When facing the most challenging of foes, remember … never give up.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Dave Franchini
Artwork: Eduardo Garcia
Colors: Robby Bevard & Maxflan Araujo
Letters: Fabio Amelia & Maurizio Clausi
What They Say:
When the kingdom is under attack who do we turn to? The king and his guards? A knight of myth and legend? Or the Princess Ninjas who battle injustice with their friend, Turtlebear!
Share the adventures of Bridget, Megan, and Elyce as they are put to the test against ancient spells, a not so friendly forest, and everyday princess problems.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
In a distant land their existed five kingdoms which dwelled in peace, but that serenity did not last long as an ancient shadow wizard named Bogymn attempted to claim the realms for his own. He struck out fear of a prophecy which claimed he would fall due to powerful saviors from the north, south and east who could defeat him, however, he did not know what form these champions would take and so destroyed anything in his path. But what this cruel magician from the west overlooked were the princesses of these foreign lands who were smuggled to the neutral central kingdom of Chiyome, with his oversight was soon corrected as Bogymn turned his forces to this land. And yet it was this domain which held the greatest prize – a powerful artifact which allowed its king to defend his country with its supreme magic. It was through this gift the ruler was able to push back the threat but the wizard was not defeated, he bided his time to attack again as he was banished back to his land in the west, and yet the main problem was still not resolved. Since the king and queen of Chiyome could not have children of their own they decided to raise the three princesses as their own, all with the underlying intention of keeping them safe from any future invasions.
As the years passed the three princesses grew and each developed distinct personalities of their own: Megan was the mischief maker and with her best friend Turtlebear they adored playing pranks, Bridget was the most mature of the three preferring to dress up and Elyce was the bookworm who also played as peacekeeper whenever her sisters got into an argument. Although as the morning began and the siblings once again started the day with a new verbal dispute, it was their nanny who broke up the disagreement searching out the girls to begin their daily classes in not normal subjects as their parents thought but training in martial arts. However this day would be different as their caretaker announced there would be a departure from the norm as she casually revealed a hidden doorway leading to a secret chamber and within it was the hidden treasure of Chiyome – the relic which protected their kingdom. As she recalled the prophecy and how Bogymn sought to control all the lands, even as Elyce continually interrupted by leaping ahead of the story, what this protector showed them was the truth of why the princesses came to live here and the treasure which made them champions of their prospective kingdoms … three magical tiaras. While the girls did wear replicas of these precious items they unaware of the powers which they hid nor did they know of the abilities they gained when wearing the magical jewelry, however as they listened with intense interest there was someone else who was eavesdropping on the conversation with not the purest of intentions. Their nanny warned them the time for a new confrontation may come soon, but for now, they must prepare for that day with more training … however, that time may come sooner than they think.
In Summary:
When I first heard one of my favorite Zenescope writers Dave Franchini would be developing a new title for Silver Dragon Books, the company’s division for children’s stories, I was pleasantly surprised but at the same time, a bit hesitant since the titles he has created before are not exactly kid-friendly. However after receiving a copy of Princess Ninjas most of my doubts were put to rest since this book is a refreshing break from the bloody exploits of defeating vile creatures and saving the world from impending doom. And yet even within this humorous tale there are hints of why I adore Zenescope’s stories so much since they do not portray conventional girls as helpless maidens who need to be rescued, instead they are confident and determined in their own strengths as to be able to save themselves or fight back when there is no one else to save the day. But since this is a narrative written for young girls you also have to keep in mind the violence needs to be kept to a minimum although allowing the reader to acknowledge the primary goal of empowering themselves to become stronger, all while sprinkling the story with necessary nods to essential fairy tale elements like princesses, unicorns, magic and having fun with someone called Bogyman (I especially liked the wordplay on Bogeyman).
At the same time if I did have a minor criticism for the story, or more specifically the title – Princess Ninjas, it would be it does not follow the primary definition one would consider for a ninja or shinobi, the ancient sect of Japanese mercenaries one associates with some of their primary assignments: espionage, assassination or spying. Although of course you can also argue none of those duties would be appropriate for little girls let alone princesses, especially when they do not even carry the two weapons known to this group, throwing stars or shuriken or a short sword or ninjato, but then also that falls back to the same concern of those being too dangerous for children, so it makes any discussion mute. However ignoring all of these hiccups you still have to wonder why they are called ninjas if they are not portrayed as these warriors, aside from the obvious methods of movement with springing steps and jumping around as their preferred methods of locomotion. But if this was going to be the choice, then why not call them Magical Princess Acrobats? In short what I am trying to say is the word ninja usually has a bad connotation when heard through the ears of Western audiences, their attitudes being slanted due to be portrayed as killers for hire, even anime versions cannot escape the fact they are essentially shadowy assassins who use subterfuge to get the job done no matter the cost. Nevertheless if you can get over the negative meaning associated with the word, Princess Ninjas is a charming story of enriching sisterly relationships all enveloped within a clever tale of overcoming problems without resorting to unnecessary violence, but even then if they must it always results in positive results and showing nothing is impossible if you believe in your friends.
With a title some adults may not consider inappropriate for their little girls, the opening page does not help much with the shadowy Bogymn greeting readers and then expanding with the realities of war and hard choices parents must make for their children, but luckily the severity does not last long before leaving an impact with those gruesome glowing red eyes. To watch the charming artwork of Eduardo Garcia close that grim prologue and begin the main story into focus with three babies sleeping is blissful and made all the more amusing with the lighthearted colors of Robby Bevard and Maxflan Araujo, using a gentle pastel palette to soften the mood and allow us to pleasingly step into this new world. You cannot but smile to see Megan and Turtlebear leading an angry muscular man on a merry chase, leading him through the kingdom all in a sincere effort to casually introduce the reader to the other main characters, until they run into the disapproving father glaring over their actions. But the next image of the girl knowing she is in trouble but hesitantly trying to come up with an excuse is a classic childhood simplicity encased within this scene and made all the more comical by her expression of knowing she has been caught in a lie. It is nostalgia made humorous which makes this title so delightful in its display – watching children pull pranks, getting into arguments with their siblings and then coming together when they know something bad or fun is coming allowing for the shared experience to expand on the joy. Plus the brighter tones are disarming in their application, only shifting toward darker shading once danger approaches and allows for a kinder shift into those provocative events. It is the synergy of tender illustrations and serene colors which allows a strange dichotomy of the harshness of war versus the kindness of childhood innocence to work for this title, showing the audience such opposing viewpoints can exist within a single story as long as nothing is taken too seriously to bog down the reader with those stinging realities. After all, this is a children’s tale and it is meant to teach a lesson, but how can it if we are too preoccupied with formidable obstacles to take the time to explore the pleasures of childhood, and this wondrous artistic display does so with genuine care and imaginative simplicity.
If you can get over the negative connotations from the title, Princess Ninjas is a wondrous joy to partake in that it does not take itself seriously even while being embroiled within the grim realities of war. In its essence it is a sincere expression of sisterly love and friendship, all as Megan, Bridget, and Elyce overcome their petty sibling rivalry to see they have more in common than jealousy and harsh words by allowing caring attitudes and bravery overcome whatever Bogyman and his minions may place in their path. With expressive artwork and soft colors the stories are charming by allowing the tenderness of the girls to come through to the reader, allowing us to leave this world with a smile on our lips and a warm hug on our hearts to forget the harshness of our modern days.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: All Ages
Released By: Silver Dragon Books/Zenescope
Release Date: May 29th, 2019
MSRP: $10.99
