Post by Miles on Jun 30, 2014 19:46:50 GMT -5
In today's fiction we often see ninjas depicted as flashy warriors that use special techniques, and are quite noticeable. While I accept it is sometimes entertaining to see, they are not real ninja. Ninja, or Shinobi (Kunoichi for female ninja), were one of two: mercenaries, or part of some organization, most often a clan or family. Their roles were various, mostly in the information side. Four examples are espionage, sabotage, infiltration and assassination, however the latter was only done rarely by those Shinobi who followed a philosophical code. If they had to resort to it, they'd also use open combat, but that was a sign of them not being able to pass undetected, and as such, a failure.
Ninja are known to have had a great variety of tools and weapons. Some, but not all, include: firearms, swords (ninjatos are considered to be a modern idea, and false. It was Japanese swords like the Katana or Wakizashi), daggers, kunais, explosives, shuriken, blowpipe with poison darts, bow and arrow, kusarigama (scythe attacked to a chain), a special kind of flail, hook ropes and so many more.
Of course, ninjas had to know how to use these tools as well as many other skills such as survival skills, impersonation, disguising, horse riding, climate calculations, general knowledge, etc
The usual image we have of ninjas is based on the myth: jutsus or ninja techniques were often just trickery to confuse and surprise enemies. Superhuman abilities such as wind controlling were also just myth. So if you want to write a realistic ninja, try avoiding these. However, using myths into fiction taking as if they were real can be interesting. I'll put an example.
Naruto is one of the many anime series with ninjas based more on myth than reality. There are many errors, especially early on, but their jutsus sometimes are interesting. I have a liking for Sharingan, since it has quite a background behind and many possibilities of use. Were some to have it, the world would change. A lot.
Next time I will try to make a review on some figure like the Samurais, Knights or Roman soldiers. We shall see. Thank you for reading!
Ninja are known to have had a great variety of tools and weapons. Some, but not all, include: firearms, swords (ninjatos are considered to be a modern idea, and false. It was Japanese swords like the Katana or Wakizashi), daggers, kunais, explosives, shuriken, blowpipe with poison darts, bow and arrow, kusarigama (scythe attacked to a chain), a special kind of flail, hook ropes and so many more.
Of course, ninjas had to know how to use these tools as well as many other skills such as survival skills, impersonation, disguising, horse riding, climate calculations, general knowledge, etc
The usual image we have of ninjas is based on the myth: jutsus or ninja techniques were often just trickery to confuse and surprise enemies. Superhuman abilities such as wind controlling were also just myth. So if you want to write a realistic ninja, try avoiding these. However, using myths into fiction taking as if they were real can be interesting. I'll put an example.
Naruto is one of the many anime series with ninjas based more on myth than reality. There are many errors, especially early on, but their jutsus sometimes are interesting. I have a liking for Sharingan, since it has quite a background behind and many possibilities of use. Were some to have it, the world would change. A lot.
Next time I will try to make a review on some figure like the Samurais, Knights or Roman soldiers. We shall see. Thank you for reading!
