Ninjas in popular culture

A ninja in Edo Wonderland, Futami, Mie

Ninja are common stock characters in both Japanese and international popular culture.

Overview

Depictions range from anywhere between realistic to fantastically exaggerated, both fundamentally and aesthetically. Ninja are also often a subject of parody.

Jiraiya battles a giant snake with the help of his summoned toad. Woodblock print on paper. Kuniyoshi, c. 1843.

Ninja were a long-popular theme in Japanese folklore, jidaigeki literature and performing art. For example, Ishikawa Goemon was the subject of many kabuki plays and Sarutobi Sasuke has featured in many Japanese children's stories since 1911. Koga Unôn Ninjutsu Kogaryû, a silent film from 1916 was possibly the first ninja movie. Ninja-based films and books became a major Japanese pop-culture craze during the 1950s and early 1960s, since then expanding into numerous comic books and video games. In Japan, the word shinobi and its variants are often used instead of "ninja".

The first major appearance of ninja in Western pop-culture was in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. The 1960s TV series The Samurai caused a significant wave of interest in ninja among younger viewers in Japan as well as Australia and the Philippines, but the impact of the ninja phenomenon was not felt in other western countries until considerably later. Western fascination with the ninja bloomed in the 1980s, especially in the United States; several American ninja movies starring Sho Kosugi were released in the early 1980s, largely responsible for introducing ninja to American pop culture and contributing to worldwide ninja-mania on grand scale (including megahit media franchises such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the late 1980s to early 1990s and Naruto in the 2000s).

Ninja characters are often identified by their use of traditional blade and ranged weapons in a modern and even science-fiction settings, as well as numerous superhuman abilities (such as running on water and up walls). Though depicted as nearly-invincible warriors (especially when they are the heroes of the story), they are often conversely depicted as disposable cannon fodder to be dispatched by the hero character, especially one who's a ninja himself. Thus, modern entertainment has shown ninja as either expendable "redshirts" attacking in large numbers, or as nearly invulnerable solitary warriors (who are often unmasked in contrast). In effect of this common approach, a single/small group of protagonist ninja may often easily defeat waves of incompetent enemy ninja on multiple occasions only to have far more trouble when facing a more competent lone ninja - this seemingly inconsistent portrayal is jokingly explained using the sarcastic "Inverse Ninja Law", (also called "conservation of ninjutsu") which states that ninja are weaker when they are in larger groups.

As far back as the late 19th century, erotic art was made using the ninja theme. Japanese ninja literature and cinema still contain a powerful element of eroticism, including some pornography, often focusing on kunoichi (ninja women).

According to Glenn Morris, ninjutsu in Western popular media has been (incorrectly) associated with the imatge of an "unemotional, heartless assassin". This would be due to the influence of Ashida Kim, Frank Dux, and Eric van Lustbader.

In literature

Novels

• Fukuro no Shiro: The author Ryotaro Shiba wrote this novel as well as a collection of short stories called Saigo no Igamono; both were made into hit movies.
• Kage Kara Mamoru!: The series of light novels (also adapted into a manga and anime series).
• Sanada Ten Braves (Sanada Jūyūshi): An old legend that originated in the Meiji period, first published in the novel form during the Taishō period in 1912; since then in several books, movies, audio shows and the other media.
• Shinobi no Mono: a series of novels by Tomoyoshi Murayama about the life of Ishikawa Goemon‎, which in the 1960s became a series of hit films.
• Shōgun: Ninja assassins are featured in one of the final chapters of this novel by James Clavell.
• Tales of the Otori: The Tribe is an entity of five families of ninja with powers (such as invisibility, splitting themselves temporarily, a stare that induces sleep, sharper hearing and eyesight, faster reflexes, etc.).
• The Diamond Chariot: Erast Fandorin learns ninjutsu while in Japan.
• The Kouga Ninja Scrolls (Kōga Ninpōchō): A novel by Futaro Yamada about two rival ninja clans, the Iga and Kouga.
• The Ninja: A thriller by Eric Van Lustbader featuring a half-Japanese, half-white character who received ninjutsu training in his youth (the book followed by The Miko and White Ninja).
• Tulku, a Tale of Modern Ninja: A novel by Stephen K. Hayes, famous American ninjutsu practitioner.
• You Only Live Twice: The last James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming, in which the Japanese secret service employs a top secret ninja force to play a critical role in helping the British spy stop SPECTRE's grandest scheme.
• The series of childen books American Chillers and Magic Tree House (volumes New York Ninjas and Night of the Ninjas, respectively).

Minor roles in Not For Glory, Shōgun, Thief of Time, Vineland, Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior and others.

Role-playing games and gamebooks

• Bushido
• Choose Your Own Adventure: The Secret of the Ninja series, several of the CYOA-system gamebooks by Jay Leibold (#66 Secret of the Ninja, #92 Return of the Ninja, #113 The Lost Ninja, #155 Ninja Cyborg and #179 Ninja Avenger).
• Feng Shui
• Heroscape: Features a ninja class.
• Legend of the Five Rings: Quasi-Japan RPG featuring the sourcebook Way of the Ninja.
• Ninja (Dungeons & Dragons) is a character class in Dungeons & Dragons, the first and the most-known role-playing game (first featured in the 1st Edition supplement Oriental Adventures).
• Ninja Burger: Three separate editions based on the website as well as a card game.
• Ninja Hero: The ninja genre book for Hero System.
• Ninjas and Superspies
• Queen's Blade and Queen's Gate
• Sengoku, a samurai RPG set in 16th century Japan. It includes the Shinobi, Shaows of Nihon sourcebook that deal with the ninja.
• Spycraft: The Ninja class was added in the campaign setting World On Fire.
• The Way of the Tiger: A ninja-themed gamebook series.

Also featured in Rifts, Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game and others.

In comic books

Major franchises

DC Universe

Main article: DC Universe

Characters with the sort of mystical and superhuman martial arts abilities attributed to the ninja occur in the DC Comics universe. One character who is portrayed in a fashion similar to a ninja is master martial artist and assassin Lady Shiva. Shiva also killed Armless Master, who had trained both Catwoman and Hellhound. The most recent Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, also has the qualities of the Western perception of a ninja (there's also a book titled Batman and the Ninja). The retconned stealth and martial arts training of the recent Batman incarnations has led many latter day Batman fans to assume that Batman is a ninja; Ra's Al Ghul specifically mentions ninja during his training of Bruce Wayne.

G.I. Joe

Main article: G.I. Joe

The G.I. Joe series of comic books featured ninja far more than the cartoon series, and many story arcs revolved around Scarlett, Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Jinx, Kamakura, Firefly and the Arashikage ninja clan, which consisted of an extended family of ninja characters (never featured in the toyline or cartoon). Other characters in the comic who received ninja training from the Arashikage clan and their associates were Cobra Commander's son Billy and the shapeshifter Zartan. 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.

Marvel Universe

Main article: Marvel Universe

In the Marvel Comics' universe, ninja have been featured as exotic antagonists and allies, such as the White Ninja from Spider-Man, X-Men supporting character Yukio, Ghost Rider's foes Deathwatch and Death Ninja, Wolverine's mentor Ogun, Hawkeye (currently operating as Ninja Ronin), the Punisher's friends Katherine Yakamoto (from Shadowmasters), or the original owner of Psylocke's Asian body, Revanche (Kwannon). In the Marvel Mangaverse, Spider-Man is the last member of a clan of ninja. A sinister ninja cult called The Hand (comics), is prominently featured in several comic series, particularly X-Men and Daredevil. The Hand and their associates were responsible for the martial training of Psylocke, Elektra, Daredevil, Black Tarantula, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine, among others. The Hand's good rival group are The Chaste; they are also at odds with their Korean offshoot, True Believers.

TMNT

Main article: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) series, all four main characters and many of their friends and foes are ninja, including the deadly Foot Clan (pastiche of Marvel's The Hand). The comic achived a massive popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s, which resulted in a franchise of four movies (three live-action and one animated), four animated series, a live action series, several video games, and a wide range of toys and other merchandise.

Other comics

• Blade for Barter
• Codename: Ninja
• Corporate Ninja
• Empowered: Features the character of a reformed villainess Ninjette.
• Jetta: Tales of the Toshigawa
• Kabuki: The series concerning a member of a government-backed circle of masked and costumed female assassins in the near-future Japan.
• Livewires: One of the main characters is Hollowpoint Ninja.
• Lucha Libre
• Mail Order Ninja: Original English-language manga book.
• Mortal Kombat: Based on a series of video games under the same title featuring numerous ninja and ninja-like characters.
• Ninja Boy
• Ninja High School: A ninja/furry comedy series.
• Ninja Tales
• Ninjak
• Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja: A comic about an American ninja during the World War III.
• Pirates Vs. Ninjas
• Rebirth
• Sam Noir
• Savage Ninja
• Shi: Comic series about the modern-day "shadow war" between descendents of the warrior monks of medieval Japan.
• Spike: Shadow Puppets
• Sin City: A noir-like graphic novel series by Frank Miller featuring a ninja woman named Miho.
• Surban Jersey Ninja She-Devils
• The Tick: The Tick fights ninja enemies and has a female ninja ally. In The Tick's universe, most ninja in America are generally bumbling characters who are seen as more of a nuisance than a threat. Their lair is a ninja-themed amusement park.
• Usagi Yojimbo: Features various ninja in it. The major clans being the, neko ninja, mogura ninja, and the komori ninja.
• Zen the Intergalactic Ninja
• Zombee

Minor roles

Chastity (while technically not a ninja, Chastity uses ninja weapons), Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos (a short lived comic involving Chuck Norris fighting ninja), G.I. Combat (Kana is Japanese-American WWII spy fighting the Pacific), Judge Dredd (Dredd battles ninja robots in one volume), Masters of the Universe (featuring Ninjor, an evil ninja), Sonic the Hedgehog (female ninja spider Uma Arachnis and her children, the Arachne), The Order of the Stick (featuring a female half-orc ninja named Therkla, as well as minor goblin, hobgoblin and human ninja), Y: The Last Man (features a mercenary ninja woman named Toyota).

In manga and anime

Major roles

Naruto

Main article: Naruto

Naruto is a hit manga and anime series that takes place in a fictional world, but draws upon ninja and other elements of ancient Japan. It achieved enormous international popularity in the 2000s and also spawned many video games.

Other

• Afro Samurai
• "Ai Kora: The main character Kirino Ootori and the support characters Ai Hagidzuka and Kunoichi Awayuki.
• Angel Blade: Hentai (adult) OAV series.
• Azumi
• Band of Ninja (Ninja Bugeicho)
• Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls (Basilisk Kōga Ninpō Chō): Manga and anime series based on The Kouga Ninja Scrolls; all of the many main characters are ninja from two rival clans during the rule of Tokugawa shogunate.
• Bastard‼: Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
• Black Lion (Kuro no Shishi)
• Bleach: Popular manga and anime series featuring the characters of Yoruichi Shihouin and Soifon, both commanders of the special forces.
• Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma (Yoma): Short drama/mythology OAV series set in the feudal Japan.
• Chōdenji Machine Voltes V: The character of Megumi Oka is the only female member of the Voltes V Team.
• Dirty Pair: The main characters Kei and Yuri are ninja girls in the off-shot radio show "Daatipea91: Kunoichi".
• Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture and Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle: Two anime movies based on the series of video games.
• Flame of Recca (Rekka no Honō): The series about Recca Hanabishi and his rival half-brother Kurei, who came from the Hokage ninja clan which perished during the time of Oda Nobunaga. Also features several other ninja characters.
• Gin Tama
• Gundam (primarily Musha Gundam universe): Many characters in the different Gundam series, including several Super Deformed Gundam series, are ninja. Among them is Kyoji Kasshu (Mobile Fighter G Gundam).
• Haiku
• Himawari!: A comedy TV series about a ninja school.
• Hininden Gausu: A H-anime set in medieval Japan and featuring several ninja women.
• Iga no Kagemaru
• Igano Kabamaru
• Inuyasha: Featuring several ninja characters.
• Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl (Jūbei-chan): A mostly comedic manga and two TV series in the modern setting.
• Kage Kara Mamoru!
• Kagetora
• Kamen no Maid Guy: The ninja maids Shizuku & Tsurara.
• Karakuri Ninja Girl
• Karasu Tengu Kabuto
• Ken'ichi: The Mightiest Disciple (Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Ken'ichi): Kunoichi Shigure Kousaka.
• La Blue Girl (Injû Gakuen): Several ninja-themed hentai manga and OAV series.
• Labyrinth of Flames (Honoo no Labyrinth)
• Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Anime Ganbare Goemon)
• Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Ōkami): A samurai saga in the Edo period of Japan.
• Lupin III: Animated TV and movie series that features several ninja characters in the modern setting, including Goemon Ishikawa XIII (the 13th descendant of the historical Goemon).
• Masked Ninja Red Shadow (Kamen no Ninja Aka-Kage)
• Millenium Actress
• Musashi Gundoh
• Nabari no Ou
• Nagasarete Airantō
• Ninja Cadets (Ninja Mono): Short comedy-action OAV series.
• Ninja Hattori-kun
• Ninja Nonsense (Ninin Ga Shinobuden): Comedy manga and anime TV series.
• Ninja Resurrection (Makai Tenshō: Jigoku-hen): Short OAV series.
• Ninja Robot Tobikage (Ninja Senshi Tobikage)
• Ninja Ryukenden
• Ninja Scroll (Jūbei Ninpūchō): A movie and a TV series loosely based on the works of Futaro Yamada.
• Ninja, the Wonder Boy (Manga Sarutobi Sasuke): Also the movie version, Shonen Sarutobi Sasuke.
• Rantaro the Ninja Boy (Nintama Rantarō): An anime series aimed at young children, featuring the adventures of Rantarou and his friends and teachers at the ninja school.
• Path of the Assassin (Hanzo no Mon): Story of the life of Hattori Hanzo, the famous historical ninja in the service of the shogunate.
• Rakudai Ninja Rantarō
• Rurouni Kenshin: The manga and TV series features the Oniwabanshu group (including Shinomori Aoshi, Makimachi Misao, and Kashiwazaki) and. There are also several episodical ninja characters in the OAV series.
• Sailor Victory: A comedy OAV series about policewomen using ninja mecha (giant robots).
• Samurai Deeper Kyo
• Samurai Pizza Cats (Kyattou Ninden Teyandē): The title characters were originally in fact ninja (in the Japanese release), and they often face off against ninja enemies.
• Samurai Spirits
• Samurai XXX (Yoka no Ken)
• Sasuga no Sarutobi: A comedy manga by Fujihiko Hosono and a 69-episodes TV series about a modern high school for ninja.
• Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman): Five young International Science Organization operators, dressed in bird-like suits, are trained in the ninja arts.
• Shadow (Hyper Shinobi Animation: Shadow)
• Short-Tempered Melancholic (Kanshakudama no Yuutsu)
• Shadow Hunters (Kage Gari)
• Shonen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru
• Soul Eater: Black Star and Tsubaki.
• Sgt. Frog (Sergeant Keroro): Two of the main characters, Dororo and Koyuki, are both skilled in various forms of ninjutsu (also in Keroro Land).
• Sword for Truth (Shuranosuke Zanmaken: Shikamamon no Otoko)
• Tail of the Moon (Tsuki no Shippo)
• The Dagger of Kamui (Kamui no Ken): Largely realistic and historically accurate manga series based on the novel series by Tetsu Yano. Later it was also loosely turned into an animated movie of the same title.
• The King of Braves GaoGaiGar (Yūsha Ō GaoGaiGā): The ninja stealth robot Volfogg.
• The King of Fighters: Another Day: Short original net animation series bases on the video game series.
• The Last Kunoichi (Kunoichi Bakumatsu Kitan): An action H-anime. Several kunoichi are caught by the struggles of the last days of the Tokugawa shogunate.
• Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle: The character of Kurogane.
• Yatterman
• Yoshimune
• Yōtōden: Three members of otherwise destroyed ninja clans confront the demonic ruler Oda Nobunaga and his minions. While fantasy in nature, the series is based around the historical events.

Minor roles

• A-N: Axis Powers Hetalia, Blade of the Immortal (featuring several ninja-like characters; ninja tactics are also repeatedly referenced by Rin), Blade of the Phantom Master, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Bottle Fairy, Code Geass (Sayoko Shinozaki), Cutey Honey, Dinosaur King, Dragon Ball (several minor characters are ninjas), F-Zero: GP Legend, Getter Robo, Gin Tama, Ginga Legend Weed, Ginga Nagareboshi Gin, Hyper Police (Kasumi, the original girlfriend of Sakunoshin), King Arthur, Kinnikuman (features the character called The Ninja), Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (several guest characters in the episode "Visiting Ninja, Benikage!", better known in the U.S. as "Ninja Binge"), Kurozuka, Magical Princess Minky Momo, Metal Fighter Miku (the episode "Pretty Four vs The Lady Ninja"), Miami Guns, Midori Days, My-HiME and My-Otome (the character of Akira Okuzaki), Negima!: Magister Negi Magi (schoolgirl Kaede Nagase).

• O-Z: Oh My Goddess (a mini-arc of both the main manga series and the spin-off anime The Adventures of Mini-Goddess), Outlaw Star, Planetes, PQ Angels, Ranma 1/2, Saber Marionette, Sailor Moon (the villain of the week Ninjana, called Oniwabandana in the Japanese version) in the episode 38/43), Sakura Wars, Samurai Champloo (the episodes "Bogus Booty" and "Baseball Blues" both deal with characters who are ninja or former ninja), Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School, Skull Man, Sonic X (featuring the robot ninja E-91 from E-Series; the ninja Espio the Chameleon is also a minor character), Sorcerer Hunters, Those Who Hunt Elves, Transformers: The Headmasters (the Transformer Sixshot), Ultraman (features the space alien ninjas called Alien Baltan), Yami to Bōshi to Hon no Tabibito, Yakitate! Japan, YuYu Hakusho (the Shadow Channelers - Team Masho in the anime - are referred to by Kurama as the shinobi of the demon world).

In film

Japanese movies

• Azumi and Azumi 2: Death or Love
• Castle of Owls (Ninja Hicho Fukuro No Shiro)
• Chō Ninja Tai Inazuma! (series): A direct-to-video comedy series.
• Cyber Ninja (Mirai Ninja)
• Demon Spies (Oniwaban)
• Engine Sentai Go-onger: Boom Boom! Bang Bang! GekijōBang!!
• Fûrai Ninpôchô
• Gakusei-zuma: Shinobi Naki
• Geisha Assassin (Geisha vs Ninja)
• Glory to the Filmmaker! (Kantoku • Banzai!)
• Goemon
• Jiraiya: Also known as Ninjutsu Sanyô Den.
• Jushichinin no Ninja
• Kage no Gundan: Hattori Hanzō and Shin Kage no Gundan: A movie and a six direct to video episodes based on the Shadow Warriors TV series.
• Kagemaru of the Iga Clan (Iga no Kagemaru)
• Kakute Ninjutsu Eiga wa Owarinu
• Kamen Rider Den-O: I'm Born! (Gekijōban Kamen Raidā Den'ō Ore, Tanjō)
• Kirigakure Ninjutsu Tabi
• Kunoichi Ninpo: Also the sequels Kunoichi Ninpo: Hyakka Manji-garami and Kunoichi Ninpo: Kannon Biraki.
• Kunoichi Senshi Ninja
• Legend of the Devil (Tsushima Masaru)
• Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Ōkami): A series of six samurai movies based on the manga of the same title.
• Nain-wan: Kunoichi Yôjuu Densetsu
• Nin x Nin: Ninja Hattori-kun: A modern times comedy movie.
• Ninja Gaeshi Mizuno Shiro
• Ninja Kyaputaa
• Ninja Wars (Iga Ninpô-chô): A fantasy-style movie in a historical setting.
• Ninja's Weapon (Yoja no Maden)
• Ninjutsu Gozen-jiai
• Ninjutsu Hinotama Kozo: Edo no Maki
• Ninjutsu-tsukai to Sennin Masume
• Samurai Princess (Gedô-hime)
• Shinobi series
• Ninja, a Band of Assassins (Shinobi no Mono) (series): A realistic and historically accurate series of nine movies since 1962, which were largely responsible for the original craze in Japan. The first movies in the series told the story of the life of Ishikawa Goemon.
• Shinobi no Shu: Also known under the titles of Last Iga Spy and Mission: Iron Castle.
• Owls' Castle (Fukuro no Shiro): Mostly realistic historical ninja film, remake of Castle of Owls.
• Red Shadow (Aka Kage): Remake of Tobidasu Bōken Eiga: Aka Kage.
• Sakuya: Slayer of Demons (Sakuya: Yôkaiden)
• Samurai Fiction
• Samurai Reincarnation (Makai Tenshō)
• Samurai Spy (Ibun Sarutobi Sasuke)
• Sarutobi Sasuke and the Army of Darkness (Sarutobi Sasuke Yami no Gundan Ten no Maki)
• Seventeen Ninja (Jushichinin no Ninja)
• Shachô Ninpôchô and Zaku Shachô Ninpôchô
• Shadow Hunters (Kage Gari) and Kage gari: Hoero Taiyô: Two movies about a trio of ronins working as ninja killers.
• Shogun's Ninja (Ninja Bugeicho Momochi Sandayu)
• Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (Shinobi): A fantasy movie based on The Kouga Ninja Scrolls.
• Shinobi: The Law of Shinobi and Shinobi: Runaway
• Space Ninja: Sword of the Space Ark
• The Daimyo Spy (Shinobi no daimyo)
• The Shogun Assassins (Sanada Yukimura no Bouryaku)
• The Machine Girl
• The Magic Serpent (Kairyū Daikessen): Also known as Ninja Apocalypse.
• The Ninja Dragon (Kuso Kagaku Ninkyoden: Gokudo Ninja Dosuryu)
• The Secret of the Fylfot (Shinobi no Manji)
• The Thief in Black (Kuro no Tozoku)
• The Third Ninja (Daisan no Ninja)
• Tobidasu Bōken Eiga: Aka Kage
• Torawakamaru the Koga Ninja (Ninjutsu Gozen-Jiai)
• Watari the Ninja Boy (Daininjutsu Eiga Watari)
• Warring Clans (Sengoku Yaro)
• Yojohan Fusuma no Urabari: Shinobi Hada
• Yagyu Bugeicho and its sequel Yagyu Bugeicho - Ninjitsu
• Zipang

Silent films

The first ninja movies were silent films, including the mentioned Koga Unôn Ninjutsu Kogaryû and many others (such as the Genkotsu to Ninjutsu series, several movies named Sarutobi Sasuke, and the films Gotô Matabei Ninjutsu Yaburi, Hotaiko Gozen no Nînjutsu Kurabe, Koga Iganokami, Ninjutsu Kirigakure Sen'emon and Sarutobi no Ninjutsu).

Pornography

Also there are numerous softcore ninja films (in addition to innumerable hardcore-pornographic movies often featuring BDSM motives), such the series: Injū Gakuen (La Blue Girl Live, three films), Kunoichi Ninpô-chô (a.k.a Lady Ninja, Female Ninja Magic Chronicles or Tales of the Women Ninja, at least eight films), Kunoichi Nimpoden (Ninja Vixens), at least nine films) and Sanada kunoichi ninpô-den: Kasumi (Lady Ninja Kasumi, at least three films).

Other movies

• Ninja: An upcoming martial arts film directed by Isaac Florentine and starring Scott Adkins.
• 3 Ninjas (series): A children movie about three young boys, with three sequels.
• 9 1/2 Ninjas!: A parody of the ninja film genre.
• 9 Deaths of the Ninja
• A Life of Ninja
• A Man Called Hero
• A Ninja Pays Half My Rent
• American Ninja (series): A series of five B movies popular in the 1980s.
• Batman Begins: Bruce Wayne is trained by the League of Shadows leader Henri Ducard and battles many of his ninja comrades in the film.
• Beneath the Mask: Portrait of an American Ninja
• Beverly Hills Ninja
• Blade II
• Blood of the Samurai
• Challenge of the Lady Ninja: Also known as Never Kiss a Ninja.
• Der Sommer des Samurai. A German thriller which features both a modern-day samurai employing ninja techniques to exact revenge on a group of villanous industrialists and a ninja opponent in the final showdown.
• DOA: Dead or Alive: An adaptation of a Dead or Alive video game series.
• Dragonball Evolution: Mai is a ninja in the film adaptation of this manga and anime franchise.
• Duel to the Death: A Chinese movie about a clash of the ninjas and Shaolin monks.
• Enter the Ninja
• Elektra: A loose adaptation of the Marvel comic book under the same title.
• Explosive Brigade Against the Ninjas
• Five Element Ninjas: Also known as Chinese Super Ninja, another film about Shaolin monks.
• GI Joe: Ninja Battles and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra: An animated movie and a live film in the G.I. Joe franchise.
• Gymkata
• Heroes of the East: Also known as Shaolin vs. Ninja.
• Mask of the Ninja
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie: The Rangers have ninja powers and Zords.
• Mortal Kombat: As well as its sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.
• Ninja
• Nine Deaths of the Ninja
• Ninja III: The Domination
• Ninja Academy: A comedy about ninja training camp in the style of Police Academy.
• Ninja Assassin
• Ninja Cheerleaders
• Ninja Death
• Ninja's Force: A Filipino action movie.
• Ninja Gold
• Ninja Hunter
• Ninja in the Deadly Trap
• Ninja in the Dragon's Den
• Ninja Kids: A Filipino action comedy film about a group of friends bestowed with ninja combat skills through a special yin-yang amulet.
• Ninja Mission 2000
• Ninja Over the Great Wall
• Ninja Warriors
• Ninja: Silent Assassin
• Ninja: The Final Duel: An another Chinese film putting ninjas against Shaolin. (There is also a re-dubbed version of this film, called Shaolin Dolemite.)
• Ninjas vs. Pirates
• Pocket Ninjas: As of May 2009, Pocket Ninjas is the #1 on the IMDb's "Bottom 100" list of the worst films ever, rated only 1.2/10 with over 900 votes.
• Pray for Death series
• Rage of Honor
• Raven: Return of the Black Dragons
• Revenge of the Ninja
• Sakura Killers
• Shadow Fury
• Shadow Ninja
• Sin City: The adaptation of Sin City comics, starring Devon Aoki as Miho.
• Super Ninja Bikini Babes
• Surf Ninjas: A children film in the style of 3 Ninjas.
• Tekken
• The Challenge
• The Hunted: The film about a modern ninja clan in an ancient feud with a samurai clan (both groups using traditional weapons only).
• The Legend of the Dancing Ninja
• The Last Ninja
• The Lotus Flowers
• The Ninja Mission
• The Octagon: A B-movie starring Chuck Norris as a good ninja against an evil ninja organization.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: A series of four TMNT movies for a children's audience, among them a CGI-animated film.
• Tongan Ninja
• Watch the Shadows Dance: Also known as Nightmaster.
• Undercut
• You Only Live Twice: James Bond joins a group of government-employed ninja in Japan.

There is also a number of independent films, including Cheerleader Ninjas, Irish American Ninja and Ninjas vs. Zombies.

Godfrey Ho films

There were several dozen of the "Ninja"-titled Z-movies by the Hong Kong-based, low budget director Godfrey Ho, with the titles such as Full Metal Ninja, Ninja Death Squad, Ninja in the Killing Fields, Ninja Terminator, Ninja Operation: Licensed to Terminate, Ninja the Violent Sorcerer, Vampire Raiders: Ninja Queen, or Zombie vs. Ninja. According to the incomplete list on Internet Movie Database, at least 55 films credited to Ho contain the word "Ninja" in their titles (mostly released between 1984 and 1990). Their exact number is unknown because of Ho's numerous pseudonyms and the probability that some of these films have been released under more than one title. Ho's "cut and paste" technique of creating his ninja movies involved shooting a large amount of ninja combat and interstitial footage that would be spliced with existing footage from incomplete or abandoned Asian films (many of which were not martial arts films) - this explains why these films often appear to have two storylines. These films were recorded without sound, so although the gweilo actors spoke English while recording their lines, they were dubbed over by other voice actors.

Minor roles

• A-M: 24 Hours to Midnight, Action Her00?, Backfire!, Blood Orgy of the Leather Girls, Bloodbath, Bloodsucking Pharaohs in Pittsburgh, Bowfinger, Brighton Wok: The Legend of Ganja Boxing, Bugi Fiction, Bullet of Life, Cats & Dogs (the movie features ninja-like cats), Date Number One, Death Machines, Death to the Supermodels, Double Dragon, Dragon Fire, Eliminators, Ella Enchanted, Endgame, Expect No Mercy, Fight Ring, Flying Naked, Girl With Gun, How to Cope with Rejection, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, Knock Outs, Kung Fu Rascals, Kung Phooey!, L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach, Let's Talk About Sex, Licence to Kill (a James Bond movie featuring a pair of ninja agents from Hong Kong), Miami Connection, My Lucky Stars (in this film Jackie Chan fights several ninja assassins), Nikos.

• O-Z: Operation Dance Sensation, Operation Las Vegas, Order of the Eagle, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Pervirella, Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol, Prison-A-Go-Go!, Reel Guerrillas, Robocop 3 (features ninja-robots serving a Japanese corporation), Rollergator, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, Samurai Vampire Bikers from Hell, Shoot or Be Shot, Speed Racer (the 2008 film adaptation of the 1967 anime featuring the classic stereotype), Stereo Future, Super Tromette Action Movie Go!, Taxi 3, The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, The Adventures of El Frenetico and Go Girl, The Crow: City of Angels, The Killer Elite, The King Maker, The Last Action Hero, The Last Samurai (the film depicted an unlikely ninja attack on the samurai during Meiji period Japan), The Making of '...And God Spoke, The Master of Disguise, The Pacifier, The Pest, The Punisher, The Roller Blade Seven, The Samurai of Strongsville, Ohio, Thunderman, Toad Warrior, Torrente 3: El Protector, Trading Mom, Trailer: The Movie!, Two's a Mob, Valley Party Girls, War (like in The Punisher, War film features ninja or ninja-like assassins working for the modern-day Yakuza), Who Makes Movies?, X-Men: The Last Stand (the only X-Men film with Psylocke).

Television

Major roles

Animated series

• G.I. Joe: Four cartoons: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero 1985 and 1989 series, G.I. Joe Extreme and G.I. Joe: Sigma 6.
• Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
• Planet Sketch
• Pucca: A ninja boy named Garu is a love object of the main character.
• Shuriken School: The series about a school with the same name as the show that trains children and teenagers to be ninja.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The 1980s and the 2000s animated series, as well as a live action TV series.

Live-action series

• Blood of the Samurai: The Series
• Fuun Lion-Maru
• Henshin Ninja Arashi
• Komyo ga Tsuji
• Lone Wolf and Cub/Iron Samurai (Kozure Ōkami)
• Masked Ninja Red Shadow (Kamen no Ninja Aka-Kage): Footage also used to make the film The Magic Sword of Watari.
• Master Ninja
• Ōedo SōsamōShogun Iemitsu Shinobi Tabi
• Phantom Agents (Ninja Butai Gekkô): 1960s series about a group of modern ninja agents working for the Japanese government.
• Raven
• Shadow Spies (Kage Juhachi)
• Shogun Iemitsu Shinobi Tabi
• Shōgun no Onmitsu! Kage Jūhachi
• Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya
• Shadow Warriors (Kage no Gundan): Several Japanese TV series and a direct-to-video miniseries about Hattori Hanzō.
• Sukeban Deka III: Shôjo Ninpô-chô Denki
• The Master: A ninja action-adventure TV series featuring John Peter McAllister, an aged American veteran and ninja master who returns to the United States.
• The Samurai (Onmitsu Kenshi): The 1960s Japanese TV series featuring the samurai Akikusa Shintaro and Tombei the Mist the Iga ninja.

Super Sentai series

Ninja Sentai Kakuranger and Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger are two ninja-themed Super Sentai series that had their footage used in the season three of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and in Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, respectively.

Outside of the ninja theme of these series, there were also some ninja-themed Power Rangers episodes: in the episode "Gung Ho!" Jason and Tommy enter the Team Ninja finals facing two ninja-dressed characters, while in "The Ninja Encounter" Rocky, Adam and Aisha take part in the Team Ninja Competition dressed as ninja. There are also many ninja villains. For example, in GoGo Sentai Boukenger, the Negative Syndicate's Dark Shadow clan is composed of ninja; in Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive, Miratrix and Kamdor some of their ninja henchmen; in Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger, there is Ninja Org Duke Dorodoro (Onikage in Power Rangers: Wild Force); in Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, there is Dora Ninja (Dark Warrior in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season one); and in Mahou Sentai Magiranger, there is the Hades Beastman Ninja Kirikage.

• Hikari Sentai Maskman
• Ninja Captor

Shows

• Prank Patrol
• Ninja Warrior (Sasuke) and Women of Ninja Warrior (Kunoichi): Japanese sports entertainment shows (two versions for the male and female competitors, respectively).

Minor roles

Animated series

• A-N: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (the episode "Robo-Ninja"), American Dragon: Jake Long (the characters Rose, The Huntsman and the Huntsclan are ninja), Arthur (an episode of the show had ninja in it), Batman: The Animated Series (the character Kyodai Ken in the episodes "Night of the Ninja" and "Day of the Samurai"), Chop Socky Chooks (the show has ninja monkeys in it), Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos (Chuck Norris fights ninja as enemies), Code Monkeys, Codename: Kids Next Door (featuring villains called Teen Ninja), Conan the Adventurer (the episodes "Shadow Walkers", "Dragon's Breath" and "Sword, Sai and Shuriken"), Danny Phantom, Digimon (Falcomon in Digimon Data Squad), Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends (one episode involved ninja), Happy Tree Friends, Jackie Chan Adventures (features the ninja character Kahn Shadowkhan), Johnny Test (ninja appeared in an episode of the show), Kim Possible (Ron Stoppable attends the Yamanouchi ninja school and dates Yori).

• O-Z: Road Rovers, Samurai Jack (in the episode "Samurai versus Ninja" Jack faces a robot ninja), Skunk Fu (the show has ninja monkeys as enemy minions), South Park (in the episode "Good Times with Weapons" the kids pretended to be ninja warriors; an another episode called "Fantastic Easter Special" featured ninja mercenaries who worked for the Roman Curia), Stroker and Hoop (the episode "Ninja Worrier (a.k.a. Chopping Spree)"), Superman: The Animated Series (the episode "Obsession" has a character called Death Fist Ninja in it), Teen Titans (in the episode "Masks" Beast Boy has a video game called "Super Ninja Showdown 8"), The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (an episode of the show had ninja in it), The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (an episode "Sneaky Lying Cheating Giant Ninja Koopas", obviously a spoof of the TMNT), The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (the episode "Night of the Zinja"), The Transformers (has had ninja characters such as Nightbird and Prowl), The Venture Bros. (two episodes of the show had ninjas), Wolverine and the X-Men, Xiaolin Showdown (features Tubbimura, an overweight ninja).

Live series

Ninja were featured in Charlie's Angels, Charmed, Chuck (in the first episode Chuck is attacked by a ninja and there also is a ninja in the show's opening), Criminal Minds (a ninja appeared in the episode "True Night"), Danger Theatre, Knight Rider, Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (the episode "Chi of Steel" featured a Robin-Hood style ninja that stole from the rich and gave to the poor in Chinatown), Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Samurai Girl, She Spies, Shōgun (features a realistic ninja castle raid in feudal Japan), Zatoichi (a long-running classic Japanese samurai series).

Parody references

There were also numerous ninja references in Family Guy, MadTV, Robot Chicken and The Simpsons.

• Family Guy: in the episode "Wasted Talent" Jerry Nelson is a ninja, in another episode Joe dresses as a ninja, and in still another episode Peter's black son is a ninja.
• MadTV: several Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme parodies, including one Seagal When Harry Met Sally parody that had a ninja in it, one that had him filming a Kung Fu movie with ninja in it and an "Average Asian" skit that had him summoning a ninja attack; still another skit was called "Nodles and Ninja".
• Robot Chicken: various episodes of the show featured TMNT references, a Gatchaman parody, a kid dressed as a ninja, a Batman Begins parody with ninja, a Jewish James Bond parody with ninja, the Mortal Kombat characters Smoke and Sub-Zero, and a TV show called Ninja Stars.
• The Simpsons: in the episode "The Telltale Head" Bart Simpson disguises as a ninja, sneaks out of his house and sawes-off the head off from Springfield's founder's statue; in another episode Lisa plays a video game with ninja in it; still another episode has Homer dreaming his workplace was attacked by ninja. In the episode "Treehouse of Horror XVIII" one of the aliens is dressed as a ninja, in "Husbands and Knives" the Comic Book Guy has ninja weapons, and in "Yokel Chords" Bart plays a spoof video game featuring a female ninja character.

Shows

American Idol (a contestant Danny Noriega is a self-proclaimed "sexy intense ninja pickle"), Big Brother Australia (the people who have to enter the house to do things such as maintenance are referred to, even by Big Brother himself, as "ninjas"; on the Friday Night Live show, the "ninjas" are much more prominent, are given personalities and have segments dedicated to them), Cheat! (episode "Cheat-jitsu"), Deadliest Warrior (in one episode a ninja fought with a Spartan, but lost), In Living Color (an episode featured a skit about a ninja home security system in which a ninja was used to kill intruders), Gamers, Late Night with Conan O'Brien (Conan and Jim Carrey fought ninja), Mystery Science Theater 3000 (an episode featured Joel and the 'bots singing a song called "Master Ninja Theme Song", which became a popular song from the show), Mythbusters (a ninja special of the show tested classic ninja myths such as walking on water, catching a sword and catching an arrow), Screen Test, The Lance Krall Show, You Don't Know Jack (in one episode the host was attacked by ninja).

Commercials

Ninja also apparead in television advertisements, including for Esurance (ninja appeared in an Esurance Girl commercial), Lego, Netflix, and Pop-Tarts, among others.

In video gaming

Main article: List of ninja video games

Besides the large number of video games, there are also several game developing units that used the word "ninja" in their name (such as Ninja Studio, Ninja Theory, Ninjaforce and Team Ninja), a group of gamers called Ninjas in Pyjamas and the video gaming magazine character Sushi-X.

In a massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), the term "ninja" (or "ninjing") may be used as an adjective to describe a player who has stolen another players item (this is perceived negatively by the other players - if a player is labelled a "ninja" in the game they are often rejected by the community and find it difficult to join guilds or raid parties). In the first-person shooter (FPS) multiplayer community,"ninja defuse" is a term meaning sneaking-up to defuse the bomb immediately after it was planted by the enemy player in a team-based deathmatch game.

Other

Internet

There have been numerous popular dealing with the parody of the ninja, the most well-known including:

• Ask A Ninja: A series of popular podcasts in which a ninja answers questions asked about ninja.
• Ninja Burger: A humor website (as well as RPG, card game and a book) which purports that ninja run a fast-food delivery service.
• Ninja Spirit: A series of short martial arts parody videos.
• Ninjai: The Little Ninja: A Flash animation.
• No Need for Bushido: A webcomic.
• Pucca: Korean media franchise sparked by a Flash animation, including book and TV series.
• Real Ultimate Power: A humour website created by Robert A. Hamburger (as a 13-year-old character) about ninja, whom he constantly describes with superlatives such as "totally sweet".
• The Adventures of Dr. McNinja: A webcomic about an Irish ninja who is also a doctor and has a Batman obsession.
• TIN The Incompetent Ninja: Another webcomic series.
• White Ninja: A webcomic that is part of the National Lampoon Humor Network.

There has also been a recent movement on the World Wide Web to celebrate International Creep Like a Ninja Day (December 5).

Recent internet spoofs have often pitted ninja against pirates and asked which would win in a Pirates versus Ninja fight.

In music

Bands and musicians

Several musicians and bands have the word ninja in their name (or even pose as ninjas), among them:

• Ninja High School
• Ninja Sarasalo
• Ninjaman
• Vanilla Ninja

Shadow Warriors, a joke side project formed by members of the band DragonForce, refer to their music as "evil ninja punk metal".

Albums

• "Camouflage Ninjas", a single by Killarmy.
• "Deadly Lethal Ninja Assassin", a single by In Nothing We Trust.
• "Ninja", the debut album of Christina Aguilar.
• "Ninja Jane", an album by Zola Turn.
• "NIN|JA", a collaborative album by Nine Inch Nails, Jane's Addiction and Street Sweeper.
• "Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja", the debut single of Lostprophets.

Songs

Bands 7 Seconds of Love, Concord Dawn (in the album Uprising), Europe (in the album The Final Countdown), Insane Clown Posse (in the album Tunnel of Love) and Jay Chou all have a songs called "Ninja", while Vanilla Ice has a song called "Ninja Rap" (for TMNT II Soundtrack), Vince Dicola has a song "Imaginary Ninjas" (album Falling off a Clef), Method Man has a song "Supa Ninjaz" (album The Pillage), and AFI has a song "This Secret Ninja" (album Very Proud of Ya).

In addition, GO!GO!7188 has the song "Kunoichi" in the album Ryūzetsuran and ninja are featured in the music video for the Presidents of the United States of Americasong "Peaches".

Other

Fans of the band Insane Clown Posse, commonly identified as juggalos, sometimes refer to themselves as "ninja" and to any female as "ninjettes". There is also an independent record label called Ninja Tune.

In sports

• Iga F.C. Kunoichi is a L. League women's association football team.
• Kawasaki Ninja is a series of sport bikes.
• New Haven Ninjas is an American football team from New Haven, Connecticut.
• Ninja is a nickname of a Brazilian mixed martial artist Murilo Rua.
• Super Ninja is a ring name used by several professional wrestlers (there is also a tag team called Canadian NINJAS).
• WWE Diva Lena Yada dressed as a ninja for the 2008 Cyber Sunday Halloween Costume Contest.

Misc

Iga Ueno Ninja Festa, the annual ninja festival in the Japanese city of Iga in the former province of Iga features ninja-inspired performances, competitions, and opportunities to practice ninja skills from April 1 to May 6. Iga is also location of the Iga-ryu Ninja Museum.

There are, among other products:

• Lego Ninja, theme of the Lego toys series.
• N.I.N.J.A. MITES, the Italian bootleg keshi.
• K-Ninja, a modification of the K-Meleon web browser.

The ninja are featured in some CCGs, including Legend of the Five Rings and Magic: The Gathering. There are also roller coasters named Ninja and The Ninja. NINJA loan is a name for a type of subprime loan to someone with "No Income, No Job, or Assets".

Several paramilitary, police and militia groups around the world use the nickname "Ninja" or "Ninjas" (see the main ninja article). In Mongolia "ninja miners" are also miners that dig small unauthorised mines for gold.

Sometimes, petty criminals are nicknamed "ninja". For example, an American burglar reported to have used nunchaku on one of his victims was known by the media as the "Staten Island Ninja", while a former Russian soldier who engaged in robbery in Italy using a black attire and a bow was called "Russian ninja" by the media. "Ninja rocks" is also a name for type of burglary tools.

There's also a company named Kunoichi.

See also

• List of ninja video games
• Pirates in popular culture

External links

• Ninja at TV Tropes
• SHINOBI CINERAMA
• The Ninja Dojo
• The State of the Ninja Slate, June 26, 2007
• Template:Jp icon THE NINJA CONTENT