Jump to content

Ninjas in popular culture

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Ninja in Western Fiction)

Three people in black costumes
People dressed as ninja during the 2009 Himeji Castle Festival in Himeji, Hyōgo, Japan

In the history of Japan, ninja (also known as shinobi) operated as spies, assassins, or thieves; they formed their own caste outside the usual feudal social categories such as lords, samurai, and serfs. Ninja often appear as stock characters in Japanese and global popular culture.

History

[edit]
Ninja killing a snake with a sword
Jiraiya battles a snake with the help of a toad; woodblock print on paper by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, circa 1843

Ninjas first entered popular culture in the Edo period. In modern Japan, ninja are a national myth that stems from folk tales and continues through modern day popular culture.[1] Though many Japanese warriors performed amazing feats, there is no evidence that any of them were supernatural. Some of the folk tales are based on historical figures, such as a daimyō (lord) challenging a ninja to prove his worth by stealing his pillow or weapon while he slept.[2]: 14 

Legendary abilities

[edit]

Superhuman or supernatural powers were sometimes associated with the ninja. Such powers include flight, invisibility, shapeshifting, the ability to "split" into multiple bodies, the summoning of animals, and control over the five classical elements.[citation needed] These notions stemmed from popular imagination regarding the ninja's mysterious status, as well as romantic ideas found in later Japanese art during the Edo period. Magical powers were sometimes rooted in the ninja's own efforts to disseminate fanciful information.[citation needed] For example, Nakagawa Shoshujin, the 17th-century founder of Nakagawa-ryū, or martial art style, claimed in his own writings (Okufuji Monogatari) that he had the ability to transform into birds and animals.[2]: 13 

Perceived control over the elements may be grounded in real tactics, which were categorized by association with forces of nature. For example, the practice of starting fires in order to cover a ninja's trail falls under katon-no-jutsu ("fire techniques").[3]

Actor portraying Nikki Danjō, a villain from the kabuki play Sendai Hagi. Shown with hands in a kuji-in seal, which allows him to transform into a giant rat. Woodblock print on paper. Kunisada, 1857.

The ninja's adaption of kites in espionage and warfare is another subject of legends. Accounts exist of ninja being lifted into the air by kites, where they flew over hostile terrain and descended into or dropped bombs on enemy territory.[4] Kites were indeed used in Japanese warfare, but mostly for the purpose of sending messages and relaying signals.[5]: 257  Turnbull suggests that kites lifting a man into midair might have been technically feasible, but states that the use of kites to form a human "hang glider" falls squarely in the realm of fantasy.[2]: 22–23 

Kuji-kiri

[edit]

Kuji-kiri is an esoteric religious practice which, when performed with an array of specified hand "seals" (kuji-in), or gestures, was meant to allow the ninja to interact with the spirit world and allow them to perform superhuman feats.[citation needed]

The kuji ("nine characters") is a concept originating from Taoism, where it was a string of nine words used in charms and incantations.[6]: 2–3  In China, this tradition mixed with Buddhist beliefs, assigning each of the nine words to a Buddhist deity. The kuji may have arrived in Japan via Buddhism, where it flourished within Shugendō.[6]: 13  Here too, each word in the kuji was associated with Buddhist deities, animals from Taoist mythology, and later, Shinto kami.[6]: 24–27  The mudrā, a series of hand symbols representing different Buddhas, was applied to the kuji by Buddhists, possibly through the esoteric Mikkyō teachings.[6]: 24–25  The yamabushi ascetics of Shugendō adopted this practice, using the hand gestures in spiritual, healing, and exorcism rituals.[7]

Later, the use of kuji passed onto certain bujutsu (martial arts) and ninjutsu schools, where it was said to have many purposes.[6]: 31–33  The application of kuji to produce a desired effect was called "cutting" (kiri) the kuji. Intended effects range from physical and mental concentration, to more incredible claims about rendering an opponent immobile, or even the casting of magical spells.[6]: 31  These legends were captured in popular culture, which interpreted the kuji-kiri as a precursor to magical acts.[citation needed]

[edit]

In modern popular culture, there were three major "ninja booms" in the 20th century, the first two booms largely limited to Japanese popular culture before becoming a global phenomenon with the third boom. The first boom was during the 1910s to 1920s, when the Sarutobi Sasuke series of children's novels became popular in Japan; the series depicted its shinobi protagonist as essentially a prototypical superhero, capable of a number of superhuman feats.[8][unreliable source?][9] The second "ninja boom" was in the 1960s, with the rise of Japanese ninja films, manga and television shows that became popular in Japan.[8] By the mid-1960s, there were numerous popular ninja-themed media produced in Japan and it became popular for Japanese children to wear ninja costumes.[10] During this second boom, some of the Japanese ninja-themed media were exported to several international markets such as Australia and Italy, but did not reach North America.[8] This was also when ninjas made their first appearance in a Hollywood production, the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), though the film depicted them more as commandos rather than traditional ninjas.[11] The third "ninja boom" was in the 1980s.[8] It was during this period in the early-to-mid-1980s that ninjas became a global phenomenon.[8][10]

In North America, the success of Hong Kong martial arts films such as Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon (1973) led to mainstream interest in martial arts films from Asian cinema, with American entertainment companies looking for the next "chopsocky" craze from Asia to repeat the success of 1970s kung fu films.[10] Ninjutsu drew some American interest in the late 1970s, but was not very popular at the time.[12] In 1977, the Japanese arcade game company Kasco released a light gun shooter electro-mechanical game called Ninja Gun,[13][14][unreliable source?] which helped introduce a number of American children to ninjas by the early 1980s.[15] Eric Van Lustbader's novel The Ninja was published in 1980 and went on to become a New York Times Best Seller.[15]

Around 1980, several American companies took notice of the "ninja craze" in Japan and were planning to capitalize on it with their own ninja-themed productions targeting the North American market. In March 1981, Variety magazine announced that fourteen American entertainment companies were planning to produce ninja films, including Zanuck/Brown Company's The Ninja, Stirling Silliphant's The Masters, and The Equals starring Scott Glenn and Toshirō Mifune, among others. However, several of these ninja-themed productions either did not release or failed to gain much success upon release.[10] The North American breakthrough for ninja films came with Enter the Ninja, directed by Menahem Golan and released by Cannon Films in 1981, the success of which sparked the "ninja craze" in American popular culture and led to a wave of American-produced ninja films and television shows in the 1980s. Enter the Ninja also launched the career of Japanese martial arts star Sho Kosugi, who starred in its successful sequel Revenge of the Ninja in 1983 and portrayed ninja characters in other successful 1980s American productions such as The Master television series in 1984.[16] A wave of ninja-themed films and television shows during the early-to-mid-1980s, especially those starring Sho Kosugi, led to "ninjamania" becoming a pop culture phenomenon across North America.[12]

Many forms of ninja-themed merchandise were sold across North America during the early-to-mid-1980s, with American children replacing cowboy costumes for ninja costumes.[12] It became a trend for items to be branded with the word "ninja" to generate more sales. For example, Parfums de Coeur introduced a perfume called Ninja which generated US$20,000,000 (equivalent to $67,000,000 in 2023) in sales over several years up until 1985, and the Kawasaki Ninja series of motorbikes were introduced in 1984.[15]

Ninja video games emerged and became popular during the 1980s.[17] Early ninja-themed video games included SNK's arcade shooting game Sasuke vs. Commander (1980),[18] Taito's arcade games Ninja Hayate (1984)[19] and Legend of Kage (1985),[20] Sega's Ninja Princess (1985) starring a female ninja,[21] and Konami's Ganbare Goemon series (1986 debut) based on the folk hero Ishikawa Goemon.[22] Early ninja-themed home computer games included Saboteur (1985) and Ninja (1986), the latter featuring artwork resembling Sho Kosugi. Perhaps the most influential ninja video game was Sega's arcade hit Shinobi (1987), which spawned the Shinobi series, the longest-running ninja video game franchise. Series protagonist Joe Musashi was one of Sega's flagship characters in the late 1980s, along with Alex Kidd (before Sonic the Hedgehog).[17] Shinobi was followed by a wave of ninja video games in the late 1980s,[17] with some of the most popular including Taito's The Ninja Warriors series,[23] System 3 Software's Last Ninja series, Data East's arcade hit Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja (1988), Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden series starring Ryu Hayabusa,[17] and Capcom's Strider series.[24]

Some of the largest ninja-themed international media franchises include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (comic book debuted in 1984, animated series in 1987) and Naruto (manga debuted in 1999, anime series in 2002).[25][26]

1998 East Java ninja scare

[edit]
Main article: 1998 East Java ninja scare

The 1998 East Java ninja scare was an outbreak of mass hysteria in East Java, Indonesia, in which the local population believed they were being targeted by sorcerers known as ninja, who were blamed for mysterious killings of religious leaders by assassins dressed in black. As many as 150-300 “sorcerers” were killed between February and October, with the most deaths occurring between August and September.[27]

Armed groups

[edit]

Several real life paramilitary, police and militia groups use the names "Ninja" or "Ninjas":

Other

[edit]

According to Indeed.com, there was a 7,000-percent increase in the number of job listings with the word "ninja" from 2006 to 2012.[37] A former Russian soldier who committed robberies in Italy in black attire and a bow was called a "Russian ninja" by the BBC.[38] The video-game series Tenchu was adapted for the Japanese stage.[39] In 2006, Miss Japan Kurara Chibana appeared in a ninja-samurai costume for the Miss Universe competition.[40] Goth Ninja, a type of Japanese street fashion, became popular in 2009.[41]

In information technology, "cyber ninja" are sophisticated counter-hackers.[42]

Business

[edit]
Subway train with cartoon characters and lettering on its side
Iga Railway Line ninja-themed trains in Mie Prefecture, Japan in 2010
Four young women dressed in black
Attendees of a 2011 one-day ninja camp in Koga Ninja Village, Kōka, Shiga

Iga Ueno Ninja Festa, the annual ninja festival in Iga in the former province of Iga, has had ninja-inspired performances, competitions and opportunities to practice ninja skills since 1964.[43]

Attractions

[edit]

Other ninja attractions in Japan include the Koga Ninja Village and Kogaryu Ninjutsu Yashiki (Ninja Houses) in Koga-gun, Shiga Prefecture, the Togakushi Ninja Village for children, the Togakushi Ninpo Museum and Karakuri Yashiki (Ninja House) in Togakushi, Nagano, the Edo Wonderland theme park in Nikkō, Tochigi and the restaurants Men no Sato and Ninja Akasaka in Tokyo and Ninja Kyoto in Kyoto.[1]

Examples

[edit]

Commercials

[edit]

Documentaries

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Main article: List of ninja films

Games

[edit]

Video games

[edit]
Main article: List of ninja video games

In addition to video games, several game-development companies use "ninja" in their name: Ninja Studio, Ninja Theory, Ninjaforce, NinjaKiwi, and Team Ninja. In massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), "ninja", "loot ninja" or "ninja looter" pejoratively describes a player who has stolen something from another player.[citation needed]

Traditional games

[edit]

Literature

[edit]

Novels

[edit]

Ninja-themed novels include:

  • Sarutobi Sasuke series (1911-1925)[86][87]
  • Yagyū Ichizoku no Inbō novels by Yoshihiro Matsunaga (松永義弘)
    • Yagyū Ichizoku no Inbō (柳生一族の陰謀) (1978).[88] [novelization of the film of the same name]
    • Kiru: Zoku Yagyū Ichizoku no Inbō (斬る 続・柳生一族の陰謀) (1978).[89]
  • Nicholas Linnear novels by Eric Van Lustbader[90]
    • The Ninja (1980)
    • The Miko (1984)
    • White Ninja (1990)
    • The Kaisho (1993)
    • Floating City (1994)
    • Second Skin (1995)
    • The Death and Life of Nicholas Linnear (2014) [e-book short story]
    • The Oligarch's Daughter (2016) [e-book short story]
  • Brett Wallace: Ninja Master novels by Wade Barker
    • Ninja Master series[91]
      • Vengeance is His (1981)
      • Mountain of Fear (1981)
      • Borderland of Hell (1982)
      • Million-Dollar Massacre (1982)
      • Black Magician (1982)
      • Death's Door (1982)
      • The Skin Swindle (1983)
      • Only the Good Die (1983)
    • Year of the Ninja Master series[92]
      • Dragon Rising: Spring (1985)
      • Lion's Fire: Summer (1985)
      • Serpent's Eye: Autumn (1985)
      • Phoenix Sword: Winter (1986)
    • War of the Ninja Master series[93]
      • War of the Ninja Master: The Kohga Ritual (1988)
      • War of the Ninja Master: The Shibo Discipline (1988)
      • War of the Ninja Master: The Himitsu Attack (1988)
      • War of the Ninja Master: The Zakka Slaughter (1988)
  • Tulku, a Tale of Modern Ninja (1985) by American ninjutsu practitioner Stephen K. Hayes.[94]
  • Shimabara (1986) by Douglass Bailey [95]
  • Vineland (1990) by Thomas Pynchon.[96]
  • Batman: The Dragon and the Bat (1994) by Geary Gravel.[97] [novelization of "Night of the Ninja" and "Day of the Samurai" from Batman: The Animated Series.]
  • Zorro and the Dragon Riders by David Bergantino (1999).[98]
  • Blue Fingers: A Ninja's Tale (2004)
  • Young Samurai novels by Chris Bradford.[99]
    • Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior (2008)
    • Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword (2009)
    • Young Samurai: The Way of Fire (2012) [e-book short story set between books 2 and 3]
    • Young Samurai: The Way of the Dragon (2010)
    • Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth (2010)
    • Young Samurai: The Ring of Water (2011)
    • Young Samurai: The Ring of Fire (2011)
    • Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind (2012)
    • Young Samurai: The Ring of Sky (2012)
    • Young Samurai: The Return of the Warrior (2019)
  • Tsuma-wa, Kunoichi novels by Machio Kazeno (風野真知雄) [100]
    • Tsuma-wa Kunoichi (妻は、くノ一) (2008-2011): 10 volumes
    • Tsuma-wa Kunoichi: Hebino Maki (妻は、くノ一 蛇之巻) (2013): 3 volumes
  • Yin-Yang Code novels by Warren Chaney and Sho Kosugi.[101]
    • Yin-Yang Code: The Drums of Tenkai-Bo (2017)
    • Yin-Yang Code: Shadow of Tenkai-Bo (2018)

Manga

[edit]
Four people in costume
Ninja Hattori-kun cosplayers at Comiket 76
Young person in costume, holding a scroll and artist's brush
Cosplay of the Naruto character Sai

The following stories contain at least one ninja character, but are not ninja-themed:

  • Planetes: Tanabe's neighbors are ninja.[111]
  • Sgt. Frog: One of the main characters, Lance Corporal Dororo/Zeroro is a cute blue male Keronian ninja.

Non-Japanese comics

[edit]

Music

[edit]

Sports

[edit]

Television

[edit]
Main article: List of ninja television programs
For ninja TV movies, see List of ninja films.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Phelan, Stephen (2015-06-05). "Tall tales and tiny assassins at Japan's ninja festival". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  2. ^ a b c Stephen Turnbull (2003). Ninja, A.D. 1460-1650. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781841765259.
  3. ^ Mol, Serge (2003). Classical Weaponry of Japan: Special Weapons and Tactics of the Martial Arts (1st ed.). Tokyo: Kodansha International. p. 176. ISBN 9784770029416.
  4. ^ Draeger, Donn F.; Smith, Robert W. (1985). Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (1st ed.). Tokyo: Kodansha International. pp. 128–129. ISBN 9780870114366.
  5. ^ Buckley, Sandra (2001). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture (1st ed.). New York: Routledge. ISBN 9780415143448.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Waterhouse, David (1996). Religion in Japan: Arrows to Heaven and Earth (Reprint ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521550284.
  7. ^ Teeuwen, Mark; Rambelli, Fabio (2003). Buddhas and Kami in Japan: Honji Suijaku as a Combinatory Paradigm. London: Routledge Curzon. p. 327. ISBN 9780415297479.
  8. ^ a b c d e Rainville, Keith (15 June 2009). "A primer on the history of "NINJA"". Vintage Ninja. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  9. ^ Torrance, Richard (2005). "Literacy and Literature in Osaka, 1890-1940". The Journal of Japanese Studies. 31 (1): 27–60. ISSN 0095-6848. JSTOR 25064534. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022. Sarutobi Sasuke precipitated a "ninja boom" among the young throughout the country. Sarutobi is an adolescent superhero who, in addition to his ability to chant incantations, appear and disappear at will, and leap to the top of the highest tree, can hear whispered conversations hundreds of yards away, is superhumanly strong, can ride on clouds, is able to conjure water, fire and wind as well as transform himself into other people and animals.
  10. ^ a b c d Hoffmann, Frank W.; Bailey, William G.; Ramirez, Beulah B. (1990). Arts & Entertainment Fads. New York: Psychology Press. pp. 209–219. ISBN 9780866568814. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  11. ^ Tharoor, Ishaan (4 February 2013). "You Don't Know the Ninja: 8 New Revelations About the Shadow Warrior". Time. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Vandehey, Time (May 1989). "The Ninja Phenomenon". Black Belt. 26 (5). Active Interest Media, Inc.: 36–40. ISSN 0277-3066. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Kasco no Jidai ~ Moto Kansai Seisakusho Staff Interview ~" (キャスコの時代 ～元・関西製作所スタッフインタビュー～) [Kasco and the Electro-Mechanical Golden Age: Former Kansai Seisakusho Staff Interview]. Classic Videogame Station Odyssey (in Japanese). 2001. Archived from the original on 22 June 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Kasco and the Electro-Mechanical Golden Age". shmuplations. 29 December 2021. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  15. ^ a b c Hartigan, Elizabeth (5 September 1985). "The way ninjas sell, it could be Japanese hotcake, but it isn't". Star Tribune. p. 37. Retrieved 21 April 2022.(subscription required)
  16. ^ Donovan, Barna William (17 September 2014). The Asian Influence on Hollywood Action Films. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 133–134. ISBN 9781476607702. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d Lines, Craig (5 July 2017). "The Best and Worst of '80s Ninja Video Games". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Arcade Archives SASUKE VS COMMANDER for Nintendo Switch". Nintendo. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  19. ^ Ninja Hayate at the Killer List of Videogames
  20. ^ Kalata, Kurt (21 April 2008). "Legend of Kage, The". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 8 July 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  21. ^ Derboo, Sam (12 September 2017). "Ninja Princess". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  22. ^ Kalata, Kurt (14 November 2019). Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: Japanese Video Game Obscurities. London: Unbound Publishing. p. 170. ISBN 9781783527656. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  23. ^ Edgeley, Clare (March 1988). "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games (77): 89. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  24. ^ Welch, Hanuman (15 July 2013). "Video Game Brawls! Ninja Edition: Ryu Hayabusa vs Strider Hiryu". Complex. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  25. ^ McNeil, Jason William. "Return of the Ninja!". Black Belt. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  26. ^ a b Hendrix, Grady (2007-06-26). "The state of the ninja". Slate. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-06-05.
  27. ^ Kristof, Nicholas D. (October 20, 1998). "Fears of Sorcerers Spur Killings in Java". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  28. ^ "Elite "Ninja" police free hostages in Sao Tome". Reuters AlertNet. October 10, 2007. Archived from the original on November 9, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  29. ^ Tsoumou, Christian (June 8, 2007). "Congo's Ninja rebels burn weapons and pledge peace". Reuters AlertNet. Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  30. ^ Robinson, Natasha; Madden, James (April 13, 2007), Captain Dragan set for extradition, The Australian, archived from the original on August 4, 2009, retrieved August 26, 2009
  31. ^ Knight-Ridder Newspapers (1991-12-25). "Serbian Media Bombard Public With Nazi Footage, 'Kninjas'". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  32. ^ Borman, Trevor (May 27, 2011). "The Real Captain Dragan". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 25, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  33. ^ Lane, Max (March 1, 1995). "'Ninja' terror in East Timor". Green Left Weekly. Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  34. ^ "Indonesia's 'ninja' war". BBC News. October 24, 2008. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  35. ^ Dickey, Christopher (June 18, 1995). "The Ninjas Crack Down". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  36. ^ Waco – The Inside Story, FRONTLINE, PBS 1995
  37. ^ McMillan, Robert (2012-05-21). "Looking for a Coding Job? Better a Ninja Than a Brogrammer". Wired. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-08-05.
  38. ^ Fraser, Christian (2007-06-12). "Russian 'ninja' arrested in Italy". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  39. ^ "舞台版「天誅」でござる！ 元新体操選手の江田結香が魅せる くノ一アクション - Ameba News [アメーバニュース]" (in Japanese). News.ameba.jp. 1994-12-01. Archived from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  40. ^ "Miss Universe in ninja high heels". 3Yen. July 19, 2006. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  41. ^ Betts, Kate (8 December 2009). "The Top 10 Everything of 2009". Time. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  42. ^ Drew, Christopher (2009-12-29). "Wanted: 'Cyber Ninjas'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2010-04-01. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  43. ^ Kyung Hoon, Kim (2008-04-08). "Japan village exposes secret world of ninja fighters". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  44. ^ "1986 - Honda Hurricane Motorcycle - Hiding Ninja Commercial". YouTube. 3 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  45. ^ "Joe Piscopo Miller Lite Commercial". YouTube. 12 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  46. ^ "Diet Coke, Batman and Pierce Brosnan". The Coca-Cola Company. Retrieved 10 February 2021.[dead link‍]
  47. ^ "Pierce Brosnan in 1988 Diet Coke Commercial". YouTube. 14 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  48. ^ "Michelle Yeoh in 2006 Puma Commercial 1". YouTube. 28 November 2006. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  49. ^ "Michelle Yeoh in 2006 Puma Commercial 2". YouTube. 11 June 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  50. ^ "GEICO ("Is the Pen Mightier Than the Sword?") commercial". YouTube. 14 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  51. ^ "Honda Civic ("Ninja") commercial". YouTube. 22 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  52. ^ "Honda Civic - "Ninja" commercial". splendad.com. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  53. ^ "Nicorette Ad Ninjas". YouTube. 12 August 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  54. ^ "HB-101 ("Flying Ninja") commercial". ispot.tv. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  55. ^ "HB-101 ("It's a Miracle!") commercial". ispot.tv. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  56. ^ "HB-101 - "It's a Miracle!" commercial". YouTube. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  57. ^ "Ninja reklamuje Alior Sync (wideo)". Wirtualnemedia (in Polish). 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  58. ^ "Funny Ninja Commercial". YouTube. 24 November 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  59. ^ "Ninja Commercial - Bombay Sapphire". YouTube. 10 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  60. ^ "Motts Clamato Commercial - Ninjas (kung foo fighting)". YouTube. 11 August 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  61. ^ "Funny FedEx Commercial - Bear, hunter, ninja". YouTube. 5 December 2006. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  62. ^ "Free Realms Ninja Prank Commercial". YouTube. 16 May 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  63. ^ "Pub UFJ Tsubasa Securities Ninja". YouTube. 15 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  64. ^ "Ninja Nuns". YouTube. 2006-11-27. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  65. ^ "Nike Ninja Commercial". YouTube. 13 May 2006. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  66. ^ "Nintendo WiFi Ninja Commercial". YouTube. 2 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  67. ^ "Oregon State Lotto Sudoku Ninja Commercial". YouTube. 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  68. ^ "Sure Ninja". YouTube. 10 July 2006. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  69. ^ "Ancient Warriors "The Ninja: Warriors of the Night". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  70. ^ "The Real History of the Ninja : Documentary on Ancient Japan's Ninja Warriors (Full Documentary)". YouTube. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  71. ^ "Unsolved History - Ninjas". YouTube. 20 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  72. ^ "Shinobi - Winds of the 34 Generations". facebook.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  73. ^ "MythBusters - Walking on Water". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  74. ^ "MythBusters - Myth Revolution". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  75. ^ "MythBusters - Ninjas2". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  76. ^ "Cities of the Underworld - A-Bomb Underground". thetvdb.com. Archived from the original on 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  77. ^ "Deadliest Warrior - Spartan vs Ninja". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  78. ^ "The Search for Historical Ninjutsu". YouTube. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  79. ^ "Ninja Shadow Warriors". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  80. ^ "Japanology Plus -Ninja". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  81. ^ "Ninja Truth". NHK World-Japan On Demand. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  82. ^ "Bura Tamori 158 「伊賀忍者～なぜ伊賀は"NINJA"の里になったのか？～」". nhk.jp. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  83. ^ "Journeys in Japan 「伊賀 忍者の里」". nhk.jp. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  84. ^ "The Man Who Killed The Ninja". YouTube. 27 December 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  85. ^ "Betrayers of Kamigawa Theme Deck – Ninjutsu". Wizards.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  86. ^ "A primer on the history of "NINJA"". Vintage Ninja. Archived from the original on 2018-10-18. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  87. ^ Joel Levy, Ninja: The Shadow Warrior, Sterling Publishing Company, 2008 (p.178)
  88. ^ "Yagyū Ichizoku no Inbō novel". kadokawa.co.jp. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  89. ^ "Kiru: Zoku Yagyū Ichizoku no Inbō> novel". kadokawa.co.jp. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  90. ^ "Nicholas Linnear Novels". ericvanlustbader.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-18. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  91. ^ "Ninja Master novels". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  92. ^ "Year of the Ninja Master novels". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  93. ^ "Way of the Ninja Master novels". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  94. ^ Stephen K. Hayes (1985). Tulku, a Tale of Modern Ninja. Contemporary Books. ISBN 9780809253326. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  95. ^ Shimabara (1986) by Douglass Bailey. Bantam. August 1986. ISBN 9780553251159. OL 7822303M. Retrieved 2021-02-20 – via openlibrary.org.
  96. ^ Beckett, Andy (2012-11-09). "Rereading: Vineland by Thomas Pynchon". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  97. ^ Gravel, Geary (1994). Batman: The Dragon and the Bat. Bantam Books. ISBN 9780553566086. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  98. ^ Bergantino, David (1999). Zorro and the Dragon Riders. Tom Doherty Associates, LLC. ISBN 9780812567687. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  99. ^ "Young Samurai Novels". youngsamurai.com. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  100. ^ "妻は、くノ一". Kakokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
  101. ^ "Yin-Yang Code Novels". Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  102. ^ "【完結済】黒の獅士 1巻 | 永井豪 | 無料まんが・試し読みが豊富！ebookjapan｜まんが（漫画）・電子書籍をお得に買うなら、無料で読むなら". eBookJapan. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  103. ^ "アニメ「BRAVE10」公式サイト". Brave10.com. Archived from the original on 2013-08-07. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  104. ^ "くノ一はじめました！". ジャンプルーキー！ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2015-12-29. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  105. ^ a b Fusanosuke, Natsume (2021-12-02). "Remembering Two Titans of Manga: Shirato Sanpei and Saitō Takao". The Comics Journal. Archived from the original on 2024-06-02. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  106. ^ Morris, D. (May 7, 2024). "D&Q to debut English edition of Sanpei Shirato's THE LEGEND OF KAMUI in January 2025". ComicsBeat. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  107. ^ a b "Sugiura Manga Festa". Kyoto International Manga Museum. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  108. ^ "さすがの猿飛 ：電子書籍のソク読み・無料試し読み". ソク読み (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  109. ^ Otoshibumi Craft Labs (2015-10-03). "Database" (PDF). NE.jp. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  110. ^ "残念くのいち伝". Comic Meteor (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  111. ^ Morton, Bryan (January 3, 2006). "Planetes Vol. 2". Mania. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  112. ^ Justice League of America: Shogun of Steel DC Comics (2002).
  113. ^ Truitt, Brian (7 May 2013). "'Half Past Danger' is adventure time for Stephen Mooney". USA Today. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  114. ^ Bravo, Hugo (2006-08-04). "Zombee Review". IGN. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  115. ^ "Ninja (Los Angeles band)". metal-archives.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  116. ^ "Ninja (New York band)". metal-archives.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  117. ^ "Ninja (German band)". metal-archives.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-31. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  118. ^ "Ninja by Europe". YouTube. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  119. ^ "Ninja by Christina Aguilar". Spotify. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  120. ^ "Classified feat. David Myles - Inner Ninja [Official Video]". YouTube. 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  121. ^ "Ninjas by Rey Pila". YouTube. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  122. ^ Noz, Andrew (2011-05-18). "The 50 Best New Orleans Rap Songs". Complex. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
  123. ^ "BOWLING FOR SOUP". rockonmagazine.com. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  124. ^ "Built By Ninjas". Facebook. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  125. ^ Morton, Thomas (1 October 2007). "In the Land of the Juggalos—A Juggalo Is King". Vice. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  126. ^ "D'の純情／ももいろクローバーZ Full ver.（D'NO JUNJOU／MOMOIRO CLOVER Z）". YouTube. 20 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  127. ^ "足立梨花、初の"くノ一"姿を披露「戦ってます！". モデルプレス (in Japanese). 4 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-01-16. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  128. ^ "伊賀FCくノ一三重". Iga F.C. Kunochi. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
  129. ^ Cram, Julian (10–23 August 2005). "Naked Women's Wrestling League". dB Magazine. No. 364. Archived from the original on 2006-02-05. Retrieved 2010-06-30.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Modern depictions of ninja.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ninjas_in_popular_culture&oldid=1257935937"