TOP 10 Ninja Myths YOU Thought Were True!

[@metatronyt]

Use Code METATRON to get $5 off for your first #Sakuraco box through this link: team.sakura.co/metatron-SC2207 and #TokyoTreat box through this link: team.tokyotreat.com/metatron-TT2207

[@kingkuroneko7253]

Good video man

[@metatronyt]

@@kingkuroneko7253 thanks!

[@protogenxl]

Do Ninjas Make it Ice? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJCuZ2xtZrygd9U

[@arnijulian6241]

ninjutsu more specifically was instruction or written-drawn guidance that is studied much like how Europe had medieval martial treatises but could pertain to anything from speech craft- tincture's to deception even 1 I read covered how to correctly swim in full armour of all things. Ninjutsu is a very broad term being a conjunctive of nin=talented/person & Jutsu meaning technique/method. Jutsu is literally (The talented way to X) Most surviving ninjutsu surviving documentation is very extensive & broad. Sometimes depending on the writer is just daft but interesting non the less an insight to the past. The best ninjutsu I read was how to brew green tea for ceremony but I skip the ritual steps just to learn to make a better pot of tea.

[@ezrafaulk3076]

@@metatronyt Here's a few thoughts I wanted to share with you on this video Raff; first off, I totally agree that it'd be absolutely *stupid* for a ninja to use a weapon associated *specifically* with them, as, like you made clear, that'd be a dead giveaway, and so even if some ninja *did* use a sword like that, it wouldn't be associated *specifically* with them, and thus wouldn't be called a Ninjato; I *do* think I know what it *would* be called though. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but to *my* understanding, the Tanto was *also* single-edged and straight bladed, which means that that type of sword would essentially be a sword sized, and thus, compared to a *normal* one, *big* Tanto; that's why I think that that kind of sword might've been called an Otanto (Big Tanto, like how Odachi, according to use, translates as Big Fat Sword). Second, is that *your* Japanese weapon collection that I saw in the background when you were talking about that myth? Because If so, it's *awesome* to see that you had a Nyūbū Ono there; *another* popular myth regarding historical Japan as a *whole* , is that they *didn't* use battle-axes, and I *doubt* For Honor's Hitokiri hero does the truth any favors; that's why I honestly think you're *next* video should be on the top 10 myths about historical Japan as a *whole* people think are true, another one of those myths being that *all* Japanese swords across its history were single-edged and curved (which'd be the *perfect* way to expose viewers to the Tsurugi). Third, while I *do* agree that ninja probably *usually* dressed the same way as everyone else, I can think of *one* situation in which an outfit *similar* to that iconic black outfit would be the preferred thing for a ninja to wear; if they *are* in fact sneaking around at *night* , and trying to stick to the darkness, black's actually a very *good* color to wear to disappear into the darkness. *Obviously* ninja wouldn't be doing their ninja work *only* at night, but if they *were* doing it at night, black *would* in fact be a good color for sneaking around as long as they stuck to the darkness. Forth, while you're no doubt right in that ninja weren't *specifically* trained as assassins, I honestly don't think they weren't trained in assassination techniques at all *either* ; I would say that, rather than *purely* either one, ninja were meant to serve as spies who *could* in fact perform assassinations when it was *necessary* , and thus they were in fact trained in a *handful* of *tried and true* assassination techniques so that they *could* in fact do so if it proved necessary. Kinda like the CIA; *primarily* spies, but *able* to assassinate if they *need* to. Of course, pretty much all the *other* myths are pretty ridiculous, but my overall point is, some of the *others* you said were ridiculous might be a little more nuanced than you think, just *made* into something ridiculous by pop culture.

[@samuraijaco1]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you seriously telling me that no turtle has EVER been mutated and taught ninjutsu and martial arts by a giant mutant rat?!?!?!?!

[@viictor1309]

No way, that one must be real!

[@ChadKakashi]

I no longer wanna live in this world.

[@ChadKakashi]

Wait a minute I think Metatron is up to something. The new Ninja Turtles comic is called Ronin. So Ninja and Samurai can be the same!

[@Kevc00]

Never thought I'd say this but Megatron is completely 100% wrong, he is part of the global conspiracy to hide the truth of the turtles from us. Stay true to the cause brothers, Turtle Power!

[@velazquezarmouries]

@@Kevc00 kame no chikara

[@VosperCDN]

Love this debunking of known myths ... mostly just common sense, but not everyone has common sense these days. Debating the pirates vs ninja specifically made a great story, because "Don't all good stories involve pirates?"

[@sethdusith6093]

You would be surprised about how many youtube channels still push these myths, like "Lets ask Shogo", and actual japanese person who practices iaido. Not to imply he is correct because of this, how many americans still believe medieval europe was these dirty stinky bastards wearing leather and living in pig shit with big heavy swords and armour still ? Too many is the answer

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

A fellow fan of the History Guy, I see.

[@whitewolf3051]

I love to see the Metatron take a look at Gaijin Goomba's take on ninjas.

[@wolfensniper4012]

Are Ninja still “special” in a historical accurate context comparing to their foreign counterparts? I've had this question because from an Eastern Asian countries that have complex relationship With Japan, people in my community often thinks that “bruh ninjas are just petty spies comparing to our versions of espionage, and they're famous only because of anime and movie”. It's partly true because most medieval (or pre-modern) society have their own versions of undercover espionage, broadly speaking there's not so much differences between historical ninja and a normal medieval Chinese or Korean spy that also disguised as a monk or peasant that grabs military intelligence. How I may have this impression only because I knows less. So do ninjas actually have no difference between contemporary foreign espionage agents and are just normal spies, or there were something special to them that makes them really different from the rest of the world?

[@eagle162]

@@wolfensniper4012 every culture dealing with spies or Espionage have something unique about them that makes them interesting or stand out, honestly the whole "it's only popular because of anime and movies" is BS it's often used regarding anything Japan related the fame came around long before that kind of entertainment, on that topic ninja were much more than just spies the closest modern-day comparison would probably be CIA S.A.D(Special Activities Division).

[@tn1881]

In 1180, the Hattori clan participated in the Genpei War as a samurai. In the 12th century, the Hattori clan became the lord of the Iga region in cooperation with the peasant samurai jizamurai and became independent of the shogunate. They were armed and defending their territory. They became mercenaries in various parts of Japan. They later became known as the Iga-ryu. In the 14th century, the literary work Taiheiki has a record of Sinobi. In the 7th century, the Hattori clan in the Iga region wore black costumes at the Shinto ritual of Aekuni Shrine. They were called Kurondo (Black Party). During the Muromachi and Warring States periods, shinobi were excellent spies or mercenaries, so the Tokugawa Shogunate hired them. They were called Oniwaban. They infiltrated the territories of various daimyo, searched for their movements and secrets such as politics and military, and reported them to the Tokugawa Shogunate. There are records of the Ronin as they were from China to India as pirates or mercenaries. Shinobi was hired by the shogunate because he was trained and strong. The Ronin were not hired by the Shogunate. According to British explorer Sir Edward Michelbourne (1562-1609), the Japanese were feared throughout Asian countries. "The Japons are not suffered to land in any port in India (Asia) with weapons; being accounted a people so desperate and daring, that they are feared in all places where they come." A Dutch commander wrote (c. 1615) "they are a rough and a fearless people, lambs in their own country, but well-nigh devils outside of it". Min's General Qi Jiguang (1528 - 1588)'s military book Jixiao Xinshu "This was the first time I knew this when a Japanese samurai attacked China. They moved like a dance, and the forward rushing force seemed to flash light, and our Ming soldiers were just distracted. The Japanese are very active and move about 3m at a time. Since the length of katana is 1.6m, it will be attacked even at a distance of 4.8m. It is difficult to approach with my soldier's sword, it is too late with a spear, and if I encounter it, everyone will be cut off and killed. This is because their weapons are sharp and they are free to use powerful and heavy swords that can be swung with both hands. " Min Martial Artist Cheng Zongyou (1561-1636) Martial arts book Dan Dao Fa Xuan "We call that Japanese weapon dandao. Use a swinging sword with both hands. This is a technique unique to Japanese people. The technique is well trained, precise and solid. Japanese swords are easy to handle, and each one makes sense, including the handle and scabbard. No other sword can match the Japanese sword. A well-polished Japanese sword reflects the light of the sun and hits our eyes. The light makes our hearts cold. In Japanese swordsmanship, the change from side to side is strange and mysterious, and it is not predictable to ordinary people. Therefore, even if you use a long-handled weapon such as a spear, you will always lose to the Japanese sword. " Chinese History Book Guangdong xin yu by Ming Dynasty Poet Qu Dajun (1630-1696) "When the Japanese move with all their might, they move like the wind. They are always in small numbers and enter enemy territory, and even many soldiers cannot resist. Their use of katana is to protect with a long katana and stab an enemy with a short katana. They move low as they crouch and never retreat. They will be dealt with no matter how many people there are. It is a skill only for those in the Japanese archipelago. " 其人率横行疾斗。飘忽如风。常以单刀陷阵。五兵莫御。其用刀也。长以度形。短以趯越。蹲以为步。退以为伐。臂以承腕。挑以藏撇。豕突蟹奔。万人辟易。真岛中之绝技也。

[@mtk-yt3ub]

I’m pretty sure Pirates vs Ninjas is an ancient meme. I remember chat room debates about it when I was in college. And that was 20 years ago

[@jamesfrankiewicz5768]

Yep, The Deadliest Warrior was just following silly internet forum debates that preceded the show.

[@jellyfishjones4741]

Yeah, I remember it was referenced on REAL ULTIMATE POWER.

[@batandjoefan8108]

The more I learn about the historical ninja the more I have to discredit all my ninja martial arts books from the 80’s and 90’s. I am extremely skeptical now when someone claims to be studying ninjitsu that has been handed down through a centuries old unbroken chain of masters.

[@gaia7240]

I practiced ninjutsu but my sensei was clear about just being a mix of various martial arts

[@MrWarlord396]

A lot of this stems from our tendency to treat peoples of the past, especially "exotic" ones, as weird aliens ruled by honor codes and strange mysticism instead of human beings for whom practicality and pragmatism played a heavy role in their decision-making process. The same people who spout these sort of myths probably think 18th-century archetypical european ground warfare involved bright uniforms and rigid formations because of "gentlemanly codes of conduct" and not the need to maintain command-and-control and positive identification in an era where there was no battlefield telecommunication more advanced than a bugle and signal flag and everyone's primary weapon vomited a plume of black smoke with every use. On the topic of feudal Japan, though, I'd be very interested in seeing something focused on the Ashigaru. Their role in contemporary militaries, how they fit into the social hierarchy, and what ultimately became of them as a result of reforms around the start of the Edo period.

[@kyukhan]

Pressure points, and acupuncture, can do some very interesting things and it can be surprising how much of an effect they have. That being said, the most one could do with a pressure point is make someone rush to the next toilet

[@canadianeh4792]

No turtles ever became ninjas? How do you know?! If there are no ninja turtles, where does my pizza keep disappearing to?

[@kaltaron1284]

Cockroaches

[@davidmathews9284]

Hey Noble Metraton. I don’t know if you will see this. I was wondering if you have or will dedicate a video to Japanese warfare and how it was conducted, with tactics and formations? I always get the impression from artwork and definitely pop culture that it was a crazed frenzy with much less emphasis on formations than their European counterparts. Granted the same is done for all kinds of warfare. Thank you, and you are my favorite content creator for medieval/Japanese/Roman history.

[@ragerancher]

"Every Assassin knew that real black often stood out in the dark, because the night in the city is usually never full black, and that grey or dark green merge much better. But they wore black anyway, because style trumps utility every time."

[@solalabell9674]

I love that I knew like 5 of these were myths by 14 or something I didn’t even think anyone thought the last one was true at all

[@p1ssedoffchristof48]

Ninjutsu isn't what video games and cartoons depict it as. The historian Anthony Cummins has translated historical documents from Japan and it's more about instructions on how to burn down buildings like grain stores more effectively.

[@EatWave]

Pop Cultural Ninja might as well be members of MI-6 so it might be fun to see more parallels between ninja and James Bond, especially in stealth based video games.

[@Cretaal]

I have my own theory on the ninjato: It's a multitool more than a sword (like the kunai that were root knives used to cut, dig and pry). Because of the existence of the swords I've only heard called "ken", we know they weren't strangers to through-hardening. Most of a katanas expense came from everything that happened from claying the blade to honing it and accentuating the hamon, exposing hada and so forth. If the smith doesn't use clay and instead just quenches the blade the raw, it will never strike a curve and remain not only STRAIGHT but FLEXIBLE unlike a katana, making it perfect for a prybar. It's cheaply made, easy to produce in bulk, you won't feel bad about tossing it if you have to, and if you never take the forgeblack off the blade, it'll never catch light and expose you. Just hollow out a length of bamboo, just whop the end off into a point, steam&press it to fit a blade and it can be used as the famed underwater breathing tube. The tsuba is as simple as it gets, you just cut off a piece of flat stock and make a hole for the tang, no need to round it out or get super precise about anything. You could probably even build these with rejected katana stock that wasn't worth claying over and quenching. Sell it for a discount to someone who doesn't need a blade that'll last any more than a couple days. I find that the less likely scenario, but possible nonetheless. Don't need mirror polished, oiled steel with a tight fight. Just give me a blade, a guard, and a scabbard to get this box open or bypass an obstacle, artificial or organic. But it's just a brainstorm, not like I'm exactly rocking historical records to back up my claim, just calling it how it's always looked.

[@APinchOfHistory]

Ninjas are the most misrepresented fraction in mass media nowadays. Change my mind. Very much needed video, thanks, Rafael!

[@TheAngryAsianAnimations]

I mean I wear wood and paper armor, do stupid things cuz honor, and will never touch a gun in my life samurai. Bows and bombs are fine for some reason though. I am invincible to everything including cannon fire and have a sword so sharp I can cut through anything knights. I am an ooga booga tatooed barbarian who hates the idea of bathing and cleanliness and wears apple pie leather armor going into battle.

[@AJadedLizard]

Gunslingers are pretty close; Wild West-style gunfights are a thing primarily because Wyatt Earp had a massive influence on early Hollywood. Actual duels weren't common and cities were usually quite safe (between cities is another matter).

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

Fun fact about where the "ninja suit" comes from. In old Noh plays, stagehands would dress all in black so they didn't stand out against the black backdrop and the audience would just ignore them. Then someone got a brilliant idea to have an assassin character launch a surprise attack dress in black like the stagehands so that the audience would ignore him until he suddenly attacked, which blew audiences minds. And that's how the association began.

[@christiansorensen7567]

Tying the black T-Shirt around your head is a power Ninja move.

[@KamiRecca]

you forgot the animosity between Ninjas and Birds. Fecking birds, they can seriously juggle a ninja down into an endless pit.

[@mynameismin3]

Ninja with Ninja Star vs Pirate with AK-47... WHO WINS?

[@thanhdang7338]

17:21 Rei from the Nanto school practices Nanto Seiken, which kills people from slicing them with external force, basically hand-blades. Only Hokuto Shinken kills people from the inside with pressure points, which Kenshiro practices.

[@chrishanlin1423]

Ninjas V Pirates was a bit of silliness that evolved on early USENET boards as part of The Flying Spaghetti Monster ethos.

[@Llyrin]

I was introduced to the ninja when reading James Clavell’s “Shogun.” Edit: this was back in the 70s.

[@Drakemiser]

I read somewhere that “ninja” were essentially one family. They were outsiders and lived in the woods, until one day a member of another family came and contracted them to assassinate members of another family in a castle or Mott, as it were. And these “ninjas” slipped in undetected, wearing the garb of servants and cooks and killed this family’s rival and burnt down the castle. So, in conclusion, “ninja” were an outcast family with handed down skills. Like I said: this is just what I read somewhere. I cannot verify or site anything. Hell, I could’ve made it up.

[@johnurbanek1027]

I would love for you to do a video on the yamabushi. Just throwing that out there.

[@notppl-z7v]

I am happy to say that you taught us well and l knew that all of these arent true Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge

[@garrenbrooks4778]

Just finished cooking some pasta and sit down to see a new video from Metatron. It's a good day.

[@christianlangdon3766]

Fun fact I have heard. The ninja black outfit Likley involves theatre, as special effects and props would be moved by people in black or mono colors in the back they werent actors they were invisible to the people who were actors. Think the choir of Greece. It was than in a play one stabbed the actor and ran off which all other actors could not see since this was a ninja. The audiance loved the idea that it may have gotten out of hand. Of course i lack the source since it's been a hot minute. But its a great story either way.

[@SuburbanFox]

You know that scene in Last Samurai, where a bunch of guys in black outfits (who are clearly supposed to be ninjas) sneak into the samurai camp at night to try to assassinate their leader and would parkour over their buildings and sneak in through the window and throw shurikens at people... was that a thing that ninjas would sometimes do, or is that also a Hollywood fabrication?

[@AJadedLizard]

I was just thinking about this and, uh, I think how ahistorical that movie generally is may be a clue.

[@thundermarkperun1083]

#11: "Ninja belonged to specific (secret!) clans that each had their own traditions, hierarchy, & blood feuds with other ninja clans"

[@lolegaia]

If Ninja died they took the secret with them with poison inside their mouth? no idea. But the seppuku by samurai is mind boggling, it's the way for an adult to escape from responsibility and shame.

[@TheBeelzboss]

Where did you find that clip of that woman doing punching exercises? Her form was dangerous and if she hit anything like that she could break her wrist.

[@morgangallowglass8668]

Damn...I have this vision in my head of Calico Jack being assaulted by turtles!

[@Quisiio0303456]

This guy doesn't even know what he's talking about. As a professional pirate, I can attest that a pirate can beat a ninja any day.

[@ilsignorsaruman2636]

19:40 japanese general: look! The enemy is up there, on that hill, shoot at them! Hattori Hanzō: no... I'm my own ENEMY! *shoots himself*

[@FENomadtrooper]

There used to be coffee flavored kitkatts in the west, good to know they still exist somewhere.

[@chichiboypumpi]

I remember that old Hong Kong action movie where ninjas have the word ninja on their foreheads. Also why film shinobis bother putting on cowl and mask if their identity isn’t much of a deal?

[@knytrydr73]

Are there any books or authors you'd recommend so I can learn more of the true histories of samurai and ninja?

[@MarcusH.Valentine]

Is was cool to see my self pop out in this video out of nowhere, just like a ninja XD Another great video Raff !!!

[@metatronyt]

I couldn’t help myself 😅🇯🇵🙏

[@grejsancoprative]

Tbf, pirate must specifically refer to European pirates - as the word come from privateer, a ship that has been comissioned and sanctionoed by a nation to raid other ship under false flag. A broad term would be sea raider. Basically the same reasoning as the term "viking".

[@TheChooseAName123]

You don't have coke/cola-flavoured candy in the US?

[@davegalley5608]

The Ninjato. What if you wanted a sword, couldn't afford a proper Katana, and had to make one out of whatever steel you could find? Katanas are forged straight, and get the curve from the quenching process where the different types of steel cool at different rates. So if you only had one type of steel you get a straight sword. I would think that straight swords would be far more common in Japan at the time, just no one cares about them or looks after them, and over the years they have been reforged into nails and things.

[@kaltaron1284]

They probably could have produced straight sword with edges on both sides but there simply wasn't any demand it seems.

[@jamesfrankiewicz5768]

That too is a partial myth. There is some flex and de-flex in the quenching process, but generally it comes out to the approximate bend that it was shaped to before quenching.

[@Dr_V]

Blacksmithing details aside, I don't think straight swords were too popular because in any age any mainstream weapon has a specific associated technique for optimal use in combat (up to and including modern firearms, that's why a trained soldier is better at using one compared to the average thug). If most of your soldiers use a curved sword, the mainstream technique taught in martial training will be adapted to that kind of blade and consequently sub-optimal for differently shaped weapons.

[@robo5013]

swords are made from iron, and the iron becomes steel during the forging process. however the steel made from forging iron is nothing like modern steel made in steel mills. using different tempered irons in the same sword is an old process that was used all over the world. the katana is shaped that way on purpose (just like all swords) nothing to do with the quenching process.

[@kaltaron1284]

@@robo5013 You are right except the last point. A Katana gets it's signature curve during the quenching process. Or it breaks or bends out of shape, that's also quite possible.

[@VictorianTimeTraveler]

Most people don't know this but if a ninja had a regular sword on his person he just wouldn't be able to equip it

[@Doktor_Jones]

Wow... die Ninja VS. Pirates debate... I feel like I'm in my teens again.

[@ChadKakashi]

-How do you say Panda? -Panda.

[@bartangel4867]

Good Video. But I wonder would 9 hand seals be unique to ninja (regardless if this ninja was a samurai or not). as far as pressure points I do know that there are pressure points in persons body but how useful is their knowledge in fighting and who knew about them I have no idea. but there are things that ninja used that relate to this kind of unusual ideas. the 9 hand symbols for example did prepare you for combat because they allowed you to preform better under stress from neurological point of view.

[@boraonline7036]

WHAT?!?! The Ninja Turtles do not exist??? The next thing you tell me is that Santa Claus doesn't exist, or what? My life is shattered!! 😭

[@derekmcnulty2559]

Sadly Michael bisping thinks they were bunk. As you say, were they as mythical as held-? No. But they did exist

[@aleksmeetsworld6873]

Tornado goes through this man's house... everybody dies

[@mikielsahagun6054]

Ninjas use chopsticks to eat everything: they are that skilled

[@ethanleffler9969]

Sick armor my dude

[@eklypised]

80s ninja movies are some of my favorite of all time....but ya most ninjas would blend in to where they were at. Dressed like farmers, peasants,etc. The mask and black suits meh....ninjas were my childhood favorite though

[@garymaidman625]

All I'll say in regards to pressure points...Bas Rutten Kick To The Liver!!!

[@Apollo1989V]

A good day to wear samurai armor? Are you kidding me? It is over 90 F outside!

[@mikielsahagun6054]

Could we make a martial art called Ninjitsu, like in the movies and fantasies, yes but, it would be more realistic

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Wait no turtles! Next you'll be saying pizza isn't real. Lol, thanks for another great video. Always informative and fun.

[@ericvulgate]

Pirate vs Ninja I've been called both many times.

[@fistofthetiger1591]

Fact: Ninja often fight in broad daylight and in full view of the public.

[@Russia-bullies]

Comparing ninjas with samurais is as sensible as comparing books with cars.

[@quantum340]

Many of these myths I heard being said in actual documentaries.

[@tsamoka6496]

Also on the topic of Pirate vs Ninja, there is no reason why a ninja and pirate couldn't be the same thing. Who would win? Just be both and you win either way. =^x^=

[@thepunishersequence291]

Michael said they never existed that's a big one

[@Jon_Hing]

They were pretty much MI6 or CIA of feudal Japan

[@TheAngryAsianAnimations]

There is one thing I want to know about the ninja. Did things like ninja clans and ninja schools exist? Cuz I hear about these things and I can't tell if it's true or not. Like vaguely remember watching something talking about an attack on a ninja clan who used hit and run tactics on the army as it approached to lower their morale before pulling of an illusion that made it look like there was an even bigger army waiting to defend the village and the illusion scared off the demoralized army. But that tale sounds very..."classic" ninja to me. So did things like ninja clans ever exist? Ninja schools? Stuff like that?

[@MaxRavenclaw]

No. These did not exist. There's this level of belief in Ninja myths that doesn't reach Naruto stages but is still wrong. The best ecample would be Gaijin Goomba's reliance on texts that are likely Edo romantization. But to say that ninja didn't exist at all is also false.

[@eagle162]

Schools yes, Clans a bit more complicated there were clans that specialize in Ninjutsu because of their locations and situations but they were not name ninja clans as ninja was an occupation not a class.

[@MaxRavenclaw]

I recommend you read “The Ninja: An Invented Tradition?”, The Journal Of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective (Volume 9, Number 1: Interdisciplinary Reflections On Japan, 2014). It's Digital Commons so anyone can read it. So, the history as stands is that there were people doing "shinobi" work: scaling castles, lighting fires, stealing stuff, spying, killing etc. but there's no evidence for a body of these people as separate from other warriors, or that the people of Iga and Koga were employed across Japan for their skills as ninja. There are, however, Edo Period literary traditions that Iga and Koga have these skills, so it's possible that those do reflect at least people's earlier views of people or even a few individuals skilled in that sort of work from those regions.

[@eagle162]

@@MaxRavenclaw Steven is not a reliable source not even like by Japanese history buffs he gets things wrong here and he actually made another book after this one, I have not read that one but a review on Amazon mention it is full of ninja Hollywood cliches, my guess is he tried to salvage his reputation didn't work out so decided just go back to whatever get people to read.

[@MaxRavenclaw]

@@eagle162 Doesn't change the fact that there are no contemporary historical sources supporting the clans and that the edo texts are fabrications

[@gamingnamehere1560]

remember guys, a pirate is just a sea thief.

[@runeking6242]

Lol I love it when said “ lay from Naruto school” if he did that in purpose that’s fucking savage. Lmao

[@pog428]

At 3:06 does anyone know how to find info about this painting?

[@GregUtz98]

While I certainly enjoy watching the cinematic versions of the Ninja. All that has ever done for me is get me interested in the real world history of them. Same as for the Roman Soldiers, Medieval Knights and even Pirates. As far as Deadliest Warriors show. I've always been of the opinion that it's the one who gets the killing blow first. Statistics are great but can be misleading or even unintentionally biased.

[@seanh0123]

Wrong. 1. The purpose of the ninja is to flip out and kill people. 2. Ninjas cut off heads ALL the time and don’t even think twice about it! 3. I heard there was this ninja eating at a diner. Some guy dropped a spoon and the ninja killed the whole town. 4. My friend Mark saw a ninja totally uppercut this kid just for opening a window. That’s what I call REAL ULTIMATE POWER

[@nickmanzo8459]

When I think Pirates vs. Ninjas, I immediately think of that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark with the big guy with the massive sword and Indy just shoots him. He may not have been a ninja, but my thought is, a bullet is still a bullet, whoever gets their gun first will likely win.

[@jeffreygao3956]

Ninjas had guns too.

[@nickmanzo8459]

@@jeffreygao3956 I know, Samurai used guns too.

[@veryunusual126]

7:50 PLEAAAASSE someone tell me what this is🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨

[@andrewh7868]

From 3:17 to 3:35 there are 4 actual, living ninjas in the video.

[@aegrisomnia]

Pirates are stronger than Ninja... what? This one hurt on so many levels. What does that even mean?

[@nikoszaxarias5200]

Hahaha, very interesting. When I was a kid, I used to believe these myths. However, when I really started to look on military history, I immediately realised that these myths were exactly this: myths. It's a very long time now that I simply laugh in those myths. Have a nice time.

[@Amonimus]

Peasants being that high in the hierarchy is what surprized me the most. Btw I've thought sterotypical ninjas wear black because the theater staff or background actors wear black to not blend in the play, so the image of "invincible" merged with that.

[@RatchildUK]

I mean these are the people who farm your food and make up the bulk of your armies, it's not THAT surprising.

[@drzander3378]

Exactly right about the outfits. Stage hands dressed that way (and still do in traditional Japanese theatre), so when artists wanted to depict someone stealthy or unseen, they would use the iconography of a stage hand. The viewer of the image understood that to mean someone who was invisible. So ninja/shinobi were shown that way in art. Doesn’t mean that ninja/shinobi ever dressed that way. It’s possible they did for night missions or to pass themselves off as theatre hands, but there’s no evidence of it.

[@eagle162]

That's a popular Theory however it is not been proven correct and actually incorrect as ninja that actually was in the story were guys that dress in colorful outfits not the ones in black suits, even early ninja films nina wore colorful outfits not all black suit.

[@andreasarnoalthofsobottka2928]

Why is a fizzy drink named by the spanish word for lolipops? Mythical!

[@matthewdee6023]

Also Pirate vs Ninja, for me, comes down to "scurvy wench vs ninja chick", and I prefer my women without a vitamin C deficiency.

[@82dorrin]

Ninjas didn't dress in outfits that screamed "Ninja" from a thousand kilometers away.

[@avenderiel]

They should. Screaming outfits that can be heard thousands of kilometers away sounds badass.

[@thebigone6071]

The Metatron once again leaves no doubt he’s the greatest human being in existence!!! He claps those mythical cheeks and claps them good! You’re a god amongst men Metatron!!!!

[@darkwolf4830]

I thought of the ninja as like a CIA agents.

[@fu6817]

Expert Linguist Ninja 1-5

[@soldat88hun]

hokuto shin ken is invincible

[@v-doc5230]

Yeah, right. No turtles ever became ninja. That is what they want you to believe. The greatest ninja makes you think, they do not exist... ;)

[@Kriegter]

TURTLE NINJA DENIER GUYS

[@richardsanchez9190]

So apparently if you can say panda in English, you can also say it in Japanese and Spanish.

[@cjwars2828]

lol pirate vs ninja is a message board days of nerd fights of old days. If anything, the show messed it up with spartan vs ninja then knight vs pirate and both lost lol good jab tho that debate at a card shop with 3 nerds and nerd girl fighting about how each would do stuff way before show came out

[@timfoster4979]

Sorry all questions answered should have listened to all before commenting

[@kaltaron1284]

Woudln't the blade being straight mean that the traditional heat treating process hasn't been applied? That would mark that sword as of lower qualitiy for sure. I like you mentioning that a Ninja could be linguist as Japanese dialects are quite intricate and being able to learn and emulate them quickly would certainly be useful to a spy. Although at the time a "linguist" would probably be a samurai or monk anyway. You knwo who wore those black suits? Actors. I think it was pretty commonplace in all forms of Japanese theatre that the people who "don't exist" and just make things work, wear black. That pirate vs. ninja bit made me rember the Total War Shogun videos. Some times you get that surprise kill off, some times you get slaughtered instead. There certainly exist points on your body that will have immediate and desastrous effects. Guess what most reflexes will try to protect. So there's a bit of truth in that but for most combat scenarios it won't come into effect. Let's just say that Bushidou has about the same relevancy as the Code of Chivalry. Written by people after the fact who romanticized certain ideas. May I mention Takeda Shingen's cauldron? Didn't learn anything new but very entertaining video.

[@adambielen8996]

You can use the traditional tempering process on a forward curved blade to make it straight.

[@Makeyourselfbig]

Could you do a review of the Ninja attack scene from "The Last Samurai"?

[@thefurrybastard1964]

The myths surrounding ninjas are as bad and exaggerated as the myths of assassins. You should do a video on the truth behind real world assassins, @Metatron.

[@Nick-hi9gx]

"no turtles have ever become ninja" this is actually sort of wrong. In like the real sense of "ninja". Governments have put cameras on sea turtles shells and used them for recon. That is a ninja. Stealthy because nobody would ever suspect a turtle.

[@emmitstewart1921]

Ah, but those weren't mutant turtles.

[@mrkiky]

Turtles aren't real.

[@Klaaism]

US Navy and the Russians trained dolphins for covert work.

[@dannyhussain5489]

@@emmitstewart1921 with the way we pollute the sea, they probably are lol

[@emmitstewart1921]

@@dannyhussain5489 That's certainly possible in a fantasy fiction. Trash from Chernobyl tossed into the sea could float to the great plastic sargasso in the North Pacific where turtles could mutate. Then a rat could have been chased of board by a ships cat and traveled quite a distance over the floating plastic. If it were a rat born in Hiroshima escaping from a Japanese ship, it could have learned Martial arts by watching the crew practice.

[@just_radical]

Brothers and sisters are natural enemies, just like Ninja and Pirates, or Ninja and Samurai, or Ninja (Iga) and other Ninja (Koga). Damn Ninja! They ruined Ninjutsu!

[@EatWave]

That may have been true once upon a time ago but now is the era of the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance!

[@anonymoose4669]

You Ninja sure are a contentious people

[@just_radical]

@@anonymoose4669 You just made a Teki for life! Translators Note: Teki means enemy.

[@Ujiyo]

You forgot the Yagyu and Aizu.

[@ЭрикКартман-ч4ю]

Ey, easy with the N-word. Shinobi's a politically correct term.

[@williamjenkins4913]

The ninja suit comes from the outfits worn by theater stagehands. They wore black to blend into the backdrop. Then it became a trope for stagehands to pull a knife to "kill" an actor indicating they were killed from out of nowhere. That morphed into ninjas in general being portrayed in that full black bodysuit.

[@eagle162]

No that's a Theory but it doesn't hold water when ninjas were in the story they were the guys in colorful outfits not the ones in black suits.

[@tjvista8177]

In real life, ninjas could pretty much wear normal, everyday attire just to blend in with everyone else just to avoid standing out while performing missions.

[@torg2126]

@@eagle162 The "ninja suit" myth came about because of kabuki stagehands, as did a lot of other ninja myths. Kabiki being a continuously popular form of theater ensured that certain stereotypes and legends continued long after their originators where gone, but also ensured that everything was extremely dramatized. As the commentator below you said, actual ninja wore normal clothes. Additionally, i'm fond of the idea that a kabuki actor was assassinated on stage by a supposed stagehand, perpetuating the myth.

[@InnerDness]

​@torg2126 some wore normal clothes, but infiltrates, saboteurs and assassins probably wore nighttime camouflage. The thing is, nighttime is still somewhat bright, especially when there's no light pollution. The stars and moon are fairly luminous. Solid black would have stood out almost as much as solid white. Navy blue or grey would have been more effective camouflage and it would've been cheaper. I'm not saying they all ran around in those ninja outfits just colored blue or anyting, I'm just saying that if the situation called for it they probably used nighttime camouflage of some sort

[@loneshinobi2682]

This is very validating for me because I had so many people tell me I was wrong when I argued Wolf from Sekiro could be of the samurai class while still being a shinobi.

[@AntonDeMorgan]

If you go on wikipedia you'll find this " Their covert methods of waging irregular warfare were deemed dishonorable and beneath the honor of the samurai. " , meanwhile 17:35 to 19:00. Wikipedia is the main source of information for many and yet on this chapter it falls short

[@LynSain]

The history has been stained too much by pop cultures that it becomes very difficult to clean. Perhaps only people who have interest are the people who will kindly open their minds to the truth. In my opinion Sekiro is a balance between historical and fictional ninja (or shinobi to be precise).

[@johnapple6646]

@@AntonDeMorgan Wikipedia being scholarly accurate is something I wish were true

[@Ujiyo]

Of course he would. He had a katana given to him by a daimyo. Well, technically, he was a retainer, but still, he was given a katana by his lord. If he wasn't samurai before that, he was afterwards. Moving up the social status ladder.

[@loneshinobi2682]

@@Ujiyo this is one point I tried making but it fell on deaf ears. Clearly I was among bad company lol

[@RivetHead999]

I learned a long time ago that the origin of the myths of ninja vs samurai was a result of the battle of Iga, where the people from a small village there were specially trained in guerilla/asymmetrical warfare, and caused Nobunaga a lot of problems. These guys were very skilled at small ambushes, hitting hard and disappearing before anyone could react, and seemed to always know what the samurai were going to do. It's been a long time since I read about that stuff so I may be a little foggy on the details. But supposedly that battle and the accounts of it are the inspiration for the "modern ninja" In movies.

[@tjvista8177]

There could be samurai clans that can employ ninjas to do missions that the samurai couldn't or are unable to do.

[@Cretaal]

Version I heard involved Iga and Koga, one was small but their tactics made them seem much greater in number, the other was great in number but made themselves seem small. It worked, and Nobunaga focused his sights on the former who seemed bigger than they were, and upon finding them sent an army he thought would equal theirs, only to outman them 10 to 1 and wipe them out while the other clan escaped and went underground. Can't remember which one was Iga and which one was Koga, but I'm pretty sure Iga was the one who got wiped out while the Koga went into hiding, but maybe that's just Zelda: Breath of the Wild making me misremember, or maybe it's helping me to remember... great, now I'm craving bananas.

[@Nick-hi9gx]

I think ninja assassinations were probably quite common...of pickets, couriers, sentries, enemy spies. Of daimyo or their lieutenants? Probably pretty rare, like everyone else in history it happened. But I would bet you my entire worth that there were ninja who were specifically used not just for recon of the enemy camp or supply movements or whatever, but also as counter-intelligence and to kill off the early warning systems of camps, because a huge part of Sengoku warfare was cutting off enemy supply lines and lines of communication. attempting to keep the enemy in the dark was just as important as gaining your own intel. It is why the Iga and Koga even come down to us in history, I would bet; they weren't just a spy network, but a spy network that had been given resources and emphasis like never before under Oda, Toyotomi and Ishida then Tokugawa. They didn't have some incredible special skills, other than the people having come from rugged land probably would have made excellent scouts. I think this is probably where the "ninja are assassins!" thing comes from; I think they just happened to kill more sentries and spies and couriers and things than ever before in Japanese history because they were emphasized so highly by Oda and his successors; he made BRILLIANT use of intelligence.

[@alfrancisbuada2591]

One thing can be agreed on, is that they used the shuriken as a distraction

[@Nick-hi9gx]

@@alfrancisbuada2591 They also frequently used your mom as a distraction.

[@alfrancisbuada2591]

@Nic777 Like Bushido. Don't believe all that honor and discipline, its true motivation is to achieve victory at all costs.

[@alfrancisbuada2591]

@Nic777 Hence why Bushido teaches you to achieve total victory.

[@tjvista8177]

Plus, it's possible that ninjas/shinobis did do assassinations and managed to cover their tracks. Even still, anything could happen though.

[@RJLbwb]

The other problem with Pirates verses Ninjas is the Pirate has that parrot to watch the Pirate's back, so that negates the Ninja's stealth.

[@LynSain]

I wish you would also mention the "kunoichi" or the "female ninja" even though you have already debunked it. I think it's still worth a mention knowing how popular it is in pop cultures.

[@gui.a.bbeckers941]

He already did! in a 2015/17 video

[@LynSain]

@@gui.a.bbeckers941 You missed my point, buddy.

[@19Pyrus70]

So there weren't any female masters of stealth & subterfuge who caused death by snu snu?

[@nathanielcrosby2426]

@@19Pyrus70 Now that's a fine way to go.

[@19Pyrus70]

@@nathanielcrosby2426 Death by succubus-jutsu!😁

[@blasterbrain1443]

Nice video - only wish it were longer. The mythology around them has been something that’s fascinated me for the last couple decades. I’ve come to understand that the word “ninja” is relatively new, and refers to the older “shinobi no mono,” or the even older “mononofu.” The “ninja” used any and all tools available to them, including early guns, weaponizing farm implements, with apparently early shuriken being large washers - or simple rocks - mostly used for distracting purposes, but most of what they did involved gathering information. Occasionally they may kill some specific target. Some were samurai in addition to their clandestine activities, many were farmers, carpenters, merchants, mistresses... representatives from every class in feudal Japan. They dressed accordingly, and a “uniform” was unlikely, unless you’re talking about the Shugenja, who would travel into the mountains wearing white and emulating the way the dead are buried. The practitioners of Shugendo who were also “ninja” appear to have given rise to many of the myths about the shinobi being demons or shapeshifters, with the less-travelled, dangerous mountains being themselves naturally wrapped in mystery. “Ninjutsu” itself is translated as “the art of perseverance.” The kanji apparently indicate “blade” over top of “heart” or “spirit,” the message being said to be, “Though my enemy holds a blade above my heart, I will endure and prevail.” There are martial arts systems touting themselves as teaching “ninjutsu,” many of them being garbage. There are good ones, however, which in fact encompass a variety of arts which were used by the warrior class in Japan, the oppressed “mountain mystic” Shugenja who were not permitted to have weapons or learn to fight and so trained in secret, and some more recent schools based on earlier schools, whi ch have been field-tested by covert operatives over the last hundred years or so during the more modern wars. Yes, in the true spirit of what “shinobi” once were, those good schools pull from every tried and true source available for their training - embracing the very essence of the Art of War as the shinobi once did by using whatever’s at hand, ignoring things like “rules” or “scoring points,” but rather focusing entirly on being victorious, or “surviving,” where the first defense to any danger is always, “if possible, don’t be there.” Glad I stumbled on this channel while ago.

[@jonathanwessner3456]

So the Shugenja were the Scottish of Japan?

[@julietfischer5056]

It wouldn't surprise me if the shinobu spread some of the supernatural stories themselves, even using those beliefs against their targets. A man half-convinced there are ghosts or oni in the darkness won't react the same as a man who knows there are mere humans skulking about.

[@siyacer]

heard under blade

[@marcello7781]

Since pirates were mentioned in a video about ninjas, a cool topic for a next Japan related video could be Wokou/Wako pirates.