Talk:Shurikenjutsu

"Ninja star"

I've removed the reference to "ninja stars" in the first line. The ninja stars (sic) most people are familiar with are poor copies of a senban shuriken (which is already listed) and not actually used in any shurikenjutsu I'm aware of (not even the ninjutsu arts). I understand the pop-culture reference, but I think it's out of place for this article. --Rustedshuriken 03:41, 8 May 2006 (UTC)

I'm not familiar with the "ninja stars" reference at all. I can see how it would come about though but I've always heard, and called them, either Shuriken or Throwing Stars. I guess it could just be the interests I grew up with but I still should have heard someone call them "ninja stars" if it's supposed to be common. 24.11.29.31 05:03, 29 September 2006 (UTC)

Misc

I've done some minor work on this page. Can someone else more knowledgable in the field add to it please? --Stretch 12:08, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

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OK, I've totally rewritten the article, keeping a few things. What I removed was firstly some inaccuracies that cannot be verified (senban in China 3000 years ago), as well as material better suited to the shuriken page, such as details on the blades themselves, as well as how to throw them etc. This page entitled "shuriken JUTSU" is about the art and the schools in general, as opposed to "shuriken" a page which should focus more on the objects themselves.Taishanglao 02:48, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

Why the switch in terminology from 'senban' to 'hira' shuriken? --Rustedshuriken 07:48, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

Because 'senban' is a specific type of hira shuriken. Hira means flat (hira-tai) and is used to differentiate general shape from bo-shuriken (long thin pencil shaped). Senban (washers) are a particular 4-sided squarish shape, with a hole in the middle, used in building construction. There are many types of hira shuriken, depending on origin of material and number of points, etc. -- Taishanglao 10:50, 26 May 2006 (UTC)

Fair enough. --Rustedshuriken 07:23, 27 May 2006 (UTC)

>what's the problem with "tanto"? is there a less specific term which should be used instead?

I don't understand the reason for the question, can you tell me what it is in reference to? Tanto are not classed as shuriken, because they are, well, tanto. However, they are often lumped with shuriken because of the fact they can be thrown. This confusionis further compounded by the fact that there are some shuriken shapes termed "tanto-gata", which means "knife shaped", but they have their handle and fittings removed, and are ground down to a simpler shape.

Truly, the facts about shuriken and their history is not what most people believe. It is surprising... ----Taishanglao 07:53, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

The very first line of the article defines shuriken jutsu as the art of throwing various kinds of darts, discs, and knives. Next to each the japanese term is given (bo shuriken, hira shuriken, and tanto). My edit (and the question which accompanied it) was a revert of a change made by 209.169.111.193 which removed the clairification of knives to mean tanto. My knowledge of shuriken jutsu agrees with what you have said, and so I believe tanto is the right word to use here. But the edit by 209.169.111.193 didn't have the feel of vandalism, so I was hoping s/he would explain why they made the change here. --Rustedshuriken 23:34, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

Ah yes, I see what you mean. Someone just deleted the word "tanto" next to "knives". Makes no sense. -- 138.130.244.127 03:16, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

Historical Accuracy?

Like just about every page associated with "ninja", I wonder how historically accurate this is. I see many books cited, but let's be careful not to use Ashida Kim type stuff. I'm particularly suspicious of this passage:

During feudal times, warriors, or bugeisha learned martial arts and sought to gain employment based on their skill, whether it be the more socially accepted path of the Samurai, or in the realms of espionage and covert warfare.

I wasn't aware that you could just decide to become a samurai. Or that there was a dedicated profession of assassins and spies working freelance. As far as I know, the entire notion of "ninja" as some parallel caste and culture to those of the samurai is the stuff of fiction. --GenkiNeko 20:51, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

I saw something else that is missing from the page. Most people get the misconception (most likely from video games where the player's character is a ninja) that the items used in shurikenjutsu are used to kill; on the contrary, the thrown objects are rarely used to kill (although it would be possible with a hard object striking someone in the head, or a sharp object that has been poisoned), but to distract an opponent into lowering his/her guard in order to attack or escape. Groundlord (talk) 21:56, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

I just checked the shuriken page, and found the information I described there. Would it be alright for someone to put the information here as well? Groundlord (talk) 21:58, 8 October 2008 (UTC)

Merger?

I oppose the merger. The article is about the art of wielding shuriken, not about the shuriken. Such as Kenjutsu is about the art of wielding swords. Power level (Dragon Ball) 17:01, 25 January 2007 (UTC)

Oppose as above. If the study of their use is notable, articles about tools or weapons and their use should absolutely be seperate. Both of these articles are past stub class, so I see no reason to merge. Normad Zeta 08:35, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

I agree.Shuriken are not something you can just see in tv series or anime.Shuriken can also be a pen or just a spoon.So the Jutsu(technique)of using and wielding Shuriken is nothing related to the Shurikens.It might have some relashionship to each other,but still they aren't the same things. For once respect the Nin.