Raven vs Goombah: My Thoughts on Gaijin Goombah's "Which Ninja" Series

Reference Links:
Dr. Stephen Turnbull's website: www.stephenturnbull.com/
Ninja: Unmasking the Myth by Stephen Turnbull: www.amazon.com/Ninja-Unmaskin...
The Bansenshukai: A Period Fantasy Doctument by Paul O'Brien: www.way-of-the-samurai.com/Ba...
Gaijin Goombah's video links:
For Honor's Shinobi: • For Honor's Shinobi Cu...
Soul Calibur's Taki video: • Soul Calibur's Taki To...
Predator video: • How "Ninja" is Predato...
Ninja Turtles video: • The Teenage Mutant Nin...
Genji video: • Genji, the WORST Ninja...
I want it made perfectly clear: I have nothing against Gaijin Goombah as a content creator or person. I find his videos entertaining and his production quality is spectacular...one of the most engaging I've seen in a while. I only WISH I had that kind of quality. But that's also why I don't want to make a career out of ripping him apart for, what can simply be stated as, minor issues.
Gaijin Goombah suffers from a few common problems in historical analysis which don't ruin the quality or meaning of his videos, but make them...questionable. Rather than pick apart all of his videos, I figured I'd look at his For Honor Shinobi video and then use that as a springboard to discuss the larger issues about his ninja analysis. Unless he makes a ninja video that absolutely gets facts wrong or is just abhorent (which I doubt he'll ever do, he seems to be above such things), I will not be looking at any more of his ninja videos.
[Note: His OTHER videos? That's another story. Just wait till I get to his Goblin Slayer video.....that's gonna be a doosey]
Again, I love Gaijin Goombah's channel and the stuff he produces, but it behooves me as a historian and cultural researcher to point out the inconsistencies and pop cultural bowing that takes place on occasion in his ninja content.
Thank ya'll for watching.
Please subscribe and comment. Leave a like if you enjoyed!

[@chriscormac231]

20:39 shad channeling his inner ned stark

[@RavenKnightYT]

Hahaha!

[@signor_zuzzu]

I still think that the series is very noob friendly, it may not be perfectly accurate but nothing about shinobi seems to be that way and they probably wanted to be like this in the first place. They crafted lies and misconceptions that are still believed this day and that's way I love to find the real truths behind them.

[@RavenKnightYT]

You're right. Fundamentally, there's nothing inherintly wrong with his series. It's nice that there's someone like Gaijin Goombah who is willing to put forth this kind of content to shed more historical context on pop culture's ninja...I just feel like he could be more...down to earth about it, I guess. But hey, I have no ill will towards him or his series. ^^

[@juanpablogonzalez8528]

Also about these videos, its gaijin goomba agreeing with himself and using a character to emphasize how he's right

[@RavenKnightYT]

Essentially yes. Haha!

[@yagurainuzuka]

@@RavenKnightYT I totally agree with you on the Shinobi. Sure he's cool but the reality is. If I was a shinobi. Kusarigama would be more dangerous to me than the enemy. Remember how Shinobi in for honor throws his WEAPON rather than the chain itself. Again so risky that I´d rather take a sword or spear.

[@Barakon]

Hell, I’d rather take A GUN over this, because despite how loud a gun even with a silencer is, at least it can easily rid of whichever enemies have already caught me or snipe whoever I need to from a distance if I needed to.

[@apexpredator2699]

The predators are actually well known for their strength and can lift their own body weight.

[@GatorDontPlayNoShit69]

An ant to be exact

[@GeistDrachen]

Well there’s some one in particular named Scarface from Predator Concrete Jungle who’s rumored to lift 22 tons.

[@apexpredator2699]

@@GeistDrachen aint rumoured confirmed, and predators punch through steel and concrete and still remain stealthy enough to get the drop on godamn batman. They obviously dont have the ideals of a ninja but they have a better skillset for being a shinobi then most shinobi

[@ulfberht4431]

@@apexpredator2699 You’re forgetting one thing about the predators! They are aliens! They are not real so a bit of suspension of disbelief is kinda required, unless it’s The Predator (2018).

[@medieval8893]

This is where the fun begins...

[@RavenKnightYT]

I just hope it WAS fun for you.

[@Lancersilva]

Just on the shinobi’s weapon, I think a sickle would work if it was bladed on both sides and had some extra weight to work as a war pick to counter armor. Downside being that you now have a heavier weapon that still lacks range but at the very least they would have a somewhat concealable weapon that could counter armor. But then again I’m just a weapon nerd with (very) little martial arts experience, so please let me know any flaws my idea has.

[@madarauchihablack5983]

I enjoy the intro you have for this video

[@Recoil1808]

Impressive. Nearly a year old and only a single dislike. Not really something I tend to see very often. Especially in the spheres I tend to watch, and especially not when it's a response.

[@madarauchihablack5983]

Thank you again for teaching us

[@mkdemigodzillawarrior]

Oh wow! I can't believe you used DEADLIEST WARRIOR as a counter argument! That's so ironic yet so hilarious! Nevertheless, great video! I guess museums aren't as good of a source as we thought they were huh...

[@SuperSwordman1]

Ninja truth, lies, and popular culture have become so mixed up and tied together its almost impossible to separate them. But hey, these myths are part of Ninja history too

[@awesome_by_default]

Another analogy for that "Easier in practice than during the real thing' bit. I've somewhat recently been getting into F1 racing games and before the races there are a number of practice sessions. To test tire wear, fuel management and of course just get used to the track before the actual race. It is significantly easier to post better lap times in practice because, of course, there are no other drivers around to act as obstacles. (except for the other drivers doing practice as well but they're not all on the track at the same time) There are so many more variables to consider when in the actual race than when in practice.

[@concordiaharmony2302]

17:58 So a couple things. Firstly, Saki was an early episode of the series when he was trying to get his footing. Secondly, your forgetting that it's been Gaijins fans pestering him to look at the predator in this light. He put Predator in a poll in response to how many requests he's gotten about it and it got the top results. What is he supposed to do? IGNORE the request made by the people that outright pay him because the character in question doesnt fit with one small point that was only brought up to emphasize how dumb a Shinobi Saki really is?

[@RavenKnightYT]

Fair, early episodes show some of our lower points, and we make mistakes. I'll grant that...but it is still an inconsistency. Just because it's an early error, doesn't change the fact that it's an error. People point out my early errors as well constantly. Secondly...I don't see why the amount of requests or the poll is relevant. The purpose of his Which Ninja series is to discuss which ninjas are accurate and which are not. He ends the video on Predator by saying they aren't like ninjas because of their honor code, and thus he could have brought up their size and weight being a factor in how they aren't like a ninja as well. He actually goes back and forth through most of the video bringing up points and counter points. Why not make the height and weight a counter point? He could have mentioned the size of the Predator as a factor AGAINST them being ninjas and kept things consistent. He did not. After all, he looked at Genji and made the stand that he was almost NOTHING like a ninja, yet he bends over backwards to make Predator a ninja, and breaks his consistency. I understand that I was nitpicking in some areas, and that I was looking very carefully at Gaijin. I respect him. I like what he does for the most part. But my point there was that his standards aren't always consistent, and I proved that here. Now, if you want to say that it's his early work vs a fan demanded work, that's fine. But it doesn't change the relevance of my point in this segment.

[@birubu]

200 hundred types may not have all been used at the same time, and may have been iterative. Maybe they had flash powder and noise powder, iterated on those to make a flash bang powder, and then improved on the amount of sound and then light the gunpowder generates. That’s already 5 gunpowder types that all basically do the same things.

[@azurelionheart3244]

Just a few things I wanted to point out you talk of fighting fully armored samurai rather than less well equipped or trained ashigaru soldiers, why would the samurai use the kusarigama if it was only a weapon of distraction, and you don't seem to take into account the disorientation of hitting your head on the ground at any decent speed.

[@RavenKnightYT]

Okay, let's address those points. 1. The ashigaru thing....this is what we call a red herring argument because it has nothing to do with what's being discussed. Gaijin Goombah does not mention Ashigaru in his video, he only mentions the ninja and the samurai. He argues that the kusarigama gives the ninja range over the samurai katana, and I pointed out that even if it has range over a samurai, the samurai has armor. We're not talking about ashigaru. It's not relevant to this discussion. 2. Why would the samurai use the kusarigama if it's just a weapon of distraction? I already explained that in the video: It's a weapon created to teach discipline and spatial awareness. In an actual battlefield scenario, a samurai would much more likely go for a more dependable sword, spear, or other weapon. 3. I don't take into account disorientation? Okay...but you don't take into account moving out of the way of a projectile. You don't take into account helmets like the kabuto created to protect against blows to the head. You don't take into account the training of a samurai who would be used to taking repeated blows. And you don't take into account the idea that when an object moving with the help of inertia and centrifugal force hits something, it's momentum is halted and now the weapon is no longer a threat. The point is: There are DOZENS of factors that go into combat. Simply using a rock paper scissors idea of "If he gets hit on the head and is disoriented, the ninja will totally beat him," or "if the ninja can get better range, he'll win," removes so many factors of battle that must be considered. The kusarigama is not a practical weapon of war. It adds too many variables, is not a guaranteed lethal weapon, and requires extensive training and focus to use correctly. That was my point.

[@azurelionheart3244]

@@RavenKnightYT I am surprised you respond on this old of a video and I will admit that when fighting against samurai most of your point do hold water, if the samurai is a. expecting the shinobi to try and disarm or trip him and b. has cornered the shinobi, or otherwise forced him into conflict, which was unlikely in the first place. Oh, and attacking from the ground could leave you even more vulnerable, if you screw it up.

[@GeistDrachen]

Excellent work as always. I gotta say I've been a huge predator fan for a very long time and honestly if For Honor had a predator themed event that would be amazing!

[@chriscormac231]

though it's odd that ghost recon did

[@GeistDrachen]

@@chriscormac231 and they recently did a Terminator event too.

[@chriscormac231]

@@GeistDrachen which was the only thing in game that was a justified bullet sponge

[@DemitriVladMaximov]

I'm trying to figure out that magnet thing, and all I can think of is if it was a starless night and the ninja needed a back-up navigation system. The problem if heating up a metal to make it magnetized is that as you heat the metal up the molecules and atoms will have more space to move and become randomized so that their poles are randomized. Now if the ninja did have say a loadstone at their village then they could heat the metal needle up in a furnace and draw the needle across the loadstone in one direction repeatedly so that the atoms and molecules will line up in the direction of the magnetic field of the loadstone. You can do something similar with a sowing needle at home with a bar magnet, but takes a lot of effort when cold as the metal is already set. This is why you need to quench that heated needle right after you induce a magnetic field so that the still hot metal doesn't start to become randomized again.

[@choosinkien268]

I hv an idea how abt u do a video where u reamagined the for honor heroes but make them more realisitic to our world but still keep there flavour

[@joenathan8059]

Well of course gumba took the pop culture pill.this guy is a weeb who moved to Japan

[@oliverogden4999]

I know I’m late but, he shouldn’t be comparing predators to ninjas because there not. They were hunters and hunter for sport yeah they use stealth but most hunters try to quiet or camouflage when hunting.

[@ecritdelajaponographie8565]

Okay, I don't have time to watch this whole video now, but FWIW the claim in the intro that GGM's video on the shugoki is basically right is problematic -- I'm not an expert on sumo, so I can't tell how much of it is outright wrong, but as usual he appears to have "borrowed" virtually all the information from English Wikipedia, and there's at least one howler in the video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/joeueGWJdsprbK8, where he translates "守-護鬼" as "defense - great demon" as though 護鬼 means "great demon" (護 apparently meaning "great"!?), when in fact "守護" means "defense" and "鬼" means "demon".

[@RavenKnightYT]

Yeah, truthfully I didn't care to go into the sumo video. I only gave it a glancing look and I frankly don't know enough about sumo to call him out on anything. Him saying the shugoki was meant to be based on sumo wrestlers is true, and some of the facts he threw out were based on a degree of truth too, so I was willing to give him a respectful knod and move on. But yes, you make a valid point. Me saying he was basically right without giving it a proper look WAS pretty dumb of me. Not my finest moment.

[@shawnwykoff8744]

Are you going to do a reply to Shadiversity's Bat'leth video? Talk about how everything he hate about the Bat'leth is ether him lying about information or get undermined by his Reverse Katana Video, his Doom Crucible Sword Video, and his Double Bladed Lightsaber Video. I did. I do not have a microphone. It did not come out that well. Maybe some day I well have money.

[@RavenKnightYT]

I will need to watch his Bat'leth video and see if that's something I want to address.

[@RavenKnightYT]

@@estaticethan1752 I agree with Shad that it's an impractical and near useless weapon. But do keep in mind I too have studied in combat arts and I too have studied medieval culture and history. I'm not as popular or as well loved as Shad is, but I too study these things. I will not make a response video to Shad about the Bat'leth because I think he's 100% right about it, so no worries.

[@shawnwykoff8744]

@@estaticethan1752 Go back rewatch his Bat'leth video make a list of everything he said about it, then watch his doom crucible video and make a list about everything he said about it. They are the same weapon.

[@shawnwykoff8744]

@@RavenKnightYT Okay, guest the video I made combining his Bat'leth and Doom Crucible videos will hap do. Maybe some day I will have a microphone, then I can go back and make a better one. Thank You for Your Time.

[@shawnwykoff8744]

@@estaticethan1752 Dan Curry also studied weapons and trained to use. You do not sern him doing hit pieces on Shad. Shad is just mad that someone chose to base the bat'leth on weapons from China and not Europe, and made a video fill with lies and insults. Like when he clam the Klingons would too retared to make longswords. They did. Wolfe had two of them in his room. And can still find klingon figures that have their longswords. Shad also calm the Klingons are to retared to make their one handed knives into two handed swords. But at the end of the video, he is saying how bumb it is too make a one hand weapon into a two handed weapon. How do you know Shad studied weapons. Shad aqused Dan of lieing about his training. How do we know Shad is not lieing about his? You need to stop blindly following order and think for yourself.

[@toastythebarbarian798]

Ad mortum

[@mikhailvasiliev6275]

Seeing this was cathartic

[@Barakon]

If ninjas were spies, than, modern ninjas should use modern spy-tech.

[@kleomenis456]

It's useless demonstration, never happens in real battle just show bs. Ninjas avoided combat cause it wasn't their mission objective most of time. Kunai were samurai weapons like metal stars.

[@PandaGaming-nu9gm]

Kunai aint a samurai its a throwing weapon can also be used as a small blade

[@kleomenis456]

@@PandaGaming-nu9gm yes that too

[@happywiz1833]

I think you're nitpicking too much(which you kinda say yourself?). While, I do not have any martial art experience, whatsoever, I understand this: in real combat there are too many variables, and you understand this too. So why, do you say, that kusarigama, is outmatched, when your opponent counters it perfectly? Again, there are too many variables, and again, not many samurai have seen kusarigama in combat, and thus, might not have no experience in fighting against it. Also, may I point out that, that for a ninja, to fight against fully armored samurai, is a death sentence, no matter what weapon they use(unless they have a spear, but then again, it's just easier to run away). And on the battlefield it's obviously hard to use, for it isn't designed to be, a battlefield weapon. As you pointed out, it requires precision. Also hard to use when there are people around, for obvious reasons. Plus, kusarigama is genuenly easier to hide, you just detach the chain, and you then have just a chain and a sickle, which is a common tool for farmers. PLUS, instead of chain, there could be just a rope, so, clancking problem solved! Although I'm not entirely sure, whether or not such variation on the weapon existed. Then, there is a matter of Gaijin not being consistent with his own rules. But I mean, should he really point out a thing that either makes a character a great shinobi, or a bad one, every single time? It would just become rutine after a while. Although to be fair, he does this thing quite frequently. Especially with "ninja's wear blue". And I must say, that It's kind of stupid to say:"They didn't invent this, therefore, It's not their thing". I mean, all of inventions in history, were repurposed by other nations, that's how progress was made, and that is why, isolated countries have fallen behind in the past(like, China and Japan). I mean, only because borsch, wasn't invented as a dish in Russia, doesn't mean it's not russian food. And about these overcomplicated techniques. I mean, even looking at weapons of any time period, we can see, over the top designs, that are not practical, by any means. That could be one of such cases. Although, I must agree, that you can't just blindly trust anything you see, aspecially in tourist relyant region(when you're a tourist, of course). And that's why I like you as a content creator, and a person. You look into different sources for information(be it a book, or personal experience), forming your own point of view, and share it in an interesting way. Even though I don't fully agree with on everything you say, I have upmost respect for you, and your work. That's deserving a like, and subscription on my end. P.S. Also, I'm russian. So, sorry If I screwed up some sentences. Good luck)

[@mikhailvasiliev6275]

So many words.. so little actually said.

[@TheOneTrueOfficialLordGod]

Its such a shame that there is no alternative to him; a channel that connect the historical and cultural connections in fiction. He used to be good but recently I've noticed his own personal bias gets in the way of his videos. He'll often nitpick cultural inaccuracies in games he doesn't like but overlook the ones in the games he does like. I've been looking for something similar to him that doesn't get things wrong for the sake of pushing their own bias but haven't had any such luck.