[[quoteright:160:[[GGundam http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schwarz.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:160:[[WearingAFlagOnYourHead Wear your colors proudly.]]]]

->'''J.M.R., Germany:''' Are there any Ninjas in Germany?\\
'''The Ninja:''' That forest didn't get black by itself.
-->-- ''AskANinja'' [[http://askaninja.com/node/5507 Episode 60, Omniworld]]

{{Ninja}}s are [[RuleOfCool cool]] -- that's a simple, straightforward fact (unless you are a {{pirate}}), that seems to be almost universally recognized. They're also very, very Japanese. Or so you thought... 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.

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.

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 signalled to theatre audiences that they were supposed to ''pretend'' the stage hand was invisible. In some plays, one of the "stage hands" would suddenly jump out and shank someone -- thus revealing themselves to be an actual ninja actually there to shank someone.

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?

Characters who are non-Japanese but explicitly were trained in ninjitsu by real Japanese ninja ''usually'' don't count as [=McNinja=].

Fantasy worlds that have [=McNinjas=] might also be a case of CultureChopSuey.

Named after [[Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja Doctor McNinja]], the Irish-American Ninja Doctor of webcomic fame.

A.K.A. Gaijinja as a {{portmanteau}} of ''gaijin'' (meaning foreigner) and ''ninja''. [[note]]Although a redundant and meaning-lossy portmanteau, since 外人者, i.e. gaijinja would mean strictly "foreign person person".[[/note]]
----
!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''GGundam'' 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 though not quite correct]]). But he took the identity from the ''original'' Schwarz Bruder, who is a proper example.]]
** He apparently can even use the [[MasterofDisguise secret ninja art of transformation]] seeing as he [[spoiler: took the form of an old man in episode 18]].
** ''{{Gundam 00}}'' has a variation with Graham Aker in his "Mr. Bushido" persona- a [[PhenotypeStereotype blond, green-eyed]] ''{{samurai}}''.
** The infamous Moon Moon arc of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'' included '''Aztec Space Ninjas!'''
* ''AxisPowersHetalia'' has the "America Ninja" sketch. Who looks a little bit like a cowboy.
* ''TigerAndBunny'' has Ivan Karelin/Origami Cyclone, a Russian superhero ninja working in the U.S. (or the fictional equivalent of).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comics]]
* Ignoring the whole "stealth" idea, {{Deadpool}} is quite the ninja.
** 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.
* 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!"
** It really does, with its very own [[FantasyKitchenSink semi-mythical monster and various mysterious goings-on]]...
* ''{{Batman}}'' has the tools, the clothes, the attitude, the moves, even the backstory of training in Japan for it!
** The ironic part about this is that Bob Kane, Batman's creator, claimed that he had never heard of ninja!
* For that matter, there are other characters that qualify in comics, far too many to list, but some include ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, [[TheDCU Ravager,]] {{Elektra}}, [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Psylocke]], etc.
** {{Daredevil}} himself learned his moves from a ninja master, and is currently the leader of the diabolical Hand ninja clan.
* ''{{GI Joe}}'' features actual Japanese and non-Japanese ninja fighting side by side on both sides.
** 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'' ninjas you'll ever run across. There's probably a "Jew-jitsu" joke to be made here, but frankly this stuff's already hilarious.
** Oh, and then there's Budo. Who is a samurai. Named Kyle. He's from Sacramento. He's an infantryman in GI Joe, and he serves wearing full samurai armor and wielding a katana.
*** Budo's filecard does have some fun with the concept (after all, Hasbro makes the toys, and LarryHama has to make sense of them in the filecards), portraying him as a Harley-riding metalhead when he's off-duty.
* Four words: ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''.
* ''{{Diabolik}}'', the eponymous VillainProtagonist of a long-running Italian comic, wears a skin-tight black suit that leaves only his eyes exposed.
** 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.
* Definitely a few from ''NinjaHighSchool''. In fact the mother of the main character isn't even Japanese, she's technically ''German''.
** Wait, wasn't she Russian?
* In the first issue of the 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.
* Oedipus from ''TheTick''.
* After her RaceLift (in which she bodyswitched accidentally with a fellow telepath), The once-English now-Japanese [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} 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.]]
** Until she joined Wolverine and Angel's unnoficial {{X-Force}}, where she shows just how deadly a psychic ninja can be.
* Roxanne Richter, one of Ramona's evil exes ([[BiTheWay yeah, really]]) in ''ScottPilgrim''. Though she keeps reminding people that she's only [[HalfHumanHybrid "half-ninja"]].
** [[StalkerWithACrush Knives]] may qualify too.
* While ''ComicBook/NthManTheUltimateNinja'' plays its ninjas realistically, notice must be given to Dr. Irving Yagyu, the ninja dentist.
* In the Marvel universe, the ninjaesque superhero identity Ronin has been used by a bunch of characters, none of whom are Japanese.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/FlushedAway'' has French ninja, too. They are also ''frogs''.
** Which could be an unintentional reference to the importance of toads in Japanese folklore. Look at ''{{Anime/Naruto}}'' 's Jiraiya, for example (or the novel character he was named after and based on).
** It could also be a StealthPun referring to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_commando_frogmen frogmen]].
* Ninja security guards appeared in ''RugratsInParis'', but it's justified, as the amusement park is run by Japanese.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* The ninjas in any given [[GodfreyHoNinjaMovies movie Godfrey Ho did for IFD or Filmark]]. The lead ninjas are white and they tend to wear ''brightly'' color clothes.
* An entire series of movies: ''American Ninja''. It even got parodied in ''Irish American Ninja''
* The movie ''TonganNinja''.
* The ''Film/{{Hellboy}}'' movie's version of Kroenen is a [[StupidJetpackHitler Nazi German]] [[ClockPunk clockwork]] [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot cyborg ninja]] with a [[GogglesDoNothing gas mask]].
* The 2004 movie ''Ella Enchanted'' 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.
* ''Film/SurfNinjas''.
* ''Film/BeverlyHillsNinja''
--> '''Haru''': ''It is a black art, and I, Haru, am the blackest of the black. Or rather the great white black art... blackest... master.'''
* ''Brigada Explosiva Contra Los Ninjas''. The entire cast was Argentinian, even the ninjas.
** Same goes for the Argentinian-playing-an-Asian having ninjas as her {{Mooks}} in ''Bañeros 3: Todpoderosos''.
* Using the ''Film/DoubleDragon'' medallion turns American villain Koga Shuko into a ninja in the movie of the same name.
* ''GIJoe: [[Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra The Rise of Cobra]]'' 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]].
* The League of Shadows in ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'' 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.
* ''Phantom Raiders'' features a McNinja training Vietnam Vets to be {{Mc Ninja}}s for mission that features ninja stars, grenades, and gunfire.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', the black-clad Assassins give every appearance of being very [[strike:English]] Ankh-Morporkian ninja.
** Technically they are more in line with the Hashishin, also the Hashishin came first by three centuries.
** Perhaps not quite accurate for this page, but there were also the Ninja agents being used (as a throwaway gag) by the Men In Saffron (History Monks) in ''Discworld/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'."
*** Interesting side note however, the best of them in both cases (Vetinari and Lu Tse) are those who ditch most/all the (stereo)typical ninja stuff.
** Ninja make a token appearance in ''Interesting Times'', even though the [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Agatean Empire]] is more Chinese than Japanese.
* 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.
* While the term is never explicitly tossed around, with their penchant for throat-slitting scout and stealth work, ''GauntsGhosts'' are fairly ninja-ish. Their best member got a CrowningMomentOfAwesome in out-stealthing a Mandrake, who should have had the [[PunyEarthlings Puny Human]] beat easily.
* 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 [[NinjaZombiePirateRobot wolfman ninjas.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* The ''{{Mythbusters}}'' Ninja episode featured noticeably more ninja-costumed footage of Tory (Belleci) than of Grant (Imahara).
** 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.
*** And then there is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTqyU-bEE1M this]]...?
** In a more recent ninja special, the professional martial artist they hired to do demonstrate arrow catching was Australian. This was lampshaded.
* Not quite ninja, but related: ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' features a sketch about Her Majesty's own [=McKamikaze=] Highlanders.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has ''Scottish'' Ninja Monks at the start of one episode for no adequately explored reason.
* 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.)
** Viewers will no doubt be aware that the BBC adaptation of Robin Hood is not known for its historical accuracy.
* The ''SuperSentai'' series ''NinjaSentaiKakuranger'' featured Jiraiya (a.k.a. Ninja Black, therefore not [[{{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.
** For that matter ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'', with only one of the Rangers, Cam Watanabe, actually being Asian (and he was designated as a ''Samurai'' Ranger, to boot - noting that, in [[NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger the source series]], his counterpart was as ninja as the others, what with his GratuitousEnglish and all).
*** ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' seems similar, with only one Asian on the team (Mia); but they're all supposed to be descendants of actual samurai and were trained as such so probably don't count. But SixthRanger Antonio does count, being both self-taught and a bit of a Mexican-American stereotype. The original Japanese production, ''SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'', also played with this trope by having an episode where an American FunnyForeigner wanted to learn to be a samurai.
** Additionally, HumongousMecha aren't exactly the stealthiest of machines.
** 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]]?)
*** Well, she subbed in for [[GoGoSentaiBoukenger Kaze no Shizuka]], who was a bona-fide ninja.
** 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 still [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Aquatic Alien Power Ranger ninjas]].
* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat: Conquest'' features Chinese ninjas. This gets even more weird when all but a few of them are white.
* ''[[AlarmFurCobra11 Alarm für Cobra 11]]'' has occasional episodes with villains in black ninja suits ("Die schwarze Madonna," "Unter Feuer"). The ''Polizei'' SWAT team dresses in ninja-like black as well.
* Again not exactly ninjas, but John Belushi's samurai businesses (e.f. Samurai Optometrist) on the early years of ''SaturdayNightLive''.
* ''SekaiNinjaSenJiraiya'', the 1988 [[MetalHeroes Metal Hero]] series, featured numerous foreign ninjas in addition to Japanese ones (hence the title of the series, "Jiraiya: War of the World Ninjas").
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* Portia Perez and Nicole Matthews, the "Canadian Ninjas", in Wrestling/{{SHIMMER}}.
* WrestleCrap lists Kwang, a ''Puerto Rican'' ninja, among its inductees.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* "I am Ninja", by German band the Neu. "I am ninja, you are ninja, we are ninja too..."
** Features at the start of every ''AskANinja'' episode.
* 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.]]
* [[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.
* Ninja" by {{Europe}} is pretty much InNameOnly, seeing as the song has a kind of "love during wartime" theme.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* The Ninja class in a ''[[DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'' 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 [[PettingZooPeople Catfolk]] (the racial abilities really fit the class by the way), ninja barbarians (figure that one out), ninja ''Giants'', [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot ninja pirate zombies]]...
*** [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs Ninja. Giant. Barbarians.]]
** 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.
*** [[WildMassGuessing Elves are too tall?]].
* WarhammerFantasy has Dark Elf ninjas and ratman ninjas, as well as more traditional Nipponese human ninjas in Fanon.
** There's also [[{{Acrofatic}} Ogre Ninjas]].
* ''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.
** 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!
** Naturally, Ninja Burger's arch-rivals are Pirate Pizza.
* The ''{{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.
* ''TabletopGame/SPANCSpacePirateAmazonNinjaCatgirls'', a boardgame illustrated by Phil Foglio where Space Pirate Amazon Ninja Catgirls fight for loot and cute poolboys.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Pedro Cortes of ''VideoGame/{{Kessen}} III'' is a Spaniard and a ninja-class officer.
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts: From the New World'', 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?
** 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.
** 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.
* Vega, from the ''StreetFighter'' series, styles himself as a Spanish ninja. He's a cage fighter, so he can afford to be highly visible.
** Sodom from ''StreetFighter'' and ''FinalFight'' may be trying to be a ninja, or a samurai, or something else entirely. It's hard to tell because he's so very ''bad'' at trying to be Japanese.
** 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]].[[note]]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 is unknown if this was a retcon or if he became a naturalized American after ''Final Fight''.[[/note]]
** As of Super Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter x Tekken it's almost officially certain as being a retcon. His website lists his place of birth as the USA.
* Sub-Zero, Frost, Smoke and a good number of other ninja-types from the ''VideoGame/MortalKombat'' series were members of the Lin Kuei, the Chinese equivalent of the ninja. Scorpion, however, was a Japanese ninja, as reflected in his suit changes and choice of sword in the 3D games.
** The Lin Kuei claim the inverse of [=McNinja=]: the ninja tradition started when a Lin Kuei named Takeda absconded to Japan with their secrets.
** The Lin Kuei [[InsistentTerminology also claim to not be Ninjas]].
** To wit: Cyrax is Motswana (meaning he's from Botswana, a country in Southern Africa), the Sub-Zero brothers are of mixed Chinese-American ethnicity, and Smoke is Czech. And, while not stated outright, we can assume Sektor to be Chinese, what with being the son of the Grandmaster and all.
** The [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul automated]] Sektor, a former member of Lin Kuei, killed the clan's Grandmaster and briefly assumed leadership until the younger Sub-Zero cast him out. In response, Sektor created the Tekunin, a clan composed of ''[[NinjaPirateZombieRobot cyborg ninjas]]''. And yeah, ''these'' are (or were, as might be the case) based in Japan.
** For the record, the Lin Kuei actually existed, and are obscure enough to qualify this as an example of ShownTheirWork.
* The ''Franchise/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 the first ''VideoGame/MetalGear''. Then there was the 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 in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'', who helped Snake during the events of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'', but became a Cyborg Ninja afterward ([[{{expy}} noticed a pattern?]]). There's also Olga Gurlukovich in ''[=MGS2=]'', who was not actually a Cyborg Ninja, 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.
* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' has Galford and Earthquake, from California and Texas, respectively (despite both states being Spanish and Mexican territories at the time).
* 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 learn the art from a Japanese assassin (a feat in itself considering [[LastOfHisKind they're short in supply in-series]]).
* Roger Sasuke from the [[ShootEmUps bullet-hell shooter]] ''VideoGame/ShikigamiNoShiro III'' is another American ninja.
* A [[CanadaEh Canadian]] ninja: Raven from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}} 5''. Humorously, he's far more of a proper shinobi than Japanese "ninja" Yoshimitsu (who acts more like a cross between a shugenja and a samurai).
* ''VideoGame/ReturnToCastleWolfenstein'' was originally supposed to have Nazi Ninjas, but they didn't make it into the final product due to time constraints.
** The [[VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}} 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.
* ''[[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.
* ''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.
** [[GreenSkinnedSpaceHunk Thane]] is also very ninja-like, [[CutscenePowerToTheMax at least in cutscenes.]] As is [[ClassyCatBurgular Kasumi]], but she's actually Japanese.
* The ''StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse (particularly the ''Revenge of the Sith'' video game) has Clone Assassins, Clone Troopers who have received ''ninja training'' to allow them to fight in melee combat against Jedi.
* ''[[TotalWar Rome: Total War]]'' 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.
** Are we even playing the same game? 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.
* The third ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' game had Vortinija, a group of [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot blue space dog ninjas]].
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', some Rogue talent builds and gear sets will result in a character pretty much exactly like a stereotypical ninja. However, of the eight races that can be rogues, only one has any Japanese influence at all (Night Elves) and even they [[CultureChopSuey have lots of other influences as well]]. This means that it's possible to play MedievalEuropeanFantasy Ninja, OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Ninja, AllTrollsAreDifferent Ninja...
** The decidedly Chinese-influenced Pandaren have their own ninja clan: Shado-pan.
* The ''HouseOfTheDead'' series has [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot ninja zombies]] as well as ''cyborg'' versions of those.
* [[Comicbook/XMen Psylocke's]] status as this is somewhat emphasised in ''XMenNextDimension''. As in, every move she can use includes the word "ninja" somewhere, and she speaks in an incredibly thick British accent.
* 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.
* ''{{Quake 4}}''s version of the Berserker probably qualifies, as well as being [[LightningBruiser very durable and hard-hitting]] for its speed.
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'''s Brooklyn "Bullet" Luckfield is a Caucasian samurai-in-training who pilots a Chinese HumongousMecha.
** 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 very large sword.
** The Vysaga from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAdvance'' and ''Original Generation'' is a Humongous Mecha ninja of uncertain but likely non-Japanese manufacture.
* ''Franchise/BioShock'''s Spider Splicers climb on walls and ceilings, are fast and acrobatic, and throw hooks shuriken-style.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'''s ''Operation Anchorage'' {{expansion pack}} has Chinese Crimson Dragoons, who wear InvisibilityCloak-equipped [[SpyCatsuit catsuits]] and usually wield Chinese Officer Swords or Sniper Rifles.
* ''VideoGame/SensoryOverload'' has two types of ninjas, the more common type that only use melee attacks, and the shuriken-throwing {{Invisibility Cloak}}ed ones.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''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]].
* In ''[[http://www.gpf-comics.com/ General Protection Fault]]'', 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...
* 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...
** 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.
* In ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'', one of the main villains is a group of British ninja. They're commonly referred to as '[[FanNickname The Britjas]]' in conversation.
** The WalkyVerse also gives us an American wannabe-ninja in the form of ''Shortpacked'''s Ninja Rick.
* The webcomic ''NoNeedForBushido'' features a female, blonde ninja. With big boobs. And a female ninja with an eyepatch. [[{{Fanservice}} And big boobs.]]
** You forgot the female Ninja with the fan.
* ''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]] demonstrated asome 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).
** Also, 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 commandos variety. The former gave a good fright to Wooster and were mopped up by [[spoiler:Zola's minions (i.e. Knights of Jove's operatives)]] prepared to face them, and the latter ended up at the wrong end of ConservationOfNinjutsu in an overt mission where they ran into bunch of [[SuperSoldier Jäger]] [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking generals]] and one Smoke Knight.
* In ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'', almost every race in the cosmos -- from [[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 [[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''.
** And when they meet, HilarityEnsues.
* ''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0312.html This]]'' strip of ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' 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.
** While Azure City is effectively Japan, nothing on earth could justify Redcloak's (now deceased) Goblin ninja. Replaced by Hobgoblin Ninja.
*** There's plenty of justification, you just [[FailedASpotCheck failed your spot check]] looking for it.
*** Indeed, it's right [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0274.html here]]. One of the gods thought they would be fun. Done and done.
** The prequel book ''Start of Darkness'' contains what may be the most horrifying ninja sub-breed ever conceived... Ninja Clowns.
* ''[[http://samandfuzzy.com/ Sam and Fuzzy]]'' includes an international brotherhood of ninjas, most of whom are [=McNinjas=].
* 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.
* Quantum Ninja, in an otherwise European medieval fantasy dimension in ''Webcomic/CaseyAndAndy''.
* ''{{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.
* The ninjas in the [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20120117.html current storyline]] of ''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.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* 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]]".
* The original [[http://www.ninjaburger.com website]] for ''NinjaBurger'' is dedicated to this trope- also quite [[BurgerFool literally]].
* ''AskANinja'' doesn't quite count as this, but his theme song does.
* Nex of the 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.
* ''WebVideo/NinjaTheMissionForce'' runs on this Godfrey Ho-fueled trope.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The public library in ''JacobTwoTwo'' has a squad of highly-trained "Library Ninja" specialized in recovering overdue books.
* Snake-Eyes from ''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.
** 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 ''[[GIJoeSigma6 Sigma 6]]'' and ''[[GIJoeRenegades Renegades]]''.
* The Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles were explicitly trained by a Japanese ninja, who had moved to New York and got turned into a rat. However, they are in every other way 100% American.
** More commonly in adaptations, Splinter was always a rat who watched his former Ninja owner and learned from him before being mutated into a humanoid.
* On ''TheFairlyOddParents'', Poof becomes a ninja during the "Wishology" trilogy thanks to [[TaughtByTelevision television]].
* Embarrassment Ninjas in ''KimPossible''. Drakken even lampshades this quoting "I guess in their profession, it pays to specialize."
* Prowl and Jazz of ''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.
* FamilyGuy 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!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Ninjas themselves could be considered the 14th-century-onwards equivalent of the 11th century Hashishin, now Nizari.
** So ninjas are ''hasshashin-san''.
** And the equivalent of many special forces units like SAS, Navy SEAL s, Spetznaz -- what do the JSDF have?
*** The JGSDF's SF unit is the Special Forces Group, modeled after Delta Force. The JMSDF has the Special Boarding Unit, modeled after the British SBS. The latter had requested Navy SEAL assistance, but they didn't have the time to do so which is why they turned to the British instead.
* Bizarrely, a lot of American ninjutsu enthusiasts actually went to the trouble of learning Ninjutsu from actual Japanese practitioners. These practitioners learned it in clear lines of delineation from Masaaki Hatsumi himself. Effectively, this means that there actually are a bunch of guys in Kentucky and other VERY American places who knows ninjutsu as much as any of the "legitimate" practitioners in Japan today.
** It should be noted that Masaaki Hatsumi's version of ninjutsu is unverified as legitimately descended from whatever form was practiced in older times. Then again, so is everybody else's, since the ninja were careful to not leave detailed records
** Some would say that being able to convince the world that his particular variety of ninjutsu was actually descended from ninja proves that - as a properly trained ninja is a master of deception - even if it isn't, he still qualifies as a true ninja.
* Knife and martial arts enthusiasts tend to refer to people who seem to have more interest in being cool than practical as "mall ninjas", and their concept of martial arts as "bullshido". The terms are obviously not complimentary.
[[/folder]]

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