| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1403119069055743400 |
| 2 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | [[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Ninjamaica}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_cast-of-ninjamaica_6122.jpg]]]] |
| 5 | |
| 6 | ->'''J.M.R., Germany:''' Are there Ninjas in Germany?\ |
| 7 | '''The Ninja:''' That forest didn't get black by itself. |
| 8 | -->-- ''WebVideo/AskANinja'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJJfMWKa0wE&t=3m16s Episode 60, Omniworld]] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | {{Ninja}}s are [[RuleOfCool cool]]. It's a simple, straightforward fact that, unless you are a {{pirate|s versus ninjas}}, seems to be universally recognized. They're also very, very Japanese. However, just as [=McDonald's=] came out of the United States and conquered the world, so the ninja have set up local branches all over the globe. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | The [=McNinja=] takes advantage of the comedy potential inherent in the non-Japanese ninja. Imposing the "ninja" template on a different culture can result in anything from [[Webcomic/FreeFall ninja-waiters]] to [[Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja ninja-doctors]]... especially if you invoke a [[HollywoodAtlas national stereotype]] or two. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | It's also a convenient visible shorthand. Ninjas have a [[MemeticMutation reputation]] for being [[OneManArmy killing machines]] with [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower nearly supernatural]] stealth. Showing someone like this conveys the idea without the need to explain it. Plus, people tend to think a ninja suit ''is'' quite suited to sneaking about, unless you stand in [[HighlyVisibleNinja plain sight]]. In real life... not so much. The traditional black suit of ninjas is actually horribly conspicuous, even at night. You want mottled grays for night stealth, solid black just silhouettes you. The "traditional" ninja outfit isn't even the traditional garb of actual ninjas, who would actually have worn the everyday clothing of [[BeneathNotice some low-ranking nobody]] who had business being where they needed to go. It's the traditional garb of Japanese ''stage hands'' and signaled to theatre audiences that they were supposed to ignore them. In some plays, one of the "stage hands" would suddenly jump out and shank someone -- thus revealing themselves to be [[NinjaProp an actual ninja actually there to shank someone.]] |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Sometimes it's implied or stated outright that ninja ''started'' in Japan, but have since secretly branched out; after all, what do a group based around infiltration and stealth care about national borders? This can be [[JustifiedTrope justified]], however, if the ninja have moved to another country and then passed ninjitsu on to the locals; it's not as unfeasible as you might think. Something similar has happened before in real life: Japanese UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} was brought to Brazil in 1914, and developed into the style of UsefulNotes/BrazilianJiuJitsu. Can also be justified if the [=McNinja=] learned ninjitsu from actual ninja manuals which they have (somehow) obtained. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Characters who are non-Japanese but explicitly were trained in ninjitsu by real Japanese ninja ''usually'' don't count as [=McNinja=]. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | Fantasy worlds that have [=McNinjas=] might also be a case of CultureChopSuey. [=McNinjas=] may also find a near-future home in {{Americasia}}. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | Named after [[Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja Doctor McNinja]], the Irish-American Ninja Doctor of webcomic fame. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | A.K.A. Gaijinja, as a {{portmanteau}} of ''gaijin'' (meaning foreigner) and ''ninja'. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Compare and contrast WesternSamurai in all aspects: also being a non-Japanese character as the [=McNinja=]; being a samurai, historical counterpart of ninjas; and being portrayed seriously instead of [[EverythingsBetterWithSamurai just for]] the RuleOfCool. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | ---- |
| 29 | !!Examples |
| 30 | |
| 31 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 32 | |
| 33 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 34 | * ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' had Schwarz Bruder, a ''German'' ninja. He even has a mask composed of the colours of the German flag. Well, okay, [[spoiler:he was really a clone of a Japanese guy, Kyoji Kasshu, the main character's brother ("Schwarz Bruder" meaning "Black brother"... [[GratuitousGerman more or less]]). But he took the identity from the ''original'' Schwarz Bruder, who is a proper example.]] |
| 35 | ** Schwarz isn't even the first example, either; the prequel manga ''Gundam Fight 7th'' introduces us to Wolf Heinrich, suggesting that Germany has a long-standing tradition of ninja. |
| 36 | ** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' has a variation with Graham Aker in his "Mr. Bushido" persona- a [[PhenotypeStereotype blond, green-eyed]] ''{{samurai}}''. |
| 37 | ** The infamous Moon Moon arc of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'' included Aztec Space Ninjas! |
| 38 | ** And then there's half-Japanese/half-(African-)American Nils Nilsen from ''Anime/GundamBuildFighters'', who dons a black ninja garb, with katana and everything, whenever he's spying on someone/something. |
| 39 | * ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' has the "America Ninja" sketch. Who looks a little bit like a cowboy. |
| 40 | * ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' has Ivan Karelin/Origami Cyclone, a Russian superhero ninja working in the U.S. (or the fictional equivalent of). |
| 41 | * ''Franchise/LupinIII'' has had several adversaries employ ninja-esque {{Mooks}}, usually wearing full-body black catsuits, although some wore more "traditional" garb. |
| 42 | ** ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro'' had people with armor underneath their black catsuits that protected them form small arms fire. But not against an [[{{BFG}} anti-tank rifle]] or [[AbsurdlySharpBlade Zantetsugan]]. |
| 43 | ** ''Anime/LupinIIITheLastJob'' inverted this trope. It declared that the ninja clan Fuma (who had existed as antagonists to Lupin since the {{manga}}), came from Italy. |
| 44 | * Tsubame Tsubakura from ''Anime/BattleBDaman''. He is called by his original name in the Japanese anime and manga, and is implied [[http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o35/Kar643yoT8/rsz_2014-06-18_115814_zpsccfb7098.jpg (judging from this image of his parents)]], to be Indo-[[InscrutableOriental Japanese]]. For the English dub however, he was inexplicably changed to now being ''Scottish''; with his name then becoming [[DubNameChange ''Terry McScotty'']], with a Scottish voice actor to boot. And so, he was a [[UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}} Scottish]] {{Ninja}}. As a result though, it could be said that he is probably one of ''the best and most literal examples of this trope to have ever been created.'' |
| 45 | ** As a ''Ninja'', he thus is able to perform both the NinjaRun and NinjaLog - as only a [[https://www.youtube.com/v/g6gYAzdQURo?version=3&start=406&end=439&autoplay=1&hl=en_US&rel=0 Scottish Ninja can.]] |
| 46 | ** As a ''Mcninja'', he thus claims to be a Scottish [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Highlands "Highlander"]] - yet who somehow [[https://www.youtube.com/v/g6gYAzdQURo?version=3&start=468&end=486&autoplay=1&hl=en_US&rel=0 "came from Japan".]] |
| 47 | * ''Manga/{{Wolfsmund}}'': Although there's no indication she was trained in actual ''ninjutsu'', Johanna is basically what you get by transferring the idea of a female ninja or ''kunoichi'' to 14th century Europe. She disguises herself flawlessly as an old woman in her attempt to pass the St. Gotthard Pass checkpoint, uses her wiles to break out of her cell and infiltrate the castle, and dispatches multiple guards using her deadly martial arts skills. The inclusion of such a character in this setting is simply justified by RuleOfCool. |
| 48 | * ''Manga/HitoribocchiNoOOSeikatsu'': Sotoka is a foreigner who has come to Japan because she's obsessed with Ninjas. She mistakes Bocchi's furtive people-avoidance for ninjutsu, and refuses to take no for an answer. Bocchi ends up 'training' her in entirely fake Ninja techniques, mostly involving origami shurikens. |
| 49 | [[/folder]] |
| 50 | |
| 51 | [[folder:Comics]] |
| 52 | * Ignoring the whole "stealth" idea, ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} is quite the ninja. |
| 53 | ** The funny part is that he's actually perfectly capable of ninja-grade stealth. It's just that, depending on the writer, he finds it more fun to do it the other way instead. |
| 54 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Empowered}}'', the ninja clan Ninjette escaped from is actually from ''New Jersey''. "Hey, New Jersey's not all ''concrete'' and ''commuters'', y'know... It has ''hidden forests'' and everything!" |
| 55 | ** It really does, with its very own [[FantasyKitchenSink semi-mythical monster and various mysterious goings-on]]... |
| 56 | * ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' has the tools, the clothes, the attitude, the moves, even the backstory of training in Japan for it! |
| 57 | ** The ironic part about this is that Bob Kane, Batman's creator, claimed that he had never heard of ninja! |
| 58 | ** Virtually all the [[ComicBook/{{Robin}} Robins]] count as well due to their training under Batman. Jason Todd and Damian Wayne take it even further by having ''actually'' been assassins at one point in their lives. |
| 59 | * For that matter, there are other characters that qualify in comics, far too many to list, but some include ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, [[Franchise/TheDCU Ravager,]] ComicBook/{{Elektra}}, ComicBook/{{Psylocke}}, etc. |
| 60 | ** ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} himself learned his moves from a ninja master, and was the leader of the diabolical Hand ninja clan for a short period (he was BrainwashedAndCrazy at the time). |
| 61 | *** His villainous [[ComicBook/SpiderGwen Earth-65]] counterpart goes a step farther as he was actually raised by the Hand after they killed his previous mentor, Stick. |
| 62 | ** Deathstroke, while looking very ninja-like, really isn't a ninja at all, getting all his training from the US Army, combat in Vietnam, and his powers from a [[SuperSoldier serum]] designed to enhance his abilities. |
| 63 | * ''Franchise/GIJoe'' features actual Japanese and non-Japanese ninja fighting side by side on both sides. [[Creator/LarryHama Larry Hama]] [[WordOfGod has stated]] that he specifically sought to avoid AllAsiansKnowMartialArts in his writing and establish that personal investment is what matters most. One's ancestry does not automatically make anyone better or worse suited for learning martial arts. |
| 64 | ** Snake-Eyes, the Joe's most famous ninja, actually has a great deal of detail put into how a blonde-haired Caucasian could get ninja training, and he's actually a fairly practical sort for a Mcninja (moreso then most ninjas in Japanese media these days), wearing black commando gear, using whatever weapons are effective (including guns and explosives), and remaining [[TheStoic perfectly silent]] [[TheVoiceless at all times.]] |
| 65 | ** A few bonus points go to Bushido, real name ''Lloyd Goldfine'' from ''Hollis, Queens''. Also known as "the Snow Ninja" because he learned his moves in ''Iceland''. Oh, and, according to his filecard, his grandfather was a samurai, and that's his helmet he wears as part of his outfit. In any case, one of the few Jewish New Yorker ninjas you'll ever run across. |
| 66 | ** Budo is a samurai from Sacramento named Kyle. He's an infantryman and hand-to-hand combat instructor in GI Joe, and he serves wearing full samurai armor wielding a katana and wakizashi. He ''does'' have legit samurai ancestry (those swords were his great-great-grandfather's!), but it might be on his mother's side; his surname isnt Japanese at all. |
| 67 | *** Budo's filecard does have some fun with the concept (after all, Hasbro makes the toys, and Creator/LarryHama has to make sense of them in the filecards), portraying him as a Harley-riding metalhead when he's off-duty. |
| 68 | * Four words: ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''. Four turtles born and raised in New York city, trained in ninjitsu by their master and adoptive father Splinter, who learned the craft from his Japanese owner Hamato Yoshi. |
| 69 | ** In the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIDW IDW continuity]], Alopex also counts. An arctic fox born in Alaska, she was uplifted and trained in ninjitsu by her own master (but ''not'' a father figure), the Japanese Oroku Saki (Shredder). |
| 70 | * ''ComicBook/{{Diabolik}}'', the eponymous VillainProtagonist of a long-running Italian comic, wears a skin-tight black suit that leaves only his eyes exposed. |
| 71 | ** In a recent story we learn that Diabolik was taught martial arts and stealth in a ninja-like school in a fictional East-Asian country, and had to wear an Hollywood ninja suit during the lessons to keep his face a secret from the external students (the ones who were there to learn martial arts and not how to be better criminals). After being accidentally unmasked during a lesson, he crafted his trademark black suit because it makes him more difficult to unmask and makes grappling his clothes more difficult, as he explains when the teacher chastise him. |
| 72 | * Definitely a few from ''ComicBook/NinjaHighSchool''. In fact the mother of the main character isn't even Japanese, she's technically ''German''. |
| 73 | ** Wait, wasn't she Russian? |
| 74 | * In the first issue of the ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist spinoff miniseries ''Immortal Weapons'', a tale is spun of Fat Cobra's life, including the time he and a bunch of kung-fu commandos faced off against Hitler's private SS Ninja squadron, led by the nefarious Herr Samurai. |
| 75 | * Oedipus from ''ComicBook/TheTick''. |
| 76 | * After her RaceLift (in which she bodyswitched accidentally with a fellow telepath), The once-English now-Japanese [[ComicBook/XMen X-Man]] Psylocke does her best to be a [[PsychicPowers psychic]] ninja. Unfortunately, it rarely works out that way, for [[TheWorfEffect one]] [[HowDoIShotWeb reason]] [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands or]] [[UnskilledButStrong another.]] |
| 77 | ** Until she joined Wolverine and Angel's unofficial ComicBook/XForce, where she shows just how deadly a psychic ninja can be. |
| 78 | ** In 2018, she ended up back in her original Caucasian body, and while she's retained her combat skills, she's shifted her psychic weapons to suit - more triangular shield and longsword than katana. |
| 79 | * Roxanne Richter, one of Ramona's evil exes (yeah, really) in ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'', alhough she keeps reminding people that she's only [[HalfHumanHybrid "half-ninja"]]. Ramona herself gets captioned as an "American Ninja", and Roxie boasts that she was the one that taught her. [[StalkerWithACrush Knives]] may qualify too, being a Chinese girl who is also a ninja. |
| 80 | * While ''ComicBook/NthManTheUltimateNinja'' plays its ninjas realistically, notice must be given to Dr. Irving Yagyu, the ninja dentist, and John Doe, his blond-haired all-American ninja protege. |
| 81 | * In the Marvel universe, the ninjaesque superhero identity Ronin has been used by a bunch of characters, none of whom are Japanese. |
| 82 | * ComicBook/KittyPryde: Aside from being possessed by Ogun which turned her into one, Wolverine also taught her to become skilful enough in the Japanese martial arts, including {{samurai}} and [[{{ninja}} ninjutsu]], to contend against Ogun. |
| 83 | * ''ComicBook/TeenTitansGo'': At least one movie of the Super Ninja Fury movie series Cyborg and Beast Boy watch features Canadian ninjas. |
| 84 | * A gang of Canadian ninjas are recurring minor antagonists in the new ''ComicBook/{{Ms Marvel| 2014}}''. |
| 85 | * ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'': |
| 86 | ** In one arc, Frank chases a lead by infiltrating a "ninja training camp" in (an admittedly well-hidden location in) Kansas. He gets sidetracked by an 'authentic' ninja forcing him to help her take down the camp for fraudulent claims of being affiliated with her father. |
| 87 | ** In ''ComicBook/Punisher2022'', the Punisher himself has become a ninja as he becomes one of the highest ranking leaders within the Hand. |
| 88 | * ''ComicBook/TheFurtherAdventuresOfIndianaJones'': The recurring villain Ben Ali Ayoob employs a group known as the Ismaili assassins as his personal enforcers and acquisition team. They wear veils and carry scimitars and Indy describes them as "the Middle Eastern equivalent of ninjas". |
| 89 | * ''ComicBook/{{The Warlord|DCComics}}'': The villainess Y'Smalla is a member the Vashek assassins: the most feared killers on Skataris, and essentially a FantasyCounterpartCulture to the ninja. |
| 90 | [[/folder]] |
| 91 | |
| 92 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 93 | * ''Fanfic/NewBeginnings'': Page ascribes this trope to the Canterlot Castle maids. He always finds a hot pot of tea and a fresh sandwich waiting for him when he gets out of bed each day. |
| 94 | * ''Fanfic/APossibleEncounterForAPhantom'': When Kim tells Danny that Monkey Fist's monkey ninjas are trained in Kung-Fu, Danny points out ninjas are ''Japanese'' and Kung-Fu is a ''Chinese'' martial art. |
| 95 | * In the Literature/{{Discworld}} fic ''Fanfic/TheBlackSheep'', we have the crack team of ninja lawyers, who serve writs of compulsory name change on Howondaland Smith (formerly Howndaland Smith-Rhodes, till the lawyers found him) while he is fighting a battle against wild gnolls in a remote region. |
| 96 | [[/folder]] |
| 97 | |
| 98 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 99 | * ''WesternAnimation/FlushedAway'' has French ninja, too. They are also ''frogs''. |
| 100 | ** Which could be an unintentional reference to the importance of toads in Japanese folklore. Look at ''{{Manga/Naruto}}'''s Jiraiya, for example (or the novel character he was named after and based on). |
| 101 | ** It could also be a StealthPun referring to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_commando_frogmen frogmen]]. |
| 102 | ** And (more likely considering the source material) a reference to "frog" being a racial slur for French people. |
| 103 | * Ninja security guards appeared in ''WesternAnimation/RugratsInParis'', but it's justified, as the amusement park is run by Japanese. |
| 104 | * In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe2'', Edith is going through her "ninja phase" and spends most of the movie in costume. And armed. |
| 105 | [[/folder]] |
| 106 | |
| 107 | [[folder:Films -- Live Action]] |
| 108 | * The ninjas in any given [[Film/GodfreyHoNinjaMovies movie Godfrey Ho did for IFD or Filmark]]. The lead ninjas are white and they tend to wear ''brightly'' colored clothes. |
| 109 | * An entire series of movies: ''Film/AmericanNinja''. It even got parodied in ''Irish American Ninja'' |
| 110 | * The movie ''Film/TonganNinja''. |
| 111 | * The ''Film/{{Hellboy|2004}}'' movie's version of Kroenen is a [[StupidJetpackHitler Nazi German]] [[ClockPunk clockwork]] CyberNinja with a [[GogglesDoNothing gas mask]]. |
| 112 | * The 2004 movie ''Film/EllaEnchanted'' had this in the Red Guard, a group of EliteMooks who appear to be Ninja in plate armor helmets and pressed military uniforms... In what is the generic Medieval setting of Middle Ages Europe. This includes the typical [[HighlyVisibleNinja bright red outfits]] and [[HighlyVisibleNinja "flipping out and killing people"]]. Naturally, none of this was in the original novel. |
| 113 | * ''Film/SurfNinjas''. |
| 114 | * ''Film/BeverlyHillsNinja'' |
| 115 | --> '''Haru''': ''It is a black art, and I, Haru, am the blackest of the black. Or rather the great white black art... blackest... master.''' |
| 116 | * ''Brigada Explosiva Contra Los Ninjas''. The entire cast was Argentinian, even the ninjas. |
| 117 | ** Same goes for the Argentinian-playing-an-Asian having ninjas as her {{Mooks}} in ''Bañeros 3: Todpoderosos''. |
| 118 | * Using the ''Film/DoubleDragon1994'' medallion turns American villain Koga Shuko into a ninja in the movie of the same name. |
| 119 | * ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra'' not only keeps Snake-Eyes as a Caucasian who trains under a Japanese master, but also has Storm Shadow [[FakeNationality played by Korean actor Lee Byung-hun]]. |
| 120 | * The League of Shadows in ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' appear to be an EqualOpportunityEvil collection of these (an appropriate place for an American ninja to learn his trade), but with strong hints that the organisation is descended from the "original" ninja. In ''Film/BatmanBegins'', the leader is apparently Japanese, though with an Arabic name, while his [[TheDragon Dragon]] has an Irish accent ([[spoiler:and turns out to be the real Ra's al-Ghul]]), and the various other members we see are very ethnically diverse. Their headquarters appears to be in the Himalayas. |
| 121 | * ''Film/PhantomRaiders'' features a [=McNinja=] training Vietnam Vets to be [=McNinjas=] for mission that features ninja stars, grenades, and gunfire. |
| 122 | * There's the film, ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366242/ The Black Ninja]]'', which is about ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. |
| 123 | * Kip Killigan, one of the Commandos from ''Film/SmallSoldiers'', sports some oversized shuriken on his uniform. |
| 124 | * The title of ''Film/NinjaCheerleaders'' pretty much says it all. |
| 125 | * ''Film/ThreeHundred'' portrays the elite, near-legendary, Persian warriors known as 'The Immortals' as Persian ninja with black face masks and vaguely Japanese swords. This movie is also set several centuries before ninja came into existence in Japan. |
| 126 | * ''Film/{{Hop}}'' has the Pink Berets, who are very ninjaesque, though the berets mean they actually look more like generic Special Forces troops. They're also ''rabbits''. |
| 127 | * ''Film/BangkokKnockout'' has Thai ninja. |
| 128 | * ''Film/ThePacifier'': Shane Wolfe is attacked by a pair of ninjas who are revealed to have come from North Korea. |
| 129 | [[/folder]] |
| 130 | |
| 131 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 132 | * In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', |
| 133 | ** The black-clad Assassins give every appearance of being very [[strike:English]] Ankh-Morporkian ninja. |
| 134 | *** Except inasmuch as Assassins are explicitly no good at unarmed combat - because no Assassin is ever unarmed. |
| 135 | ** There were the Ninja agents being used (as a throwaway gag) by the Men In Saffron (History Monks) in ''Literature/ThiefOfTime''. While the MIS did, admittedly, train their members in various martial arts, Lu Tze's opinion of the ninja isn't all that high. "Agatean for 'The Passing Wind'." |
| 136 | *** Interesting side note; the best of them in both cases (Vetinari and Lu Tse) are those who ditch most/all the (stereo)typical ninja stuff. |
| 137 | ** Ninja make a token appearance in ''Interesting Times'', even though the [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Agatean Empire]] is more Chinese than Japanese. |
| 138 | ** Magrat went through a phase where she was interested in martial arts, even though the other witches thought it was a stupid idea because she's well, a witch, and doesn't need to be a KungFuWizard. (Incidentally, Lancre is roughly Discworld's {{Scotireland}}, so she's more literally a Mcninja than some.) |
| 139 | * The 1989 SpaceOpera novel ''Not for Glory'' by Joel Rosenberg had a whole planet of mainly [[SpaceJews Jewish-Israeli descended mercenaries]] who also practiced ninjutsu, though they did have a small amount of Japanese ancestry mixed in. The main character was even named after a distant Japanese ancestor. |
| 140 | * While the term is never explicitly tossed around, with their penchant for throat-slitting scout and stealth work, ''Literature/GauntsGhosts'' are fairly ninja-ish. Their best member out-stealthed a Mandrake, who should have had the [[PunyEarthlings Puny Human]] beat easily. |
| 141 | * In ''Literature/CodexAlera'', the [[WolfMan Canim]] have a specialist caste of spies/assassins known as "hunters" whose purpose is to allow the Canim lords to bypass attempts by other Canim to abuse the law - in other words, they're there to allow their Canim lords to avoid being LawfulStupid. In effect, this makes them [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Wolfman ninjas.]] |
| 142 | * ''Literature/TheApprenticeRogue'': The Black Knights are stealthy, have an evasive fighting style, go on covert missions, and wear black; they're like ninjas from the British Isles. |
| 143 | * In Alan Dean Foster's Humanx Commonwealth, the Qwarm are basically ninja. |
| 144 | * Creator/TimothyZahn's ''Literature/{{Blackcollar}}'' novels have the titular special forces that who wear black clothes that cover their faces, and their primary weapons are their own bodies and shurikens. Actually, their greatest strength comes from their superhuman reaction time granted by the Backlash drug. |
| 145 | [[/folder]] |
| 146 | |
| 147 | [[folder:Live Action TV]] |
| 148 | * The ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'' Ninja episode featured noticeably more ninja-costumed footage of Tory (Belleci) than of Grant (Imahara). |
| 149 | ** On the other hand, all things considered, it makes PERFECT sense for Tory to be the one in the ninja costume. Playing ninja offers so many exciting new ways for Tory to injure himself. |
| 150 | *** And then there is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTqyU-bEE1M this]]...? |
| 151 | ** In a more recent ninja special, the professional martial artist they hired to do demonstrate arrow catching was Australian. This was lampshaded. |
| 152 | * Not quite ninja, but related: ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' features a sketch about Her Majesty's own [=McKamikaze=] Highlanders. |
| 153 | * An episode of Series Two of ''Series/DoctorWho''. [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw "Tooth and Claw"]] inexplicably had a squad of martial artist monks clearly inspired by the [[WarriorMonk Shaolin]] (orange gis and all) working for the villain. The episode takes place in 19th-century ''Scotland'', with the monks being native Scots. Thay may not be Mc''Ninjas'', but it's in the same vain. |
| 154 | * The ''Series/RobinHood'' episode "Peace? Off!" featured Saracen ninja in 12th Century England. That's ''before there were ninja in Japan''. But the ''Hashishim'' assassins were very much active. The word "assassin" comes from the name of their sect. They could conceivably have come on the boats returning from the crusades, like Robin Hood himself (and his Saracen bow.) |
| 155 | ** Viewers will no doubt be aware that the BBC adaptation of Robin Hood is not known for its historical accuracy. |
| 156 | * ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' |
| 157 | ** The series ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'' featured Jiraiya (a.k.a. Ninja Black, therefore not [[Franchise/{{Naruto}} that one]]), a ButNotTooForeign ninja who dressed as a stereotypical cowboy-hatted American and spoke in English most of the time (though his Japanese improved as the series went on.) The character's "foreignness" was often played up for laughs. For bonus points, he was played by Kane Kosugi, who is half-American himself. |
| 158 | ** ''Kakuranger'' had a ninja who dressed like a cowboy in his first episode, but ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'' had Kinji, a SixthRanger whose actual hero form was a ButNotTooForeign cross between a ninja and a Texas sheriff, who sprinkled lots of GratuitousEnglish into his sentence and morphed with a ''cheeseburger''. |
| 159 | ** The villains of ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'' are ''[[NinjaZombiePirateRobot alien]]'' ninjas. |
| 160 | * ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' |
| 161 | ** For that matter ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'', with only one of the Ninja Storm Rangers, Cam Watanabe, actually being Asian (and he was designated as a ''Samurai'' Ranger, to boot - noting that, in [[Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger the source series]], his counterpart was as ninja as the others, what with his GratuitousEnglish and all). |
| 162 | ** Additionally, HumongousMecha aren't exactly the stealthiest of machines. |
| 163 | ** Also, one of the villains in ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'', Miratrix, is played by New Zealander actress Ria Vandervis. She and her boss Kamdor are also good at smoke exits and activate spells by throwing sutras. (Or, well, just making ninja hand-gestures and sutras come from... somewhere... [[RuleOfCool it looks cool, okay]]?) |
| 164 | *** Well, she subbed in for [[Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger Kaze no Shizuka]], who was a bona-fide ninja. |
| 165 | ** In season 3 of ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' there's Ninjor, a bright blue ''alien'' Ninja with a body made of armored plates and a voice that could shatter glass; and then the Aquitian Rangers, who, due to footage from the aforementioned ''Kakuranger'', have ninja-like suits and the powers used by the original team's Ninja Ranger forms. Of course, Ninjor's connected to them, too, so it makes in-universe sense, but they're still [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Aquatic Alien Power Ranger ninjas]]. |
| 166 | * In the fighting game ''Martial Champion'', has a kunoichi name Racheal who is American. |
| 167 | * ''VideoGame/MortalKombatConquest'' features Chinese ninjas. This gets even more weird when all but a few of them are white. |
| 168 | * ''[[Series/AlarmFuerCobra11 Alarm für Cobra 11]]'' has occasional episodes with villains in black ninja suits ("Die schwarze Madonna," "Unter Feuer"). The ''Polizei'' SEK teams gear up in ninja-like black as well. |
| 169 | * Again not exactly ninjas, but John Belushi's samurai businesses (e.f. Samurai Optometrist) on the early years of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. |
| 170 | * ''Series/SekaiNinjaSenJiraiya'', the 1988 ''Series/MetalHeroes'' series, featured numerous foreign ninjas in addition to Japanese ones, [[http://i.imgur.com/EIcNv6k.jpg see the map]](hence the title of the series, "Jiraiya: War of the World Ninjas"). |
| 171 | * The Spaniard TV series ''Aguila Roja'' features the titular hero, who is a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Spaniard medieval ninja, who is also a school teacher]]. Oddly enough, he's never addressed as such in-universe, due of the time period, as it takes place in Medieval Spain. |
| 172 | [[/folder]] |
| 173 | |
| 174 | [[folder:Pro Wrestling]] |
| 175 | * 1970s [[Wrestling/{{CMLL}} EMLL]] luchador Bruno Victoria was sometimes known as "ninja". The promotion later saw "El Ninja" in 1991 and later still, his sons, El Hijo del Ninja and El Ninja Jr. 1991 was also when IWRG was graced by El Ídolo Oriental Takeda, another Mexican ninja. |
| 176 | * Wrestling/BrianAdams wrestled as "American Ninja" while in Oregon's Pacific Northwest Championship Wrestling in 1987. Cocoa Samoa also disguised himself as "Black Ninja" around the same time in the same place. |
| 177 | * Robby Royce wrestled as a "Ninja" in 1993 and 1995 for River City Wrestling in Canada. Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews, the "Canadian Ninjas", in Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}}. |
| 178 | * Wrestling/{{AAA}} would have Ninja Del Fuego in 1995, a ninja from the Dominican Republic. {{The gimmick}} would [[LegacyCharacter later go to a Mexican wrestler]] who showed up on a CMLL show in 2005. |
| 179 | * Website/{{WrestleCrap}} lists Kwang, a ''Puerto Rican''[[note]]better known as Savio Vega[[/note]] ninja, among its inductees. |
| 180 | * The Hardcore Ninja {{tag team}}, also known as [[CardCarryingVillain the Evil]] Ninjas, pests of the International Wrestling Syndicate based in Quebec, also spotted in Wrestling/{{CZW}}. |
| 181 | * Yorshire England native Cameron Kraze is known as "The Ninja Pirate Of Awesomeness" in 3CW. |
| 182 | * In 2013, Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling saw Red Denero become the Ginga Ninja, a {{multiple reference pun}} to a Japanese rail service and his hair. |
| 183 | [[/folder]] |
| 184 | |
| 185 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 186 | * "I am Ninja", by German band the Neu. "I am ninja, you are ninja, we are ninja too..." |
| 187 | ** Features at the start of every ''WebVideo/AskANinja'' episode. |
| 188 | * South African rap/comedy trio Die Antwoord are lead by MC Ninja... who sings about little else. In a thick Afrikaans accent. [[SoBadItsGood It's better than it sounds.]] |
| 189 | * [[http://www.songstowearpantsto.com/songs/kamikaze-highlander/ Kamikaze Highlander]] by Andrew of Songs To Wear Pants To is not exactly about Ninja, but champions this trope in spirit. |
| 190 | * "Ninja" by Music/{{Europe}} is pretty much InNameOnly, seeing as the song has a kind of "love during wartime" theme. |
| 191 | * Jennifer Murphy's "I Want To Be Neenja" is about Murphy in her KayfabeMusic superheroine persona, training to be a ninja. |
| 192 | [[/folder]] |
| 193 | |
| 194 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 195 | * The Assassin class in ''[[Literature/BloodSword Dragon Warriors]]'' are explicitly not ninjas (called the sulsa in Dragon Warriors), the game mentions they're too far east to have come to the kingdoms which Dragon Warriors take place. Instead the Assassins are from the fantasy equivalents of India and the Middle-East as well as local rubes who get an experience penalty. In ''Literature/BloodSword'''s first book, you'll be fighting some very dark-skinned assassins who look very ninja-like and they even throw shurikens. |
| 196 | * The Ninja class in a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' expansion can be taken by anybody capable of PC class levels, and the book itself states that ninja could be anyone. Given the nature of ''D&D'' settings, this means you may well encounter [[BadassBookworm ninja wizards]], ninja orcs, ninja CatFolk (the racial abilities really fit the class by the way), ninja barbarians (figure that one out), ninja ''Giants'', [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot ninja pirate zombies]]... |
| 197 | ** In The Complete Ninja's Handbook for ''AD&D'''s second edition, the ninja is an entirely separate class which was essentially a thief with reduced thief abilities, a new martial arts system, a clan, and a few new items. One kit was also capable of very limited magic, while another had a very gimped form of the fighter class's weapon specialization. Of course, for reasons unknown to posterity, elves could not be ninja, but dwarves could. |
| 198 | ** The [[WarriorMonk Monk]] class likely also fits, at least in spirit. A class clearly inspired by the legends and films of the East with everything from SupernaturalMartialArts to KiManipulation... being drop into a game that is predominantly built up of various permutations of MedievalEuropeanFantasy. At least the TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms have Kara-Tor to justify it. |
| 199 | * TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy has Dark Elf ninjas, ratman ninjas, and [[{{Acrofatic}} Ogre Ninjas]]. as well as more traditional Nipponese human ninjas (although they're CanonDiscontinuity: one of the many troop types in the first Warhammer Armies book that were subsequently dropped out of production because they didn't sell well enough. |
| 200 | * ''TabletopGame/NinjaBurger'' is a card game based on a [[http://www.ninjaburger.com joke website]] about [[MundaneUtility fast food delivery]] ninjas. (Guaranteed delivery in 30 minutes or less, or we commit Seppuku!) I'd say more, but the [[RuleOfCool awesomeness]] that is ''Ninja Burger'' must be experienced for oneself. |
| 201 | ** Not just a card game. There's a tabletop RPG done by 9th Level Games, too. There's even a [=McNinja=] clan among the possible clans your ninja can hail from! |
| 202 | ** Naturally, Ninja Burger's arch-rivals are Pirate Pizza. |
| 203 | * The ''TabletopGame/{{Talislanta}}'' game features Mandalan Mystic Warriors and Mondre Khan Raiders in the Kang Empire, which is more Chinese than Japanese in flavor. The Rajan Assassin-Mage is apparently supposed to evoke the historical ''hashishin'', yet carries a strong whiff of Mcninja as well. |
| 204 | * ''TabletopGame/SPANCSpacePirateAmazonNinjaCatgirls'', a boardgame illustrated by Phil Foglio where Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Catgirls fight for loot and cute poolboys. |
| 205 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' had Seeker, the 'Australian Ninja'. |
| 206 | [[/folder]] |
| 207 | |
| 208 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 209 | * The Hokkaido mission in ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'' has the option of starting in a stereotypical ninja outfit, complete with a [[EveryJapaneseSwordIsAKatana katana]] and shuriken. There are several challenges related to this. Amusingly, Agent 47's usual MO of getting in, killing only the specific targets he was hired for, and getting out before anyone even realizes someone has died, is far more similar to real life ninjas than most pop culture depictions. |
| 210 | * Pedro Cortes of ''VideoGame/KessenIII'' is a Spanish ninja-class officer. |
| 211 | * Two of the three titular heroes of ''VideoGame/NinjaCommando'', Joe Tiger the American Kōga-ryū ninja and Rayar Dragon, a British Iga-ryū ninjutsu warrior. |
| 212 | * In ''VideoGame/ShadowHeartsFromTheNewWorld'', one of your party members is a Brazilian ninja, who hails from a hidden ninja village deep in the Amazon rain forest. Brazilian-style ninjutsu apparently centers on turning any vaguely elongated object into a sword by sticking a hilt on it. This party member is also a HighlyVisibleNinja, considering his bright red-blue costume (with a glowing deely-bopper antennae on the headpiece), and his habit of trying to hide... by holding up an American flag in front of himself. Did we mention he also works for the CIA? |
| 213 | ** Frank actually seems to be of Slavic descent, disappointing his father by leaving to study ninjutsu in the jungles of South America instead of taking over the family fireworks business. He later decides to bridge the eternal gap between fireworks and ninjas by sticking a hilt on a firework and using it as a sword. Even if he were less conspicuous, he's not a very good ninja, as he's constantly berated by his master -- a giant talking cat who serves as second-in-command to Al Capone. |
| 214 | ** Ninjutsu seems to be a sport of world-wide popularity in that world, as he gains at least one skill by winning a MiniGame against a ninja from a rival German ninjutsu school. |
| 215 | * Squirrel Fish from ''Shiwuyu/Tale of Food'' is a ninja in all but name despite being a Chinese dish through and through. Though, as his characterization is mostly based on the Chinese assassin Zhuan Zhu, the resemblance to the ninja archetype may be unintentional. |
| 216 | * Vega, from the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series, refers to his fighting style as "Spanish Ninjitsu". He's a cage fighter, so he can afford to be highly visible, and it's more referencing the fact he studied Ninjitsu and mixed it with techniques he developed as a matador. In ''TabletopGame/StreetFighterTheStorytellingGame'', it's claimed that "Spanish Ninjitsu" is actually a combination of Ninjitsu and Savate (a European kickboxing style) with added emphasis on acrobatics. |
| 217 | ** The ''[[TabletopGame/StreetFighter Street Fighter RPG]]'' also claims that the last "world champion" of Sumo Wrestling that E. Honda beat was American. |
| 218 | ** Sodom from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFight'' may be trying to be a ninja, or a samurai, or something else entirely. It's hard to tell because [[OccidentalOtaku for all his enthusiasm]] he's so very ''bad'' at trying to be Japanese. |
| 219 | ** Guy (one of the three heroes of ''Final Fight'' and a member of the ''SF'' roster [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha in more]] [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV recent games]]) plays this trope half-straight; [[ButNotTooForeign he's a Japanese-born naturalized American]], although you probably wouldn't have been able to tell this had it not been for [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary materials]]. Just to clarify, Guy's nationality was originally stated to be Japanese in ''Final Fight'' and his "real name" was even written in kanji in manuals and such. From the ''Alpha'' series and onward, his nationality was changed to American, but it was unknown if this was a retcon or if he became a naturalized American after ''Final Fight''; as of ''Super Street Fighter IV'' and ''VideoGame/StreetFighterXTekken'' it's almost officially certain as being a retcon, since his website lists his place of birth as the USA. |
| 220 | ** ''VideoGame/StreetFighter6'' adds Kimberly, an African-American [=McNinja=] who utilizes [[ArtAttacker spray cans]] in place of smoke bombs. She's an apprentice of the aforementioned Guy. |
| 221 | * ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' is full of "ninja" characters, and not all of them are Japanese (in fact, the only major one who actually is Japanese is series poster boy, Scorpion). Most of them are related to the Lin Kuei, a ninja-like organization rooted in China that claims to be either a contemporary or even a precursor to Japanese ninja, though [[InsistentTerminology Sub-Zero is particularly insistent that the two are not interchangeable]][[note]]In the real world, it's believed that the Lin Kuei were actually a real thing in ancient China; they obviously weren't magically-powered assassins, but records suggest they were a monastic cult of survivalists with superficial similarities to ninjas, and there are even (mostly-debunked) theories that they inspired ninja[[/note]]. |
| 222 | ** [[LegacyCharacter Both known incarnations]] of Sub-Zero, Sektor, and other characters of Grandmaster heritage are explicitly all Chinese. Frost, Sub-Zero II's former apprentice, is of undetermined ethnicity, but mostly appears to be Caucasian. |
| 223 | ** Other members of the Lin Kuei included Cyrax (from Botswana), and Smoke (from the Czech Republic). |
| 224 | ** Reptile and Ermac are also considered two of the series "ninjas", but the former is from a different realm called Zaterra and the latter is an amalgam of souls. There is also [[VideoGame/MortalKombatSpecialForces Tremor]] whose nationality is never stated, but he works for the international crime syndicate Black Dragon. |
| 225 | * The ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series had quite a few: first there was the Black Ninja from ''Metal Gear 2'', who was actually Kyle Schneider, the South African resistance leader who helped Snake in ''VideoGame/MetalGear1''. Then there was the [[CyberNinja Cyborg Ninja]] in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', who was actually Gray Fox, Snake's combat buddy from the first two MSX games. And finally, there's Raiden, a former Liberian ChildSoldier turned American commando, in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'', who helped Snake during the events of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', but became a Cyborg Ninja afterward ([[{{expy}} noticed a pattern?]]). There's also Olga Gurlukovich in ''[=MGS2=]'', who was not actually a cyborg minja, but was disguised as one when she helped out Raiden as a double agent. The Tengu Commandos in ''[=MGS2=]'' are EliteMooks who wear ninja-like high-tech equipment, but are all Russians. |
| 226 | ** In addition to Raiden making a return in ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', we also have "Jetstream" Samuel Rodrigues, a Brazilian samurai. |
| 227 | * ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' has Galford and Earthquake, from California and Texas, respectively (despite both states being Spanish and Mexican territories at the time). |
| 228 | * Chipp Zanuff of ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is an American ninja. He isn't too happy about that, either, and often bugs the Japanese native Anji to teach him Japanese so that he can at least act the part. He learned the art from a Japanese assassin (a feat in itself considering [[LastOfHisKind they're short in supply in-series]]). |
| 229 | ** From the game's SpiritualSuccessor, ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', [[ButtMonkey Bang]]. Japan, [[AfterTheEnd along with most of the world]], was wiped out two hundred years previous by [[EldritchAbomination the Black Beast]], but he's a self-proclaimed ninja from Ikaruga, an in-universe FantasyCounterpartCulture of Japan. The thing is, he doesn't look Japanese, and from his physical appearance, you probably wouldn't tell he was a ninja either. He looks more like an unkempt homeless dude who inexplicably carries a giant nail around. And judging by the location of his hometown, he's Eastern European. |
| 230 | ** A non-ninja example, but [[AnIcePerson Jin]] and [[ImplacableMan Hakumen]] both have samurai motifs, in both personality and playstyle. Both of them use Japanese swords(Jin's is a [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]] and Hakumen's is a [[{{BFS}} Nodachi]]), and even most of their attacks are Japanese themed as well, both having a [[LimitBreak Distortion Drive]] ''very'' reminiscent of a SingleStrokeBattle. [[spoiler: Unsurprisingly, its later revealed they're the same person, well AlternateSelf to be more precise.]] How does it come to this trope? Well WordOfGod say they're ''British''. |
| 231 | * Roger Sasuke from the [[ShootEmUp bullet-hell shooter]] ''VideoGame/CastleOfShikigami III'' is another American ninja. |
| 232 | * ''VideoGame/ReturnToCastleWolfenstein'' was originally supposed to have Nazi Ninjas, but they didn't make it into the final product due to time constraints. |
| 233 | ** The [[VideoGame/Wolfenstein2009 sequel]] delivered, though, converting the female Elite Guards into agile, ninja-like martial artists. There's even a piece of concept art that shows they were supposed to carry ''swastika-shaped shurikens'', but unfortunately, they ultimately went unused. |
| 234 | * ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R.]]'' has clone ninjas in the form of the Replica Assassins. Although their nationality is unknown (they're FacelessMooks), they are produced by an American corporation. |
| 235 | * ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' has these of the cyborg variety: Cerberus Phantoms. They have biotic barriers, flip around constantly, have guns built into their gauntlets, have an instant kill melee sword combo, can Overload your shields, and can cloak once their barrier comes down. This follows the increased focus on close combat in the third game. |
| 236 | ** [[MrFanservice Thane]] is also very ninja-like, [[CutscenePowerToTheMax at least in cutscenes.]] As is [[ClassyCatBurglar Kasumi]], but she's actually Japanese. |
| 237 | * The ''Franchise/StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse (particularly ''VideoGame/StarWarsEpisodeIIIRevengeOfTheSith'') has Clone Assassins, Clone Troopers who have received ''ninja training'' to allow them to fight in melee combat against Jedi. And then there are the [[{{mooks}} Sith Assassins]] & [[BadPowersGoodPeople Jedi Shadows]] in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' who were invisible ninjas with lightsabers. |
| 238 | * ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'' features the Arcani, a secret society of fanatics who worship Jupiter. Armed with twin gladii, they wear [[MalevolentMaskedMen intimidating]] [[TheFaceless masks]], [[BlackCloak black shrouds]] and well-crafted armour. They can hide practically anywhere in the wilderness, they have exceptional stamina, fighting ability, speed and morale. To round it all off, they operate with less than half the number of a more conventional unit type, perhaps invoking the law of ConservationOfNinjutsu. Their role is to [[BackStab flank and ambush]] the enemy, and perform the least capably in a straight-up fight against superior numbers. |
| 239 | ** However, if Arcani units get the armor and weapon bonuses of a well-built-up city, they can stand their ground against Gladiators and Praetorians without much trouble. Urban Cohorts not so much. |
| 240 | * The third ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' game had Vortinija, a group of [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot blue space dog ninjas]]. |
| 241 | * In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', some Rogue talent builds (especially Subtlety) and gear sets will result in a character pretty much exactly like a stereotypical ninja. However, only two options out of all the playable races can avoid this trope: Night Elves (though just barely since [[CultureChopSuey they have lots of other influences as well]]) and some Humans (specifically Humans using the Asian features provided by ''Shadowlands''.) This means that it's possible to play as a MedievalEuropeanFantasy ninja, a [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarven]] ninja, a {{Mayincatec}} [[AllTrollsAreDifferent troll]] ninja, a Victorian British ''[[NinjaPirateZombieRobot werewolf]]'' ninja... |
| 242 | ** The decidedly Chinese-influenced Pandaren have their own ninja clan: the Shado-pan. |
| 243 | * The ''VideoGame/HouseOfTheDead'' series has [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot ninja zombies]] as well as ''cyborg'' versions of those. |
| 244 | * [[ComicBook/XMen Psylocke's]] status as this is somewhat emphasised in ''VideoGame/XMenNextDimension''. As in, every move she can use includes the word "ninja" somewhere, and she speaks in an incredibly thick British accent. |
| 245 | ** [[AllThereInTheManual This is because she's a mutant psychic who was born in the UK, that took over the physical body of an Asian martial artist]]. |
| 246 | * In the ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' series, Ninja is a [[ClassAndLevelSystem class group]] available to Venus, Mars, and Jupiter Adepts. There's also a set of Ninja Garb ([[ShownTheirWork colored gray, not black]]) which can be worn by just about everyone regardless of class. There is only one [[FantasyCounterpartCulture fantasy-counterpart-Japanese]] player character in the cast as of ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'', so making a Ninja of anyone else would make them a Mcninja. |
| 247 | * ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'''s version of the Berserker probably qualifies, as well as being [[LightningBruiser very durable and hard-hitting]] for its speed. |
| 248 | * ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'''s Brooklyn "Bullet" Luckfield is a Caucasian samurai-in-training who pilots a Chinese HumongousMecha. |
| 249 | ** From the same games, Sanger Zonvolt is a German who speaks like an old-fashioned {{samurai}} and pilots the Dygenguard, which has a samurai motif and a [[{{BFS}} very large sword]]. |
| 250 | ** The Raioh and its MidSeasonUpgrade Dairaioh, are HumongousMecha ninja with heavy ''Franchise/KamenRider'' elements; when they made the transition from the ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Alpha]]'' games to ''Original Generation'', the ninja elements were emphasized much more than the ''Kamen Rider'' elements. ''OG'' also introduced a mass-produced version of the Raioh, dubbed the Jinrai, which is much more distinctly ninja-styled thanks to its sword and FuumaShuriken. |
| 251 | ** The Vysaga from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAdvance'' and ''Original Generation'' is a Humongous Mecha ninja of uncertain but likely non-Japanese manufacture. |
| 252 | * ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' |
| 253 | ** ''VideoGame/Fallout3'''s ''Operation Anchorage'' ExpansionPack has Chinese Crimson Dragoons, who wear InvisibilityCloak-equipped [[SpyCatsuit catsuits]] and usually wield Chinese Officer Swords or Sniper Rifles. The player can combine the Stealth Armor and Jingwei's Shocksword for a [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid Grey Fox]]-style ninja getup. |
| 254 | ** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' lets the player be a [=McNinja=] if they so desire and have enough DLC - just combine the Chinese Stealth Armor from Hoover Dam (although it no longer has the invisibility feature), the Assassin Suit from ''Dead Money'' or the Stealth Suit Mk II from ''Old World Blues'' with a {{katana|sAreJustBetter}} from ''Gun Runners Arsenal''. |
| 255 | * ''VideoGame/SensoryOverload'' has two types of ninjas, the more common type that only use melee attacks, and the shuriken-throwing {{Invisibility Cloak}}ed ones. |
| 256 | * Corvo Attano of ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' is a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Gothic Victorian steampunk ninja mage]]. On the enemy side, there's the Whaler Assassins, who wear [[GasMaskMooks gas masks]] and have an enhanced version Corvo's [[FlashStep Blink]] ability. |
| 257 | * ''Ninja Commando'' for the Platform/NeoGeo has a multinational team of protagonists, including American ninja Joe Tiger and British ninja Rayar Dragon. |
| 258 | * From ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'', there is Valentine, a nurse/assassin with [[OccidentalOtaku a great interest in eastern culture]]. |
| 259 | * The character design for Silk Fox from ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' is essentially a Chinese ninja. |
| 260 | * Mei Ying's fighting costume in ''VideoGame/IndianaJonesAndTheEmperorsTomb'' is heavily based on the masked, black-suited ninja stereotype. |
| 261 | * The setting of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' is a country called Eorzea. The art of ninjutsu comes from the foreign nation of Doma, so the PlayerCharacter by default becomes a Mcninja if they chose to become the Ninja Job (with the exception of Au Ra from the Raen clan, who hail from the same region). |
| 262 | ** Redway, a villainous NPC from the later quests in the Rogue/Ninja storyline, is a darker take on the trope than most; he was constantly overlooked by his master for his lack of Doman blood and went bad largely due to favoritism being shown to his fellow (Doman) students. |
| 263 | * In ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge'', it turns out the city's police are training [[EliteMook specialist "Pursuit Cops"]] in Parkour and melee combat to chase down and kill Runners. [[spoiler:They're being trained by your BigBadFriend Celeste.]] |
| 264 | * Raven from the ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' series. His style is listed as Ninjitsu, but he's a black guy with blonde hair. He even does the Kuji-in, carries Kunai and has a friendly rivalry with Tekken's other "ninja" Yoshimitsu. Many players have noted that Raven is like a mix of ComicBook/{{Blade}} and Simon Pheonix from ''Film/DemolitionMan'', two roles played by Wesley Snipes. When Namco was asked about the similarities being intentional, they stated that they simply wanted a true ninjutsu practitioner and a "cool black guy" for a character, and that the similarities were purely coincidental. |
| 265 | ** In ''VideoGame/Tekken7'', he is replaced with a black woman ninja known as Master Raven. |
| 266 | * Red Shadow from ''VideoGame/BushidoBlade'' is a Russian-born ex-ninja. |
| 267 | * While the ninja-like Sheikah themselves of ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' are portrayed with a very [[{{Wutai}} Japanese-inspired]] culture, several characters of the [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy European-inspired]] Hylian race are also shown adopting their techniques. In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', Zelda disguised herself as a Sheikah called Sheik by wearing a ninja-like outfit and using ninja-like techniques. In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', Link can wear the Stealth Armor provided by the Sheikah to make it easier to sneak around. |
| 268 | * In the Save the World mode of ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'', Ninjas are one of the 4 core class archetypes a Hero character can be, in a setting where survivors have to pass an aptitude test in order to be eligible for the weapons and tech each class utilizes. So literally anyone can be a Ninja if they really want to. Aside from throwing shurikens and wielding katanas, they're also adept at tossing smokebombs, throwing a barrage of kunais, delivering deadly spin kicks, double jumping with fancy tech attached to their legs, and calling out every one of these manuevers when they do it because it's cool. |
| 269 | * In ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter: The Omega Strain'', the Chinese-born Lian Xing's [[SecretLevel bonus mission]] puts her in a surprisingly realistic ninja role, including switching between various disguises to [[BeneathNotice blend in]], and using [[PoisonedWeapons poisoned shurikens]] to silently assassinate a target. |
| 270 | * ''VideoGame/TargetTerror'' has [=McNinja=] {{mooks}} that either pop up close to shank the player or throw knives at range. |
| 271 | * ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXIV'' introduces Bandeiras Hattori to the roster. Bandeiras is the founder of his own style of Brazilian Ninjutsu, and he's very dedicated to his craft (read, [[OccidentalOtaku very much a weeaboo]]). While he's pretty goofy, he's [[BunnyEarsLawyer surprisingly talented for a relative novice still looking to train]] (it helps that it's implied his ancestor may be [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Hanzo Hattori]], considering the shared surname and how he uses a lot of Hanzo's techniques). |
| 272 | * Scarlet "Shinobu" Jacobs is a recurring supporting character throughout ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'', being an African-American assassin with [[SamuraiShinobi a smattering of ninja and samurai motifs]], with her arsenal including [[KatanasAreJustBetter a badass katana]] and [[FlashStep lightning-fast agility]]. She's introduced in the first game as [[LittleMissBadass just a schoolgirl who moonlights as an assassin]], implicitly invoking Japanese motifs [[ForeignCultureFetish as merely an aesthetic choice]], but by the time of [[VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle the sequel]], Shinobu spent the years after graduating [[TookALevelInBadass building up her legitimacy as a ninja]], touring Asia and becoming the #1 assassin on the continent. |
| 273 | [[/folder]] |
| 274 | |
| 275 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 276 | * ''WebAnimation/PorkchopNFlatscreen'': Ninja Girl Mai comes from a line of Latino ninjas. |
| 277 | * ''WebAnimation/XionicMadness'': One of Bolverk Squad's members is Xero, a cyborg ninja hailing from the United Kingdom. |
| 278 | [[/folder]] |
| 279 | |
| 280 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 281 | * ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'': The trope namer. In addition to the shamrock shuriken-throwing Irish-American ninja-doctor of the title, there is Frans Rayner -- a former Danish ninja -- and his army of American ninja {{mooks}}. Who eventually come back from the dead as [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot zombie ninjas]]. |
| 282 | * In ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'', James Baud (aka Fooker) once faced off against [[http://www.gpf-comics.com/d/20000815.html French ninja maids]] in the ElaborateUndergroundBase of the supervillain Moldfinger... |
| 283 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', Winston and Florence have a dinner date at a restaurant run by [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1100/fv01077.htm French ninja waiters]]. You'll be served an excellent meal, without ever seeing a single waiter... |
| 284 | ** They even go so far as to [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1100/fv01092.htm call out the difference]] between 'traditional' ninja gear and what one would actually dress like to complete a mission. |
| 285 | -->'''Covert!Ninja''': The ultimate compliment to ninja craftsmanship. To see what has been done and swear that it could not be possible. |
| 286 | * In ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'', one of the main villains is a group of British ninja. |
| 287 | ** The Webcomic/WalkyVerse also gives us an American wannabe-ninja in the form of ''Shortpacked'''s Ninja Rick. |
| 288 | * All the ninjas in ''Webcomic/{{Ninjas}}'' are this. They show no signs of actually being from Japan. Or in Japan, for that matter. |
| 289 | * ''Webcomic/NoNeedForBushido'' features a female, blonde ninja. With big boobs. And a female ninja with an eyepatch. [[MsFanservice And big boobs.]] Oh, and the female Ninja with the fan who has moderately sized breasts. |
| 290 | * ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' has Smoke Knights, who seem to be the stealth branch of [[AncientConspiracy Knights of Jove]]. So far Velchen, Violetta, [[spoiler:Tarvek and Zola]] have demonstrated some impressive training. Also, one Smoke Knight in the hospital gets herself killed [[SickbedSlaying trying to off the Baron]], but it's not clear which in the pile of wannabe assassins' corpses (except perhaps the first fake nurse, as she neither was already infiltrated nor remembered to stab first and scream never). |
| 291 | ** Also, the Wulfenbachs had the [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070416 Black Squad]] as a high-tech variety and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120521 Stealth Fighters]] as a commando variety. The former gave a good fright to Wooster and were mopped up by [[spoiler:Zola's minions (i.e. Knights of Jove operatives)]] prepared to face them, and the latter ended up at the wrong end of ConservationOfNinjutsu in an overt mission where they ran into a bunch of [[SuperSoldier Jäger generals]] and one Smoke Knight. |
| 292 | * In ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'', almost every race in the cosmos -- from [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150428205913/http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20080920 uplifted cats to ambulatory mountains to humanoid insects]] -- has something identifiable as a ninja. This trope is shamelessly invoked and even named [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150428210028/http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20080529 the Universal Ninja Puzzle]] -- "Many of these races cannot see eye to eye (literally) on the definition of such basic concepts as Food, Shelter, Sex and Memory, but they all have Ninja." And they all think that the others are a bunch of ''posers''. |
| 293 | ** And when they meet, HilarityEnsues. |
| 294 | * ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' |
| 295 | ** ''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0312.html This]]'' strip features a waitress that suddenly appears next to the table, causing Vaarsuvius to angrily exclaim about waiters that sneak up on you. The waitress explains that she's putting herself through ninja school. |
| 296 | ** Redcloak's (now deceased) Goblin ninja which is replaced by Hobgoblin Ninja. The justification is right [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0274.html here]]. One of the gods thought they would be fun. |
| 297 | ** The prequel book ''Start of Darkness'' contains what may be the most horrifying ninja sub-breed ever conceived... Ninja Clowns. |
| 298 | * ''Webcomic/SamAndFuzzy'' includes an international brotherhood of ninjas, most of whom are [=McNinjas=]. |
| 299 | * Wikkity from ''Panda Xpress''. Although [[http://pxcomic.com/browsepage.php?storyline=1&page=18 he claims]] that the only real American ninja is Michael Dudikoff. |
| 300 | * Quantum Ninja, in an otherwise European medieval fantasy dimension in ''Webcomic/CaseyAndAndy''. |
| 301 | * ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' Dave and his Bro, self-described as "ironic rapping roof ninjas". The two employ katanas and FlashStep techniques in hash-rap battles on the rooftops of Houston, considering themselves governed solely by RuleOfCool. |
| 302 | * The ninjas in ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' are Japanese, but the RunningGag of the story is that all the [[FishOutOfTemporalWater ancient]] Japanese dialogue is translated as wildly inappropriate modern American slang. This is driving the Grammar Squirrel (the resident GrammarNazi) to distraction. |
| 303 | * ''Webcomic/TheDreadful'' has Bludkolt, a ninja ''horse''! |
| 304 | * Agrippa Varus of ''Webcomic/{{Terra}}'' isn't called a ninja in-universe but it clearly had an influence on his design (black clothes, melee weapons strapped to his back, more weapons concealed, OneManArmy). [[http://www.terra-comic.com/wordpress/archives/516 See here especially,]] after which a commenter called him an [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot "alien space ninja"]]. |
| 305 | * The Nightjar, a side character in ''Webcomic/LavenderJack,'' is a masked, stealth-using warrior who uses a hooked blade on a rope. [[spoiler: and also the exiled princess of a tiny Mediterranean island monarchy.]] |
| 306 | * In ''{{WebComic/Weregeek}}'', Abbies elf rogue character in the [=D&D=] game dresses up as a ninja. |
| 307 | [[/folder]] |
| 308 | |
| 309 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 310 | * The "Panous-Panous" -- Mooks in the amateur French sentai show ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jushi_Sentai_France_Five France Five]]'' (no, really) -- have been described as "[[EnemyMime ninja-mimes]]". |
| 311 | * The original [[http://www.ninjaburger.com website]] for ''TabletopGame/NinjaBurger'' is dedicated to this trope- also quite [[BurgerFool literally]]. |
| 312 | * ''WebVideo/AskANinja'' doesn't quite count as this, but his theme song does. |
| 313 | * Nex of the Literature/WhateleyUniverse. Ruthless mutant-powered ninja killer. Who happens to be English. Also, the 'ninjas' at SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy tend to be Americans and Europeans, not Asian at all. [[https://whateley.academy/index.php/story/the-final-trump-part-5 A later story]], in which a family of 'phantom thieves' very meticulously avoid being called 'ninja', explains that the ''actual'' ninja clans in this world, while not above recruiting many of Japan's most promising mutants for training at the [[NinjaSchool Yama Dojo]], are '''very''' jealous of their name, and tend to frown on anyone - especially other Japanese - trying to steal their thunder. |
| 314 | * ''WebVideo/NinjaTheMissionForce'' runs on this Godfrey Ho-fueled trope. |
| 315 | * ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'' flies into a rant about this during his ''Film/ThreeNinjas'' review when he sees the telephone operator: |
| 316 | -->'''Nostalgia Critic:''' WHY IS THE TELEPHONE OPERATOR WEARING A NINJA SUIT?! What is the point? Is the ''telephone operator'' a martial artist? If so, why isn't he out there fighting with the rest of the ninjas? What is the purpose of hiring a martial artist to answer the telephone?! It makes no sense! |
| 317 | * In ''WebVideo/FreemansMind'', Gordon mistakes the black ops assassins for ninjas. They do look the part, being clad in black bodysuits that even obscure their eyes behind goggles, and are very fast, nimble, and stealthy... but they're never shown using martial arts or any other close-range combat, only extremely accurate silenced pistols. |
| 318 | [[/folder]] |
| 319 | |
| 320 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 321 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "The Case of the Cola Cult", said Cola Cult's second-in-command Bubbles has a ninja team of henchmen for [[RuleOfCool no good reason]], though instead of being garbed in the traditional black, they are dressed in the soda-colors (orange, grape, and cherry) of the rest of the cult's members. |
| 322 | * The public library in ''WesternAnimation/JacobTwoTwo'' has a squad of highly-trained "Library Ninja" specialized in recovering overdue books. |
| 323 | * Snake-Eyes from ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe'' a blond-haired blue-eyed white American who trained in Japan under the same master as Storm Shadow (who is a full blooded Japanese), although his backstory was not given as much emphasis in the cartoons as it was in the comics. |
| 324 | ** And by "not as much emphasis" we mean "none at all", at least in the Sunbow episodes. It didn't help that following the [[FiveEpisodePilot first two miniseries]], the cartoon's writers had a hard time using a [[TheFaceless fully-masked]] [[TheVoiceless mute]] ninja commando, so they put him in the background. The [=DiC=] seasons featured Snake-Eyes more, and he's been a core character in ''[[WesternAnimation/GIJoeSigma6 Sigma 6]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/GIJoeRenegades Renegades]]''. |
| 325 | * ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja'' is an American high schooler who defends the city of Norrisville and Norrisville high from the forces of evil. The Ninja's origins are traced back to Norrisville and has no connection to Japan or anywhere else, even though the Ninjanomicon is very Japanese-inspired. |
| 326 | * The Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles were explicitly trained by a Japanese ninja, who had moved to New York and got turned into a rat (or a rat who learned from such a ninja before passing his teachings on to the turtles). However, they are in every other way 100% American. |
| 327 | ** In some iterations, their first human ally eventually trains under the said rat teacher. Since she's of Irish descent, that makes her an Irish-American New Yorker ninja. |
| 328 | * On ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', Poof becomes a ninja during the "Wishology" trilogy thanks to [[TaughtByTelevision television]]. |
| 329 | * Prowl and Jazz of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. Alien robot ninja, masters of metallikato and circuitsu. Prowl's still working on mastering processor-over-matter to unlock the ''really'' cool stuff, though. |
| 330 | * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': |
| 331 | ** In one Peter Griffin ImagineSpot, he pretends he's the star of a nineties situational comedy called "My Black Son"; the theme song ends with the claim "also, he's a ninja!" |
| 332 | ** Another CharlieAndTheChocolateParody episode has one of the golden ticket winners be an American ninja who appears to be a completely normal married man, aside from the obvious. |
| 333 | * Subverted by the Shadowkhan in ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures''. If paying attention, one might initially think it strange that Shendu, a demon sorcerer of Chinese origin, would have control over a magical army of ninjas (which, of course, are Japanese). This is explained come season 4, however, when it's revealed that Shendu possessed an artifact owned by [[{{Youkai}} Tarakudo, King of the Shadowkhan]], which granted him that control. |
| 334 | * Creator/HouseOfCool's ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjamaica}}'' is about an amnesiac, Rastafarian ninja who was found in the North Pole and who is wanted dead by a gang for reasons he can't remember. |
| 335 | * ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' has Ninja Dave, the last member of an order devoted to cookie baking. He later opens up a cookie bakery. |
| 336 | * Lothar is no longer Mandrake's sidekick tribal strongman in ''WesternAnimation/DefendersOfTheEarth''. In his action figure from the toyline, it says he's a ninja from the Caribbean and since Lothar has a son that trains under him, it's likely Lothar Jr.'s a ninja as well. |
| 337 | * ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' villain Monkey Fist is a [[EvilBrit British lord]] who donned ninja garb to steal the {{macguffin}} in his first appearance and later gathered a small army of monkey ninja minions. |
| 338 | * The ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' episode "The Capeman Cometh" features the M.A.D. Ninja in [[OneSceneWonder his only appearance]]. |
| 339 | * ''WesternAnimation/ShurikenSchool'': One of the main characters, Jimmy B., is of African decent. |
| 340 | [[/folder]] |
| 341 | |
| 342 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 343 | * Many Americans who purport to know ninjitsu learned it from Masaaki Hatsumi, who claimed direct lineage from an unbroken ninja tradition that dates back centuries. His claims are highly disputed, however. |
| 344 | * Early UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts at its "style vs style" era saw a few self-styled Ninjutsu practitioners. Scott Morris in UFC 2 got a victory in the first round of the tournament with a Guillotine Choke but in the second round was thrown into the ground by kickboxer and MMA pioneer Patrick Smith, who violently rained ground-and-pound strikes on him until Morris rested his motionless head in the mat. His gymmate Steve "Ninja Cop" Jennum was a little more successful, winning the UFC 3 by entering directly to the finals after Wrestling/KenShamrock withdrew due to injuries, and fighting against Harold Howard, who came exhausted from other two fights. In the end however, Jennum flopped in his post-UFC 3 career. |
| 345 | * From the 90s to the early 2000s, there were a group of paramilitary soldiers in Angola referred to as ninjas. The Angolan Ninjas lived up to the name, too; there are several reports of them assassinating targets on upper floors by coming in through the windows. They were trained in parkour, and frequently made use of their skills to navigate to places their targets thought to be unreachable, inside Angola and in other countries. |
| 346 | * For a more modern, benign example, Matthew Wright is a practitioner of ''Bujin Ki'' Ninjitsu who runs the Mangetsu Dojo in Toronto. He also has a [=YouTube=] channel -- [[https://www.youtube.com/user/Ninedirections/featured Nine Directions]] -- where he smiths his own ninja weapons and demonstrates techniques. |
| 347 | * Inverted in a way by the ''sulsa'', who were ninja-like special operatives of the Kingdom of Silla in Korea. The inversion comes from the fact that they predate Japanese ninja by several centuries (having come into existence in the 500s AD). |
| 348 | [[/folder]] |
| 349 |
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