Two Types of Ninja
There is a big difference between the ninja who were actually active on the battlefield (hereafter referred to as “real ninja”) and those who were fictionalized (hereafter referred to as “fictionalized ninja”).
When we look at the activities of real ninja in ninjutsu books, we find that many of their techniques and tools can be explained scientifically, although some of them are superstitious. However, those of fictional ninja are often eccentric.
The Edo, Meiji, and Taisho Period
Ninja tales written during the Edo period (1603-1868) depicted stories in which “ninjas using superhuman ninjutsu infiltrate to take away something important”, ignoring science and other factors (Katsuya Yoshimaru, “忍者文芸読本”). As such tales became plays, they began to be depicted and visualized as Ukiyo-e (浮世絵).
In the Meiji period (1868-1912), ninja, who had been only sub-characters until then, such as “Sarutobi Sasuke,” became allies of justice and gained the status of main characters in Kodan Sokkibon books and Tachikawa bunko books(“忍者の誕生” edited by Yuji Yamada and Katsuya Yoshimaru). This made it possible to portray the ninja as both a sub and main character.
Furthermore, in the Taisho era (1912-1926), movies were imported, and it became easier to visually express ninjutsu that could not exist in reality, such as disappearing and reappearing. This became popular, and as ninja movies were produced in large numbers, children began to imitate such ninjas. Seeing how children imitated the ninja, even analog games such as Ninja Sugoroku (board game) were invented.
The Showa Period
In the Showa period, manga was added to the list. In the world depicted in manga, ninja were increasingly depicted as gags, further increasing the range of expression. When home video games became popular in the 1950s, digital ninja games were added. Furthermore, fictional ninja continued to change with the times as ninja were exported overseas and new images of ninja were created there (Katsuya Yoshimaru, “アナログ忍者ゲームの世界” in “忍者学研究” edited by Yuji Yamada). (Gyokushūsai Tamada)
