Line #52 Main/FrogNinja


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3	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Take care to put your example in its proper place in accordance with Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings!
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7	[[quoteright:300:[[Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ash_greninja_9.png]]]]
8	[[caption-width-right:300:Even [[VideoGame/PokemonXAndY Pokémon]] have got [[FuumaShuriken it]] down.]]
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10	Aside from [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles turtles]], what animal would you associate with a ninja? [[CatNinja A cat]]? [[NobleWolf A wolf]]? [[DragonsUpTheYinYang A dragon]]? A... [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg frog]]? Odd choice, but okay.
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12	[[OlderThanRadio Ever since the 19th century]], ninjas and frogs (or toads) have been synonymous with each other over in Japan, in part due to the influence of the epic poem-turned-Kabuki show ''Jiraiya Gouketsu Monogatari'' ("The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya").
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14	This ninja is almost invariably a good guy, and exhibits some kind of amazing, or even supernatural abilities, such as summoning a giant frog, turning into one themselves, or [[FrogMen even just being a frog already]]. Optional is to include [[SnakesAreSinister an arch-enemy with snake powers]].
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16	While it would seem rather outlandish for a stealth-based profession to give itself frog motifs, literary influence or not, frogs are stealthier and quicker than most give them credit for. Consider that the fact that frogs can catch flies -- which perceive time four times slower than humans -- is a testament not only to their speed, but also their patience. Also, frogs, especially aquatic ones that frequent water, are stalking predators that are able to sneak up on their prey. Their legs give them immense jumping power that allow them to pounce on their prey and back almost instantly. So, the prospect of a frog ninja must not sound so implausible to you now, huh?
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18	Compare CatNinja. Sometimes associated with FrogMen. Subtrope of AnimalOccupationStereotypes.
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20	----
21	!!Examples:
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
24	* ''Literature/LogHorizon:'' Leonardo is an Assassin-class player who dresses like a frog, emulating the hero from his favorite cartoon (described as [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles a ninja who dual-wields katanas, loves pizza and yells "Cowabunga!"]]). This is mostly WritingAroundTrademarks, but it also makes sense in the context of the trope.
25	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}:'' There is an entire hidden village of frogs trained in mystical and ninja techniques. They become prominent in the series for two specific pupils:
26	** Jiraiya, who trained among said frogs, is able to summon a giant toad, can partially transform himself into one, and has a snake-themed enemy. Most importantly, he is an {{Expy}} of the TropeMaker himself.
27	** [[TheHero Naruto himself]] is tutored by Jiraiya, learning to summon frogs from the get-go and later trains under Gamabunta to learn a lot of the same jutsus that Jiraiya used.
28	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' takes the aesthetic with Greninja in particular a step further by including a seldom-used TCG ability called Battle Bond, which--for lack of better description--combines Greninja's aura with that of its trainer. In this case, Ash. It's an ability that takes a while for them to perfect, but it helps Ash get his final badge and make it to the Final of the Lumiose Conference, going further than he'd ever gone in any prior region. Ash-Greninja, as the form has come to be known, provides the page image, and Ash's Greninja even [[CanonImmigrant got ported into the main game series]] as of ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', right down to the Battle Bond ability allowing access to that specific Super Mode.
29	* ''Manga/SgtFrog'': Lance Corporal Dororo is a frog alien who lived alongside Ninja for an extended period. Compared to his more anti-heroic (or [[VillainProtagonist borderline villainous]]) companions, [[TokenGoodTeammate he has more of a moral compass]].
30	* ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'' features Gamanosuke, a giant ''toad'' who works as the training partner of Gozarutchi the ninja.
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33	[[folder:Card Games]]
34	* ''VideoGame/{{Hearthstone}}'' has the card [[https://hearthstone.blizzard.com/en-us/cards/40803-finja-the-flying-star/ Finja, the Flying Star]], a frog-like murloc wielding katana-nosed swordfish, said to be the deadliest assassin in Gadgetzan.
35	* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh:''
36	** The anime-exclusive card "''[[https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Illusion_Ninjitsu_Art_of_Hazy_Toad Illusion Ninjitsu Art of Hazy Toad]]''" depicts a ninja being overshadowed by a giant golden toad. It grants a "Ninja" monster you control 1000 ATK during your opponent's Battle Phase.
37	** Another anime-exclusive [[https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Illegal_Summon Illegal Summon]] depicts the TropeMaker Jiraiya himself riding a toad. The effect allows each player to Special Summon a level 4 or lower monster from their decks, referencing Jiraiya's ability to summon a toad.
38	[[/folder]]
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40	[[folder:Fan Works]]
41	* ''Fanfic/TheMythOfLinkAndZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' adapts events from the namesake game, as well as some elements from ''Videogame/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity''. One of these elements is the Sheikah's {{Ninja}} nature, and their affinity for frogs with their frog statues, but this story takes it a step further. [[spoiler: The Golden Goddesses created three animal spirits, the Wolf for Link, the Owl for Zelda, and the Boar for Ganondorf, to wield against Demise's curse, which ended up possessing the Boar and Ganondorf for its own purposes. After the Great Calamity 100 years ago, Hylia decided to create a spirit animal for the Sheikah, the Frog. She specifically made it in the form of a frog ''because'' of its nature as the spirit animal of the Sheikah.]]
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44	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
45	* Le Frog's henchfrogs in ''WesternAnimation/FlushedAway'' are all black-clad stealthy martial artists, but differ from the standard version by being villains, and [[NationalAnimalStereotypes French]].
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48	%%[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
49	%%* ''Film/TheMagicSerpent'' is directly based on Jiraiya Gouketsu Monogatari, but with just a hint of {{Kaiju}}s.
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52	[[folder:Literature]]
53	* ''Jiraiya Gouketsu Monogatari'', a 19th century poem, is unmistakably the TropeMaker. The titular Jiraiya (formerly Ogata Hiroyuki) was a deposed prince who learned ninjitsu and Yamabushi magic under the frog sage [[TheMentor Senso Dojin]] alongside his love Tsunade (a student of [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg Slug Magic]]), both to defeat his [[APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil student-turned-snake-sorcerer]] Orochimaru and stop his plan to conquer all of Japan and eventually the world.
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56	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
57	* ''Franchise/KamenRider'':
58	** ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'': One of the Future Riders is Rentaro Kagura: Kamen Rider Shinobi, who gains his armor from a giant robot frog called Kurogane Oogama (lit. Iron Toad). In the ''Rider Time: Shinobi'' miniseries, he fights against Yaminin and his Niji no Hebi clan of Ninjas. This goes doubly for his teacher: [[MentorArchetype Master Gamano]]. Beyond his [[PunnyName name being a pun]][[note]]''Gama no Shishō'' or ''"Master of Toad"''[[/note]], he's a far more capable ninja than his pupil, and is able to turn into a wall scroll of a frog. [[spoiler:Jury's out on [[EvilMentor whether or not he's a good guy, though]]]].
59	** In ''Series/KamenRiderGeats'', Kamen Rider Tycoon has a ninja motif, and he's tied to frogs through his backer Kekera: Kekera presents himself as a statue of a frog wearing a business suit, and when he transforms into a Kamen Rider himself, he takes the form of a giant cyber-frog. A web special even has him team up with the aforementioned Shinobi.
60	* ''Series/SekaiNinjaSenJiraiya'': The titular hero of the series. While he doesn't possess any magical abilities, his helmet features a frog motif and [[spoiler:he's the descendant of a frog-like alien]].
61	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' has incorporated frogs into some of its ninja-themed series. Some of this gets brought into its adaptation ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', but downplayed since this trope isn't as well-known in America:
62	** ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'': Ninja Black is named Jiraiya (And a descendant of the original Jiraiya) and pilots frog-themed mecha, two frog-faced humanoid mechs followed by an actual frog-shaped one. For bonus points, when performing its special attacks, he stands atop the frog akin to how the literary Jiraiya is often portrayed in artworks.
63	** Likewise, his counterpart Adam's ninja spirit animal in Season 3 of ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' (and before that, the non-canon ''Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheMovie'') is that of a frog. He also pilots the Frog Ninjazord. He's not quite happy about this initially in the movie, and rather than try to explain the ninja connection it's justified with BewitchedAmphibians instead.
64	---> '''[[Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheMovie Dulcea]]:''' What's wrong, Adam?\
65	'''Adam:''' ''[embarrassed]'' [[ThrowItIn I'm a]] ''[[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway frog]]''.\
66	'''Dulcea:''' Yes, the one who will become a handsome prince with a kiss.
67	** ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'': As [[StandardEvilOrganizationSquad Jakanja]] are an order of evil ninjas with AnimalMotifs, one of their generals ([[TheBrute Chuuzubo]]) is naturally frog-themed. (His American counterpart Choobo in ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'', however, ignores the animal themes completely -- the only froglike thing about Choobo that the local audience would recognize is green skin.) One of Sargain/Zurgane's [[MonsterOfTheWeek underlings]], Water Absorbing Ninja Gamajakushi/Amphibidor, however, is more overtly frog-themed.
68	** ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'': The main gun sidearm of the core Ninningers, the Gama Gama Juu[[note]]Toad Toad Gun[[/note]] is a golden gun in the shape of a frog. Its finisher is a beam in the form of its tongue. These also serves as their alarm system to warn them of active Youkai. These are carried over into ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel'', but with their frogginess downplayed -- they're simply called "Ninja Blasters", and the toy version was given a complete overhaul to look less like a frog (while still reasonably resembling the original design in the ''Ninninger'' StockFootage).
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71	[[folder:Video Games]]
72	* In ''VideoGame/ArmoryAndMachine'', one of the enemies in the Cliffs is the Ninja Frog. They usually perform several fake-out moves before throwing a deadly powerful shuriken.
73	* ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'' has Shinobu Sengoku, who styles himself on a ninja. He also has an affinity towards frogs.
74	* Summoning a giant fire-breathing toad is a skill of the Ninja class in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV''.
75	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' fully embraces the {{Ninja}} nature of the Sheikah of previous games by reinterpreting their home of Kakariko Village from a typical fantasy village into a proper feudal Japanese style village. Frog statues are frequently found all over the village, revered by the people. Their archenemies, the Yiga Clan, who serve Ganon, also have frog statues found in their base.
76	** In the prequel game, ''VIdeoGame/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity'', a younger Impa summons human sized frogs as a part of her moveset.
77	** The Sequel game, ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'', introduces the "Froggy" armor set, which allows Link to climb on slick surfaces, and which resembles traditional Ninja garb, especially the head piece.
78	* Jazz Amun from ''VideoGame/JitsuSquad'' is a WarriorMonk turned into a frog, with plenty of ninja-like fighting skills allowing him to kick ass with extreme expertise.
79	* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
80	** One of Shadow Man's stock ninja abilities (along with throwing lots and lots of shuriken and [[NinjaLog turning into a log when hit]]) in ''VideoGame/MegaMan2ThePowerFighters'' is to summon a giant robot frog to ride on after reaching half health. His car in ''Mega Man: Battle & Chase'' is also shaped like a frog.
81	** The fangame ''VideoGame/Rockman4MinusInfinity'' invokes this trope even more by hiding an OptionalBoss fight against Shadow Man (along with his robot frog mount) in Toad Man's stage, while Toad Man [[TookALevelInBadass suddenly becomes a lot more agile and ninja-like in his moveset]].
82	* ''VideoGame/Persona4'' has Yosuke's initial Persona, the "[[Webcomic/{{Hiimdaisy}} disco ninja]] [[MemeticMutation frog]]" Jiraiya.
83	* ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'': The fully evolved form of the Water-Type Starter Pokémon Froakie is the Water/Dark-Type Greninja. It wears its ninja influences on its sleeve with high attack and speed, a tongue which mimics a scarf and fashioning throwing stars out of water.
84	** When introduced as a playable character in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', Greninja was granted several more ninja-like abilities. Along with the aforementioned Water Shuriken attack, it also gained a few moves in the form of water katanas (changed to water kunai as of ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]''), and a NinjaLog counter-attack in the form of Substitute (which sometimes manifests as an actual log).
85	** While not an example of this trope, it is interesting to note that one of the other notable ninja-themed Pokémon, Accelgor, is a slug. The TropeMaker's wife, Tsunade, was also a ninja that trained in slug-themed magic, just as her husband's proficiency was toad magic. It doesn't seem like a coincidence that these are the only two Pokémon that can learn Greninja's SignatureMove, Water Shuriken.
86	* ''VideoGame/SenranKagura'': In some games, one of Asuka's Ninja Arts is to summon a huge toad to slam onto multiple enemies.
87	* ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'': Suzu can [[SummonMagic summon]] Jiraiya in her signature [[LimitBreak Mystic Arte]]. In remakes of the original game the arte has two versions, a normal, and a "failure" one. In the latter the summon fails, and instead changes Suzu into a frog costume.
88	* In ''[[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2]]'', Answer's [[LauncherMove Dust]] move has him summon a large frog to knock the opponent upwards with its tongue. It also appears in one of his victory animations, where it eats the fallen enemy, [[TooSpicyForYogSothoth only to spit them back out in disgust]].
89	* ''VideoGame/{{Nioh}}'' has you face the Giant Toad, a big toad-man wielding both a spear and a massive clay DistinguishedGentlemansPipe, in the Iga compound. While he may not seem like a typical ninja at first glance, he was the leader of the Iga ninja clan in life, is Hattori Hanzo's father, and is a more formidable warrior now than ever.
90	* ''VideoGame/YokaiHunterShintaro'' has a villainous example with the Ōgama ninja (a frog-based yokai) serving as one of the bosses. It leaps all over the place InASingleBound spamming his flung projectiles in your direction, and can use a DoppelgangerAttack to split himself in two and attack you from both sides.
91	[[/folder]]
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93	[[folder:Western Animation]]
94	* WesternAnimation/CaptainLaserhawkABloodDragonRemix: Bullfrog here is both a stealthy assassin, and a frog.
95	[[/folder]]

Context Main / FrogNinja