History Main / InstantAwesomeJustAddNinja

%%
%%
%%
%%
%%
%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
%%
%%
%%
%%
%%
%%

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1313730584039719700
%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.
%%
[[quoteright:300:[[UsefulNotes/{{Atari 7800}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ninjagolf_8267.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles "I'll never call golf a dull game again."]]]]

->'''Bond''': Do you have any commandos here?\\
'''Tanaka''': I have much, much better. Ninjas.
-->-- ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice''

Only the staunchest {{Pirate}} fanboy can deny that {{Ninja}} have some level of awesome. Any story that can reasonably fit Ninja in there, like stories in Feudal Japan, or the [[{{Wutai}} fantasy equivalent]], will do so. Sometimes, those fantasy equivalents seem to exist solely to give them a reason to include the Ninja.

Then again, some stories can't easily fit them, but throw them in anyway. It doesn't have to make sense. It's freakin' Ninja in your story! If you want to have them involved in the battle of Gettysburg, go ahead. Want to say ninjas were the ones who really beheaded people in the French Revolution? What to say that Stalin had a one-on-one fight with ninjas which lead to the downfall of the USSR? Go a head! Just remember, [[RealityRetcon won't be recorded in the history books]], because Ninja are masters of invisibility.

Ninja can also fall under this as part of ChandlersLaw.

A SubTrope of {{Ninja}} and GarnishingTheStory.

Compare NinjaPirateZombieRobot, NinjaMaid, McNinja, EverythingsBetterWithSamurai, GratuitousNazis (the villainous German version).
----
!!Examples: (from shows that are not focused on, or usually feature, Ninja.)

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* During the Pop Tarts "Hide and Seek" campain, there was one Poptart disguised as a Ninja. He was later revealed to be [[spoiler:Vanilla Milkshake, a new flavor]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Byakuya Kuchiki from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has a group of bodyguard Ninja, as seen in the {{Omake}}s.
** Of course, Soifon manages to subvert this trope when she summons her squad of ninja to deal with Yoruichi in the Soul Society arc. Guess she forgot about the ConservationOfNinjutsu.
* ''Manga/BusterKeel'': Whats cooler than having ninja on the team, why a ninja water demon of course!
* As if the acrobatics in ''Anime/{{Claymore}}'' weren't already enough, two minor characters include two knights who jump around on rooftops and throw knives at people. One of them is a standard lightweight rogue... the other is wearing a full suit of armor.
* A popular first-season fan theory for ''Anime/CodeGeass'' was that Sayoko, Lelouch and Nunnally's maid, was secretly a ninja who was as talented a fighter as Suzaku. The staff said why not, and in the second season she was revealed as a {{Badass}} ninja clan heiress who almost fought [[spoiler:the cyborg Jeremiah Gottwald]] to a standstill.
** Not just in the second season - in the audio commentary for one episode, Creator/SatomiArai comments that throughout the first season the writers would tease her about "Sayoko's true power" but frustratingly never gave her the chance to shine.
* ''Anime/{{Daimos}}'': The Baam-Seijin foot tropes are soldiers wear a full-body black suit, jump around constantly in the battlefield and wield katanas.
* The second season of ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' features a ''lightsaber-wielding lesbian ninja'' Contractor -- her power is turning things into {{Laser Blade}}s, and her weapon of choice is a wooden katana. Clearly a WorthyOpponent for [[FanNickname Chinese Electric Batman]].
* See Volfogg from ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'' for another ninja mech. But unlike the ''Manga/GetterRobo'' example, he's a main character.
* ''New Manga/GetterRobo'' features an arc where the main characters go to an alternate-universe version of Heian-era Japan, apparently just as an excuse to include ninja in a HumongousMecha anime. One of these includes a ''200ft tall ninja Oni,'' which doesn't sound very stealthy but is nonetheless quite [[RuleOfCool awesome]].
* ''GingaNagareboshiGin'' features two clans of ninja ''dogs''!
* The DatingSim ''VisualNovel/{{Graduation}}'' had an anime {{OVA}} follow-up, ''Anime/SailorVictory'', which [[LikeThatShowButWithMecha was about mecha]]... with ninja abilities.
* ''LightNovel/KoreWaZombieDesuKa'': What's better than vampires? [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot VAMPIRE NINJA]]!!!
* What's the ninja Kaede doing in an UrbanFantasy series such as ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''? Well, why not? [[FantasyKitchenSink She fits just as well as the]] [[ChineseGirl Chinese Kung Fu master]], RidiculouslyHumanRobot, and {{Time Travel}}ling Martian.
** Don't forget the [[SchoolgirlLesbians lesbian]] half-demon [[spoiler:winged]] samurai, the [[ElegantGothicLolita Gothloli]] vampire who's ReallySevenHundredYearsOld, and [[PantyThief perverted]] [[TalkingAnimal talking]] [[WeaselMascot ermine.]]
* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': This series is a SuperRobotGenre, sci-fi series. Still, in episode 46 BigBad Dr. Hell decided changing his usual strategy and instead of two HumongousMecha he created two three-meters-tall ninja robots (the Blazas S1 and S2 "brothers") to carry a sabotaging mission off. They could perform complicated acrobatics, and threw shurikens -as well as missiles-. There was no apparent mission for them being ninjas other than ninjas are cool.
* ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam''. No, it's not the Neo Japan representative. Germany's representative is a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ninja Jester Mecha Pilot]] [[spoiler: [[CloningBlues clone of the main character's brother]]]].
* Even better example is ''Anime/NinjaSenshiTobikage'' who even looks like a ninja.
* While Hughes Gouli is usually just an ordinary mecha pilot in ''Anime/OvermanKingGainer'' he occasionally awesome puts on his ninja suit and starts kicking ass
* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' episodes "The Ninja Poké Showdown" and "From Cradle to Save".
** Of course, the first episode is set in Fuchsia City, which had ''an entire gym'' full of ninja - [[HighlyVisibleNinja which kinda defeats the idea of secrecy]].
** One could say Ash is quite the ninja at times, in the movies at least. In the first movie he does that cool flip thing when he gets knocked down when he [[spoiler: attacks Mewtwo by himself]], how he flips off of wooden posts in the wall and catches the Jewel of Life in said movie (while being who knows how far above the ground?). They wanted the movies to be awesome, thus they made Ash a ninja.
* The ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' manga had {{Highly Visible Ninja}}s.
* ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'': How do you make more awesome a FiveManBand of highly-trained spandex-suited teenagers, equipped with {{Badass Cape}}s, {{Cool Helmet}}s all kind of weapons, a CoolShip and combat vehicles? You make them ninjas, of course!
* ''Anime/StellviaOfTheUniverse'' features a spaceship pilot in training who dresses like a ninja and gives away shurikens for no apparent reason other than it being awesome.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* One issue of the ''Comicbook/AstroCity'' "Dark Ages" story arc starts off with a martial arts fight between two kung-fu superheroes and a team of ''flying jetpack ninja.''
* In some continuities, Franchise/{{Batman}} learned some of his skills from ninja.
* The entire backstory of ''Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}'' was {{retcon}}ned to include Ninja when Creator/FrankMiller became his writer.
* One of the classic moments from Creator/MarkWaid's run on ''Comicbook/TheFlash''; our hero is out at a restaurant with his girlfriend, who is showing signs of wanting to talk about their relationship. Suddenly, ninja attack!
-->'''Flash''': Thank god.
* The Kingpin uses "more than the usual amount of ninjas" to threaten the Comicbook/{{Runaways}} into giving him a MacGuffin, during Creator/JossWhedon's run.
* ''SinCity'': "Deadly little Miho. You won't feel a thing unless she wants you to. She twists the blade. He feels it."
* ComicBook/{{Psylocke}} of the Comicbook/{{X-Men}} is practically the AnthropomorphicPersonification of this trope. As the equally British sister of Captain Britain, she was moderately attractive and loved by fans... but when she was put into a female ninja's body, her attractiveness and popularity went through the roof, as she became the team's MsFanservice.
** Similarly, ComicBook/KittyPryde, during a trip to Japan, was abducted and {{mind screw}}ed by the demonic Ogun, who downloaded a lifetime's worth of experience into her head, turning her BrainwashedAndCrazy. Once she got her mind back, she retained much of her ninja skills.
* Snake-Eyes of ''[[ComicBook/GIJoeARealAmericanHeroMarvel G.I. Joe]]'' started out as a [[BadAss badass]] [[TheVoiceless mute]] commando with [[TheFaceless a badly scarred face]] and [[KnifeNut an impressive collection of spike-knuckled trench knives]]. But then, [[TheRival Storm Shadow]] enters the mix, and Snake-Eyes is [[TookALevelInBadass upgraded]] to [[MightyWhitey Ninja Commando From Hell]]. Later in the Marvel run, established characters Scarlett, Firefly, and Zartan were added to the growing ninja rosters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Fic]]
* In the Ultimate Spiderman AU story [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8268681/1/Spiderman-Black Spiderman Black]], Peter Parker is recruited and trained by a clan of ninja after the Green Goblin kills everyone he cares about.
* The fourth story in FanFic/TheVinylAndOctaviaSeries in a nutshell. Vinyl and Octavia are attacked by ninjas, so they end up having to fight them. In the author notes, the author flat-out says that he wrote the story because he just wanted to write a story with ninjas in it.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* The ''DungeonSiege'' film. {{Ninja}}s in an [[FantasyKitchenSink ostensibly medieval European fantasy setting?]] Yeah, we're not sure why Creator/UweBoll added them either...but still. Ninja!
** Which just goes to prove not even {{Ninja}} can make anything produced by Creator/UweBoll awesome.
* ''{{Film/Eliminators}}'' wasn't content with its cyborgs, mad scientists, flying robots, boat chases and cavemen, but adds a ninja character two thirds of the way into the movie to complete the set. The gratuitousness of this is even [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by one of the characters:
-->'''Harry''': "What is this, anyway? Some kinda goddamned comic book? We got robots, we got cavemen, we got kung fu..."
* ''Film/EllaEnchanted'' has the Crimson Guard, which is basically a group of MEDIEVAL NINJA. In a European fantasy kingdom. Given the other anachronisms already shown, it's not that farfetched. The fact that they are summoned by breaking the glass on a button box just makes it better.
* ''Film/TheGamersHandsOfFate'' has the ShowWithinAShow ''Ninja Dragon Riders.'' It is [[AmbiguousSyntax later clarified]] that ''both'' the dragons and the dragon riders are ninjas. Presumably, the awesomeness of all that ninjatude is why the show has such a devoted fanbase.
* Ripcord and Duke from ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'' pull off some pretty awesome stuff in their Alpha 6 Accelerator Suits. Snake-Eyes, pulls off the same and/or ''more'' awesome stunts, without them. The audience doesn't question that because he's ''a goddamn Ninja''.
** In ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'' a lot of ninja mooks show up, and Snake Eyes challenges them with his protege Jinx while on a MOUNTAIN.
* The driving logic behind the Film/GodfreyHoNinjaMovies, which takes existing film and splices in ninja scenes woven into the plot via dubbing and CutAndPasteTranslation.
* ''Film/TheLastSamurai''. The movie is going along like "Dances with Samurai" when suddenly a Ninja vs. Samurai battle breaks out halfway through the movie.
* VinDiesel film ''Film/ThePacifier'' featured ninja as home invaders in a relatively family-friendly film. They were actually North Korean terrorists. Vin's character, a BadAss commando who fights the ninjas off, dismissively says to himself, "''Ninjas''," implying that this isn't the first time he's had to deal with attackers in black pajamas.
* In Creator/KevinSmith's review of ''Film/{{The Passion|OfTheChrist}}'', he suggests that instead of the same old story, the movie starts with {{Jesus}} on the cross, and then ninja (with uzis) come and and rescue him. When Jesus protests that he is supposed to die, one of the ninja yells, "Not on my watch!"
* Ninja appear in ''Film/SpeedRacer''. Oddly enough, they attack the Japanese racing team, rather than working with them as one might expect a ninja to do.
* This exchange from ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice'' sums things up:
-->'''Film/JamesBond''': Do you have any commandos here?
-->'''Tiger Tanaka''': I have much, much better. Ninjas.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Spoofed in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' book ''Discworld/InterestingTimes'', which has a scene where an entire training hall of ninja are soundly defeated by a half-dozen barbarians, one of whom is in a wooden wheelchair. [[BadassGrandpa The youngest barbarian is about 75]].
** Also spoofed in ''Discworld/WitchesAbroad''. [[GranolaGirl Magrat Garlick]] briefly takes up the martial arts, but being both a witch and a Lancre girl at heart she doesn't quite get what beating the stuffing out of people with your bare hands has to do with getting in touch with the universe and thinks "Ninja" would be a nice name for a girl.
* In the Literature/FightingFantasy book ''Deathtrap Dungeon'', one of your competitors is a ninja despite the book being set in pseudo-medieval Europe.
* Literature/ErastFandorin exiles himself to Japan after the disastrous ending of the first novel. Guess whom he meets there and learns crazy martial arts from...
* In "Fire and Fog" by Dianne Day, after surviving the 1906 San Francisco earthquake the heroine is kidnapped by ninja.
* In Creator/MatthewReilly's book, ''The Five Greatest Warriors'', the Japanese Special Forces are apparently modern day ninja. They keep their ninja stars, but trade their other weapons for guns.
* The [[Creator/BenCroshaw Yahtzee]] [=NaNoWriMo=] novel ''Fog Juice'' starts with the protagonist being chased by ninja. The actual plot of the novel is the result of a desperate action he takes to get away from them -- namely, drinking Fog Juice, which is guaranteed to solve any problems you have now (the ninja) and replace them with interesting new ones.
* There is at least one mention of a need of ninja to raise 5 daughters in ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudiceAndZombies''.
--> '''Lady Catherine:''' My dear girl, I suggest you take this contest seriously. My ninjas will show you no mercy.
* Literature/SisterhoodSeries by Creator/FernMichaels: Oh, yeah, the author has got that right! In the book ''The Jury'', Jack Emery calls some in to beat down men with presidential gold shields. The book ''Final Justice'' has Bert's friends call them in to launch an attack on him and the soon to be stepping down [[FBIAgent FBI director]], so that Bert will defend the director and get the position as FBI director!
* Averted in ''Literature/RangersApprentice''; the 10th book takes place in the Orient, but there aren't any ninjas (though they do have samurai).
* Ninja are hallmarks of works in the CyberPunk genre, in spite of taking place in a high-tech future. In works written in the 80's, when Japan was [[JapanTakesOverTheWorld about to take over the world]], the {{Yakuza}} enforces its authority with vat-grown ninja assassins, often armed with high-tech versions of traditional weaponry.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* The Spanish TV show ''Series/AguilaRoja'' is pretty much "Ren-fair {{Zorro}} - with Ninjas!"
* An episode of ''Series/{{Angel}}'' featured ''[[NinjaPirateZombieRobot ninja-cyborgs]]'' for no apparent reason, which blew up if you tried to examine their corpses uncautiously. It was awesome.
* ''Series/BlueHeelers'' had a case where a mate of Tom's from Vietnam is found murdered, his wife is a Japanese national, and a witness claims to have seen someone clad head to toe in black. Nick amusingly but in all earnestness suggests he was dressed like a ninja, making Tom think he would be transferred if he reported it.
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': one of the character is talking about his work and a boring report. His friends complain about it... so he ends up calling it the "ninja report" instead, and everyone goes "Ninjas are awesome" everytime it's mentioned.
* ''Series/{{MADtv}}'' once had a TakeThat sketch directed at StevenSeagal, with the actor starring in a remake of ''KungFu''. When Seagal completely botches Kwai Chang Caine's Zen philosophies, he distracts the issue by shouting "NINJAS!" which causes several ninja to attack him, resulting in a frustrated David Carradine walking off the set.
* The ''{{Moonlighting}}'' episode "Atomic Shakespeare" was a wild AnachronismStew '''very''' loosely based on ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew''. It included Petruchio being attacked by, first, Renaissance swordsmen, and second, four ninja (they were referred to as "kung fu assassins"), before he even spoke his first line.
* In "Tangled Web" of RLStine's ''The Nightmare Room" anything the protagonist claims comes true. He says he has ninja bodyguards.
* ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'' was a ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' series based on ninja, and ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' incorporated much of the theme into its third season (but not completely, as they were fitting the ninja elements around the existing space alien storyline). They did it again years later with ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'', and with seasons no longer as interconnected ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'' was able to take full advantage of it this time.
** And from seasons ''without'' a ninja theme, Rocky, Adam, and Aisha were ninja. ''Wild Force'' tries on the trope for size with the ninja Duke Org, Onikage. During his [[TooCoolToLive all too short]] tenure as TheDragon,[[note]]Blame the original Gaoranger version, where he was a less plot-important MonsterOfTheWeek.[[/note]] we even had ninja outfits on [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Toxica and Jindrax]] and even the [[{{Mooks}} footsoldiers]]. However, they served a purpose - the outfits let them board the Animarium undetected.
** This goes double for the Alien Rangers arc of MMPR Season 3, where the Kakuranger suits were used. The Alien Rangers fishy RubberForeheadAliens from a distant water planet called Aquitar, but their battle footage comes from ''Kakuranger'', so it's full of HandSeals and FlashStep and other ninja-ness that defies the MMAR theme. There were two moments that serendipitously matched the water theme, though (Cestro runs on water in one episode, and creates a waterfall in another. You'll notice it's just him, the ''blue'' Ranger, who does that... just like Tori from ''Ninja Storm''. In sentai it's for the same reasons - ninja Rangers have MagicMartialArts, and ElementalPowers often accompany those.)
** ''Series/KamenRiderFourze.'' Its theme is ''astronomy'', and you've got a Rider with a rocket-shaped helmet and a base on the moon fighting constellation-themed villains. What are the {{Mooks}}? ''Ninjas.'' Why? ''[[RuleOfCool Because they can]].''
* The [[PythagorasSwitch Algorithm March]]'s awesomeness is cranked UpToEleven when they started hiring [[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-664493411424324244 ninja]]
* ''SpinCity''. Charlie daydreamed of winning the World Series, and fighting ninja to make it more awesome.
* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'' : Randy's story in the season 3 episode "Creative Writing."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* The music video for [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AhU12zC8fc Crossfire]] by Brandon Flowers consists entirely of [[ActionGirl Charlize Theron]] rescuing [[DistressedDude him]] from ninja.
* During the early days of Music/DragonForce, [=ZP=] Theart and Sam Totman established a side band, Shadow Warriors, as a gag project and a general parody of indie bands then prevalent on mp3.com. The band was presented as a quartet of '''heavy metal ninjas'''.
** There's also the bonus track from ''Ultra Beatdown'', the truely awesome ''Strike of the Ninja''.
* [[Music/DriftlessPonyClub Sam Grant]] (the bassist) becomes a ninja in the music video for [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xLSkpF_E8c "Legend of Archery".]] [[spoiler: [[KillEmAll YMMV on whether or not it's all that awesome...]]]]
* Music/TheMidnightBeast's song "Ninjas", which is about being drink-stealing ninjas...'''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OlTmTfWXsY OF THE DANCEFLOOR!!!]]''
* The music video for The Presidents of the United States' song "Peaches" features the band playing in a peach grove until the mid-way point, when they are suddenly attacked by ninja. They spend the rest of the video locked in martial arts combat.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pinball]]
* Creator/{{Gottlieb}}'s ''Pinball/StreetFighterII'' pinball has the "Roaming Ninjas" mode... even though the original arcade game didn't have any.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* The TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons 3.5 rulebook Complete Adventurer introduced the Ninja base class, just for this trope (unfortunately the class just kind of falls flat compared to a good rogue or monk).
* An in-universe example, one published ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' campaign includes an amusement arcade containing the ever popular games: Little Mutant Vik Ninja Cyberboy 3, Orbital Ninja Death Commando 5, The All New Ultimate Bike Race Ninja Street Duel and Street Fighting Magical Ninja 8.
** Then again, this is in a world in which two common character archetypes are "Street Samurai" and "Physical Adept" (almost always described as "magic ninja" in the flavor text, and possibly possessing some ninja-like abilities). However the fact that every named game had "ninja" squeezed into the title appeared to be invoking this trope.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Covering all their {{Moe}} bases, ''VideoGame/ArcanaHeart'' includes Konoha for the ninja-girl fanboys, the [[PettingZooPeople dog girl]] fanboys and the gym uniform fanboys.
* ''AeroFighters'' / ''Sonic Wings'' has Hien, a ninja fighter pilot, in every game.
* ''BadDudes'' has the president kidnapped by ninja. You have to fight hundreds of them hand-to-hand to save him.
* Midway through ''VideoGame/CastleCrashers'', you get attack by a band of ninja {{pirate}}s.
* While ''CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'' is best known for SovietSuperscience and {{Bears|AreBadNews}}, it does feature Ninja as the Rising Sun infiltration unit - equivalent to the [[Film/JamesBond Allied Spy]], except armed with a giant sword and throwing stars. Despite having one of the least plausibly deadly weapons in a game [[ImprobableWeaponUser full of implausible weapons]] -- ''throwing stars?'' -- they could one-hit-kill any infantry and throw [[SmokeOut smoke bombs]], although they were worthless against tanks.
* A secluded clan of ninjas shows up in ''VideoGame/CookServeDelicious'', of all places. They serve as the perfectionist challenge-givers surrounding [[spoiler:the mysterious golden tickets]] that the player has been receiving throughout the game.
* ''DanceCentral'' has the [[TechnicolorNinjas Pink Ninja]], Ttiw Tolrep, as an unlockable dancer.
* ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' has the only thing more awesome than ninja. [[ThirdPersonSeductress Female]] ninja!
* Lampshaded by Crypto in ''VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans 2'' when he arrives in [[strike:Japan]] Takoshima City and is told that there are ninja in it.
--> '''Crypto:''' They got ninjas? In [[TheSixties 1969]]? \\
'''Natalya:''' Eh, go with it. Who doesn't love ninjas?
* ''VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories'' had ninja generics, and it also had two Ninja siblings, Yukimaru and her older brother Fubuki.
* Way back in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'', when your characters got their classes upgraded, the Thief suddenly became a Ninja.
** Edge in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV''
** Shadow in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', and he didn't even have any apparent connection to the {{Wutai}} setting.
** Yuffie in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. Complete with the {{Wutai}} setting, [[TropeNamer of course]].
** Any ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' that uses a ninja job class (or Samurai and Monk for that matter). Occasionally handwaved as a job from a foreign land, but there still seem to be an extraordinary number of ninja running around medieval-Europe-inspired Ivalice in Final Fantasy Tactics, and, as mentioned above, often there's no token Far East village to justify it, mentioned or otherwise.
* ''FruitNinja''. Fruit, meet sword. Sword, fruit.
* The ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series has a set of Ninja classes among its ClassAndLevelSystem options, available in full to Venus and Mars Adepts while the Ninja class itself is also available to Jupiter Adepts. It's usually one of the best combat options for SquishyWizard types, since it gives them a high Attack multiplier, useful boosts to Defense, Agility, and Hit Points, and its only detriments are to Luck and Psy Points, which these characters typically already have in abundance, but it's quite tricky to access and maintain, since it requires a lot of [[{{Familiar}} Djinn]] and unleashing even one of them can result in a class change to something less favorable.
** In ''Dark Dawn'', ShrineMaiden Himi turns into a Ninja if given the Djinn arrangements for the {{Samurai}} class. Mostly though it's to prevent her (who has caster like base stats) to turn into a pure physical class.
* The third stage of the old {{Capcom}} game ''VideoGame/GunSmoke'', which gave you Ninja in TheWildWest.
* ''VideoGame/Hitman2SilentAssassin'' has 47 visit a Japanese castle. Guess who can be found stalking around the walls and hiding in the rafters.
* WebGame ''VideoGame/IAmAnInsaneRogueAI'' features, among the EliteMooks, teleporting ninja hackers. It doesn't get much cooler than this.
* ''[[VideoGame/JustCause Just Cause 2]]'' has Ninja being used as henchmen by the corrupt president. Why? [[IncrediblyLamePun Just 'Cause.]]
** Make that UZI WIELDING Ninja.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': Sheik.
** Not just Sheik, but also her teacher, Impa. Probably most of the Sheikah race, but these two are the only ones seen on-screen.
*** [[spoiler:But Sheik isn't really a Sheikah...]]
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' has an enemy race called the Garo which appear in the Ikana region
* The medieval style SegaGenesis game ''VideoGame/LightCrusader'' has an area where you fight ninja who use earthquake magic and teleport.
* ''TheLoneRanger'' [=NES=] game has our masked hero fighting a clan of ninja. Yes, in the WildWest. [[CrazyAwesome Where else]]?
* Jean in ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue'' goes from Gypsy dancer to Ninja.
* Videogame/MassEffect2 Added Kasumi Goto as a new party member for Shepard's squad, who while officially called a "master thief" is Japanese, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything wears a skintight black and gray jumpsuit, keeps her face obscured at all times, can turn invisible at will and 1-shot kill hapless mooks when she pops out of nowhere, and backflips onto gunships 50 feet off the ground.]] So yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a [[RecycledInSpace Space Ninja]].
** Thane Krios is a very religious alien assassin (aside from being an alien himself, he made his living hiring out his services to the Hanar, making him an alien who does assassinations for aliens), who manages to be stealthy despite his inability to [[WalkingShirtlessScene keep his shirt buttoned.]] His intro scene involves quietly dropping out of an air vent and dispatching three heavily armed guards almost before they know he's there.
* ''Videogame/MassEffect3'''s Cerberus Phantoms provide a straighter example. They're basically [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots cybernetic ninja]], cartwheeling around the battlefield until they get close enough to shank you. This follows with the increased focus on Melee combat in the third game.
** There's also Kai Leng, the Illusive Man's new enforcer, another cyborg who favors SwordAndGun style.
* In ''VideoGame/MegaManX 6'', the player has the option of assembling the [[http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n87/Jesse_True_Megaman_Fan/x6_shadowarmor.jpg Shadow Armor]] which is modeled after a Ninja, complete with a pseudo-katana Z-saber.
** Either incarnation of [[VideoGame/MegaMan3 Shadow]] [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork Man]] or [[ClassyCatBurglar Marino]].
* The Cyborg Ninja in the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' series might seem a bit out of place. But who cares, they can slice bullets ''in half!''
** Back in the old days, ''FOXHOUND'' was described as a group of "modern-day ninja."
** True to the trope, TheScrappy Raiden from [=MGS2=] returned as a cyborg ninja in [=MGS4=], and instantly became one of the most awesome characters in the series.
*** [[VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance So much that he got his own game]].
* ''NinjaGolf'' on the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 7800}} is [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin exactly what you'd expect.]] Here's a WebVideo/ClassicGameRoom [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVTLnTDA8KU review.]]
* N, Metanet Software's Flash platformer, lists 'Ninjas. Come on!' as a feature amongst 'physics-based' and '500 levels'.
* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney: Justice for All'' managed to sneak ninja into the series with the introduction of the "Jammin' Ninja" ShowWithinAShow.
* As mentioned above, the Fuschia Gym in the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue first]] and [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver second]] generations of ''Pokemon'' games. In the [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire third gen]], there's a trainer class called the Ninja Boy; the [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite fifth gen]] has the Bug type [[http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/617.shtml Accelgor]] and the Shadow Triad; and [[Videogame/PokemonXandY gen six]] introduces the Water/Dark type Greninja, which throws [[StockNinjaWeaponry shuriken]] [[KillItWithWater made of compressed water]] as its [[SecretArt signature move]] and learns various other ninja techniques.
* ''[[RatchetAndClank Secret Agent CLANK]]'' has a fair share of ninja robots.
* ''Red Alert 3'' has Shinobis as the Empire of the Rising Sun's anti-infantry infiltrator unit.
* {{Deconstructed}} in VideoGame/RhythmHeaven for the DS, where Dog Ninja trained in the art of ninjitsu, but then learned that [[RealityEnsues "ninja" isn't a job anymore.]] As a result, his game is about [[MundaneMadeAwesome cutting fresh produce.]]
* In ''SaintsRowTheThird'', you can have Ninja in the Saints. They act just like other gang members, though. No StockNinjaWeaponry or invisibility.
* In the DS game Scribblenauts, you can type in ninja and get one. Great fun, especially if you want to shoot a robot zombie ninja with a large laser gun.
* ''Videogame/SecretAgent'' has both Ninja and Ninja Masters, two kinds of {{Mook}}s. The Ninja, clad in black and wielding nunchucks, is the fastest mook in the game and deals typical CollisionDamage. The Ninja Master wears blue and is slower, but has a gun instead of nunchucks. Apparently, the true master of ninjutsu is one who realized that there's no point in using traditional melee weapons when ordinary firearms are more effective.
* ''StarCraft'': The Protoss Dark Templar, who are [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie psionic alien ninja]]
** And the Ghosts, who are psionic cyborg ninja!
* ''{{Suikoden}}'' is set in a fantasy world version of China with some medieval Europe added to the mix. Oh, and each game gives you one to three ninja to recruit in your army (''SuikodenIV'' gives you five).
* Sheena Fujibayashi in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia''.
** And her great^200 granddaughter, Suzu Fujibayashi from ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' has you play as a band of space ninjas to fight off a fascist dictatorship that conquered the Solar System.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* According to ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapgunForHire'' ninja are just about the only thing every sentient species has in common. Many aliens species have wildly different definitions for such basic concepts as rest, food or death, yet every single one of them has a type of warrior that fits the "ninja archetype". Usually they tend to [[HighlyVisibleNinja dress in black pajamas and wield katanas]].
* NJ from ''Webcomic/ElectricWonderland'' uses the screenname "Night Ninja". When Trawn asked him what "NJ" stood for, he answered, "[=NinJa=], I think..." (A later comic revealed that the "N" actually stands for "[[EmbarrassingFirstName Nate]]".)
* In ''EverydayHeroes'', Jane's mother, [[PunnyName Hannah Anne Weapons]] is a ninja. Hey, she's a villain and she knows martial arts, so it's the only possible occupation, right?
* Although we haven't seen ninja in ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'', the trope is referenced.
-->''(Sydney screams and takes Kung Faux pose)''
-->'''Sydney:''' You're not a ninja.
-->'''Reporter:''' You're expecting ninjas?
-->'''Sydney:''' ''Always'' expect ninjas.
* LittleGamers.
* Junpei in ''Webcomic/MegaTokyo''. Not so l33t when it comes to video games, but in 'real' life he roxxor. [[http://www.megatokyo.com/strip/903 Case in point.]]
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': When the gods remade the world, the Monkey decided he wanted Ninjas. So there they are.
** The ninja ''goblins'', may be a bit much. But everyone loves ninja half-orcs and waitresses.
* The ninja mafia in Sam and Fuzzy started out like this (or appeared to) but became a major plot point.
* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': In the Mallcop Command plotline, a [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20100131.html ninja]] unexpectedly shows up and starts jumping his way through the shopping mall.
** However, four 'ninjas' are [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2010-06-03 no match]] for a guy with actual combat training.
* In ''Webcomic/ZeroZeroZeroThisComicAppearsFirstAlphabetically'', A ninja is added only because the author thinks this.
* In ''Webcomic/KnightsOfBuenaVista'', Mary wants to play one, but there are no ninja in the FairyTale setting they are roleplaying. She settles for the closest thing, and acrobat class. As this is a CampaignComic covering ''{{Disney/Frozen}}'', this explains a lot of Anna's skills.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* While the Ninja's presence in "Ask A Ninja" isn't exactly unexpected, the questions and answers pretty much take this trope and run with it.
* Linkara from ''[[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall AT4W]]'' -- Ninja style dancer anyone?
* "HowToKillAMockingbird"
* ''WebVideo/NinjaTheMissionForce''. Given that the series is an AffectionateParody of the Film/GodfreyHoNinjaMovies, it kind of had to come with the territory.
* The beginning of episode 55 in StupidMarioBrothers has [[StreetFighter Ryu]] fighting multiple ninja awesomely.
* Richard Han of ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'', while not actually a ninja, goofs off and pretends to be one for most of his time on the island. Which makes his first appearance on the island (being stuck in a tree) and [[spoiler:his death by misstepping and falling off a mountain]] that much more funnier.
--->'''Richard:''' "[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens!]] My mop is my SOUL! It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! [[Anime/{{Naruto}} BELIEVE IT!]]"
* ''Roleplay/WeAreOurAvatars'' not only had a Ninja Arc, but has quite a few ninja amongst is heavy repertoire of characters.
* In the WhateleyUniverse, there's a rival school to [[SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy]]. It's the Yama Dojo, in Japan. So this means... ninja! In one of the first stories, a FiveManBand [[StockSuperpowers superpowered]] ninja team sneaks into the school to steal a trophy for a final exam, [[ConservationOfNinjutsu only to be defeated]] by the 5 new freshmen students -- [[UnskilledButStrong before they had even had any combat training]], to boot.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcljlDHSKO0 This]] spoof of old-school platformers. (Warning: extreme ComedicSociopathy)
* The intro of [=SE 2=] [=EP 1=] of WebVideo/FamicomDojo.
* According to the author notes, [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/141708/vinyl-and-octavia-fight-ten-thousand-ninjas Vinyl and Octavia Fight Ten Thousand Ninjas]] was written because the author thought Vinyl and Octavia fighting ninjas would be cool.
* ''Literature/BinderOfShame'' provides the page quote with [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname El Disgusto]], who insists on [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome playing a ninja in any conceivable setting]], no matter the prompt. In a game of ''Tabletop/CallOfCthulhu'' where every PC is an academian living in the 1930s, he insisted he was "a professor of ninja studies." The story itself is a subversion; El Disgusto's idea of "ninja" seems to consist of a character who does nothing but skulk around in the shadows all mysterious-like, and El Disgusto himself is evidently a moron.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Katara and Zuko dress in all black and stealth their way around several Fire Nation navy commands, seen by no one until they attack, in order to get information on the man that killed Katara's mother. It's all kinds of bad-ass.
** The Dai Li are Earthbending Ninja. While they don't do the all black attire normally attributed to the profession, the training and combat style they use fits the bill perfectly. Given that unlike most Earthbenders, or any capable bender in the series, they use hidden weapons and misdirection in their combat style.
** Also, Zuko in Blue Spirit mode. Silent, stealthy, wears all black, incredibly badass, one of the only characters to be actually deadly in each appearance... total ninja right there.
--> "If you don't want to end up like him ''(the training dummy he just demolished)'', then do as I say."
* ''B:TAS'' episode "[[http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Night_of_the_Ninja Night of the Ninja]] has Bruce up against a ninja [[spoiler:and former schoolmate]]. Not quite as awesome because it's the bloody Batman.
* Bubbles, the BigBad in the ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "The Case of the Cola Cult", has Ninja mice as {{Mooks}}. Although Gadget disposes of them quickly, they do add to the amount of awesome in the episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'': Timmy fights ninja after he wishes the world was like an action movie. Also: Ninja Bunnies!
* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': In Peter Griffin's version of ''The King and I'', A.N.N.A. is a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot robot ninja from the planet England]].
** When Peter imagines himself in the opening sequence of a fictitious 1980s sitcom called "My Black Son", at the end of the theme song -- like, the last second -- he sings: "Also he's a ninja!"
** In "Wasted Talent", Peter and Joe win a trip to the Pawtucket brewery in a spoof of ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory''. One of the other winners is an amiable ninja.
* Used twice in ''[[GarfieldAndFriends U.S. Acres]]'': first, the instance on the quote page, where Orson adds ninja to Rumplestiltskin to please Booker and Sheldon. In another episode, those two decide to retell ''The Tortoise and Hare''. They consider turning the tortoise into a ninja, but reconsider, saying "[[WhoWouldWantToWatchUs Who would want to see]] ''[[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles that?]]''"
** A third instance came up before those two: When Orson reads them a gender-swapped version of "Literature/{{Cinderella}}", they insists that the [[strike:stepsisters]] stepbrothers be ninja.
* The original GIJoe had Storm Shadow (Snake Eyes hadn't been outed as one in time for the original cartoon) who was by far one of the most popular characters of the time. [[GIJoeRenegades The new series]] follows in the comic's footsteps, making Snake Eyes a full-blown ninja in addition to Storm Shadow, and has the young female ninja Jinx for good measure.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{MAD}}'' sketches occasionally contain this trope and they do it with a humourous style.
** There was recently a quick sketch named 'Everything is Better With Ninjas'. Indeed.
* ''TheProblemSolverz'' episode "Hide and Seek Ninjaz". In it, the solverz must rescue a girl's mother who was captured by ninjas. They then face off against the rainbow-clad head ninja in a life-or-death match of hide-and-seek.
* The Commando Droids in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' are basically robot ninja.
** The Season 4 episode "Bounty" introduces the [[MeaningfulName Kage]] warrirors, a group of ninja [[RecycledINSPACE in space]]!
* As if being giant alien robots wasn't enough, {{Transformers}} boosts its awesomeness factor reguarly with giant alien robot ninja.
** G1 Transformers had the episode Enter the Nightbird, a Transformers-sized female ninja robot, made by a Japanese scientist to benefit society. Yeah, watch those nunchucks 'benefitting' their way through society all through the episode.
** ''Anime/TransformersHeadmasters'' has [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Sixshot Sixshot]], Decepticon City Ninja [[strike: Commander]] [[GoodBadTranslation Consultant]].
** The Marvel comic had Bludgeon, who contrary to his name (and undead samurai appearance) was one of the last surviving practitioners of Metallikato. This was because he'd killed all the others.
** ''TransformersAnimated'' has ''three'' Robot Ninja - TheStoic Prowl, the JiveTurkey Jazz, and TheMentor Yoketron (aka GeorgeTakei.) Yoketron is technically dead. However, it turns out Lockdown was one of his students, making him a ninja as well.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' loves this trope. The pilot had a ninja villain with a [[{{Nerdgasm}} technology fetish]] named [[PunnyName Otaku Senzuri]] who gets [[CaughtWithYourPantsDown caught masturbating]] to Dr. Venture's [[DeathRay Oo Ray]], while Brock's vision in the [[LotusEaterMachine Joy Can]] (see NinjaPirateZombieRobot for more details) had ninja raining from the sky. And Brock himself is "two ninjas taped together to make one giant ninja", according to the Monarch henchmen.
** Also, according to the Monarch, the only reason he was defeated in his first attempt on Dr. Venture's life was because Doc had a bunch of "ex-Navy SEAL ninja gorilla witches", and a tank.
*** In reality he just had the one Myra Brandish. Better than ninja.
%%* ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja''
* Laney Penn's superheroic alter ego Live Wire in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Grojband}}'' episode "Super Zeroes" is "one sassy ninja you don't wanna tangle with!"
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[=MMMystery=] on the Friendship Express", while throwing accusations for who could have ruined her cake while she was asleep, Pinkie Pie envisions one of the possible culprits as a ninja who snuck in and sliced the cake to bits with a katana.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* It's true. Just ask the muggers who had the misfortune to try to mug someone in [[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/men-in-black-are-the-white-knights-of-the-night-20100519-vfc5.html an alley next to a ninjitsu dojo]] in Sydney, Australia.
* Or certain would-be criminals in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpZbNAdOy7g Yeovil]], England.
[[/folder]]

----

** In ''Dark Dawn'', ShrineMaiden Himi turns into a Ninja if given the Djinn arrangements for the {{Samurai}} class. There's no explanation given, but this trope might be involved.

** Not just in the second season - in the audio commentary for one episode, SatomiArai comments that throughout the first season the writers would tease her about "Sayoko's true power" but frustratingly never gave her the chance to shine.