I remember I had a shortcoming that didn’t stand up to any criticism, and I simply hid it. It's a shame to even think about her. Then I was a green author and did not understand what it meant to be a shinobi even in the world of the Naruto anime. The author who criticized the article then was completely right. Honor for a shinobi is zilch, because there is a much more important question. Not only survival, but also the mission and protection of your own Village. Honor for a shinobi is not winning a one-on-one fight, but completing a mission in such a way that no one even suspects their existence - that the task is completed unnoticed and silently.

In this regard, it can be understood that the shinobi of the Hidden Mist are most suitable for the canonical concept of ninja. The canon of shinobi is that these people acted, firstly, unnoticed, secondly, perfectly disguised (and not in black uniforms and masks, as the vivid imagination of mankind has drawn, but in ordinary clothes of ordinary people), thirdly, masterfully controlling his own body, fourthly, using hidden weapons and various kinds of traps. Many apostates fit this description.

For example, Akasuna no Sasori. He moves measuredly and is in no hurry, despite the fact that he hates making others wait and waiting himself. He tries as much as possible not to show his true form to his opponents and for some time he deceived the whole world. No one knew that his weapon was coated with poison until Scorpio wounded them. The whole world had heard about the legendary Red Sand Scorpion, the military hero of Hidden Sand Village who turned traitor and renegade, but almost no one knew what this man looked like.

Deidara, for example, faked his own death. For some time, everyone considered him dead, while this bastard lived on quietly.

In the world of Naruto, disguises are, frankly, a no-no. Renegades can be easily identified by their treads with the Village sign crossed out. The shinobi themselves are also noticeable by the same protectors. Naturally, in the world of the canon of this anime, shinobi are not in the canon sense of ninja and act more like a regular army than secret intelligence services, which are played by ANBU, which everyone has heard of, but almost no one has seen in person and in action. Analogous to our CIA and others.

Most shinobi follow and all shinobi should follow the "Mission First" philosophy. The task must come before his interests, emotions and opinions, since, as Momochi Zabuza correctly noted, a shinobi is a tool of the Village that does not need a soul. Bloody Mist is an analogue of real shinobi that once existed in the history of Japan. Also, ninjas are masters of deception, cunning and stealth, the very embodiment of them.

Also, shinobi have a completely different concept of victory. Victory in the general understanding is gaining the upper hand over the enemy. In the ninja's understanding, victory is the ability to hide before being caught performing a task. As a rule, most of the tasks are dirty work, like contract killing. However, this is in the historical canon, but in the canon of the Naruto world, victory remains a victory in our understanding.

I saw a lot of exclamations on the topic that the shinobi of Leaf and the rest are acting dishonestly, attacking Akatsuki - three against one, for example. A legitimate question arises: is it fair to kill the weak? Don't think. Cruel times reign in their world, and everyone from Akatsuki has gone through fire, water and copper pipes and survived. Willy-nilly, this develops a certain arrogance to which all shinobi are susceptible. After all, in their world, the shinobi profession is quite popular. People are taught the art of murder from childhood, because the period between wars has always been incredibly short, and military force could be needed at any moment.

“The end justifies the means” - this is said about shinobi. With all this, the philosophy of contempt for death operates. Death is the beginning. Death is nothing, just the beginning of a new path. Children grow up knowing that they can be used and they can die. Otherwise, they would not rush into battle, they would not become shinobi, and they would not be proud of being alive.

The main topic of the article, as you understand from the title, is shinobi and their battles. The shinobi's philosophy plays a big role in their battles. Combat is an integral part of war. At least two people participate in the battle, be it a shinobi, a samurai or someone else, a demon, for example. In this case, there is not only a clash of personalities, but also their forces, and the forces are objective, they must be skillfully managed, as Shikamaru would say.

The battle does not begin immediately if there is no surprise on the side of one of the opponents. As a rule, shinobi hide their trump cards until the last, using them only as a last resort, as Sasori did in the battle with Sakura and Chiyo. Naturally, they begin with a test of abilities, but we still have to wait for the beginning - the moment when one of the opponents gives the first weakness in defense or shows impatience. Sensors measure the enemy's chakra reserves and check for clones/replacements/other fakes. First comes the collection of information.

In between attacks, shinobi analyze the situation and the enemy, but this may be hindered by the adrenaline released. Hormones control the body, awaken primitive instincts, force us to watch fights almost stuck to the screen (well, I’m talking to myself...), while they have such facial expressions... that there are simply no words. It is immediately clear that the shinobi are already in battle, but the adrenaline and madness of the battle are greatly hampered by the cultivated composure. The habit of maintaining calm and equanimity, such as Uchiha Itachi.

Time intervals in battles. These battles are on the screen. If three minutes have passed for them, half an hour may well have passed for us. A minute is a lot. You can do a lot in one minute. Count out loud for a minute: one... two... three... and so on until sixty. So a minute is not so little, you just need to be able to use this time. Shinobi are taught this from an early age. So many of the cries that shinobi could have been killed a thousand times during this time are not an argument. In addition, enemies are also individuals, and personalities can be different. Many people really like to watch how their enemies are lost in conjectures...

Body memory also helps in combat. Training and sparring develop habits, certain reflexes, movements become automatic, and the pain threshold gradually but surely increases. When there is no time to think, a shinobi often saves his body - reflexes, instincts, habitual movements (a generally accepted block, for example).

Conscious memory firmly remembers combat school, military experience, training, situation analysis skills, and technology. Tsunade, during Sakura's training, told her student that a shinobi should be able to see the enemy's weaknesses. No matter how long a ninja trains to hide or even destroy habits and frequent reflexes, there always remains a dominant hand, a dominant leg, the most habitual and thoughtless movements from this very familiarity, insignificant gestures. All this is something that can be used.

And they take advantage of it. They hit on the sly, hit at weak points, attack from the back. This is all that is not approved by the samurai code, something that special forces use today. Historical shinobi were ahead of their time. There is no talk of any honor in the usual sense.

Generally, a shinobi must be smart. One day, someone smart from the shinobi world said that the shinobi world is merciless towards fools. This man was damn right. Every shinobi has a calculating side, even Uzumaki Naruto. If Naruto was a fool, he would never have defeated Gaara. Besides, remember the filler with clones? What did Naruto the shinobi say? Right. He didn't trust anyone. He suspected everyone.

I remembered several examples of fighting on emotions. In the first season, Sasuke chased Itachi around the city and finally caught up with him. As a result, he was beaten with amazing ease. It wasn't even a fight, just a beating of minors... Another example: the incident with Gaara, Naruto lost his temper. Deidara didn’t really strain himself, but was able to lure Uzumaki out of the cave and would have grabbed him just as easily if not for the more cold-blooded Hatake.

Shinobi see a goal in battle. The means are not important.
Adrenaline and other physiological outbursts are suppressed by cultivated composure.
Hot-tempered shinobi still know how to think, for example, Naruto, Deidara. I wouldn’t say that Deidara didn’t think about tactics in the same battle with Gaara.
Those who act on emotions too often and generally do not stay long in their world.
After wars, even the usual concept of honor is forgotten. Many shinobi become simply killers. Deidara (why am I attached to him?!) is a living... dead example of this. Or the same Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Sometimes it seems to me that they are worse maniacs than Deidara.
An example of a real shinobi is Uchiha Itachi.
This is how ideal shinobi act as described.

Here were the basics of shinobi combat. The rest: techniques, dynamics, reasoning - you take from the canon or invent it, you add dynamics with descriptions, reasoning - from your own head and the head of a character who has certain boundaries. For example, Naruto would not have seen through the effects of the antidote as quickly as Sasori, who lived next door to the poisons.

I think there will be additions to the article as new details emerge.

Game description

Video review of the board game Shinobi. War of clans from Igroveda!

Reviews and comments (6)

Review | Sergey | 04/10/2016

I missed something... Tell me, do players take turns performing 3 actions at once, or do all players perform the first action first, then the second, then the third?

Answer from the Igroved store: Sergey, hello. The player performs all 3 actions, then the turn passes to the next player.

Review | walman, Moscow | 01/19/2015

1. Terrible box. This is a typical card deck, which was put in a box 3 times larger, apparently to look better on the shelf. But the creators forgot that I still need to store this garbage somewhere.
2. I read the rules 5 times - I didn’t understand. I'll go to my friends, they have more experience in board games.

Answer from the Igroved store: We are sorry that your first impressions of the game were negative! We hope that the gameplay itself will please you!

Review | Denis, Moscow | 12/29/2014

Thank you! Very good game. I recommend it to everyone!

Ninjas are mysterious ghosts lurking in the shadows. They are able to sneak into the most protected stronghold to deal a fatal blow to the enemy. The skills of these elusive mercenaries instilled fear and awe in people, giving them the image of terrifying demons of the night. Today, everyone knows about silent killers - children play ninjas, hundreds of films are made about them, and cartoons are created. The image of a man in dark clothes throwing shurikens and running along walls is firmly entrenched in the public consciousness. Therefore, today it is difficult to say what ninjas really were, what is the truth and what is just a beautiful story.

Yamabushi

The world owes the appearance of the first ninjas to hermit monks who lived in the mountains. They professed the Shingon branch of Buddhism and called themselves Yamabushi. These people had exceptional knowledge about man and nature. They were masters of herbal medicine and making poisons; they could both heal diseases and kill. The Yamabushi were also experts in acupuncture and had abilities that far exceeded those of an ordinary person.

The Yamabushi tempered themselves with grueling training, as they believed that the body was an excellent tool for cultivating the spirit. Peasants loved and respected these mysterious hermits, as they could heal illnesses of people and animals, save crops and, as legends say, even controlled the weather. Yamabushi's knowledge of the natural sciences was significantly ahead of their time - they were well versed in astronomy, chemistry, botany, and medicine, which only strengthened the belief in their superhuman abilities.

The emergence of the first ninjas

Over time, the merciless training of the hermits began to bear fruit - they learned to masterfully control their body and mind. Yamabushi could consciously control not only their breathing, but also their pulse. The monastic settlements began to attract people who had not found a place for themselves in society. Among them were also ronins, skilled in other types of weapons. They contributed to the practices that the hermits practiced.

The fact that these people lived among the wild made them masters of camouflage and also gave them the ability to wait. After all, in the mountains there was no rush and bustle, so common for the rest of the world. This endowed the predecessors of the ninja with limitless patience and qualities of character that were inaccessible to the common man. They could survive confidently in the wild and instantly disappear into the natural landscape. Such outstanding achievements attracted those in power to Yamabushi, who wanted to use their unique skills for their own purposes.

Ninja training

What did the legendary shadow warriors do? Often their activities were much more prosaic than shown in films and books. Ninja techniques allowed them to play any role. It was almost impossible to meet one of them in classic black clothes that hid their faces. The ninja always suited the environment in which he had to work. If he was in the company of samurai, then he behaved like a samurai and was dressed accordingly. Among the peasants and beggars, he was dressed in rags. The acting of such a spy was so skillful that it could deceive even the most cunning enemy. Often the ninja's work was carried out so quietly and smoothly that it was impossible to even know that he was there.

Contrary to stereotypical opinion, these geniuses of camouflage rarely participated in contract killings. They were mainly engaged in reconnaissance, obtaining secret information and carrying out sabotage in the enemy camp. That is, ninjas were an analogue of James Bond, and not ruthless hired killers, although, apparently, they were also attracted to such activities, since they perfectly mastered hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Who were the ninjas

To be a skilled mercenary, a ninja had to rebuild his entire life. Therefore, they did not occupy a specific place in the Japanese hierarchy, but were outside it. In the ranks of ninjas one could meet representatives of any class. Movies often show a confrontation between samurai and spies dressed in dark clothes. But in fact, the main customers of the ninja were the samurai, who constantly fought among themselves. Moreover, if one of them went bankrupt, he often moved to one of the ninja clans, where samurai fighting techniques came in handy.

There were also commoners in such clans. However, there is no evidence that they stood up for the peasants and protected them from the samurai. Most likely, these are just beautiful legends that romanticize the image of the ninja. It is important to understand that the warriors of the night were mercenaries and did any work for which they were willing to pay. That is, the decisive factor in the life of their clans was money, and not moral values ​​and beliefs. Whoever pays the most will be helped. Therefore, ninja techniques were aimed more at espionage and obtaining secret information than at eliminating the enemy.

The times of the ninja

It is believed that ninja clans were finally formed around the 10th century AD. In those days, nobles used their services to resolve their conflicts. The secret techniques of the ninja were ideal for gaining an advantage in the struggle for power. Shinobi services were especially popular during the unification of Japan. This happened approximately 1460-1600. Then all parties to the conflict used the services of ninjas in order to gain at least some advantage in this monstrous war.

However, in subsequent years, the Tokugawa shogun decided that it was too dangerous to abandon the freedom-loving clans. Moreover, since ninjas were mercenaries who served those who paid well, their services could be used against him, which was not at all part of the plans of the ambitious shogun. As a result, he pitted the two largest clans against each other - Iga and Koga. The bloody confrontation between them ended with most of the ninja being destroyed. The survivors were weak and scattered, forcing them to swear allegiance to the Tokugawa.

Shinobi and war

Movies often show hordes of ninjas storming a fortress or fighting samurai. However, it was illogical for the warriors of the night to engage in direct confrontation. Ninja combat techniques were designed for quietly eliminating a target or waging a guerrilla war, but certainly not for confronting the enemy in an open field. Of course, a direct collision left no chance for the mysterious saboteurs. But they were competent strategists and did not allow the war to be waged according to the rules of the enemy. But their help could have a decisive influence on the outcome of the war, since a ninja who penetrated the enemy’s fortress could make a lot of noise, cause sabotage and demoralize the enemy.

Masters of camouflage could penetrate the enemy's camp both in peacetime and during large-scale hostilities. Their targets were military leaders or strategic targets. Also, the information that these fearless spies obtained could provide their employer with a decisive advantage and change the outcome of the war.

Ninja moves

Today, like mushrooms after rain, all kinds of schools for teaching the art of warriors of the night have popped up. In them, fans of ninja films pose as skilled killers and scouts. However, these people mostly invent ninjutsu techniques in order to get money from gullible students. In general, it is difficult to say that the art of shinobi was as structured and understandable as, for example, karate or judo. There is no evidence that they all used any one technique to achieve their goals. Rather, these were general principles and methods of survival in extreme conditions.

Ninja training resembled that of a special forces soldier rather than the martial arts of Japan. But there are still thousands of enthusiasts throwing shurikens and performing complex acrobatic stunts in stylized black suits. An entire industry has grown up around this activity. Anyone who has firmly decided to become a modern ninja can go to the store and buy himself a suit, shurikens and all kinds of chains. By going online, you can easily purchase a “ninja sword” and become the coolest in the area. How did the training of the warriors of the night actually take place?

Structure of clans

Over time, ninja clans became clearly structured and fully formed structures. It was almost impossible for an outsider to get into such a clan. Knowledge was passed on from father to son and carefully guarded from prying eyes. Scrolls with ninjutsu techniques were kept especially jealously; teaching an outsider was punishable by death. Each clan specialized in special techniques unique to it. Some of them were specialists in sabotage, some preferred poisons, and some were fed by insidious ambushes.

There was a clear hierarchy within the shinobi clans. The top was involved in concluding agreements, signing contracts, joining and leaving unions. There was also a middle layer, the purpose of which was to control the execution of orders from above. At the bottom rung of the hierarchical ladder were ordinary performers. That is, ninja clans were serious organizations with strict discipline and a pronounced hierarchy.

Ninja costume

The familiar black suits, by which everyone can recognize a ninja, are more likely a product of cinema than a reflection of the real state of affairs. Black is not the best color for camouflage, as it is extremely rare in nature. Therefore, different shades of brown and gray were most often used. It was they who allowed us to merge with the surrounding world most fully. The notorious ninja sword was also not the favorite weapon of elusive spies. They preferred chains, plows, retractable spears, shurikens and other tools that were easy to hide or pass off as tools of peasant labor.

Shinobi were used infrequently, since in most cases the warriors of the night disguised themselves as their surroundings in order to get to their target in the simplest and most effective way. There were many pockets in which medicinal herbs, poisons, needles and shurikens, as well as other combat weapons, were placed.

Specialized weapons

The ninja's arsenal included not only hand-to-hand combat techniques and edged weapons. They also skillfully used hooks, ladders, ropes and other things with which they could get into the palace chambers or overcome the fortress wall. Shinobi also knew a lot about the use of explosives, which helped to sow panic in the enemy’s camp or make a hole in the wall. Ninja shoes were also adapted to perform their tasks.

They often carried special breathing tubes with them. Ninja techniques allowed them to stay under water for a long time, breathing through a thin tube. But the most powerful weapon of these cunning scouts was their knowledge of psychology. They could play any social role, ingratiate themselves with the right person. Ninjas knew how to control their own consciousness, which allowed them to survive the most difficult trials without experiencing discomfort.

Nobunaga Oda

No matter how hard the ninja tried to refrain from direct participation in the war, they failed. Nobunaga Oda, a tough military leader who wanted to unite the country, managed to destroy the Iga clan, the strongest shinobi organization. He is in the area where this powerful clan settled and, as a result of a fierce confrontation, managed to defeat his enemies. The surviving members of the clan scattered across the country. However, this victory was not easy for the brave samurai. Many thousands of soldiers died at the hands of ninjas.

Ninjutsu today

Modern ninjas hardly study combat. They don't run on walls or throw needles. Intelligence agencies have changed their methods of operation significantly over the past centuries. Of course, the training methods used by ancient spies are still relevant today. For example, in special units that need to be able to survive in the wild and fight in the forest. But videos with the titles “Ninja Techniques for Beginners” or various manuals “Ninjutsu for Dummies” are simply a smart commercial move and have nothing to do with the mysterious warriors of the night. However, shinobi and their unique life path are a valuable cultural heritage that should not be lost.

Tactical board game “Shinobi. War of the Clans" is dedicated to one of the most striking periods of Japanese history - the era of the warring provinces. At this time, the Land of the Rising Sun was split into dozens of principalities, ruled by daimyos - the heads of noble samurai families. For more than a hundred years, the struggle for power and land continued between them, in which the clans used all means available to them - from direct military aggression to secret sabotage.

In the Shinobi board game, participants become secret agents of powerful Japanese families: Go-Hojo, Mori, Oba, Takeda and Uesugi. To win, the player must ensure that by the end of the game his clan's troops are in the majority. To this end, participants place detachments in the provinces, send armies into battle and use the services of ninjas.

At the beginning of the game, it is determined who will represent which clan. Players keep their clan affiliation secret until the end of the game. If there are less than five people in the party, one or two clans will become “drawn” - but which ones will also remain a secret. Each player then draws 4 cards from the deck into their hand. Players take turns until the cards in the deck run out.

Most of the cards represent samurai units, each belonging to one of the five clans. During the game, the player can dispose of the cards of any clan, including enemy ones - after all, no one knows yet who he works for. But it matters where these units are located: in the player’s province (on the table in front of him) or in other people’s possessions (on the table in front of his opponents). In each province, cards are grouped by clans, forming armies.

On his turn, a player must give three orders. The first order is to place a unit in someone else's province, that is, place one card from your hand in front of another player. The second is to either play a card in front of you in the same way, or move a unit from a foreign province to any other. The third order is to lead an army from your own province to attack an army in someone else's province. This can only be done by observing the following conditions: firstly, the attacking army must be stronger than the one attacked on at least one map, secondly, these armies must belong to different clans, and thirdly, you cannot attack an army whose number is in this the course has already been changed. The attacked army loses one unit - the “killed” card is discarded. Of course, there are also ninjas in the game - there are only three such cards in the entire deck. If a player has a ninja card in his hand, he can use it instead of the first order. The ninja attacks an army in a foreign province, destroys one of its units, and then goes into discard. At the end of the player's turn, he draws cards from the deck.

At the end of the game, when there are no cards left in the deck and each participant has made his last move, the players count how many units of each clan are left in the provinces. The clan that managed to save the most forces is declared the winner. Neutral clans are not taken into account, and if several players compete for the championship, the one in whose province has more “own” units wins.

"Shinobi" is a simple and fast board game for those who like to mislead their opponents and reveal someone else's bluff. A game for three players challenges the deductive abilities of the players: in this situation, the most important thing is to understand which clans are left in a draw and skillfully use them. When playing with four and especially five players, you need to carefully monitor the situation on the table and count the cards played - here you will no longer be able to be in the lead due to an oversight by your opponents. And of course, in any case, you should keep secret until the last moment which clan you are actually playing for.

If you have any questions about the rules of our game, we will be happy to answer on a special forum about it on the international portal BoardGameGeek in Russian.

A little about Japanese clans

Takeda- a family of great warriors, generals and martial artists. Descended from the ancient Minamoto clan. During the era of the Warring States, the head of the family, Takeda Shingen, became famous, one of the most outstanding military leaders in Japanese history.

Mori- an ancient but poor family that managed to advance during the era of the warring provinces. After the unification of Japan, he lost almost all his possessions, but regained influence during the Meiji Restoration. And today many of Japanese politicians belong to this family.

Oh yeah- a clan dating back to the ancient Taira clan. At the beginning of the Warring States era, it split into two warring factions. Oda Nobunaga first managed to unite the clan, and then began the unification of Japan. However, after his death the family fell into decline.

Uesugi- a family that historically owned the Kanto region (the modern capital region of Japan), and also founded Edo Castle, present-day Tokyo. The most prominent commander of the clan, Uesugi Kenshin, was a sworn and worthy opponent of Takeda Shingen.

Go-Hojo- one of the clans that most actively participated in the era of the warring provinces. With the fall of the stronghold of this family, Odawara Castle - the greatest citadel of Japan at that time - the unification of the country was actually completed. This was the end of the Go-Hojo clan.

Description of flash game

Shinobi quest

Shinobi Quest

Action game for boys Shinobi Quest is a very interesting story about how one of the best ninjas made his way through a samurai settlement to their leader in order to destroy him. Ninjas are ancient warriors who use stealth and various techniques of psychological pressure on the enemy. To be dexterous and agile, they use very light and compact weapons. For example, shurikens are very deadly stars that must be thrown to cause serious damage to the enemy. You also have access to a lightweight one-handed sword that will save your life more than once. In the game, you should always focus on parkour and try to surpass your opponent in movement, because this will give additional advantages. Take advantageous positions and make extraordinary decisions. And at the most important moment, when you can reach the goal, neutralize it and go home for a big reward. After all, ninjas are ordinary hired killers. And in this they have no equal.