During the school festival, Ryu traps Kenichi and Hattori in a magical illusion. Sonam, using only her wits (no ninja powers), follows the trail of Hattori’s shadow clones and breaks the illusion by calling out his real name—not "Ninja Hattori," but "Kanzo." The moment she says his true name, Hattori awakens with a power surge. He doesn’t defeat Ryu with violence but with a promise: "I will protect her without magic, every single day." This is the declaration of love. Storyline 3: "The Memory Loss Tragedy" For a mature, tear-jerking arc, imagine a scenario where Hattori fails a mission and is forced to return to the Iga village, erasing the memories of everyone who knew him—including Sonam.
In the original Japanese version, Sonam is known as . In the Hindi dub that stole a billion hearts, she is Sonam , Kenichi’s studious classmate and the object of his unspoken affection. However, the internet, fan fiction forums, and deep-dive anime analyses have long speculated: What if the romance wasn’t between Kenichi and Sonam? What if the true emotional and romantic tension lies between Ninja Hattori and Sonam ?
One popular fan theory suggests that in the original, unproduced final script of the manga, Hattori’s ultimate test was to sacrifice his ninja identity for a normal life—and that the person he wanted that normal life with was not his master, but the girl who saw him not as a ninja, but as a boy. To be clear: The original Ninja Hattori anime is a children’s comedy. It never intended to cross the line from friendship to romance between Hattori and Sonam. The show's charm lies in its innocence.
This mutual respect creates a foundation stronger than Kenichi’s puppy love. While Kenichi chases Sonam for her looks, Hattori values her mind. This subtle distinction is what fuels the romantic "ship" in the fandom. Kenichi is the classic underdog: lazy, academically weak, and prone to jealousy. His love for Sonam is one-sided and comedic. Sonam treats Kenichi with a mix of irritation and polite friendship. She never blushes for him. She never seeks his advice. In contrast, whenever Hattori saves the day using a clever Ninpou (ninja art), Sonam looks at him with genuine admiration—the kind of admiration that, in any other anime, would be the first spark of romance. Part 2: Re-imagining Romantic Storylines – The Unwritten Future What if the producers decided to age the characters? Imagine a sequel series titled Ninja Hattori: Next Generation , where Kenichi, Sonam, and Hattori are teenagers. This is where the "Hattori x Sonam" romantic storyline becomes not only plausible but compelling. Storyline 1: "The Forbidden Shinobi Law" The most logical romantic conflict would stem from the Ninja Code. Ninja Hattori’s greatest weakness is his rigid adherence to rules. In this storyline, Hattori realizes he has fallen in love with Sonam. However, the Iga Ninja Clan has a strict law: A shinobi must not fall in love with a civilian , as it compromises the mission and risks exposure.