School V2 and Quagmire USA). There has also been two-issue furry parodies which went by the name Furry Ninja High School and Furry Ninja High School Strikes Back. Fan-contributed editions of the series include the "Ninja High School Yearbook" and "Ninja High School Swimsuit Edition". The series plot started rather simply: Princess Asrial was sent to Earth to find Jeremy Feeple and marry him, an act that was described as required to ensure that their enemies do not lay claim to the planet. Since Earth was a non-aligned world, anyone could claim it, and the Salusians were desperate to keep it from being used against them. Ichi went to America to marry Jeremy as well, although her reason's for the trip were different, in order to become leader of her clan, her grandfather informed her that she had to marry the boy, the reason behind this is that Jeremy's mother was raised by this grandfather, and they wanted to be blood related. Unfortunately, shortly after landing, Asrial, Ichi, and Jeremy Feeple get caught up in a whirlwind of comic mischief, fighting, and plots by local villains to take over the planet. The comic often features parody versions of other comics or television shows, like Kamen Rider, Power Rangers, Harry Potter, Superman, The Powerpuff Girls, Terminator, Ninja Gaiden, Transformers and the Gundam series.

Characters

This is a partial list of characters:

• Jeremy Feeple: A mild-mannered teenage boy attending Quagmire High School, generally described in the series as average in everything. When Asrial shows up to marry him, mass mayhem ensues as another suitor and local events turn his world inside out. In the beginning, it was thought that Ichi would marry him, but he eventually falls in love with Asrial and marries her instead. He is also the father of their three children.

• Asrial: A Salusian (A race of humanoid skunks) Princess hailing from the planet Salusia. She has to disguise herself as a human to be accepted on Earth and is pining to marry Jeremy Feeple not just because she was told to, but because she eventually falls in love with him. She gives birth to their twins and later third daughter.

• Ichi-kun Ichinohei: The granddaughter of the head of the Ichinohei clan. Ichi came to Quagmire due to a prearrangement with Anna Feeple a former member of the Ichinohei clan. Her goal was to have Jeremy marry her so that she could take over the clan, however she was soon caught up in the general Quagmire craziness. Ichi can be aggressive, and very to the point, though she is a very sweet girl. Ichi was always thought of to be the one who would marry Jeremy, this did not come true. Ichi eventually married Rivalsan Lendo, and were expecting their first child.

• Rivalsan Lendo: The head of the Rivalsan Ninja Corporation's US branch. Lendo has had a childhood crush on Ichi-kun, and had followed her to Quagmire when she moved from Japan. Lendo tried to foil Kudasai's prearrangment by kidnapping Jeremy. After his plan failed, Lendo tried to leave, but was stopped by his father. Thus, he was stuck in Quagmire until he could improve the profitability of it's RNC branch. Rivalsan became a recurring character, fitting the rich but arrogant type.

• Anna Feeple: Jeremy Feeple's mother. She's a wizened woman who used to be a martial artist and heir to a dojo before she married Jeremy's father and settled down into retirement.

• Ricky Feeple: Jeremy's brother, who finds himself jealous of all the attention that Jeremy gets, among other issues.

• Professor Johann Steamhead (Steamkopf): German ethnic Jew who was expelled from his homeland in the early 1930s, just as he was beginning his science career. A devout scientist, Steamhein had a passion for harnessing the wonders of steam. His inventions were already known in the field of animal control when he came to America. He made a friendship with Jeremy and Ricky's grandfather long before he became a teacher at Quagmire High School. Before leaving Germany; Professor Johann Steamheinn was a colleague of Professor Hossenfeffer. Due to a disagreement about something, they haven't been on speaking terms ever since. It should also be mentioned that Professor Steamhead is the inventor of Zetranite; the substance that gives the Zetramen their powers.

• May (Tomorrow Girl): Modeled after Superman, Tomorrow Girl is a superhero in the NHS comic and makes several appearances. She is is not an alien however, but instead a synthoid, a kind of artificial construct designed to resemble a human down to the cell structure. Originally, May came from a future where an artificial intelligent race has enslaved mankind. She was sent to the present to bring back Jeremy, as his capture was crucial for the survival of that race. She and her adopted 'father' Tomorrow Man both defend the city of Quagmire.

• Arnie:: An incredibly strong man, Early on, he pwned Lendo's bodyguard Kenterminator. Good friends with Jeremy and the gang, he was an older brother/guardian figure. He later was the leader of a group of teen heroes whom Ricky Feeple was a member of. While in a training session, Ricky was insulted or something like that, and Arnie and his group of Junior super heroes was attacked by a group of jr. super villains, led by the Iron Vixen, due to some craziness, the good guys got defeated, and Arnie was brainwashed by the Iron Vixen, until an episode in hell, when he remembered who he was.

• Kaiju Akaru:: Jeremy's rival for Ichi's affections (or so he would like to think) Akaru came from a small pacific island named Guri-guri. As a child he had received a letter in a bottle from a girl wishing for a friend. That girl just hapened to be Ichi. When Akaru got older he left Guri-guri island and sought out to find Ichi with one goal. To make her his bride. Akaru arrived in Quagmire with his squid (Sigmund...someone check this for me) He first ran into Asrial after picking fruit from her tree. After a quick encounter with, Akaru was sent on his way with one of Asrial's fist. Later after meeting Ichi; Akaru decided to take her back by force. Ichi was saved by Asrial and Jeremy. However after disabling Asrial's Vette, it was then reduced to a fight between Jeremy and Akaru. Jeremy was definitely not in his best form, as Akaru was stronger and a much better fighter (tempered by his lifestyle in the wild). With the quick intervention of Asrial and a Salusian Power Drink (Steroids..i do believe) the fight was quickly put to an end. Afterwards Akaru decided to stay and learn of this new place.

• Kalen:: Asrial's older half-brother. Kalen was born from a union between King Jerka and an unknown lover. Kalen was a member of the ISC, however a falling out with his father led to a rift that has never quite been resolved. Kalen soon after became a pirate and recipe connoisseur. Kalen has always had a close relation to Asrial, and has constantly fought on the forces of good. Kalen's role in the intergalactic war between Zardon and Salusia was key in Salusia's victory as he had assisted in the escape of Asrial when captured by Zardonian Princess Leanna. Kalen was also selected by Asrial to watch over her daughter Kassy when it was deemed necessary for her safety. Currently Kalen's whereabouts are unknown..but he has added Solara to his crew.

• Kudasai Ichinohei:: Kudasai is the head of the Ichinohei Clan from the beginning of the series. He appears short and vulnerable, but is able to reveal a stunningly buff physique by just taking off his shirt. In the sping of 1945 Kudasai Ichinohei crashed landed somewhere in Russia. There he gained the trust of a young russian woman named Tasha. Though their initial first encounter was a scare for the both of them. Tasha would help Kudasai gather the equipment to repair his plane so that he could leave. However some russian soldiers tried to attack Tasha, and she was shot in the process. Tasha begged Kudasai to take her Anna with him. Kudasai raised Anna along with his son. After Japan has surrendered on August 10, 1945, America invaded. A military officer named Jerome Feeple came to help during Americas occupation by exterminating rats and bringing in food. Kudasai and Jerome became great friends. Soon the two began a small toy making company. Rivalsan Kenjo came along to help run the business. Though a disagreement would cause him to leave and form the infamous R.N.C. As time passed Kudasai would reestablish his clan, leading the Ichinohei's to the forefront of ninja-dom.

Plot notes

• The V2 spinoff has little to do with the actual storyline, although several main characters are used in the plot. It was created by Ben Dunn because it gave him the ability to tell stories he never got a chance to do with the original cast of characters. Further, it allowed him to update the NHS timeline a bit.
• Between issues 80 to 100, the storyline departed from the main line and started focusing on Rickey Feeple and his temporal trips to alternate timelines on a bid to save the universe from being destroyed. In this time, Asrial had been seen to have left Earth for Salusia on important yet unknown business at that time. Eventually the universe is saved.
• Asrial's return to Earth following her trip came included with two children named Kassy and Lexus. Their age at introduction places them as at least 6 to 8 years old. Further, they refer to Jeremy as "daddy" and Asrial admits to the children's genetic parenting being both hers and his. It is then assumed that the reason Asrial left was because Jeremy impregnated her and thought it safer to raise them on Salusia in a more stable environment. Likewise, this time gap could be explained by the temporal hopping Rickey did in his efforts to save the universe. This is the first time that the connection between Jeremy and Asrial has been confirmed as mutually romantic although there may be earlier evidence of this romantic interest in earlier issues.
• Jeremy gets involved at least twice in Salusian affairs, one time on accident, in which he manages to uncover some secret plots to bring the Salusian Conglomerate to ruin. Information of this is sketchy at best.

Rating

The comic itself is often violent, depicting fights and on several occasions partial nudity of some characters. The rating was set early in the series when Jeremy walked in on Asrial after a shower and got a faceful of exposed breasts (for which he was clobbered). Such instances do not occur with the same result consecutively, but it does happen in one way or another.