TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS
(VIDEO GAMES: MALE)
(VIDEO GAMES: MALE)
For my friend, Meredith
who at one time said she wanted to be a wall-flipping ninja Santa Claus
I don't know what it is about ninjas that draws me to them. Maybe it's their mysterious (typically all black) design or their deadly trade. Super-spy espionage. Assassination. Subterfuge. Mysterious and sometimes supernatural mysticism surrounding them. And the fact that ninja were/are real! To me the more I learn about ninjas the more fascinating they become, whether it's the romanticized version or the very real version. Their mystery and intrigue is undeniably captivating.
I sat down to assemble this list, which originally was going to be my top ten favorite ninjas, one of my favorite subjects. But when I started listing characters, and in 30 seconds I had thirty different ninjas, I realized I had a problem. FYI, the number has grown beyond thirty and is still climbing.
To remedy this problem I have done my best to subdivide all these characters into more specific lists, hence this list being relegated to only male ninjas from video games.
Imagine my joy at discovering that instead of one list of my favorite ninjas I will be composing several!
WHAT ARE NINJAS?
Essentially ninjas are spies, secret agents, warriors, and assassins. The term specifically for male ninjas is SHINOBI. The term specifically for female ninjas is KUNOICHI. Ninjas, like any society, had different castes of ninjas. Everyone was trained in the art of combat and stealth, so that if called upon for a mission anyone could rise to the challenge. But obviously some were more skilled than others. To be a ninja one had to be able to take on any role in Japanese society and perform it convincingly, know the social customs from the peasants to the aristocracy. One had to be well versed in all manner of weaponry as well as dress, make-up, and disguise.
A ninja's life depended on all these aspects and more in order to survive as most ninjas were killed upon sight by the samurai.
A common misconception about the ninja is that they have no honor. This is not true. While both believed in the code of Bushido, the samurai placed great importance on fighting fairly and a sense of loyalty and fealty toward their lord be it the local Daimyo (feudal lord) or reigning Shogun. The samurai even had a specific means of regaining or retaining one's honor after death, the act of seppuku or hara kiri. Needless to say, the samurai code was strictly adhered to and was a matter of life and death. Those whom did not adhere to such values were viewed with disdain. Maintaining this code ensured your honor on Earth as well as a place in heaven.
Ninjas didn't believe in those same values. They believed in serving a lord when employed by them for a mission but saw the concept of a "fair fight" as limiting. Stealth and guile to complete a mission was heavily employed. Japanese society viewed ninjas as honorless and ninjas were societal outcasts.
Having no place in heaven nor on Earth, ninjas placed all their value on their own skills and each other. They practiced and honed their skills and abilities beyond anyone else, so much so that the acts they'd perform, when viewed by someone outside the ninja clan, appeared super human or magical. This is part of the mythic presence surrounding ninjas. A ninja's skill was everything. The greater your skill the greater your value and standing in the ninja clan. While placing great value on oneself they also placed great value on each other, protecting their fellow ninja and the secrecy of the clan being paramount above all else.
Ninjas in Video Games
I don't know when exactly the first video game ninja appeared but one of the earliest games I could find was this computer role-playing game from 1979 titled AVATAR. It was a myth & magic dungeon exploring game featuring a ninja character one could be among a team of other characters. Once Nintendo hit the scene ninjas became a common staple of video gaming, either appearing in games as opponents or allies or starring in their own games.
From there I'm sure you know the rest. Ninjas have been an essential part of video games for decades and will likely continue to be for years to come
ON WITH THE LIST ALREADY!
DISCLAIMER:
Okay, I've excluded a few from the list because I feel they are better represented in other lists. The characters I've excluded are BATMAN, the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, and PSYLOCKE (the X-Men character ((as if you didn't know))). These characters will show up on a more appropriate list i.e. comic book ninjas or movie ninjas despite having had great video game appearances as well.
With that out of the way we can finally begin listing my personal favorite video game ninjas!
#12
NINJA
Video Game: Final Fantasy (1987)
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
NINJA
Video Game: Final Fantasy (1987)
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
One of the original group of heroes for the Final Fantasy franchise is none other than a ninja! You can imagine my elation when going through my first playthrough of the game and my thief was transformed into a badass ninja (by the dragon Bahamut no less)! Equip him with the Masamune, the ultimate weapon in the game, and what you have is one of the best ninjas in all video gamedom (in my opinion).
While not in every entry in the series there are several ninjas that appear in the franchise, the most prominent being the ninja named Edge from Final Fantasy IV (1991), Shadow from Final Fantasy VI (1994), and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII (1997) among others. Ninjas are a staple of the Final Fantasy series dating back to the original.
#11
SUB-ZERO
Video Game: Mortal Kombat (1992)
Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo
What?! Sub-Zero doesn't even make the top ten?! What kinda crap is that?!
Sub-Zero is awesome. Let's make that perfectly clear. He's one of my two favorite characters in Mortal Kombat. But when they said he was Chinese he ceased being a ninja or rather became a ninja in name only. Ninjas are Japanese. The Chinese have their own secret stealth assassins and I'm sure they'd be quite offended at being called ninjas and vice versa. No offense to Midway Games but they didn't have a clue as to what a ninja really is. If he's Chinese then he's not a ninja. Terminology is the problem.
Beside that point Sub-Zero is a cool video game "ninja" character. One of the best designs for a ninja character out there. And Midway knew it too. Mortal Kombat has a ton of ninjas and most of them are cool. Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Reptile, Smoke, Ermac, Rain, Noob Saibot, Cyrax, Sektor, Kitana, Mileena, Jade, and more... Most of them are sprite/color pallet swaps though or began that way. But Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Reptile were the original Mortal Kombat ninjas and I gotta admit to liking them, even if some of them aren't technically "ninjas."
I do find it really cool that the first Sub-Zero was killed by Scorpion during the events of the original Mortal Kombat game. Sub-Zero's younger brother takes up the mantle in the subsequent games and the original Sub-Zero is resurrected as the character Noob Saibot. That's a cool story.
THE TOP TEN
#10
RIKIMARU
Video Game: Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (1998)
Platform: Playstation
While not in every entry in the series there are several ninjas that appear in the franchise, the most prominent being the ninja named Edge from Final Fantasy IV (1991), Shadow from Final Fantasy VI (1994), and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII (1997) among others. Ninjas are a staple of the Final Fantasy series dating back to the original.
#11
SUB-ZERO
Video Game: Mortal Kombat (1992)
Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo
What?! Sub-Zero doesn't even make the top ten?! What kinda crap is that?!
Sub-Zero is awesome. Let's make that perfectly clear. He's one of my two favorite characters in Mortal Kombat. But when they said he was Chinese he ceased being a ninja or rather became a ninja in name only. Ninjas are Japanese. The Chinese have their own secret stealth assassins and I'm sure they'd be quite offended at being called ninjas and vice versa. No offense to Midway Games but they didn't have a clue as to what a ninja really is. If he's Chinese then he's not a ninja. Terminology is the problem.
Beside that point Sub-Zero is a cool video game "ninja" character. One of the best designs for a ninja character out there. And Midway knew it too. Mortal Kombat has a ton of ninjas and most of them are cool. Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Reptile, Smoke, Ermac, Rain, Noob Saibot, Cyrax, Sektor, Kitana, Mileena, Jade, and more... Most of them are sprite/color pallet swaps though or began that way. But Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Reptile were the original Mortal Kombat ninjas and I gotta admit to liking them, even if some of them aren't technically "ninjas."
I do find it really cool that the first Sub-Zero was killed by Scorpion during the events of the original Mortal Kombat game. Sub-Zero's younger brother takes up the mantle in the subsequent games and the original Sub-Zero is resurrected as the character Noob Saibot. That's a cool story.
THE TOP TEN
#10
RIKIMARU
Video Game: Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (1998)
Platform: Playstation
Perhaps the most realistic of all the ninjas on this list (and in the entirety of video gaming), Rikimaru is the costarring Shinobi of the TENCHU video game series alongside the Kunoichi, Ayame. Tenchu is notable for many reasons, one of the biggest being that the video game was among the earliest "Stealth" games (released months before Metal Gear Solid even). Stealth is one of the central aspects of ninja life yet is absent from most ninja video games. Tenchu pushes the stealth aspect of ninjas to the forefront.
Rikimaru has a cool calm personality and a killer instinct like any good ninja should have. With a more realistic approach to ninjas, his design too is more on the realistic side, not as flashy as some, but still very cool. I first got to know Rikimaru in the third game in the series, TENCHU: WRATH OF HEAVEN for the PS2 and have been a fan of the character ever since. The motion capture for Rikimaru was done by actor Sho Kosugi, a Japanese actor who made a career playing ninjas in 80's action films (spoiler! Sho Kosugi will likely show up on another ninja list of mine). Rikimaru's partner, Ayame, is equally cool too.
#9
SCORPION
Video Game: Mortal Kombat (1992)
Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo
Most of you who know me know that I have always been more of a Street Fighter guy than a Mortal Kombat guy. But seriously, who doesn't like Scorpion? Given, he's a ninja in name only (created by Americans who probably knew nothing about ninjas whatsoever. At least he's Japanese as opposed to Sub-Zero) but yet he's still cool. I mean look at that design! And the fiery skull makes him the closest I'll ever get to seeing Ghost Rider as a ninja! And his rivalry with Sub-Zero is pretty epic.
I remember when Mortal Kombat first came out and we all couldn't wait to play it. The blood! The violence! The Fatalities! Mortal Kombat was the first video game I felt I probably shouldn't have been playing (because my parents told me not to) but I did anyway. I remember naturally gravitating towards two characters from the get go, one of them being Scorpion and the other Sub-Zero. And still after all this time Scorpion remains just as cool, if not more so. In my opinion he's the king ninja of Mortal Kombat.
SCORPION
Video Game: Mortal Kombat (1992)
Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo
Most of you who know me know that I have always been more of a Street Fighter guy than a Mortal Kombat guy. But seriously, who doesn't like Scorpion? Given, he's a ninja in name only (created by Americans who probably knew nothing about ninjas whatsoever. At least he's Japanese as opposed to Sub-Zero) but yet he's still cool. I mean look at that design! And the fiery skull makes him the closest I'll ever get to seeing Ghost Rider as a ninja! And his rivalry with Sub-Zero is pretty epic.
I remember when Mortal Kombat first came out and we all couldn't wait to play it. The blood! The violence! The Fatalities! Mortal Kombat was the first video game I felt I probably shouldn't have been playing (because my parents told me not to) but I did anyway. I remember naturally gravitating towards two characters from the get go, one of them being Scorpion and the other Sub-Zero. And still after all this time Scorpion remains just as cool, if not more so. In my opinion he's the king ninja of Mortal Kombat.
#8
RAIDEN
Video Game: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
Platform: Playstation 3
Raiden began as our costar/replacement hero for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. And, well let's face it, he's no Solid Snake. But in Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots, Raiden returns revamped and sporting wicked cool duds a la Gray Fox. And Raiden's coolness level skyrocketed. And with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden returns to the starring role he was intended to be, becoming a playable character again, and a total badass.
He's a cybernetic ninja that puts Mortal Kombat's cyber ninjas to shame. Revengeance also throws the usual stealth/espionage elements out the window (though not entirely) in favor of more straight forward intense hack and slash action. And that's what I like about my ninja games. Now, like Sub-Zero, Raiden isn't really a ninja. He's American-Liberian. But for the video game world we'll call him a ninja.
#7
GUY
Video Game: Final Fight (1989)
Platform: Super Nintendo
The successor of the Bushinryu style, Guy is the longest enduring ninja of the Street Fighter series. Final Fight was originally going to be Street Fighter II, a more direct follow up to the original Street Fighter game. But the game format was changed upon the success of the game Double Dragon II. Changing the title from Street Fighter to Final Fight, Zangief becomes Hagger, Ryu and Ken become Guy and Cody. Eventually both Guy and Cody crossover into the Street Fighter series and the rest is history.
Guy has a very unique and interesting fighting style which makes him both fun to play as and unpredictable against opponents. He's fast and has some truly epic moves. His design is both classic looking with some modern touches. And his personality is just plain cool. I remember playing as him in the old school Final Fight games but it wasn't until I started playing Street Fighter Alpha 3 where Guy became one of my top favorite Street Fighter characters. My buddy, Ross, can play a mean Guy in Street Fighter too and can make the character look so cool.
RAIDEN
Video Game: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013)
Platform: Playstation 3
Raiden began as our costar/replacement hero for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. And, well let's face it, he's no Solid Snake. But in Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots, Raiden returns revamped and sporting wicked cool duds a la Gray Fox. And Raiden's coolness level skyrocketed. And with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden returns to the starring role he was intended to be, becoming a playable character again, and a total badass.
He's a cybernetic ninja that puts Mortal Kombat's cyber ninjas to shame. Revengeance also throws the usual stealth/espionage elements out the window (though not entirely) in favor of more straight forward intense hack and slash action. And that's what I like about my ninja games. Now, like Sub-Zero, Raiden isn't really a ninja. He's American-Liberian. But for the video game world we'll call him a ninja.
#7
GUY
Video Game: Final Fight (1989)
Platform: Super Nintendo
The successor of the Bushinryu style, Guy is the longest enduring ninja of the Street Fighter series. Final Fight was originally going to be Street Fighter II, a more direct follow up to the original Street Fighter game. But the game format was changed upon the success of the game Double Dragon II. Changing the title from Street Fighter to Final Fight, Zangief becomes Hagger, Ryu and Ken become Guy and Cody. Eventually both Guy and Cody crossover into the Street Fighter series and the rest is history.
Guy has a very unique and interesting fighting style which makes him both fun to play as and unpredictable against opponents. He's fast and has some truly epic moves. His design is both classic looking with some modern touches. And his personality is just plain cool. I remember playing as him in the old school Final Fight games but it wasn't until I started playing Street Fighter Alpha 3 where Guy became one of my top favorite Street Fighter characters. My buddy, Ross, can play a mean Guy in Street Fighter too and can make the character look so cool.
#6
HATTORI HANZO
Video Game: Samurai Shodown (1993)
Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo
As far as historical ninjas go few have the notoriety while maintaining the mystique as Hattori Hanzo. Through movies, television, anime, video games, and comic books, Hattori Hanzo has been reinterpreted and reimagined countless times. One of my favorite versions of this character can be found in the fighting game franchise, SAMURAI SHODOWN.
Design wise Hanzo looks undeniably awesome. He has a killer move set and handles like a dream. He is one of the few video game ninjas set in the past (Rikimaru being another) and set in Japan's actual history. That fact alone makes him unique among most of the video game ninjas out there. As far as this Hattori Hanzo goes, he's still the leader of the Iga ninja clan and his son is possessed by the demon Amakusa. Hanzo and the rest of the heroes of Samurai Shodown take the fight to Amakusa to bring him down. Hanzo is a regular character in the franchise, having appeared in every game in the series. And in my opinion he's one of the best ninjas in all video gamedom.
HATTORI HANZO
Video Game: Samurai Shodown (1993)
Platform: Sega Genesis/Super Nintendo
As far as historical ninjas go few have the notoriety while maintaining the mystique as Hattori Hanzo. Through movies, television, anime, video games, and comic books, Hattori Hanzo has been reinterpreted and reimagined countless times. One of my favorite versions of this character can be found in the fighting game franchise, SAMURAI SHODOWN.
Design wise Hanzo looks undeniably awesome. He has a killer move set and handles like a dream. He is one of the few video game ninjas set in the past (Rikimaru being another) and set in Japan's actual history. That fact alone makes him unique among most of the video game ninjas out there. As far as this Hattori Hanzo goes, he's still the leader of the Iga ninja clan and his son is possessed by the demon Amakusa. Hanzo and the rest of the heroes of Samurai Shodown take the fight to Amakusa to bring him down. Hanzo is a regular character in the franchise, having appeared in every game in the series. And in my opinion he's one of the best ninjas in all video gamedom.
#5
GRAY FOX
Video Game: Metal Gear Solid (1998)
Platform: Playstation
When I first saw Gray Fox in Metal Gear Solid in his Cyborg Ninja guise I was blown away by the design. When one of my friends told me that the cyborg was a ninja I remember thinking that it was the coolest looking ninja I had ever seen (up till that point anyway, which was 1998). Shortly thereafter the same friend who introduced me to Metal Gear Solid bought an action figure of Gray Fox by McFarlane Toys and I got to see the Cyborg Ninja design in detail.
Gray Fox, both as a design and a character, is just too cool. Yes, he's another NINO (ninja in name only) but he's what I'd imagine a ninja of the future being like. He made for an impressive opponent for Solid Snake and I daresay he stole the show in MGS. He's a complicated and intriguing character that they didn't use enough in my opinion. While Raiden is awesome and a favorite, he's no Gray Fox. Gray Fox is easily my favorite supporting character in the Metal Gear franchise.
GRAY FOX
Video Game: Metal Gear Solid (1998)
Platform: Playstation
When I first saw Gray Fox in Metal Gear Solid in his Cyborg Ninja guise I was blown away by the design. When one of my friends told me that the cyborg was a ninja I remember thinking that it was the coolest looking ninja I had ever seen (up till that point anyway, which was 1998). Shortly thereafter the same friend who introduced me to Metal Gear Solid bought an action figure of Gray Fox by McFarlane Toys and I got to see the Cyborg Ninja design in detail.
Gray Fox, both as a design and a character, is just too cool. Yes, he's another NINO (ninja in name only) but he's what I'd imagine a ninja of the future being like. He made for an impressive opponent for Solid Snake and I daresay he stole the show in MGS. He's a complicated and intriguing character that they didn't use enough in my opinion. While Raiden is awesome and a favorite, he's no Gray Fox. Gray Fox is easily my favorite supporting character in the Metal Gear franchise.
#4
STRIDER HIRYU
Video Game: Strider (1989)
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
You wanna talk about futuristic ninjas, they don't come any more badass than Strider Hiryu. The year is 2048. An alien being known as Grandmaster Meio has conquered the Earth and is preparing to extinguish the human race.
Enter the Striders. An elite secret group of ninja assassins, the Striders are Earth's final hope. One Strider, code named: Hiryu, is the best of the Striders and Earth's best chance at salvation. Armed with a plasma blade named Falchion, Strider Hiryu sets out to save the world single-handedly.
Born of the arcade era and based off a manga, Strider is a ninja unlike any other. First off, his video games are epic, each one better than the previous. Then Capcom folded him into their MARVEL VS series rendering him one of the best characters in the franchise (his move set is killer). And lastly his design is a cool blend of classic video game esthetics with enough little tech bits to seem both futuristic and timeless.
I was actually first introduced to Strider in Marvel Vs Capcom 2 on the Dreamcast and then later, through my buddy, Ross, I was introduced to Strider 2 on the PSOne and I was hooked! The game was beyond awesome, incorporating intense action, platformer mechanics, with 3D shifting environments. I became a fan for life of this character and cemented him as one of my all time favorite ninjas.
#3
RYU HAYABUSA
Video Game: Ninja Gaiden (1988)
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Ryu Hayabusa is a complicated character for me. My all-time favorite game for my favorite video game system, the NES, is the original Ninja Gaiden. I love the original Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for the NES and I've played the hell out of the Ninja Gaiden games for the X-Box/PS3. The action game elements and difficulty level don't get much better than the Ninja Gaiden franchise. The original Ninja Gaiden is a close contender for my all time favorite game of any system.
Where it gets complicated is the hero. The original trilogy is so cinematic in its storytelling and Ryu is portrayed very well. The reason I started playing the Dead Or Alive games was to play as Ryu Hayabusa. But this modern era of Ninja Gaiden games, while awesome and frustrating to play, dropped the ball on Ryu's characterization. He has virtually no personality and comes across blandly. And his design seems rather uninspired and borrowed from the Blade movies or the early 2000's X-Men movies. It's weird to say it, but the worst part of the second Ninja Gaiden Trilogy is the boring hero. But you get such a charge as a player when you tool a bunch of badguys, slicing them up, with Izuna Drops everywhere.
I love the Ninja Gaiden series and I do love Ryu Hayabusa as he was the first video game ninja I became a staunch fan of. But he doesn't have anything on the next two ninjas, in my opinion.
STRIDER HIRYU
Video Game: Strider (1989)
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
You wanna talk about futuristic ninjas, they don't come any more badass than Strider Hiryu. The year is 2048. An alien being known as Grandmaster Meio has conquered the Earth and is preparing to extinguish the human race.
Enter the Striders. An elite secret group of ninja assassins, the Striders are Earth's final hope. One Strider, code named: Hiryu, is the best of the Striders and Earth's best chance at salvation. Armed with a plasma blade named Falchion, Strider Hiryu sets out to save the world single-handedly.
Born of the arcade era and based off a manga, Strider is a ninja unlike any other. First off, his video games are epic, each one better than the previous. Then Capcom folded him into their MARVEL VS series rendering him one of the best characters in the franchise (his move set is killer). And lastly his design is a cool blend of classic video game esthetics with enough little tech bits to seem both futuristic and timeless.
I was actually first introduced to Strider in Marvel Vs Capcom 2 on the Dreamcast and then later, through my buddy, Ross, I was introduced to Strider 2 on the PSOne and I was hooked! The game was beyond awesome, incorporating intense action, platformer mechanics, with 3D shifting environments. I became a fan for life of this character and cemented him as one of my all time favorite ninjas.
#3
RYU HAYABUSA
Video Game: Ninja Gaiden (1988)
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
Ryu Hayabusa is a complicated character for me. My all-time favorite game for my favorite video game system, the NES, is the original Ninja Gaiden. I love the original Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for the NES and I've played the hell out of the Ninja Gaiden games for the X-Box/PS3. The action game elements and difficulty level don't get much better than the Ninja Gaiden franchise. The original Ninja Gaiden is a close contender for my all time favorite game of any system.
Where it gets complicated is the hero. The original trilogy is so cinematic in its storytelling and Ryu is portrayed very well. The reason I started playing the Dead Or Alive games was to play as Ryu Hayabusa. But this modern era of Ninja Gaiden games, while awesome and frustrating to play, dropped the ball on Ryu's characterization. He has virtually no personality and comes across blandly. And his design seems rather uninspired and borrowed from the Blade movies or the early 2000's X-Men movies. It's weird to say it, but the worst part of the second Ninja Gaiden Trilogy is the boring hero. But you get such a charge as a player when you tool a bunch of badguys, slicing them up, with Izuna Drops everywhere.
I love the Ninja Gaiden series and I do love Ryu Hayabusa as he was the first video game ninja I became a staunch fan of. But he doesn't have anything on the next two ninjas, in my opinion.
#2
JOE MUSASHI
Video Game: Shinobi (1987)
Platform: Sega Master System/Nintendo Entertainment System
Debuting before any of the major video game ninja icons, Joe Musashi is the original ninja hero. He starred in five games of his own and has appeared as an unlockable character in three others. During the heyday of Sega Genesis he was sharing Sega mascot duties with Sonic the Hedgehog. I mention all of this to illustrate the fact that Joe Musashi is the character that popularized ninjas in video games.
I love his white ninja costume (taking a page from Storm Shadow of G.I. Joe). It takes guts to go out in white duds. Design wise Joe is completely unique next to his video game rivals. Wielding the Oborotsugi, a magic sword, Joe is a master with various weapons and ninja magics. He fights futuristic cyborg enemies as well as traditional demons and giant monsters (he fought Godzilla once! And won! I'm not kidding) He has an intense personality and presence that elevates the character to another level.
I must admit that I didn't know Joe when I was kid. It wasn't until I was in college that my buddy, Ross, introduced me to the awesomeness of Joe Musashi and the Shinobi franchise. The second game in the direct series, Revenge of Shinobi, is a pure classic. Shinobi III however is Joe Musashi's finest hour, possessing beautiful graphics and wonderful gameplay in the style of TMNT2: The Arcade Game. Joe Musashi is the real deal, a great character with great games to his credit.
JOE MUSASHI
Video Game: Shinobi (1987)
Platform: Sega Master System/Nintendo Entertainment System
Debuting before any of the major video game ninja icons, Joe Musashi is the original ninja hero. He starred in five games of his own and has appeared as an unlockable character in three others. During the heyday of Sega Genesis he was sharing Sega mascot duties with Sonic the Hedgehog. I mention all of this to illustrate the fact that Joe Musashi is the character that popularized ninjas in video games.
I love his white ninja costume (taking a page from Storm Shadow of G.I. Joe). It takes guts to go out in white duds. Design wise Joe is completely unique next to his video game rivals. Wielding the Oborotsugi, a magic sword, Joe is a master with various weapons and ninja magics. He fights futuristic cyborg enemies as well as traditional demons and giant monsters (he fought Godzilla once! And won! I'm not kidding) He has an intense personality and presence that elevates the character to another level.
I must admit that I didn't know Joe when I was kid. It wasn't until I was in college that my buddy, Ross, introduced me to the awesomeness of Joe Musashi and the Shinobi franchise. The second game in the direct series, Revenge of Shinobi, is a pure classic. Shinobi III however is Joe Musashi's finest hour, possessing beautiful graphics and wonderful gameplay in the style of TMNT2: The Arcade Game. Joe Musashi is the real deal, a great character with great games to his credit.
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| Joe Musashi vs Godzilla. And you thought I was lying. |
#1
HOTSUMA
Video Game: Shinobi (2002)
Platform: Playstation 2
Video Game: Shinobi (2002)
Platform: Playstation 2
Shinobi for the PS2 was one of those games that rocked my video gaming world. I have never before or since played an action game more focused on speed and slaying one's enemies as this game. Your sword eats souls and if you don't feed it souls it starts to feed on your soul/life. You're constantly running through the levels killing anything and everything that crosses your path just to keep the sword sated. And with each kill your sword's strength doubles. If you kill enough enemies you can one-hit-kill the bosses of the levels... if you're good enough. It's a completely 3D world with zero load times. It's go go go! Kill kill kill! Or you die. It's so difficult but so rewarding once you grasp the gameplay. This game is my favorite PS2 game with a bullet and a top contender for my favorite video game of all time.
And what brought it all together was the ninja protagonist, Hotsuma. The design was totally rad and unlike any other ninja design I'd ever seen before. I love the helmet. And his story is epic. Hotsuma is dealing with so many tragedies and emotions all the while forced to battle the possessed corpses of his slain clansmen. While being futuristic and far out at times, he's a grounded and very Japanese character, in his personality and in the way he carries himself. And he's so cool in everything he does. The character embodies everything I love about ninjas.
It's a shocker, I know. For those of you who know me you probably saw this one coming a mile away. I have been obsessed with this character and game for a long time now and there's no sign of it changing anytime soon.
For more of my thoughts on Hotsuma click on the link below.
BONUS NINJA!
SANTA CLAUS
Didn't know this was a Holiday blog post, did you? It was this thought that actually instigated this post and got the ball rolling on all the other posts that will spin out of this one.
Santa as a ninja. It works. Think about it.
He strikes like a shadow in the night. He can infiltrate the most impregnable fortresses undetected, entering and vanishing without a trace. He has a detailed spy network informing him of who's naughty and who's nice. He doles out justice and punishment in the form of presents or coal. He's a fat ninja because of his affinity for milk and cookies. And he has an evil ninja brother who's gone rogue (what ninja doesn't, am I right?). And he has mastery of those powerful ninja magics allowing him to do the unbelievable.
Santa IS a ninja.
Meredith, you were right all along!
Santa as a ninja. It works. Think about it.
He strikes like a shadow in the night. He can infiltrate the most impregnable fortresses undetected, entering and vanishing without a trace. He has a detailed spy network informing him of who's naughty and who's nice. He doles out justice and punishment in the form of presents or coal. He's a fat ninja because of his affinity for milk and cookies. And he has an evil ninja brother who's gone rogue (what ninja doesn't, am I right?). And he has mastery of those powerful ninja magics allowing him to do the unbelievable.
Santa IS a ninja.
Meredith, you were right all along!
Hope you all enjoyed the list! I know I had a ton of fun putting it together!
Who are your favorite ninjas of the male video game variety?
Leave a comment below!
More ninja top ten lists coming soon!
And for more top ten lists check out these other posts below!
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GUYS
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GALS
TOP TEN THOR VILLAINS
Who are your favorite ninjas of the male video game variety?
Leave a comment below!
More ninja top ten lists coming soon!
And for more top ten lists check out these other posts below!
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GUYS
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GALS
TOP TEN DC SUPER HEROES
TOP TEN WOMEN OF DC
TOP TEN MARVEL COSMIC WOMEN
TOP TEN WOMEN OF DC
TOP TEN MARVEL COSMIC WOMEN
TOP TEN MARVEL SUPER HEROES
TOP TEN MARVEL HEROES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF
TOP TEN MARVEL SUPER HERO TEAMS
TOP TEN MARVEL HEROES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF
TOP TEN MARVEL SUPER HERO TEAMS
TOP TEN CINEMA SAMURAI
THE 100 GREATEST KAIJU
TOP TEN FAVORITE KAIJU
TOP TEN GIANT MONSTER MOVIE CLASSICS
TOP TEN UNIVERSAL MONSTERS
TOP TEN JOHN CARPENTER FILMS THE 100 GREATEST KAIJU
TOP TEN FAVORITE KAIJU
TOP TEN GIANT MONSTER MOVIE CLASSICS
TOP TEN UNIVERSAL MONSTERS
And for more posts on my obsession with ninjas check out these others as well!
Kage No Gundan ~ Shadow Warriors Season One
(a show set in feudal Japan about ninjas!)
(it says samurai but ninjas are included too)
(The film responsible for the status of ninjas today in pop culture.)
(A brief examination of female ninjas and how cool and dangerous these women were.)
(A survey in which I asked coworkers who they thought would win and a story based on the outcome.)
(A list of my favorite fighting game males, some of which are ninjas!)
(A list of my favorite fighting game females, many of which are ninjas!)
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