is a multimedia franchise created by Kenichiro Takaki and developed primarily by Tamsoft and Marvelous. The series debuted in Japan in 2011 with the release of Senran Kagura: Shà Âjo-tachi no Shinei (Senran Kagura: Portrait of Girls) for the Nintendo 3DS 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 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 and third-person shooters.
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, 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.
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.
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 on February 28, 2013, in North America on October 14, 2014, and in Europe on October 15, 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 Nintendo 3DS. The game was released in North America, Europe, and Australia via digital and limited physical copies in August through September 2015.
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 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 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 is a water gun third-person shooter for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows. 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.
Senran Kagura: New Wave is a card battling game available on Android and iOS 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! 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.
A spin-off title for the Nintendo Switch, an ecchi dating sim game called was released in Japan on November 23, 2017. The game takes advantage of the Joy-Con's "HD Rumble" feature, allowing players to receive feedback from jiggle physics. It was published by Xseed Games on the European and North American eShop under the title Senran Kagura: Reflexions on September 13, 2018.
Shinobi Master Senran Kagura: New Link was a mobile game for iOS and Android smartphones devices in Japan. It was developed by Honey Parade Games and released on November 29, 2017. Shinomas was a turn-based RPG that collaborated with several IPs before its shutdown on May 31, 2025.
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.
A second spin-off game for the Nintendo Switch, an ecchi pinball 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 Joy-Con's "HD Rumble" feature.
Originally titled Senran Nin Nin Ninja Taisen Neptune: Shoujo-tachi no Kyouen, Neptunia ÃÂ Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is a crossover game with the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, released on September 16, 2021 in Japan and October 26, 2021 in North America for the PlayStation 4.
In 2014, Official Nintendo Magazine 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".
There are various manga series based on the franchise. The main adaptation, written by Kenichirà  Takaki and illustrated by Amami Takatsume, began serialization in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine from August 27, 2011. Seven Seas Entertainment 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's Comic Rex magazine from September 27, 2011. Senran Kagura Spark! was published in Enterbrain's Famitsu Comic Clear between August 19, 2011 and February 17, 2012, followed by Senran Kagura: Senshi Bankà  no Haruka and Senran Enji Kyonyà «-gumi, both published between September 7, 2012 and February 1, 2013.
An anime television adaptation animated by Artland aired in Japan between January 6, 2013 and March 24, 2013. The series is directed by Takashi Watanabe with scripts by Takao Yoshioka and character designs by Takashi Torii. The opening theme, "Break Your World", was performed by Sayaka Sasaki; the ending themes include "Fighting Dreamer" (episode 1âÂÂ3 and 8) by Hitomi Harada, Asami Imai, Yà « Kobayashi, Kaori Mizuhashi and Yuka Iguchi, (episode 4-6 and 9) by Eri Kitamura, Ai Kayano, Ryà Âko Shiraishi, Saori Gotà  and Megumi Toyoguchi, and (episode 7 and 10-12) by Hitomi Harada. The anime is licensed in North America by Funimation Entertainment, 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 YÃ Âma-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, and BS11. The opening theme, "Scarlet Master", is performed by Sayaka Sasaki, while the ending theme, "Junsei Erotic", is performed by Mia Regina. Crunchyroll streams the series with Funimation streaming the simuldub.