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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

N is for Ninja

The first half of an argument that splits nerds down the middle (for the other half, check out my "P" post on Thursday), Ninjas are the black-clad, mask wearing, martial arts masters that spawned out of feudal Japan. Sometimes seen as vigilante crime-fighters, and sometimes ruthless killers, ninjas are stealthy, dark and dangerous. And almost as cool as pirates 

Andrew and Andy, this one's for you . . . 

N is for Ninja 

Raizo (Ninja Assassin) – Raised to become the most lethal ninja assassin in the world, and the next in line to lead the Ozunu Clan, Raizo is trained to brutal perfection. However, when Lord Ozunu's actions become too barbarous, Raizo rejects the clan that brought him in and seeks revenge for their dark deeds.  

Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum (3 Ninjas) – One of my favorite movies as a little girl, the Douglas brother protagonists of 3 Ninjas were taught martial arts and Jujitsu at the hands of their Japanese grandfather, Mori. Taking on both kidnappers and an organized crime ring, there's nothing these three ninja brothers can't handle. [And a note to my friends Kalina, Shannon and Becky – I'm still glad they brought the cute Rocky back for the third movie. Why they switched for the second I'll never understand.]

Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) – The best ninjas ever created, the TMNT are the heroes of my childhood. These four brothers were once your garden variety reptiles, but after coming into contact with some toxic ooze, they were transformed into the spectacularly named Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Raised in the sewers and taught ninjutsu by their rat sensei Splinter, these turtles love nothing more than pizza, color-coordinated accessories, and fighting crime. [My favorite, by the way, is a two-way tie between Donatello and Rafael.]

Elektra (Marvel Comics) – The only female to make my list, Elektra is a deadly as she is beautiful. Trained by the Hand, an order of evil mercenary ninjas, to become a deadly assassin,  she eventually broke away from the order, but not before they damaged her already darkened soul. One of the most beloved Marvel characters, Elektra is a violent and seductive ninja. 

Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow (G. I. Joe) – Sword brothers, rivals . . . these two men are some of the most dangerous ninjas ever dreamed up. With a vow of silence and wearing head to toe black, Snake Eyes is my favorite of the Joes. And Storm Shadow, his white-clad foe. So conflicted, venturing back and forth between sides. But whether fighting with each other or against, these two frenemies kick some serious butt. 

And there you have it, my Top 5 favorite Ninjas. What are some of your favorites?
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This post is part of the Blogging A through Z Challenge 2013. My theme (in case you didn't already guess) is character types and tropes. Stay tuned for the rest of the alphabet, and if you’d like to check in on the other participants, simply click here.

21 comments:

  1. Ninja's probably would have worn dark blue clothes but they are still kick ass. I am a big fan of Raizo...mhmm ninja

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  2. Great post. I LOVE the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My favourite when I was a kid was Raphael (I think because if you exchange the "p" for "c" it spells my name!)
    Rachael

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  3. I love the teenage mutant ninja turtles, and their theme song is currently stuck in my head. And Elektra, of course, is awesome, but honestly, my first thought when I saw this post was the 3 Ninjas movie. I never saw the sequels though.

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  4. I never knew there were so many kinds of ninjas. I love it! Thanks for the explanation!

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  5. I never knew there were so many kinds of ninjas. I love it! Thanks for the explanation!

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  6. I have now discovered that I am 'ninja challenged'. I never heard of any of these. So, some new information for sure.

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  7. The entire time I was reading this, there was a refrain of "Rocky loves Emily" going on inside my head. If it continues through the day, I'll know who to blame.

    Also, this is clearly better than any post that might show up on Thursday...

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    1. Now the chant is in my head too. And Thursday will be WAY better.

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  8. Me Andrew? >blink<
    I was all into the lure of the ninja when I was younger.
    Snake Eyes was my first.
    Then the 80's TV show The Master.
    Ninja Turtles as a comic book, not the cartoon (which I thought was dumb), but I did like the first (original) movie (and the third?), and the new animated one was pretty good, too. I always like Leo.

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    1. No, sorry, I meant my boyfriend Andrew. But apparently there's a trend among Andrews (and Andys) towards ninjas (as opposed to pirates of course).

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    2. Actually, I'm on the side of the pirates. Especially in a straight fight.

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    3. You have just risen higher in my esteem.

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  9. There was the Beverly Hills Ninja, how a list of Ninjas could be made and not include that one is beyond me.

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  10. I love your Ninja post. I didn't know there were that many Ninja's. Of course, my favorites are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My daughter loved them when she was growing up and now they are popular again. My grandson loves them. :)
    A to Z April Blogging Challenge
    #1245
    http://mauldinfamily1.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/n-is-for-nostalgia/

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  11. I'll count The Bride in Kill Bill, plus the movie The Warrior's Way.

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  12. Ninjas! Definitely cooler than pirates.

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  13. I can't think of any ninjas I was really into, maybe Shadow from Final Fantasy 3. I really got into samurai in high school, because they were like Japanese knights and I discovered an urge to be completely different from everyone else

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  14. Prince Zoco is ninja from Avatar. I think he's a good example. I love that show.

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  15. Love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

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  16. I gotta give a shout out to Ryu Hayabusa from the Ninja Gaiden series just because I mentioned him today!

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  17. I guess I'd have to go with the turtles. My kids were at the optimum age to be completely engrossed in the mutant mania. I guess I kinda had a soft spot for them too. :-)

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