About
Ninja are now seen in popular media around the world. But as their profile rises, their reality gets muddied amid legends and fantasies. The truth about authentic ninja lies unknown, shrouded in mystery. This program carefully examines the fighting skills and tools used by actual ninja, and conducts experiments to determine the "Ninja Truth".
Cast
Chris Glenn
as Self - Presenter
Seasons
Episodes
Season 1
Episode 1
The ninja had over 400 distinctive tools and weapons to fight with and defend themselves. The most familiar was one called the "kusari-gama," a chain and sickle that could do serious damage to an opponent. But it raises questions about how they used it when fighting, and how they were able to conceal it. The ninja were also ingenious at hiding themselves. We'll do an experiment to see if those hiding techniques really worked, and we'll look at a brand-new technology for hiding people.
Episode 2
The ninja used short swords when faced with imminent danger, such as in enemy territory. We'll see when these were used, and how they differed from warrior's katana swords. Also, ancient ninja literature describes a water-crossing device known as "mizugumo." We'll do an experiment, constructing "mizugumo" exactly as described, to see if it really worked. And we'll get a ninja expert's opinions about how it could be improved today, and try that too! Join us to see the results!
Shuriken
The ninja employed over 400 special weapons and tools to accomplish their missions, and the shuriken is undoubtedly one of the most famous. In this episode, we'll examine not just how the shuriken was thrown, but ninja techniques for throwing it with a string attached, and using it defensively. The ninja also devised various throwing techniques such as yoko-uchi, hon-uchi and gyaku-uchi. We'll use cutting-edge science to examine their uses, and use the shuriken to draw closer to the ninja truth.
Ninja Yashiki
The ninja were often given the important mission of infiltrating enemy territory and bringing back key information. Meanwhile, their own residences were cleverly rigged to thwart intruders and hide the information they'd acquired. In this episode, we'll examine the secrets of their residences, including trap doors, lookout posts, sword compartments, and hanging ladders, using action-packed reenactments. We'll also examine the psychological effect of these residences.
Ninja Fire Arts
The ninja are said to have been proficient in the use of gunpowder long before guns were brought to Japan, and to have invented over 230 uses for it. In this episode, we'll introduce the toribikata, a weapon similar to a flamethrower that was used to fend off several attackers at once, and the hyakuraijyu, which created chaos by emitting a noise similar to a volley of gunshots. We'll also recreate the grenade-like hourokuhiya to determine its strength, and the daikokuhiya, a weapon frequently mentioned in the ninja training text Bansenshukai, to learn about how it was actually used.
Concealed Weapons and Hyorogan
The ninja used various tools and weapons on their secret missions. To protect themselves in dangerous situations, they used concealed weapons. Portable and hidden from view, some were even disguised as ordinary items. In this episode, we'll feature concealed weapons including the amigasa, kakute, shikomi-tessen, and how they were used. We'll also join a ninja expert and recreate hyorogan, the ultimate ninja ration, to learn the secrets behind its ingredients.
In Search of the Kunoichi, the Female Ninja
Before modern times, the ninja worked secretly in the shadows, and a particularly shadowy figure is the female ninja or Kunoichi. While often portrayed as female spies, we're left with only hints and speculations about them. Based on passages from the "Bansenshukai," perhaps the most famous ninja manual, we investigate the history, mode of operation, and psychological tactics of the Kunoichi. Our search takes us to Tomi, a city in Nagano Prefecture where a mysterious female group once resided.
Extraordinary Ninja Tools: Kunai and Ikibukuro
The ninja employed a wide range of tools to accomplish their missions. In this episode, we introduce the kunai and examine what it was made of and how it was used. With the help of a leading ninja researcher, we also recreate and test the ikibukuro, a previously unknown tool that is said to have enabled the ninja to perform tasks underwater.
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