The True Ninja

[Wolf]

The Ninja Turtles, The Three Ninjas, and the Ultimate Ninja Warrior.
America today has basically twisted and altered the image of a Ninja to a kids figure. In fact to say someone is a Ninja is like saying they are Barney.
I think we have lost the true nature of the ninja, as being the ultimate warrior feared all through Japan, even feared by the Greatest Warrior ever the Samurai. My question is, do you think the true image of the Ninja has been so distorted that America actually believes a Ninja is what they see on TV ie. a Turtle doing martial arts?
Also, Everytime I see this kind of thing on TV, or when I hear someone saying something against the Ninja it actually irritates me, am I the only one?

Thank You.

 

[Don Roley]

I think we have lost the true nature of the ninja, as being the ultimate warrior feared all through Japan, even feared by the Greatest Warrior ever the Samurai.

I think that maybe your views on what the ninja were are a bit off in the first place.

But it does show how people's opinions of things bounce from one extreme to another. I remember when one ninja was a threat to an entire team of heroes. Now, you need a roomful of them to cause the skinny sidekick to break a sweat.

 

[Monadnock]

The National Geographic Channel just aired their Fight Science show with a section containing a "Ninjitsu" master. He studied for 25 years, and looked about 28. It was painful to watch, just painful.

Make me wonder how well thought out the rest of their researched programs are.

 

[Cirdan]

The National Geographic Channel just aired their Fight Science show with a section containing a "Ninjitsu" master. He studied for 25 years, and looked about 28. It was painful to watch, just painful.

Make me wonder how well thought out the rest of their researched programs are.

Yep that was just awful.

I did not think it was possible to rape a katana but that bare chested TKDist/lumberjack did it. :barf:

 

[MA-Caver]

It is indeed sad that this particular art has gotten more distorted over the years by mainstream media in the west (and also the east). It is not the only art to have suffered this distortion but it has, fair to say, received the most attention/distortion.
It's hard to ascertain what is the truth about the fabled ninjutsu warrior of old. As I understand it they were a secret society in medieval japan that were hired by castle lords to spy/assassinate other castle lords and create general havoc. Or they were just simply farmers that learned self-defense techinques against bullying Ronin samurai's and bandits. Or simply ... it might've been both or none of the above.
Who knows?
One thing for sure if ever a book comes out claiming the ultimate truth about the art ... who'd believe it? Who'd be there to verify it's authenticity, accuracy?

Just like the age old question of how-many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?.... the world may never know. :asian:

 

[Unbreakable]

The National Geographic Channel just aired their Fight Science show with a section containing a "Ninjitsu" master. He studied for 25 years, and looked about 28. It was painful to watch, just painful.

Make me wonder how well thought out the rest of their researched programs are.

Hi... New guy here... Being that I know so very little about Ninjutsu but would like to learn everything I can... can you tell me what was wrong with the example of a Ninjutsu practitioner on the Fight Science show... I saw the same thing and thought it was interesting... What about it was painful to watch? Thank you in advance. I want to learn as much as possible.

 

[Monadnock]

Hi... New guy here... Being that I know so very little about Ninjutsu but would like to learn everything I can... can you tell me what was wrong with the example of a Ninjutsu practitioner on the Fight Science show... I saw the same thing and thought it was interesting... What about it was painful to watch? Thank you in advance. I want to learn as much as possible.

Hey New Guy, welcome! Well, first off, the timeline I pointed out was the first red flag. I don't know his age, but I find it hard to believe he started to train even at the age of 5. And who is his teacher? Lastly, the movements he was doing did not even look remotely Japanese, at least not from any Japanese system I have seen. It looked a lot like a distorted version of kung fu with a few bad ichimonji stances in there. And certainly he could have enlightened us a bit more than saying "that's so cool" after they measured his "hammerfist" strike, which looked like it hit on his pinky finger more than his hand. 25 years of experience, in ANYTHING, and I would have hoped he could have enlightened me more.

 

[Grey Eyed Bandit]

It is indeed sad that this particular art has gotten more distorted over the years by mainstream media in the west (and also the east).

When I say, "this particular art", I usually refer to Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. It's not the media distorting that art, what they're distorting is the image of ninja.

As I understand it they were a secret society in medieval japan that were hired by castle lords to spy/assassinate other castle lords and create general havoc. Or they were just simply farmers that learned self-defense techinques against bullying Ronin samurai's and bandits. Or simply ... it might've been both or none of the above.

:asian:

Just like the age old question of how-many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?.... the world may never know. :asian:

Ask 69 Boyz, they would probably know.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hi... New guy here... Being that I know so very little about Ninjutsu but would like to learn everything I can... can you tell me what was wrong with the example of a Ninjutsu practitioner on the Fight Science show... I saw the same thing and thought it was interesting... What about it was painful to watch? Thank you in advance. I want to learn as much as possible.

One thing is that he apparently has never studied authentic Ninjutsu ie. Budo Taijutsu. He is an actor/model/choreographer so what he showed was something he made up. (at least that is the general concensus from multiple people and forums) If you are interested in authentic Ninjutsu then you need to go to one of the X-Kans. (Budo Taijutsu (what I recommend), Genbukan or Jinekan)

 

[MA-Caver]

When I say, "this particular art", I usually refer to Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. It's not the media distorting that art, what they're distorting is the image of ninja.

Well yeah, thought that's what I meant... The all black clad, "only the eyes" showing type uniforms and the trillion plus accessories ... then the image of certian hand-shapes are used to create the illusions of disappearing and re-appearing behind their opponent or the fabled vanish in a cloud of smoke crap... all of these are distortions and wild misconceptions of the image of the ninja. It's enough to make one :barf:

 

[CoryKS]

The National Geographic Channel just aired their Fight Science show with a section containing a "Ninjitsu" master. He studied for 25 years, and looked about 28. It was painful to watch, just painful.

Make me wonder how well thought out the rest of their researched programs are.

You mean to tell me that learning the ancient deadly secrets of "Ninjitsu" doesn't give you mastery over time and space?

Crap. Looks like it's back to kenpo.

 

[MA-Caver]

You mean to tell me that learning the ancient deadly secrets of "Ninjitsu" doesn't give you mastery over time and space?

Crap. Looks like it's back to kenpo.

Heh, how much you wanna bet there are those (weirdos) who study the "real" ninjutsu are saying the Japanese guy in Heros is a Ninja Master but he don't realize it yet!

 

[Infinite]

Heh, how much you wanna bet there are those (weirdos) who study the "real" ninjutsu are saying the Japanese guy in Heros is a Ninja Master but he don't realize it yet!

I am reminded of the Mad TV Skit with Bobby Lee "The average asian" where everyone is at a party and they ask if he is a ninja.

Needless too say after 15 minutes of denial and more obsurd requests and attempts to get him to show his "ninja skillz" he chases them around in his oranguatine pose claiming it is monkey fu.

That is/was funny.

--will

 

[jks9199]

Hi... New guy here... Being that I know so very little about Ninjutsu but would like to learn everything I can... can you tell me what was wrong with the example of a Ninjutsu practitioner on the Fight Science show... I saw the same thing and thought it was interesting... What about it was painful to watch? Thank you in advance. I want to learn as much as possible.

Much of that show was painful to watch.

One would have hoped that they could have found some decent people, other than Dan Inosanto, to demonstrate. Instead, they seemingly grabbed people who wanted to get into movies/tv off of an agent's list somewhere. And they focused on some silly issues, instead of solid principles and fighters.

I just plain wasn't impressed; I think you can learn more about martial arts from Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter series than you could from that.

And, at the very least, they could have tried to get someone with verifiable credentials in Ninjutsu -- whether from the X-kans or Toshindo or even Robert Bussey!

 

[TimoS]

You mean to tell me that learning the ancient deadly secrets of "Ninjitsu" doesn't give you mastery over time and space?

Well Ashida Kim claims that invisibility can be gained Then again he says that you can't become a ninja, you have to be born one and then just discover that yourself In case anyone needs a laugh,

 

[Dale Seago]

The National Geographic Channel just aired their Fight Science show with a section containing a "Ninjitsu" master. He studied for 25 years, and looked about 28. It was painful to watch, just painful.

Make me wonder how well thought out the rest of their researched programs are.

Well, cheer up -- it looks like Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" show (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/about/about.html) is going to make some effort to get a few things right for the public. (While still having a lot of fun, as they always do!) They've looked me up and asked me to assist with a special episode on "The Ninja". Normally they cover 3 topics per episode, but this one will be solely dedicated to "myths" regarding the ninja and ninjutsu and to separating historical fact from movie fiction.

Can't say anything beyond that right now except to say that it should be a good synergy, as they and we are equally interested in separating truth from fiction in the presentation. We've hit it off very well in our email discussions and meetings, and we're shooting it week after next.

 

[rutherford]

Wow, Dale. That sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[bydand]

Well, cheer up -- it looks like Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" show (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/about/about.html) is going to make some effort to get a few things right for the public. (While still having a lot of fun, as they always do!) They've looked me up and asked me to assist with a special episode on "The Ninja". Normally they cover 3 topics per episode, but this one will be solely dedicated to "myths" regarding the ninja and ninjutsu and to separating historical fact from movie fiction.

Can't say anything beyond that right now except to say that it should be a good synergy, as they and we are equally interested in separating truth from fiction in the presentation. We've hit it off very well in our email discussions and meetings, and we're shooting it week after next.

Damn, you mean they actually contacted somebody who has more than a passing comic book knowledge of the art? This is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad to hear this news. I know you will steer them right and give useful, truthful information about this. Man, you made my day. Keep us informed about the show date, I wouldn't miss this one for anything.

 

[Monadnock]

Well, cheer up -- it looks like Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" show (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/about/about.html) is going to make some effort to get a few things right for the public. (While still having a lot of fun, as they always do!) They've looked me up and asked me to assist with a special episode on "The Ninja". Normally they cover 3 topics per episode, but this one will be solely dedicated to "myths" regarding the ninja and ninjutsu and to separating historical fact from movie fiction.

Can't say anything beyond that right now except to say that it should be a good synergy, as they and we are equally interested in separating truth from fiction in the presentation. We've hit it off very well in our email discussions and meetings, and we're shooting it week after next.

That IS good news. I'll definitely keep an eye out for it.

 

[Bigshadow]

Damn, you mean they actually contacted somebody who has more than a passing comic book knowledge of the art? This is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad to hear this news. I know you will steer them right and give useful, truthful information about this. Man, you made my day. Keep us informed about the show date, I wouldn't miss this one for anything.

I'll second that! I don't want to miss that episode!