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    Ninja Truths and Myths Volume II. Newly Revised, Updated and Expanded!
    Ninja Truths and Myths Volume II. Newly Revised, Updated and Expanded!
    Ninja Truths and Myths Volume II. Newly Revised, Updated and Expanded!
    Ebook127 pages1 hour

    Ninja Truths and Myths Volume II. Newly Revised, Updated and Expanded!

    By Lex Lyon

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    About this ebook

    Ninja Truths and Myths II
    Revised, Updated And Expanded!

     

    THE SEQUEL
    Featuring new information on the original version!

     

    All the fascinating information from the first Ninja Truths & Myths book has been combined here with brand new data making for one compelling and comprehensive volume on these ancient mystical warriors.

     

    The Ultimate Ninja Reference.

    Includes a Guide to Popular Ninja Movies, Books, Illustrations Depicting Various Equipment They Utilized, Plus Learn Facts about Real Ninjas Who Actually Existed Such as the Famed Hattori Hanzo, a Trivia Quiz and Much More!

     

    Unmasking the Men in Black While Separating Fact From Fiction.


    So, whatever you thought about ninjas might be wrong!

     

    WHO WERE THE REAL NINJAS?

    Ninjas are often portrayed in modern culture as cold-blooded assassins, garbed in black and armed with Samurai swords, throwing stars and nunchuks, who appear out of nowhere from the dark to eliminate their chosen victims without mercy. Then disappear into the night in a cloud of smoke.

     

    These agents are even said to possess magical powers which include invisibility and walking on water, along with exhibiting such dazzling physical skills that they could easily rank world class athletes in competitions such as track and field or else gymnastics.

     

    You even hear tongue-in-cheek statements in film such as "Only a Ninja can kill another Ninja!".

     

    That kind of hoopla might be fine for entertaining the younger audiences who love their super hero comic books, video games and Teenage Ninja Turtle flicks. But what about the adult crowd (like the author) who prefers a good dose of historical accuracy in their movies, books, etc. After all, you have probably heard the saying that "truth is stranger than fiction."

     

    The author became fascinated with ninjas back in the decade of the 1980's when the Ninja craze in America had reached its peak. Ever since then I have set about consuming every book, article, and documentary I could feast my eyes upon.

     

    What he discovered about Ninjas was actually quite surprising. Their reputation has been highly dramatized by misconception and the popular media. Now I'd like to share with you what I've learned.

     

    In this book he will uncover many of the legends and myths surrounding ninjas while explaining who they really were and how they actually operated.


    DISCOVER THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT NINJAS!

     

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLex Lyon
    Release dateApr 15, 2023
    ISBN9798215932872
    Ninja Truths and Myths Volume II. Newly Revised, Updated and Expanded!

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      Ninja Truths and Myths Volume II. Newly Revised, Updated and Expanded! - Lex Lyon

      NINJA PORTRAYAL

      They are often portrayed in modern culture as cold-blooded assassins, garbed in black, who, armed with Samurai swords, throwing stars and nunchucks, appear out of nowhere in the shadows of night to sever the heads of their chosen victims without mercy.

      These agents are even said to possess magical powers to include invisibility and walking on water, along with exhibiting such dazzling physical skills that they could easily rank world class in Olympic events such as gymnastics and track and field.

      You even hear tongue-in-cheek statements in pictures such as Only a Ninja can kill another Ninja!. That kind of hoopla might be fine for entertaining the younger audiences who love their super hero comic books, video games and Teenage Ninja Turtle flicks. But what about the adult crowd (like the author) who prefers a good dose of historical accuracy in their motion pictures, books, etc. After all, you have probably heard the saying that truth is stranger than fiction.

      The author became fascinated with them back in the decade of the 1980's when their craze in America had reached its peak. Ever since then I have set about consuming every book, article, and documentary I could feast my eyes upon.

      What I discovered about them was actually quite surprising. Their reputation has been highly dramatized by misconception and the popular media. Sure, it may be more exciting to portray them as sword-slinging roof hopping executioners with mystical abilities.

      But let’s get real!

      Now I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned. Here is the summation of all that research. And yes, I have found that truth truly is stranger than fiction.

      FILM 

      The Famous Bond Film

      The 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice starring Sean Connery, which set into action the door to the initial exposure of ninjas to the American public, did not open in theaters without its share of controversy.

      According to a quote from Black Belt Magazine, August 1967, the World’s Leading Magazine of Self-defense:

      The results proved something less than successful, and touched off one of the many controversies that plagued the movies producers, Eon productions, throughout the two months of filming in Japan. There are only half a dozen or so authentic scholars and specialists in ninjutsu (the self-defense art of the ninja) still around in Japan today. And all of these experts washed their hands of the movie production on the ground that the film-makers failed to give a factual representation of the art of ninjitsu. 

      Other Films That Followed

      Many would eventually jump on this band wagon such as actor/martial artists Chuck Norris in 'The Octagon' (1980), and Sho Kosugi in 'Revenge of the Ninja'.

      While these productions may be highly entering, they too, for the sake of dramatization on the silver screen, played up many of the exaggerated stunts and gimmicks that grew out of folklore.

      In Comparison

      Like the gun-toting cowboys of the American Wild West, their lore built up over a period of time. For example, if you watch western movies or television shows you often see a pair of cowpokes facing off in the middle of a dusty street. A gawking crowd of gathering onlookers waits for them to draw. After the smoke clears, when one of them lies dead, someone in the crowd might say of the winner, He sure is quick on the draw.

      What’s wrong with this scenario? First of all, most gunfights in the old west took place in back alleys, away from the eyes of any crowd or those of an arresting town Marshall. Secondly, many individuals were ambushed from behind then shot in the back with a sawed-off double barrel shotgun rather than some fancy six-shooter. Thirdly, most holsters back in those days were made of flimsy leather and were unsuited for fast draws like you

      see in pictures. Some cowboys didn't even own holsters, rather they simply tucked a revolver inside a belted waistline.

      So, over a period of more than a century of embellishing storytellers and film makers they created an image of fast draw shootouts. The same is true with the ninja. The author recently watched a documentary where the opening scene shows a one exiting a building and being confronted by a pair of sword-wielding Samurai. The announcer says, The Samurai are about to die. It gave the viewer the impression that these combatants were the best fighters who ever lived and could take on multiple opponents all at once. In reality, the Samurai likely spent more time practicing with a sword than the ninja, who were busily occupied with the task of developing their espionage skills.

      For More Ninja Movie Selections See the Cinema Chapter.

      What Made the Shinobi Notorious and Feared?

      It was the fact that they learned how to operate in the shadows, or be camouflaged in such a way as to not be seen. Then, waiting patiently for their target to appear, they would leap out from behind and stab them in the back with a sharp tool or else strangle them with a garrote. They would not stand out in the open, face an opponent with a drawn sword, then challenge them to a duel as the cinema often depict. Ruthless skullduggery and hide-and-seek tactics were more their style.

      DEFINED

      A Definition

      Ninjutsu, or ninpo, is a collection of adaptable survival techniques that allows one to face the uncertainties of life and to respond to dangerous situations, through physical and psychological discipline, where one uses orthodox weapons in unorthodox ways. – Dr. Kacem Zhoughari

      What is the difference Between Ninjitsu and Ninjutsu?

      The sole difference is in the pronunciation, and how it is written in the Japanese language. Otherwise, they pretty much mean the same thing. But the correct pronunciation of the term Ninjutsu often sounds like ‘Ninjitsu’, and it doesn’t have anything to do with it being a fake form or not. If you have the opportunity, then listen when the Japanese people use this word. Plus keep in mind that pronunciation is one of the more difficult things in Japanese.

      SCROLLS

      Where Did Their Historical Information Originate?

      Much of it is found in the Bansenshukai, a Japanese book containing a collection of knowledge from the clans in the Iga and Koga regions that had been devoted to the training of Ninjutsu. It was compiled by Fujibayashi Sabuji in 1676, in the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate, to preserve the knowledge that had been developed during the near-constant military conflict from the Onin War until the end of the Siege of Osaka almost 150 years later.

      Along with the Shoninki of 1681 and the Ninpiden of 1655 they make up the three major sources of direct data about this shadowy profession. The Ninpiden (a.k.a. Shinobi Hiden) or Legends of Ninja Secrets is a ninjutsu manual attributed to either Hattori Kiyonobu or Hattori Hanzo. It was passed down in the Hattori family, was considered a secret transmission; not shared with outsiders or even within their kin as few had access to it.

      Be aware that none of these documents discuss martial arts. Rather they discuss reconnaissance, news gathering, and similar topics. That is a primary reason why authentic ninjas are thought to be more like informants rather than military style combatants.

      THEIR ORIGINS

      We should study our history very carefully, and not just rely on being told the facts told by others.

      That was Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi on quoting his instructor Takamatsu sensei, who was also known

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