Said the guy who is now bring a fist to a swordfight.
Kid Chaos
Throwing your weapon always works. š
Moocaekz
No no he will yank out the arrow in his arm and use that. I’m sure it’ll stop Ken’s massive sword!
KungFuKlobber
This comic is inaccurate, because female midriffs are invulnerable. That’s why chain-mail bikinis are so effective.
cu
Indeed, hot chicks’ midriffs, thighs and cleavages are well known to be made of adamantium. Using chain mail to protect them would be a senseless waste of resources. Ask our resident ninja clan leader.
foducool
that’s because they’re wearing plot armor, which is more or less effective as the plot demands it
clogboy
So did Honou-ko and Tadashii. Just too bad the plot wished for them to die.
foducool
can’t go against the storyteller’s wishes
clogboy
Ssh… I heard he prefers to be called ‘the Tao’.
foducool
I am with the Tao, the Tao is with me…
now repeat that while you’re dying lol
Xinef
Oh, she just faked being hit. You know, fake blood, etc. A very effective ninja tactic.
multilis
“You can kill me or save her life while I run away”
multilis
The big smile is because he knows saving the girl will come first
Wanderer
Yeah, I get the feeling that’s Nataku’s idea, at least. He does certainly like using diversions. Now, whether Ken will go for it or not, (and whether Joe and Alex will out smart us) remains to be seen.
Nos Rin aka CTCO
I’d like to see cho just casually clothesline him as he tries to run away.
Brandenfascher
“Apologies, Ma’m! I did not see you there.”
Nos Rin aka CTCO
ha. yes.
Xinef
Ken: *throws his sword killing Nataku*
“Ok, now I can get to the saving part”
clogboy
I was thinking just that! I suppose whirling it like a boomerang would be more effective than trying to javelin a eighty-ish pound slab of hardened steel.
Can I add though that Nataku is the master of bullet… ehr, arrow-time? Blocks a flying arrow and throws a blade back while Yumiko is still in mid-air. Ultimate combo of demon-like prowess and strategic thinking.
jwkovell
Considering the historical and cultural originā of his name, one should expect Natalie is quite the spearman. š
clogboy
I KNEW it had to be Gundam Wing related!
Wanderer
“NOBODY PANIC!!!!!!”
What are you talking about, this is a perfect time to panic!
Ocean Burning.
“NOBODY PANIC!!!!!!”
TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nos Rin aka CTCO
I AM PANICING!!! DONT KILL THE SEXY NINJA LADY!!!!!!!!!
Sunwu
Nataku the Thanos of NN4b
Ken: YUMIKO!
Yumiko: uuugh! Ken I don’t feel so good
*Dissolves into dust*
Ocean Burning.
NYET
Ocean Burning.
I really wish that was a poisoned arrow.
I can’t think of the last time I felt so strongly that it would make me really, really happy to see a fictional character die. Like, Emperor-Palpatine levels of feeling, against Nataku. So, um, good job, guys, I guess.
Freezer
Smart enough to throw your blade while Daisuke still has his. GENIUS!
foducool
using a katana as a ranged weapon
WHO COULD’VE GUESSED?
Lazarus
Ken: N-NANI?!?
Tim āAzur3flameā Eldred
“BECAUSE I’M SMARTER!”
“You sure about that? You just injured one arm, discarded your weapon, already had an injured leg, took those sacrifices to remove ONE of us from the battle (you hope) AND NOW I’M PISSED. You SURE you’re smarter”
(Insert Clint Eastwood do-you-feel-lucky-punk)
Lazarus
Donāt samurai (even ones as despicable as Nataku) usually carry two blades? Also Iām pretty sure heās the type to run away at this point. Seems his plan is weighing on Ken not being a douche and saving his ninja girlfriend instead of chasing him.
clogboy
I’ve never viewed Nataku as Samurai. He isn’t bogged down by the Bushido mindset and/or their forms of kenjitsu. He fights dirty. Might very well have a berserker footsoldier background who progressed through the ranks due to strength and intelligence, rather than skill and/or bushido code. He grew into the role by pure will and determination, rather than pedigree and entitlement. At least, that’s my take on it.
Looking at it that way, Ken probably resembles his younger self in terms of his sense of devotion and chaos, but not in terms of discipline and wits.
Arkone Axon
No, he seems VERY Samurai to me. To be more precise, he seems like the kind of guy the Samurai historically were, rather than what they claimed to be. Remember that the Japanese invasions of Korea tended to involve a LOT of murdered civilians (the Siege of Dognae ended with the slaughter of every man, woman, child, dog, and cat. Because the Koreans totally deserved it because they… dared to resist a hostile invasion force. Because Japan deserved to conquer Korea by divine right. Because this is the mindset such people have had, regardless of their culture or country of origin). And after WWII many Japanese pouted about how the U.S. had dropped not one, but two atomic bombs… while also insisting that they were 100% justified in attacking Pearl Harbor after.. what they did to Nanking. All while claiming to be 20th century Samurai.
Again, you’ll see similar things regardless of the culture. When Richard the Lionheart was mortally wounded by a brave young boy armed only with a crossbow and his guts, the dying king praised the lad and gave him a purse of gold. And then, once Richard was dead… his knights skinned the boy alive. And that’s not even touching on how the French used to regard killing English peasants as being like hunting or other sports, or Kamehameha’s brutual conquest of unification of the islands of Hawaii. There’s always going to be some bastards who fall very, very short of the ideals, and then act like they’re being smart about it.
clogboy
OK, I’ll accept that.
And I can actually fill you in on why Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. They allied with Germany because they were still looking to expand. For expansion you need lots of resources for war. And they neede to conquer territories in order to get to those resources.
In that time, European nations still had a lot of colonies worldwide, mostly Holland and England, iirc. And who was vanquished by the Germans? Holland (where I’m from, by the way).
So our queen, who lived now in England in refuge, cleverly orchestrated deals where Dutch crown colonies were borrowed or given to England and America, who would be able to defend them. Meanwhile Japan was suffering from trade embargos because they were allied to the axis powers.
By this time, Japan was barely able to keep their own civilisation going, let alone expand. So in a desperate move, they set their eyes on the Caribbean islands, meaning they would have to defuse the American naval base on Pearl Harbour. The latest info I got is that it was never supposed to be a surprise attack. They declared war, but before doing so they deported all native English speaking (non-Japanese) officials. So they were struggling to craft a formal English translation, which wasn’t ready by the time the Japanese fleet reached Pearl Harbour.
Small difference to the USA, whether the above is true or not. The narrative it created was reason enough to join the European allied forces in battle against the Axis powers and Japan.
The rest, as they say, is history. Not saying this Dutch queen tipped the tide, or that the USA wouldn’t have joined the fight eventually, but by denying Japan wind in the sails I’m sure a lot of damage has been reduced.
Arkone Axon
Oh, I know why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Including the narrative about how they were struggling for resources because they were still looking to expand. That’s my point, the whole “expand” thing. Because “expand” means “invade other places, kill anyone who doesn’t surrender plus some of the people who do, and then sneer at the survivors for being too weak to successfully defend themselves against the unprovoked assault.”
Notice the places they conquered. China. Korea. Phillipines. Burma. Places where the survivors told horror stories – even to this day – about the things that were done. The Rape of Nanking. The “Comfort Women.” Horrible, horrible things that were done, with the justification of “we are strong and that gives us the right.” So… I’ve had arguments with people who suggest that Japan was in any way justified, because the justification boils down to “you guys got mad at us for mugging our neighbors and stopped selling us what we needed to keep on mugging them, so we decided to mug you. And that’s your fault.”
Let me emphasize – that kind of attitude has been seen all over the planet. WWII is also when the British Empire finished dissolving… and when the U.K. passed Brexit they were shocked to realize that almost a century later other countries are STILL holding grudges that they were only keeping quiet about for the sake of peace. Or… the United States, which has indeed committed all kinds of horrible misdeeds in the name of “national security” (and since those misdeeds generally end up increasing the resentment of the U.S. and endangering both American civilians and military personnel, they not only do NOT ensure national security, they do the opposite).
I know this seems like I’m rambling a bit… I just keep coming back to T.H. White’s “Once and Future King,” where Arthur recognizes the problem of the powerful oppressing the weak and attempts to harness that power to defend the weak instead. Much as we’re seeing in this comic – the way Yori, Ino, and their friends and comrades are doing with regards to Nataku and his fellows.
Arkone Axon
With the arrow in his leg? He should barely be able to walk at that point…
Turul
Maybe it’s all part of his plan. Maybe he needs to shed his flesh to take his ultimate form.
Cut Nakatu in half, Daisuke, on the way to saving Yumiko. (It all seems so easy when I’m sitting at my desk. Really.) Oh, where are her ninja sisters? If there is ninja sisterhood. Gah. Next week is a lifetime away.
Ladon
*throws away his only weapon in a duel to the death* look how smart I am!
Wait.. you mean all these Pilates classes and hours of doing them at home aren’t giving me bullet- and blade-proof abs? What a rip-off! Okay, folks, it’s triple ice cream sundae time!
Xinef
Is the “smarter” part is about wearing armor on your belly, unlike some of your opponents?
Or about taking advantage of your weapon’s range, unlike your opponents?
Or about… hey, is that some catholic priest, Hindu guru and a taoist monk rushing to save the sexy ninja lady to give her first aid, then take her to a building where she can recover? (such as an inn)
clogboy
Sidetrack: watched the Super Dragon Ball Heroes first episode.
Not only is it very generic, the quick paced timing (huh? A dragon ball show with quick pacing?) cheapens what would otherwise be an epic moment.
Matt Ramsey
I could be wrong, but didn’t he lose a finger to Genchu at some point?
http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
Yes, half of his left pinky finger is gone. Sometimes I forget to draw that and then someone in the comments points it out and I have to flip back through the archive to do a quick idiot check on myself.
Matt Ramsey
That’s how you know it’s a good story. People are able to remember small details about it years later.
Sometimes Alex never unflips the canvas and draws kimono folded wrong as a result. Sometimes he forgets Yumiko’s sleeves, and some of Ken’s outfit. It takes a village to raise an artist. (My callout holds no water, he’s pointed out dozens more things I’ve forgotten)
Crestlinger
Panel 7 Ken:
‘You done goofed. That blood is Not coming out of her uniform and she liked that one the best.’
RobinGoodfellow
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FIGHT WITH THE PART OF YOUR BODY THAT HOLDS ALL THE VITAL ORGANS EXPOSED.
