Episode 1: Hime (Princess) and Ninja Powers Awaken!

The story begins with a civil war in Japan that occurred 400 years ago. A woman is running, a child in her arms, to get away from the fighting. (RUN! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!) Suddenly, she stops, and with a few mysterious hand gestures (focusing in on a strange symbol on her hand), she opens up a time gate and sends the child through with the words, "My Child...Recca...you will be the strongest of us all."

400 years into the future- a much older (teenage) Recca is seen fighting with a big oaf- Domon, who swears he will defeat Hanabishi Recca. Using makeshift "ninja" tactics, Recca ends up trapping Domon in a pit. Domon promises he will someday make Recca his servant by defeating him. Recca grins and replies that whenever he defeats him, Recca will serve as his personal ninja.

The scene changes to a mysterious crystal ball, and a woman (Kage Houshi) says softly, "Recca" (Beware of the killer cheese!!!!!!)

The scene changes again to a man burning in blue flame. Mori Kouran, sitting at a desk talks to his son Kurei about how all people with power eventually die, and how he does not want to be like that. He wants to have eternal life, and is determined to find the secret to obtaining it. Kurei smiles and says he can find it. After all, who knows about the Hokage Ninja more than he?

Once again we see Recca sitting at a table eating his lunch. He hears kids laughing and a girl chasing after them, telling them to slow down. One child falls, and the girl helps him up. Recca looks at the girl and stares, noticing how beautiful she is. He stares so hard he spills his milk and drops his food. When he looks up again, the girl is gone. Quickly, he chases after her and finds her with the kids near a construction site. Suddenly, one of the trucks drops its load and it appears as if the pipes will crush the girl. Recca yells, jumps, and pushes her out of the way, only to be hit by the pipes himself. (Oww, that would hurt…) He falls with a bloody head wound, and the crowd, seeing the blood, goes into hysterics. ( Omigosh! Can I get your autograph?!?!?! No, wait, wrong crowd in hysterics. Sorry about that.) The girl crawls over the Recca and lies over him, healing him. In a dream, Recca sees her and promises to be her ninja as she will be his Princess. He wakes up to see the girl on top of him and screams, running away. (it’s not what you think!) The girl finds Recca on a park bench and thanks him again for saving him. She introduces herself as Sakoshita Yanagi, but Recca insists on calling her Hime, or Princess, and she reluctantly consents. In exchange for saving his life, Recca takes her to a special place.

Recca and Yanagi are at a warehouse, and he sets off beautiful fireworks for her to see, ( it’s the fourth of July!!! Look at all the pretty colors!) saying that his father is a fireworks maker. Suddenly, the shadows begin to move and coalesce into a woman- Kagehoushi. Recca stands in front of Yanagi, protecting her. Kagehoushi says she is not here to harm them, and talks a little about the civil year and internal conflict in the Hokage Ninja 400 years ago. Then she asks to see Recca's flame. (Show me your power!!)He is confused, so she attacks him, hurting his leg. Recca won't let Yanagi show her healing power and tries to fight Kagehoushi. She strikes him down, and Yanagi stands in front of him, blocking Kagehoushi's way to Recca. Kagehoushi slashes Yanagi with her knife and the girl falls, caught by Recca. Recca is angry and tries to fight again, but is defeated once more. Then Kagehoushi threatens to kill Yanagi. Recca flashes back to scenes of Yanagi and his dream of the "Princess". He yells for her to stop and flame bursts from his hand. At first he is surprised and scared, but then he uses it to attack. Kagehoushi says it's too weak, and tells him to get stronger if he wants to kill her. Then she disappears.

Recca is carrying Yanagi down the street. She stirs and wakes up, confusedly asking what happened to that woman. Recca says he made her go away and promises once again to always protect his Hime (princess).

End of Episode 1