Netflix’s House of Ninjas Ending, Explained

Summary

• Gripping action-thriller series House of Ninjas on Netflix reveals twists and turns that leave viewers clamoring for a second season.
• The Tawara family’s epic clash with their rivals, the Fuma clan, culminates in a dramatic showdown with unexpected betrayals and alliances.
• Season finale of House of Ninjas delivers intense ninja battles, shocking revelations, and sets the stage for future conflict among the Tawara clan.

Created by Dave Boyle, House of Ninjas kicked off its inaugural season on Netflix on February 15, 2024. The acclaimed action-thriller series focuses on The Tawara family, the last-known ninja clan in modern-day Japan. When the Tawara family’s eldest son suffers a tragedy during a kidnapping mission, they go into hiding for six years until a new crisis forces them back into action. Equal parts riveting martial arts series and affecting family drama, House of Ninjas reaches a dramatic climax in the twisty series finale.

Although it’s easy to get swept up in the intense fighting action, the final episode of House of Ninjas takes several unpredictable turns that have left viewers wondering what it all means in the end. Based on the riveting cliffhanger that transpires, Boyle has given Netflix a clear-cut option to renew House of Ninjas and continue the story into a second season. For starters, it’s worth breaking down what happens at the end of House of Ninjas and what the series of events means for the main characters.

What Is The Inciting Event in House of Ninjas?

House of Ninjas introduces viewers to the Tawara family. The Tawaras are the last clan of shinobis (ninjas) who descend from a long tradition dating back to Feudal Japan. The family’s proud patriarch, Souichi Tawara (Yosuke Eguchi), is a descendant of the legendary samurai and ninja, Hattori Hanzo. However, when the acclaimed Netflix Original series begins, the Tawaras are depicted living a normal life and struggling to find meaning.

Despite his decorated heritage, Souichi struggles to finance a local brewery that he operates in Japan. Meanwhile, the family’s second-eldest son, Haru Tawara (Kento Kaku), works a boring night shift in a diner and pursues a romance with a mysterious freelance journalist named Karen Ito (Riho Yoshioka). Rounding out the Tawara family is the mother, Yoko (Tae Kimura), grandmother, Taki (Nobuko Miyamoto), the youngest son, Riku (Tenta Banka), and only daughter, Nagi (Aju Makita). While Nagi never becomes an officially trained shinobi, everything changes for the family when their eldest son, Gaku (Kengo Kora), suddenly dies during a dangerous shinobi mission to kidnap a politician.

Following Gaku’s tragic death, Souichi forces the Tawaras to go into hiding, relinquish their duties as shinobis, and live as ordinary Japanese citizens. Six years of restless downtime and struggling to acclimate to society eventually pass before the Tawaras are thrust back into action, leading to a twisty series finale that revolves around a shocking character revelation.

Who Are the Tawara Family’s Primary Enemies in House of Ninjas?

Following six years of dormancy, the Tawaras are goaded back into action by the reappearance of their longstanding rivals, The Fuma clan. When the Fumas arrive in their territory looking to seize control of the area, the Tawara clan is forced to confront them by any means necessary. In order to protect their legacy and preserve the future of Japan, the Tawaras must face the past, defeat their main enemies, and thwart a criminal conspiracy before it’s too late.

Upon confronting the Fumas on the outstanding martial arts TV show, the Tawaras learn that their rivals have formulated an advanced scheme to endanger the entire country by manipulating a Solar Eclipse. While the elaborate scheme comes as a shock to viewers, everything changes for the Tawaras when it is revealed that Gaku has been alive all along. Although Gaku is seen being stabbed onscreen before falling into the ocean, he never actually passed away.

Once he fell into the water and everyone assumed that he died from his stab wounds, the Fumas kidnapped Gaku and held him hostage for six years. More stunning yet, Gaku lost one of his feet from the boat propeller while he was submerged. The ending of House of Ninjas transpires after Gaku makes a daring one-footed escape and sets up an intense shinobi showdown between the Tawara and Fuma clans.

What Happens at the End of House of Ninjas?

During the six years that Gaku spent in captivity by the Fumas, Gaku was brainwashed and indoctrinated to betray his family and serve the Fuma clan. Gaku was ordered to spy on his own family and help the Fumas take over Japan. Once Gaku was groomed and trained to be an enforcer for the Fuma clan, he was given the nickname “The Crow” and sent to infiltrate his family as an undercover mole. Unable to break the hypnotic spell, Gaku is willing to carry out the Fuma clan’s orders.

Part of the Fuma plan for a national takeover involves poisoning citizens with bioweapons that resemble toxic yellow flowers. Yoko and Souichi eventually track a truck delivering the flowers to an industrial factory, where an epic ninja battle between the Tawara and Fuma clans takes place during the season finale. At this point, Gaku is still loyal to the Fuma clan, setting up a confrontation between Gaku and his younger brother Haru. Meanwhile, the rest of the Tawara family is summoned to the factory, where Nagi and Riku do their best to fight for the cause.

As the Tawara clan battles hordes of Fuma ninjas, Haru finds Gaku in the storage facility and confronts him one-on-one. During their intense skirmish, Gaku attempts to convince Haru to betray the Tawara family like he was brainwashed to do by the Fuma clan. Haru does not fall for the bait. Instead, Haru defeats his brother Gaku in arguably the best ninja fight in the series. Alas, just when it seems the day has been saved, Haru faces an even mightier foe in the season’s final moments.

The Ultimate Showdown

After defeating Gaku, Haru is forced to fight Yosuke Tsujioke (Takayuki Yamada), the leader of a religious sect called the Gentenkai who works to advance the Fuma clan’s quest for national conquest. During their battle, Yosuke unleashes a toxic hallucinatory vapor that impairs Haru’s vision and ability to think clearly. The gas gives Yosuke an advantage during the swordfight, rendering Haru nearly helpless in the amazing martial arts TV show.

Yet, just as Yosuke is about to take Haru’s life, Gaku suddenly emerges from the smoke and slays Yosuke by slashing him in the neck with a samurai sword. Although Gaku is brainwashed to betray his family, he deliberately betrays Yosuke to rescue his brother Haru. Gaku’s change of mind stems from the realization that his family was being manipulated by Yosuke all along.

Although Gaku saves his brother Haru’s life and kills the Fuma clan leader, he does not reunite with his Tawara family. Instead, House of Ninjas ends with Gaku leaving the smoke-filled arena alone. As he departs, Gaku hints that he has neither forgotten nor abandoned his family, setting up a potential reunion or perhaps another showdown in the future.

Yet, despite killing Yosuke and saving Haru, Gaku remains dedicated to the Fuma cause due to his newfound sense of purpose and initiative. At the end of House of Ninjas, Gaku rises as the new leader of the Fuma clan as the series sets up a Shakespearean cliffhanger that could continue should the series be renewed by Netflix for Season 2.

House of Ninjas is available to stream on Netflix.