is a multimedia franchise created by Kenichiro Takaki and developed primarily by

Tamsoft is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1992, best known for their work on the ''Battle Arena Toshinden'', '' Onechanbara'' and '' Senran Kagura'' series. Its former president, Toshiaki Ōta, previously worked at Toaplan as one of the si ...

and Marvelous. The series debuted in Japan in 2011 with the release of ''Senran Kagura: Shōjo-tachi no Shinei (Senran Kagura: Portrait of Girls)'' for the

Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...

and debuted abroad in 2013 with '' Senran Kagura Burst''. The franchise has since expanded into numerous video games, manga adaptations, anime series, and merchandise. The ''Senran Kagura'' games are primarily action

hack and slash Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat with melee-based weapons (such as swords or blades). They may also feature projectile-based weapons as well (such as ...

titles where players control one of several characters in combat missions against enemy shinobi or supernatural foes. The series is also notable for its RPG elements, character customization, and fast-paced combat system. Spin-off titles have incorporated other genres, such as

rhythm games Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular r ...

and

third-person shooters Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...

. The series centers on groups of female shinobi from various academies, focusing on their training, missions, and personal lives. While the narrative often explores themes of friendship, rivalry, and self-discovery, it is also known for its over-the-top action, comedic elements, and a high emphasis on

fan service , fanservice or Example: A frame (numbered "25") from the English opening sequence of '' New Cutie Honey'', in which character Danbei Hayami fires a Rocket Punch as main character Honey Kisaragi lies topless and prone in the background, i ...

, particularly through its character designs and interactions. The story typically revolves around rivalries between "good" shinobi academies, such as Hanzo National Academy, and "evil" academies, such as Hebijo Clandestine Girls' Academy. Despite the conflicts, the series often delves into the characters' backstories, exploring their motivations and struggles. Each character has a distinct fighting style, weapon, and personality, making for a diverse cast.

Games

Main series

''Senran Kagura: Skirting Shadows'' (2011) and ''Senran Kagura Burst'' (2012)

The first game in the series, , is a side scrolling action game with playable ninja characters that was released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS on September 22, 2011. The sequel, , consists of the original game and an extra storyline. It was released in Japan for Nintendo 3DS on August 30, 2012 and was later released digitally on the Nintendo eShop on January 10, 2013.

''Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus'' (2013)

is the sequel to ''Senran Kagura Burst''. The gameplay transitions to a third-person action game with full 3D graphics, with the game itself featuring an expanded playable character roster, as well as an online multiplayer mode. The game was released in Japan for the

PlayStation Vita The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, then in other international territories on February 22, 2012, and was produced ...

on February 28, 2013, in North America on October 14, 2014, and in Europe on October 15, 2014.

''Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson'' (2014)

''Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson'' is a 2.5D side-scrolling action game made for the 3DS, and was developed by the same team which created ''Senran Kagura Burst''. ''Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson'' was released in Japan on August 7, 2014, for

. The game was released in North America, Europe, and Australia via digital and limited physical copies in August through September 2015.2015-03-10
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson Localization Announcement
, Gematsu New gameplay is included in the form of pair battles, which allows a second character, to which the player can give commands, to fight alongside the player's character. The playable characters in the game are customizable. Outfits, accessory size and position, and hair color can be changed to the player's liking.

Augmented reality Augmented reality (AR), also known as mixed reality (MR), is a technology that overlays real-time 3D computer graphics, 3D-rendered computer graphics onto a portion of the real world through a display, such as a handheld device or head-mounted ...

functionality was also included in the game, allowing players to pose the playable characters against a real-life background. The sequel improved on the original, by enhancing breast physics and clothing destruction, introducing the first playable male character, and allowing for pair battles. Daidouji and Rin, two characters that had originally appeared in ''Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus'' as downloadable content, were part of the regular playable character roster in the game. ''Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson'' was part of a cross-promotion deal with Umaibo ("delicious stick" in Japanese), a Japanese brand of corn puff snacks, in which the game's playable characters appeared on the brand's product packaging.

''Senran Kagura: Estival Versus'' (2015)

''Senran Kagura: Estival Versus'' was released on March 26, 2015 in Japan. The game was released in North America on March 15, 2016 and Europe on March 18, 2016. The game sold 44,548 physical retail copies on the PlayStation Vita in addition to 30,247 physical copies on the PlayStation 4 within the first week of release in Japan.

''Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash'' (2017)

''Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash'' is a

water gun A water gun (or water pistol, water blaster, or squirt gun) is a type of toy gun designed to shoot jets of water. Similar to water balloons, the primary purpose of the toy is to soak another person in a recreational game such as a water figh ...

third-person shooter Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...

for the

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

and

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

. It features over 30 girls who play on teams. ''Peach Beach Splash'' was released in Japan on March 16, 2017. The game released in North America on September 26, 2017 and in Europe on September 22, 2017 for the PlayStation 4, and later worldwide on March 7, 2018 for the PC.

Other games

''Senran Kagura: New Wave'' (2012)

''Senran Kagura: New Wave'' is a card battling game available on Android and

iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...

devices in Japan. The game's popularity resulted in a crossover promotion with ''DrawGirls'', a Korean picture discovery mobile game in which the player draws a cursor across the screen to reveal pieces of a picture.

''Senran Kagura: Bon Appétit!'' (2014)

''Senran Kagura: Bon Appétit!'' is a rhythm cooking game available for the PlayStation Vita, in which the goal is to win a cooking competition. The game was released on the PlayStation Store on November 11, 2014 for North America, and on November 12, 2014 for Europe.

''Senran Kagura: Reflexions'' (2017)

A spin-off title for the

Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...

, an ''

ecchi is a slang term in the Japanese language for playfully sexual actions. As an adjective, it is used with the meaning of "sexy", "dirty" or "naughty"; as a verb, means "to have sex", and as a noun, it is used to describe someone of lasciviou ...

dating sim Dating sims, also known as dating simulation games, are a video game subgenre of simulation games with romantic elements. While resembling the visual novel genre in presentation, true dating sims utilize an additional statistical and time manage ...

game called was released in Japan on November 23, 2017. The game takes advantage of the

Joy-Con Joy-Con are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid video game console. A set of Joy-Con consists of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the mai ...

's "HD Rumble" feature, allowing players to receive feedback from jiggle physics. It was published by

Xseed Games Marvelous USA Inc., (formerly Xseed Games), is an American video game company founded in 2004 by former members of Square Enix USA with the goal to localize Japanese games for American market. Xseed Games later became a subsidiary of Japanese ...

on the European and North American

eShop The is a digital distribution service for the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2, and formerly available via the Nintendo Network for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Launched in June 2011 on the Nintendo 3DS, the Nintendo eShop served as t ...

under the title ''Senran Kagura: Reflexions'' on September 13, 2018.

''Shinobi Master Senran Kagura: New Link'' (2017)

''Shinobi Master Senran Kagura: New Link'' was a mobile game for iOS and Android smartphones devices in Japan. It was released on November 29, 2017 before its server ends in May 31, 2025. ''New Link'' also includes guest-starring characters from other series, such as ''

Dead or Alive A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite ...

'' (in addition of

Kasumi Kasumi may refer to: Places * Kasumi, Hyōgo (香住), a former town in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan * Kasumigaseki Kasumigaseki (霞が関, 霞ヶ関 or 霞ケ関) is a district in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda, Tokyo. Most government ministries are loca ...

and Tamaki), ''

Ikki Tousen , also known as ''Battle Vixens'' in North America, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yūji Shiozaki. Loosely based on the classic 14th century Chinese novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', the series revol ...

'' (in addition of Cho’un Shinryu and Shōkyō/Sonken Chūbou), '' SNK series'' (

Mai Shiranui is a character in the ''Fatal Fury'' and ''The King of Fighters'' series of fighting games by SNK. Introduced in 1992's ''Fatal Fury 2'', the character was originally conceived as a male character named "Ninja Master", but when a request was pu ...

Athena Asamiya is a fictional character originally from the former SNK's 1987 video game ''Psycho Soldier''. An esper, Athena is a descendant of Athena (video game), Princess Athena from the earlier ''Athena (video game), Athena'' game. She later appears in '' ...

Leona Heidern ''The King of Fighters'' fighting game series, produced by SNK, includes a wide cast of characters, some of which are taken from other SNK games. The story takes place in a fictional universe in which an annual series of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 fightin ...

and

Kula Diamond ''The King of Fighters'' fighting game series, produced by SNK, includes a wide cast of characters, some of which are taken from other SNK games. The story takes place in a fictional universe in which an annual series of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 fightin ...

), ''

Queen's Blade is a Japanese series of visual combat books published by Hobby Japan inspired by the licensed works from Firelight Game Company's '' Lost Worlds''. The overall plot of the game revolves around a tournament called the Queen's B ...

'' (Leina Vance, Airi, Elina Vance, Tomoe, Shizuka and Alleyne), ''

High School DxD is a Japanese light novel series written by Ichiei Ishibumi and illustrated by Miyama-Zero. The story centers on Issei Hyodo, a lascivious high school student from Kuoh Academy who desires to be a harem king and is killed by h ...

'' (

Rias Gremory The light novel, manga, and anime series ''High School DxD'' features a diverse cast of characters. The visuals of the characters were designed by Miyama-Zero and their stories were created by Ichiei Ishibumi. The stories follow the adventures of ...

, Akeno Himejima, Koneko Toujou, Rossweisse, Xenovia Quarta, Irina Shidou, and Asia Argento), '' Hyakka Ryōran: Samurai Girls'' ( Jūbei Yagyū,

Kanetsugu Naoe was a Japanese samurai of the 16th–17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi clan, Uesugi ''daimyōs''. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami (� ...

, Sen Tokugawa and Yukimura Sanada), ''

To Love Ru is a Japanese manga series written by Saki Hasemi and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki. The manga was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from April 2006 to August 2009, and the chapters collected into ...

'' ( Lala Satalin Deviluke,

Golden Darkness , commonly nicknamed , is a fictional character in the manga series ''To Love Ru'', created by Saki Hasemi and Kentaro Yabuki. In the series, Golden Darkness is portrayed as the deadliest assassin in the galaxy who is hired to kill protagonist Ri ...

, Momo Belia Deviluke, Yui Kotegawa, Mea and Haruna Sairenji), '' DanMachi'' (

Hestia In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Hestia (; ) is the virgin goddess of the hearth and the home. In myth, she is the firstborn child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and one of the Twelve Olympians. In Greek mythology, newborn Hestia, alo ...

, Ais Wallenstein & Ryū Lion) and '' Neptunia series'' (Purple Heart and White Heart). It was created by GigaMedia.

''Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal'' (2018)

''Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal'' is a remake of the first game in the series in the same gameplay style as ''Shinovi Versus'' and ''Estival Versus''.

''Senran Kagura: Peach Ball'' (2018)

A second spin-off game for the

, an ''

pinball Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...

game called was announced in 2017. The game was released in Japan on December 13, 2018, and scheduled for release in North America, Europe, and Australia on July 9, 2019. It features a mode similar to ''Senran Kagura Reflexions'' that takes advantage of the

's "HD Rumble" feature.

''Neptunia × Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars'' (2021)

Originally titled ''Senran Nin Nin Ninja Taisen Neptune: Shoujo-tachi no Kyouen'', ''Neptunia × Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars'' is a

crossover game This is a list of crossovers in video games. "Crossover (fiction), Crossovers" occur when otherwise usually separated fictional elements - Game character (disambiguation), video game characters, Setting (fiction), settings, and gameplay mechanics ...

with the ''

Hyperdimension Neptunia is a series of role-playing video games produced by Compile Heart and Idea Factory, which revolves around and parodies the real-life video gaming industry and other forms of Japanese culture. The series has also branched off into a manga, li ...

'' series, released on September 16, 2021 in Japan and October 26, 2021 in North America for the PlayStation 4.

Controversy

In 2014, ''

Official Nintendo Magazine ''Official Nintendo Magazine'', or ''ONM'', was a British Video game journalism, video game magazine that ran from 2006 to 2014 that covered the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, and Wii U video game consoles released by Nintendo. Originally p ...

'' wrote a preview about ''Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson'' (misnaming it as ''Senran Kagura Burst 2''), labeling the game as "filth" and describing it as sexual objectification with breasts and buttocks. This elicited a response from Hatsuu, the Production Coordinator at Xseed Games, to unofficially reply, criticizing the writer's views as superficial and ignorant to the game's characters, story and actual gameplay. She also mentioned that a writer for ''Official Nintendo Magazine'' unsuccessfully attempted to boycott the game without having any knowledge, and that the writer made inappropriate jokes such as describing large breasts as "smuggling fleshy watermelons". Although do allowing the game SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions for Nintendo Switch Which is litterly only massaging the characters. And the game lovekami falls into the same category.

Reception

Other media

Manga

There are various

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series based on the franchise. The main adaptation, written by Kenichirō Takaki and illustrated by Amami Takatsume, began serialization in

Media Factory , formerly known as , was a Japanese publisher and brand company of Kadokawa Future Publishing. History The company was founded on December 1, 1986, and was a subsidiary of Recruit (Japanese company), Recruit Co., Ltd., based in Shibuya, Tokyo. ...

's ''

Monthly Comic Alive is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Media Factory. The first issue was released on June 27, 2006. Serialized titles *'' Absolute Duo'' *'' Alice or Alice'' (until 2015, part of the supplement magazine '' Comic Cune'') *'' Ano Ko ni ...

'' magazine from August 27, 2011.

Seven Seas Entertainment Seven Seas Entertainment is an American publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original English-language manga, but now publishes licensed manga and light novels from Japan, as w ...

began releasing the series in North America in November 2013 as ''Senran Kagura: Skirting Shadows''. ''Senran Kagura: Guren no Uroboros'', illustrated by Manabu Aoi, began serialization in

Ichijinsha is a Japanese publishing company focused on manga-related publication, including magazines and books. The company was first established in August 1992 as a limited company under the name Studio DNA whose main purpose was to edit shōnen manga ...

's ''

Comic Rex is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Ichijinsha. The first issue was sold on December 9, 2005, and is sold monthly on the ninth. Manga collected into bound volumes which were serialized in this magazine are published under Ichijinsh ...

'' magazine from September 27, 2011. ''Senran Kagura Spark!'' was published in

Enterbrain , formerly , is a Japanese publisher and division of Kadokawa Future Publishing founded on January 30, 1987, as . Magazines published by Enterbrain are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strate ...

's ''Famitsu Comic Clear'' between August 19, 2011 and February 17, 2012, followed by ''Senran Kagura: Senshi Bankō no Haruka'' and ''Senran Enji Kyonyū-gumi'', both published between September 7, 2012 and February 1, 2013.

Anime

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

television adaptation animated by Artland aired in Japan between January 6, 2013 and March 24, 2013. The series is directed by

Takashi Watanabe is a Japanese animator, storyboard artist, and director. He is best known for directing the anime series ''Slayers'', ''Boogiepop Phantom'', and ''Shakugan no Shana''. Filmography Director *''Aria the Scarlet Ammo'' *'' Battle Skipper'' *''Boog ...

with scripts by

Takao Yoshioka is a Japanese anime screenwriter. After leaving Shin-Ei Animation, he debuted as a screenwriter with '' Happy Lesson''. Since ''Happy Lesson'', he has been in charge of screenwriting for many series, some of which are ''Elfen Lied'', '' Your Lie ...

and character designs by Takashi Torii. The opening theme, "Break Your World", was performed by Sayaka Sasaki; the ending themes include "Fighting Dreamer" (episode 1–3 and 8) by

Hitomi Harada is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Ube, Yamaguchi. Career She was scouted as a singer and began singing in the TWOFIVE production company. After that, she joined the talent agency Production Baobab to work as a voice actress. Afte ...

Asami Imai is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with Early Wing. She debuted as a voice actress in 1997 and as singer in 2009 by releasing her first single "Day by Day / Shining Blue Rain" under the 5pb. Records label. She is also well known ...

Yū Kobayashi is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with Holy Peak. Some of her most prominent roles include that of Tadamichi Aoba in '' Dan Doh!!'', Setsuna Sakurazaki in ''Negima! Magister Negi Magi'', Dan Kuso in ''Bakugan Battle Brawlers'' ...

Kaori Mizuhashi is a Japanese voice actress who is employed by Arts Vision. Her major voice roles include Meiru Sakurai in ''Megaman NT Warrior'', Mami Tomoe in '' Puella Magi Madoka Magica'', Kuki Shinobu in ''Genshin Impact'', Lava and May in '' Arknights' ...

and

Yuka Iguchi is a Japanese voice actress and singer. Biography She auditioned for Broccoli Broccoli (''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''italica'') is an edible green plant in the Brassicaceae, cabbage family (family Brassicaceae, genus ''Brassica'') whose l ...

, (episode 4-6 and 9) by

Eri Kitamura is a Japanese voice actress and singer. She was previously affiliated with Early Wing, but is now a freelancer. She is known for voicing prominent roles in anime and games such as Sayaka Miki in '' Puella Magi Madoka Magica'', Saya Otonashi in ...

Ai Kayano is a Japanese voice actress. She was represented by the Pro-Fit talent agency until 2014. She has been represented by Office Osawa since 2015. She played leading roles in several anime series, including Meiko "Menma" Honma in '' Anohana'', Ino ...

Ryōko Shiraishi is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Kashiba, Nara. She is affiliated with Aoni Production. Possessing a husky voice, Shiraishi voices young to teenage men as well as young girls and teenage women. However, in a break from tradition, one ...

Saori Gotō is a Japanese voice actress and singer. Filmography Anime Video games Dubbing References External links * Official agency profile(archive) Saori Gotō at Seiyuu InfoSaori Gotō at GamePlaza-Haruka Voice Acting Database Saori Go ...

and

Megumi Toyoguchi is a Japanese voice actress affiliated by 81 Produce. Some of her starring roles are Yao Sakurakouji in '' Miami Guns'', Ran Kotobuki in '' Super Gals!'', Winry Rockbell in '' Fullmetal Alchemist'' (first anime), Sei Sato in ''Maria-sama ...

, and (episode 7 and 10-12) by Hitomi Harada. The anime is licensed in North America by

Funimation Entertainment Crunchyroll, LLC is an American entertainment company based in Coppell, Texas. It currently operates the anime-focused eponymous over-the-top subscription video on-demand streaming service. The company was founded as Funimation in May 1 ...

, who streamed it as it aired and released it on home video in 2014. A second season of the anime series was announced in August 2017. The season, titled ''Senran Kagura Shinovi Master -Tokyo Yōma-hen-'', is directed by Tetsuya Yanagisawa and animated by TNK, with scripts written by Yukinori Kitajima and character designs handled by Junji Goto. The season premiered from October 12 to December 28, 2018 on AT-X,

Tokyo MX JOMX-DTV (channel 9), branded as Tokyo MX (officially stylized as TOKYO MX), is an independent station, independent television station in Tokyo, Japan, owned by the . It is the only television station that exclusively serves the city and parts ...

, and BS11. The opening theme, "Scarlet Master", is performed by Sayaka Sasaki, while the ending theme, "Junsei Erotic", is performed by Mia Regina.

Crunchyroll Crunchyroll is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service owned by Sony, Sony Group Corporation. The service primarily distributes fi ...

streams the series with

Funimation Funimation was an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime ...

streaming the simuldub.

References

External links

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