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Ninja (忍者) were said to be agents of Espionage and Assassination in Feudal Japan in legend and popular fiction. Revered by some as the world's first Special Forces , some modern practitioners of Budo Ninjutsu argue that ninja were used primarily as spies, not assassins, and this appears to be borne out by some historical records. It is popularly believed that the ancient ninja were peasants, forbidden under law from studying the Samurai swordplay techniques because of feudal Japan's Caste structure, but more likely they originated from a variety of castes. For references to ninja in popular Western culture, including film and Comic appearances and the recent spate of websites devoted to Neo-ninja and other ninja-centric parody, see Ninja In Fiction , below. ETYMOLOGY ''Ninja'' is Sino-Japanese Compound derived from the two Kanji (Japanese characters of Chinese origin) used to write ''shinobi-no-'''mono''''' ('''忍'''の'''者'''), one of the Native Japanese Words for people who practice ''ninjutsu'' (sometimes erroneously spelled ''ninjitsu''). ''Ninja'' and ''shinobi-no-mono'', along with ''shinobi,'' another variant, became popular in the post- World War II phonetically with the kanji 志能備, has been traced as far back as Japan's Asuka Period , when Prince Shotoku is alleged to have employed one of his retainers as a ninja. The underlying connotation of ''shinobi'' (忍, pronounced ''nin'' in Sino-Japanese compounds) is “to do quietly” or “to do so as not to be perceived by others” and—by extension—“to forebear,” hence its association with stealth and invisibility. ''Mono'' (者, likewise pronounced ''sha'' or ''ja'') means “person.” The ''nin'' of ''ninjutsu'' is the same as that in ''ninja'', whereas ''jutsu'' (術) means skill or art, so ''ninjutsu'' means “the skill of going unperceived” or “the art of stealth”; hence, ''ninja'' and ''shinobi-no-mono'' (as well as ''shinobi'') may be translated as “one skilled in the art of stealth.” Similarly, the pre-war word ''ninjutsu-zukai'' means “one who ''uses'' the art of remaining unperceived.” HISTORY Because ninja rarely left anything in writing or boasted of their achievements, the history of the ninja is mostly apocryphal and blatantly legendary, so the great majority of stories circulating about them are difficult to prove. Historical examples of ninja are said to include Minamoto No Yoshitsune , who employed surprise as a major weapon in his victories. He is said in a popular Folktale to have been educated by a Tengu (minor kami) to learn tactics and became a ninja. One of the earliest roots of ninja, Togakure Ryū , reportedly originated in the late Heian Period . '' Iga '' and '' Kōga '' are two of the most famous ninja styles, and are often pitted against each other in fiction. Some also say that they were allies and worked together in mutual defense pacts. Both of these claim that they originated in the Heian period. Only a few records remain from the Kamakura Period . Kusunoki Masashige used tactics against enemies that remotely resemble ninja tactics. From the Muromachi Period there are even fewer records. Both of these times were generally peaceful, and many battles had tournament-like aspects that prevented surprise attacks. Somewhere in these time periods, Bushido began to form as the proper and honorable way a samurai must follow. It would be well into the Edo Period that Bushido was finally formalized. In the Sengoku Period , also known as the Warring States period, ninja supposedly flourished. Almost all famous Daimyō are said by modern ninja schools to have had ninja, or a ninja-like group under his control and they served as eyes and ears. Some daimyō were reportedly ninja themselves. The clan of Sanada, the most famous member being Sanada Yukimura , was reportedly a ninja clan. This is attributed to the successful defense of their castle with approximately 3,000 soldiers against an overwhelming force of 50,000 led by Tokugawa Hidetada . Their tactics, which are said to have included splitting their house in two, one each supporting Toyotomi and Tokugawa in order to survive no matter which side finally won, has been the subject of much legendary discussion. Later, they would come to be called ''Sanada Jū Yushi'', lit. Ten heroes under Sanada, in tales where they used ninja skills to defeat everything but their jealous wives (''who were, of course, ninja themselves''). Tokugawa Ieyasu was claimed to have used ninja, controlling both Iga and Koga in unifying Japan and ultimately rising to the rank of Shogun . In his dramatic escape through the mountainous landscape of Nara after Oda's assassination, Iga ninja led by Hattori Hanzō allegedly helped Ieyasu escape, gaining his favor. The last battle where ninja reportedly fought is in the Siege Of Shimabara under the Tokugawa shogunate. As the shogunate became stable, ninja were effectively unemployed. Some were said to have become '' Oniwabanshū '', a semi-secret group of bodyguards and intelligence officers who worked tending gardens of the Edo castle and eavesdropping on the daimyō. A purported ninja master Fujibayashi Sabuji wrote Bansenshukai (万川集海) as a collection of ninja knowledge. Yet the stories go that most knowledge was still passed on through oral tradition and training, as most ninja believed that their services would soon be needed again. The peace of the Edo period continued for over 200 years. In the Edo period, ninja became popular heroes in books and plays. Many mythical ninja powers such as becoming invisible, jumping over tall fences, casting spells and calling up a giant toad larger than a human were all invented in these fictitious accounts of ninja. Ninja did not correct these misconceptions and some may have even written these stories themselves to increase their value should their services be needed. One of the lesser known contributions made by ninja is their involvement in furthering the research of Fireworks as a result of their development of pyrotechnic weaponry. Few traces of Ninjutsu remain in Japan today, such as the Koka-ryu Ninjutsu Yashiki (Koka-ruy Nijutsu Palace) in Shiga, near Kyoto, which is mostly geared toward children, the Togakushi Chibikko Ninja-Mura (Kid's Togakushi Ninja-village), which is little more than an amusment park, and the The Iga-ryu Ninja Museum , which features the most comprehensive understanding of Ninjutsu. CULTURE OF NINJA A ninja organization was said to be headed by a ''jōnin'' (上忍), literally “high ninja.” Under ''jōnin'' would be several ''chūnin'' (中忍, “middle ninja”). Under ''chūnin'' would be several ''genin'' (下忍, “low ninja”). Upon receiving a mission from daimyō, the ''jōnin'' would use the ''chūnin'' to select necessary personnel from among the ''genin''. Some ninja groups would be smaller and may have been less structured. Other groups may have been structured more like an army and the leader may instead have been called ''shō'' or “general.” While ninja are often depicted as male, and nearly all military and related professions were typically limited exclusively to males, females were supposedly ninja as well. A female ninja may be called '' Kunoichi '' (くノ一); the characters are derived from the strokes that make up the kanji for woman (女). They were sometimes depicted as experienced Prostitute s who learned the secrets of an enemy by seduction; though it's just as likely they were employed as household servants, putting them in a position to overhear potentially valuable information. In either case, there is no support for the popular image of female ninja assassins, and they were more likely employed as spies and couriers. refers to various skills used by ninja, but mostly supernatural and fictional. Ninja are said to have actively encouraged such superstitions about their abilities to inspire fear in potential enemies. Ninja were said to have had many rules, and the most important rule was of keeping the secret of ninja themselves and of the daimyo who gave them the order. Stories say that the most severe crime was leaving a ninja family without authorization, with no intention of returning. He would be called and his family members would be tasked to bring him back, dead or alive. DISGUISES Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the ninjas dressed in all black suits. The classic black ninja outfit (shinobi shokuzu) is said to have come from the Noh Theater . Prop handlers would dress in black and move props around. The audience would obviously see the prop handlers but would pretend they were invisible. Another idea supporting the absence of a ninja outfit and any specific weaponry is that, if caught or seen, they would have been identified as enemies. This would only result in capture, torture, and probably a very slow and painful execution. Thus, these spies and assassins were far more likely to be disguised as samurai, priests, or peasants or when situation dictates, dark green, blue or dark red outfit which offers better camouflage to its surroundings. Disguises were selected on the basis of their unobtrusiveness in a given environment. Some ninjas were said to have disguised themselves as '' Fuke '' monks and used the traditional flute of the Zen sect, the '' Shakuhachi ,'' as a powerful blunt weapon. Many government agents and ninja disguised themselves as Komusō , since one could travel about in complete anonymity and gather information. There were even short pieces that were supposed to be played by one komusō greeting another. These '' Suizen '' melodies tended to be very difficult to outsiders of the sect. If the second komusō did not respond, the first would know that the other was probably a spy. One known tool used by ninja is '' Irogome '' (literally, “colored rice”). ''Irogome'' was uncooked rice seeds colored in five or six different colors: red, black, white, yellow, blue, and sometimes brown. They would be placed on the ground or handed to a ninja from a ninja. Each combination carried certain meanings like “all clear” or “an enemy check point is ahead.” TOOLS AND WEAPONS Ninja are said to have made use of weapons that could be easily concealed or disguised as common tools, the Bo , '' Shuriken '' (throwing blades) and Handclaws ('' Shuko , Tekagi '') probably being the most famous. '' Kunai '' (a gardening tool) were also a popular weapon as they could be hidden easily or carried if the ninja was disguised as a gardener. It was the equivalent of a utility knife, often used to pry or cut rather than fight. The '' Makibishi '', a type of Caltrop made of iron spikes, is also famous. It could be thrown on the ground to injure a pursuer's feet or thrown out on an enemy's escape path so that the targets could be cut down or shot down with Bows And Arrows while they looked for another escape route, but it could also be covered with poison so the victim would die slowly. Occasionally, ''makibishi'' would be loaded with gunpowder to explode upon impact, killing the pursuer or damaging a pursuer's foot. In popular folklore, ninja also used special short swords called ''ninja-ken'' (or ''ninja-tō'' see below for explanation), or “shinobigatana” (Note the avoidance of the term 'ninja', but inclusion of the term shinobi, a synonym). Ninja-ken are smaller than Katana but larger than Wakizashi . The ninja-to was more of a Utilitarian tool than a weapon. Another version of the ninja sword was the shikoro ken (saw sword). The shikoro ken was said to be used to gain entry into fortresses. The shikoro ken supposedly could also be used to cut (or saw) through opponents. Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the '' Nunchaku '' were used by the ninja, and there is no record in any record of them using one. However, their records are filled with references to other weapons. '' Karate ,'' '' Judo ,'' '' Kendo ,'' and most other martial arts were never practiced as well, as they were mostly formalized in late Edo period to Meiji period. The ninja's art was unique and was formed from hundreds of years of combat. The style is completely unique, like no other. Ninja also employed a variety of weapons and tricks using gunpowder. Smoke bombs and firecrackers were widely used to aid an escape or create a diversion for an attack. They used timed fuses to delay explosions. '' Ōzutsu '' ( Cannon s) they constructed could be used to launch fiery sparks as well as projectiles at a target. Even land mines were constructed that used a mechanical fuse or a lit, oil-soaked string. Secrets of making desirable mixes of gunpowder were strictly guarded in many ninja clans. MYTHS OF NINJA There are many Myth s and legends concerning ninja, who were most prevalent during Japan's feudal era and often served Daimyo , or feudal lords, for secret missions. Their special abilities are also often exaggerated, such as becoming invisible, multiplying themselves, turning into animals, jumping over buildings, and the ability to fly, stick to the walls and foresee the future. These myths were caused by the secretive nature of ninja, and confusion with Tengu and Yamabushi . The myth of these abilities was much stronger when they were on operations and demonstrated them as if they were real powers such as the multiplication ability in which one ninja, if discovered, would make a special move and his fellow ninja mates would aid him and then disappear. The ninja often encouraged rumors to make people believe they had magical powers so they would become extraordinary figures. At least one ninja was recorded to have faked his own death so people would think he was a ghost and therefore immortal. NINJA IN FICTION Ninja appear in both Japanese and Western fiction. Depictions range from realistic to the fantastically exaggerated. Ninja have long been a popular subject in Tokusatsu , Anime and Manga , such as the manga/anime series '' Naruto ''. The series keeps historical truths, such as weaponry, but allows itself many artistic liberties. The Japanese novelist, Ryotaro Shiba wrote a novel and a collection of short stories, based on ninja, Fukuro No Shiro and Saigo No Igamono . Fukuro No Shiro was made into a hit movie, as was Shinobi No Mono . Ninja-based films and books became a which paired down Armstrong and Davidson; the straight-to-video American Ninja 5 , a spin-off aimed to children which introduced Joe Kastle (always played by Bradley), the third American Ninja. Today, the first two ''American Ninja'' entries are regarded as cult classics. Perhaps the first cinematic mixing of two martial arts ‘worlds’ occurs in the Hong Kong movie “ Ninja In The Dragon's Den ” in which a young Ninja flees to China - both to evade the revenge of the clan he's betrayed and to seek one of the men he believes responsible for his father's death - and encounters a young Kung Fu fighter in combat. Western popular culture generally depicts the ninja as supremely well-trained Martial Artists and Assassin s, clad in a head-to-toe black or dark blue suit, using many kinds of exotic equipment and skills to accomplish their missions. Western fascination with the ninja bloomed in the 1980s , especially in the United States . The idea of a Westerner being granted entry to the secret ranks of the ninja has long been a subject of particular fascination for Western writers. For example, '' The Ninja '' ( 1980 ) series of Thriller books by Eric Van Lustbader features a half-Japanese, half-Caucasian character who received Ninjutsu training in his youth. According to Lustbader's website, The Ninja is seriously being considered to be made into a movie. When '' G.I. Joe '', a traditional American series of military action figures, was relaunched in the 1980s, the collection included a few ninja characters such as Snake Eyes , a Vietnam War veteran who studied the ninja arts after the death of his family. The massive popularity of the ninja characters completely overtook the more conventional army characters, and creator Larry Hama was pressured by Hasbro to create more ninja for the series. In the popular video game, ''''. This suit enhanced all his physical attributes such as strength, reflexes, speed, etc. The suit came equipped with stealth camouflage and with Gray Fox's main weapon, a high-frequency blade which possessed incredible cutting power and coupled with Fox's enhanced reflexes, allowed him to deflect bullets. He also appeared later in the game armed with a powerful laser weapon. However, his body didn't properly accept the suit without gene therapy and it kept trying to reject the exoskeleton, causing Fox great agony. In Fighting Game s, ninja are typically quick to strike but lacking in power or defense. One of the most successful games ever on the Commodore 64 computer was The Last Ninja . In the Nintendo Entertainment System and Xbox games titled '' Ninja Gaiden '', the player takes the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a ninja whose clan has been savagely murdered. '' Mortal Kombat '', one of the most popular fighting games ever created, included several ninja-like characters with supernatural powers which seem to have been exaggerated from ninjutsu-related techniques or literature. The word ''ninja'' is also used colloquially in Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games 's (MMORPG) to describe a player who unfairly takes items from the corpses of dead enemies without allowing other players a chance to take the equipment. These “ Ninja Looter s” loot items swiftly and with minimal attention being drawn to themselves (hence the name) and are generally shunned by other characters for their nefarious deeds. There have been many (which includes a subsequent book), and '' Ninja Burger '' (which was made into an RPG, card game and book). Many of these ninja spoofs Pit Them Against Pirates and ask the question “If a pirate and a ninja were to fight, who would win?” despite that ninjas and pirates cannot even meet, let alone fight. Examples of ninja in fiction and popular culture Films ;'' novel and movie both depicted ninja. ;'' The Hunted '' :The 1995 film starring Christopher Lambert depicted a more serious look at ninjas in modern times. Comic Books and Cartoons ;'''' (2005) in which Bruce Wayne receives ninja training. ; is featured in several comic series, particularly X-Men and Daredevil . ; tale of endless battles, courage, and, of course, how young ninjas are trained. ;. ; Samurai Champloo : The episodes Bogus Booty and Baseball Blues both deal with characters who are ninja or former ninja. ;'' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles '' : All four main characters and many of their friends and foes are ninjas. The shows and comics have a strong Japanese-influenced theme. Websites ; Ask A Ninja : A series of movies in which a ninja answers questions asked about ninjas. ; cartoon series in which the main character is a ninja with supernatural powers. ; Ninja Burger : Popular humor website (as well as RPG, Card Game and Book) which purports that ninja run a fast-food delivery service. ;'' Real Ultimate Power '' : A popular humorous website created by Robert A. Hamburger (as “Robert Hamburger,” a 13-year-old character) about ninjas, whom he constantly describes with superlatives such as “totally sweet.” ;Ninja : Funny and entertaining site where you can learn all there is to know about ninjas from today's youth. Video Games ; Captain Commando : One of the members of the Commandos Team was Ginzu, who was a ninja trained in the fictional art of Bushinryu ninjitsu. ;, Edge , and Yuffie Kisaragi are the only dedicated ninja characters in the series. Ninja also appear as a job class in Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy XI , both of which have the exclusive abilities to wield two weapons simultaneously and throw items such as ninja stars, elemental balls, and other weapons. ; I-Ninja :A Namco ninja character on training to defeat the clutches of evil. ; Killer Instinct : This violent fighting games also introduced a main ninja character name Jago who is actually Street Fighter's Ryu in disguise. ; Legend Of The Mystical Ninja :A Konami ninja game starring Goemon who must journey become a more stronger shinobi.
;'' is fitted with an exoskeleton modeled after a ninja. This suit enhances all of his physical attributes, as well as gives him powerful weaponry. ;'' disguised herself with a powered suit suit which bears many similarities with Gray Fox's. She had the same abilities as Fox, and like him, wielded a High Frequency Blade. Also, in the later stages of the game, Solidus Snake 's forces were decked out in bionic exoskeletons resembling ninja outfits which gave them abilities like Gray Fox and Olga. They were armed with P90 Submachine Guns and High Frequency Blades. Known as “Tengu Commandos.” ; Mortal Kombat : A violent video game series which depicted many ninja characters. These include Scorpion, Sub-Zeros, Reptile, Noob Saibot, Kitana, Mileena, Jade, Khameleon, Chameleon, Frost, Reiko, Cyrax, Sektor, Rain, Ermac & Smoke. ; N : A free Flash game featuring the Way of the Ninja that won the 2005 Independent Games Festival award. ; Ninja Gaiden :A video game where the player controls Ryu Hayabusa, a modern-day super Ninja. ; Ninja Warriors Again :A Super NES ninja beat'em up game where players can choose one of three futurisitc ninjas in an attempt to beat up anyone on the street similiar to Capcom's Final Fight. ; Samurai Shodown :An SNK fighting game that pits Japanese samurais and ninjas against each other which consists of one on one weapon fighting, there are three ninja characters that are among the ranks of the roster including Hattori Hanzo, Galford, and Earthquake. Later sequels introduced more ninja charaters like Kazama Kazuki, Sogetsu, Hazuki, and Rinka. ;, the ninja robot was designed in blue dressed as a stereotypical ninja. He also used a giant shuriken in battle. He was later redesigned for the Mega Man Battle Network series as Shadowman.exe, where he became purple and resembles a modernized Ninja. ; Shadow Warrior :A video game with the main character Lo Wang--another Ninja. ; Shinobi :A video game series from SEGA that usually features Joe Musashi.His weapons of choice are the shuriken (or throwing knives), but over the course of the series the emphasis gradually shifted to a ninjato.The ninjato is said to be a fictional sword.Another staple of the series are the four magical ninjitsu attacks Shinobi can use to kill his foes, or improve his own abilities. The four ninjitsu techniques are: Ikazuchi, Fushin, Kariu and Mijin ; Soul Calibur :A Namco weapon based fighting game, among the selected roster is Taki, a female ninja assasin and in Soul Calibur II, a new male assassin which is a non-playable character appear in the arcade game. Also there is Yoshimitsu(who also appears in the Tekken series as a mechanical space ninja), the ninja that wears the samurai armor. ; Splinter Cell :A stealth-action video game series for the PC and Xbox that featuring a spy whose missons require ninja-like skills. The main character, Sam Fisher, is referred to as a ninja in “Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.” ; Street Fighter :The first Street Fighter had a ninja fighter name Geki, the third sequel had a female ninja name Ibuki who also appear in the game Pocket Fighter, some other ninjas such as Guy and Maki of the Bushin clan also appear in the Street Fighter Alpha and Final Fight series. Kairi and Hokuto who were introduced in the Street Fighter EX series also came from same Bushin ninja clan from which Guy and Maki originate. ; Tales Of Phantasia : In the GBA and PSOne remakes of this 1994 Japan-only action RPG for SNES, the optional character, Suzu, is a ninja who uses kunai, shuriken, and a “ninja-tō.” ; Tales Of Symphonia : In the Gamecube and PS2 version of this popular Namco RPG, Sheena, the sexy assassinator who planned to assassinate the chosen of Sylvarant comes from the ninja village of Mizuho which originate in parallel world of Tethe'alla, Ochinawa and Orochi who are friends of Sheena are also ninjas originate from this. ;, PS2 , and Xbox that feature the ninja characters Rikimaru and Ayame, as well as Tesshu, who is later available after completing the Rikimaru and Ayame missions. The game's developer, Activision , used Sho Koshugi and his son, Kane Koshugi, as ninjutsuka references. ; Wizardry :This game series includes ninja characters. The class has the abilities of a Thief as well as the ability to use Fighter and some Samurai weapons. They also have the ability to snap enemy necks and dodge physical attacks outright--abilities that were hampered by equipping any weapons or armor, respectively. LIST OF NINJUTSU STYLES (''RYū'') The following list of ninjutsu styles practiced by ninja, known as ''ryū'', is sorted by current Prefectures in which the styles originated and their teaching is or was historically centered. In this context, the ordering may not be totally accurate as some historical and current boundaries do not coincide. Note also that some styles may no longer be practiced.
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