Ninja.

Most Westerners first heard the unfamiliar Japanese word "Ninja" in the book or movie of Ian Fleming's "You Only Live Twice." In the print and Hollywood 1960s spy-world setting of intrigue, stealthy warriors in black displayed unbelievable agility, fearsome skill with exotic, deadly weapons and ruthless death-dealing...but no individuality or personality.

Then came the martial arts movies of the 70s and beyond. "Ninja"...the oriental word once so foreign to the tongue, so sinister, is now so common, it's the model-name of Kawasaki's crotch rocket style of motorcycle.

But what is in the name, the word? Who were the historical Ninjas who served as models for the name's uses?

Incredibly trained (from about 8 years old) martial artists, the culmination of whose career was to be hired…as assassins (and sometimes as spies, bodyguards or kidnappers).

Osprey's Ninja Warrior 1460-1650, by Stephen Turnbull does excellent service in providing the Occidental with an understanding of these shadowy warriors and their unknown-to-us world. Westerner Turnbull writes about Easterners with true understanding…almost the stuff of anthropology, not military history. Still, this book WORKS. Folks, Stephen Turnbull KNOWS his subject!

An unexpected bonus is the author’s provision of photos of ninja re-enactors and a glossary of “ninja-lingo.” More bonuses? You got em;  diagram of a ninja house, photos of weapons, recommended reading list, a bit on ninja museums, and a bibliography. One definitely receives outstanding per-page value from this book!

Artist Wayne Reynolds lays it all down, REALLY giving the concept of Ninjas’ reality. Page after page, Reynolds’ massively talented brush delivers illustrations which convey the concept, the unique training, the stealth, the ruthlessness “necessary” to inhabit the ninja’s world. Reynolds’ paintings of day, night, indoor and outdoor settings provides not only thematic variety, but, “a day in the life of a medieval ninja.”

If a modeler wishes to do a figure of a ninja warrior, it's probably conversion time, (especially if one elects to do a girl-ninja), as the subject is much too exotic to lure figure companies away from making the 15,001st Waffen SS Panzer Grenadier likeness. Remember, the figure should be lithe, youthful, poised, superbly fit. Give it  a go.

Surprisingly highly recommended, for the military history enthusiast wishing to broaden their knowledge repertoire…or anyone curious about the truth behind the ninja legend.

Review copy courtesy of the reviewer's chequebook, purchased at Prosek's Greenhouse and Military Model Shop, Winfield, Illinois, USA.

Reviewed by James Hood

 see Scott Van Aken's m2 and other reviews of James Hood's novel Adventure--Into The Neverland, of exploring a parallel, Alternate world (concept based on the Superstring theory of physics) using WW II surplus ships, aircraft and vehicles at:)    <http://users3.ev1.net/~bjmonkeyandcj/James_Hood.htm>

Book can be ordered at <http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/SearchCatalog.aspx>  or from your local bookstore (ISBN 0-7596-9062-6 Hardbound or ISBN-0-7596-2646-4 Softcover

July 2005

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