Is the Ninja Mythos healthy?

Question

When I was young, I saw the movie "Warriors" and wanted to join a gang. This was an unhealthy mythos I picked up from cinema. Luckily, I grew out of it.

During the 50's and 60s (especially in the 70s) a bunch a martial artists saw the Ninja mythos as economically feasible. In other words, they took martial concepts from Karate, Korean Styles, and Japanese Jujitsu, combined them with military combat tactics, and made up a style...

I do not doubt that those who train in Ninjitsu can fight, but is it a mentally healthy mythos to live in? Is being a "criminal," a "theif" or an "assassin" a admirable goal? I personally don't think so.

If you disagree with my assessment, please enlighten me on why Ninjas are good.

They're (not "there") not "just" movies. Rather, there are many American commercial martial arts "ninjitsu" schools out there.

Answer 1

Hi there

I agree that the Mythos is not a healthy thing at all as it really does cause many problems for real practitioners.

It can be very difficult to understand what true ninjutsu really is. The only legit or not proven otherwise to be legit is the Takamatsu / Hatsumi line. I know certain martial artists have their doubts about this art but it does not resemble any of the arts you mention. It does however contain schools of Jujutsu such as Tagaki Yoshin Ryu which is a real koryu school. The other arts contain styles of fighting such as Koppo, dakentai, jutai and kosshi jutsu which again do not not resemble anything i have seen in other arts. In the Bujinkan only the taijutsu, weapons and amatsu are taught. Other practices such as the goton no jutsu or stealing in methods are not taught anymore because they have no practical use.

So yes i find it very frustrating that people still refuse to accept what is being taught even though the emperor of Japan has titled hatsumi as one of Japans last living treasures?

Most practitioners of the Bujinkan cant stand the negative image or the type of people the ninja mythos seems to attract. This mythos does not represent what the real art is.

People will believe what they want to believe just to suit their own desires.

Thats why the name was changed from Ninjutsu to Taijutsu.

On another note one of Okinawan Kobudo's founders was taught by one of the last instructors of koga ryu ninjutsu. But no one seems to question the origins of this art?

What about the rest of the popular arts that are practiced today? Judo, karate, aikido and most schools of jujutsu aren't even 100 years old. Hardly any of them are considered to be Koryu arts? Which means they aren't authentic.

You can blame all sorts of things for the reason for the negative image. Western TV and movies, Japanese Kabuki plays and a historically very naughty ninja called gomon who used his skills for his own greed. But again its a million miles away from the truth.


Best wishes

idai

Answer 2

i see it as a harmless fad. you sound like Hilary Clinton. like you, kids grow out of their phases. kids want to emulate a ninja's skills or even their sense of honor, but that doesn't mean they think its cool to go kill random people in the night. granted, some of them do. but how many actually do it? im pretty sure its the minority. so basically what im saying is let the kids play pretend and whatever. its harmless. its not like they can go find a ninjitsu school and become assasins.

i wouldnt use the phrase "ninjas are good" because there are no real ninjas left. and in movies, they tend to be the bad guys anyway. i do agree that being an assassin or a theif isnt an admirable goal. but the westernized version of the ninja is portrayed as more than thaqt in most movies, i think its fine.

and now i rest my case.

Answer 3

Ninjas are old and busted, it's Pirates that are the new hotness.

I'd be more worried about kids emulating some high seas buccaneers than dressing in black PJs and pretending to be invisible.

Actually, I'd have to say that ninjitsu has little to do with the legends of the ninja. It's a manufactured martial art, but then in the end so is practically every other one. Provided the student understands that the ninjas weren't real and this is simply based on the legends I have little issue with it.

Answer 4

I don't know where to start with this.

While my contempt for those that practice ninjitsu and claim it is "authentic" surpasses yours, I really dont' see the harm in making movies about it.

Even craptacular movies like "american ninja".

The problem isn't with the movies, its with the people who promote these movie myths as reality. The only thing is its foreign so unlike with american myths where people don't believe you can put on a cape with a big "s" on it and jump off a building to fly, people find something mysterious and alluring about another culture and are more susceptible to want to buy into it (EDIT).

Its just more 80's cheese that tastes so good.

Personally I think the whole "influenced by TV" argument is bunk, and don't want to get into that. I'm sure your parents would have stopped you if they saw the warriors idea getting out of hand and you painted your face and started wearing a baseball uniform and carrying a bat, or started living on roller skates.

Good call on the movie- next check out the OLD death race 2000. Thats one version of david carradine I wouldn't want to mess with. 80's movies are great fun to get smashed and high to.

Answer 5

hehe i like your train of thought

ninja people are strange i knew a "ninja" once... shakes head what an odd guy

Answer 6

There just movies douche bag.