NINJA VS NINJA

Ninja and Ninjutsu

The Japanese characters that form the word “ninja”

mean “one who endures.” An alternative reading is “the

art of invisibility.” In some times and places, ninja were

also known as shinobi. 

Ninjutsu 

(occasionally spelled Ninjitsu) is a term for

the entire collection of arts practiced by ninja. 

Among

other things, these include disguise, climbing, evasion,

spying, and armed and unarmed combat. Taijutsu (see

right) describes a particular set of combat skills.

Ninja Weapons

Few of the weapons popularly associated with ninja

were uniquely “ninja weapons.” For instance, Tokugawaera

police used the metsubushi (a kind of blowpipe) to

distract suspects; samurai carried the kusarigama and

shuriken as backup weapons; and the tonfa, sai, and nunchaku

belonged to the Okinawan art of Kobujutsu

(p. 178). Ninja generally favored the weapons of the

samurai. This isn’t surprising – these weapons were

readily available and would make it easier to blend in

while disguised, and the ninja would be schooled in their

use, because many (perhaps most or all) ninja were in

fact members of samurai clans.

Ninja might have used more hidden and combination

weapons than most people, though, as backup weapons or

surprise tactics. An “unarmed” spy could conceal several

deadly (or at least distracting) secrets! The poisoned

weapons frequently suggested for ninja are unlikely, however

– such things tend to be as dangerous to the user as

to the victim. Like modern assassins, ninja probably knew

that food was the best vehicle for poison.

Ninja Characters

Every ninja ought to know Taijutsu (see above). A historical

ninja will practice one or more Japanese weapon

styles as well; e.g., Kenjutsu (pp. 173-175), Kusarijutsu

(p. 179), Kusarigamajutsu (p. 180), or Shurikenjutsu

(pp. 195-197). Cinematic ninja should further add

Kobujutsu (p. 178) – to use so-called “ninja weapons”

from Okinawa! For suitable ninja templates, see Assassin

(pp. 31-32) and Spy (p. 38).

Realistic ninja should equip themselves as described

above. Cinematic ones might wear a “ninja suit” (the infamous

hooded black outfit, which isn’t historical; see The

Ninja, p. 13) or other martial-arts costume. Some might

include firearms in their arsenal – especially comic-book

super-ninja.

Ninja vs. Ninjas

In Martial Arts, we follow accepted English usage and

use “ninja” for both the singular and the plural. However,

many people prefer “ninjas” for the plural – and this seems

somehow more appropriate for a cinematic game. When

playing fast and loose with equipment and fighting styles,

why fret over the English word for a Japanese concept?

The true master of deception knows there’s power in

names and wants people to get such things wrong!