Naruto Columns
06/29/2023
Why Are Ninja Popular Abroad? Find Out from Legendary Hollywood Ninja Actor Sho Kosugi and an Expert on American Literature!
Why are ninja so popular around the globe?
I lived in Los Angeles, California for a few years, and whenever my friends from the area spotted someone performing an acrobatic stunt, they would make comments like "Wow! Ninja!!" without seeming to think twice about the word. Countless shows and films incorporate ninja, and everyone knows that NARUTO, which enjoys great popularity both in the US and across the world, is centered around them.
The funny thing is, the "ninja" I saw portrayed in America were a strange entity to me, somehow different from how I viewed ninja as a Japanese person. It seems to me that the idea of ninja, for whatever reason, evolved and gained popularity when it spread overseas. But what I cannot figure out is, "When and how did people abroad learn about ninja?" I brought this question to well-known Hollywood actor Sho Kosugi to hear his answer.
I lived in Los Angeles, California for a few years, and whenever my friends from the area spotted someone performing an acrobatic stunt, they would make comments like "Wow! Ninja!!" without seeming to think twice about the word. Countless shows and films incorporate ninja, and everyone knows that NARUTO, which enjoys great popularity both in the US and across the world, is centered around them.
The funny thing is, the "ninja" I saw portrayed in America were a strange entity to me, somehow different from how I viewed ninja as a Japanese person. It seems to me that the idea of ninja, for whatever reason, evolved and gained popularity when it spread overseas. But what I cannot figure out is, "When and how did people abroad learn about ninja?" I brought this question to well-known Hollywood actor Sho Kosugi to hear his answer.
Sho Kosugi had his big break starring as ninja villain Hasegawa in the 1981 American film Enter the Ninja. He continued to build his career with many beloved ninja films, soon becoming an influential actor and earning the title of "first million-dollar Japanese Hollywood star". It is safe to say that Sho played a key role in the "ninja boom" that swept the US in the 1980s.
That's why I thought that Sho, of all people, would know how Japanese ninja evolved into the concept of ninja portrayed outside Japan. Perhaps examining the history of American ninja culture will also help us understand why NARUTO is so beloved abroad.
Sho Kosugi recounts the dawn of American ninja films, and tells amazing behind-the-scenes stories that occurred during the US ninja boom. Later, Professor Toshihiro Inoue from Sonoda Women's University, who has studied the changing portrayal of ninja outside Japan, analyzes how the Americanized version of ninja came to be.
That's why I thought that Sho, of all people, would know how Japanese ninja evolved into the concept of ninja portrayed outside Japan. Perhaps examining the history of American ninja culture will also help us understand why NARUTO is so beloved abroad.
Sho Kosugi recounts the dawn of American ninja films, and tells amazing behind-the-scenes stories that occurred during the US ninja boom. Later, Professor Toshihiro Inoue from Sonoda Women's University, who has studied the changing portrayal of ninja outside Japan, analyzes how the Americanized version of ninja came to be.
Table of Contents
・Does America's Love of NARUTO Stem From Its Depiction of Power and Passion Hidden Within?
・Nunchuck-Spinning Ninja: The Birth of American Ninja Culture
・Turning Ninja into Heroes! Incorporating Taekwondo and 007 in His Performance
・The American Ninja Boom Through the Eyes of a Key Player
・Breaking the Mold Is How We Get Great Works Like NARUTO!
・From Gunslingers, to Kung Fu, to Ninja, to NARUTO. A Researcher of American Literature Chimes in on American Heroes!
・Fighting Against the Evil Within: Similarities Between NARUTO and American Literature
・Nunchuck-Spinning Ninja: The Birth of American Ninja Culture
・Turning Ninja into Heroes! Incorporating Taekwondo and 007 in His Performance
・The American Ninja Boom Through the Eyes of a Key Player
・Breaking the Mold Is How We Get Great Works Like NARUTO!
・From Gunslingers, to Kung Fu, to Ninja, to NARUTO. A Researcher of American Literature Chimes in on American Heroes!
・Fighting Against the Evil Within: Similarities Between NARUTO and American Literature
—Sho, have you ever watched NARUTO?
Sho Kosugi (hereafter, Sho): I've watched the anime. The characters in NARUTO are pretty captivating.
The main character, Naruto, starts off as the lonely outcast of the Hidden Leaf Village, but carries both a secret power and a strong conviction deep within. This kind of character is popular in the west. The protagonist in Clint Eastwood's famous film Dirty Harry is stoic and lives a life of solitude, but is incredibly strong when push comes to shove. I think something about the idea of powerful yet hidden abilities really appeals to westerners.
Sho Kosugi (hereafter, Sho): I've watched the anime. The characters in NARUTO are pretty captivating.
The main character, Naruto, starts off as the lonely outcast of the Hidden Leaf Village, but carries both a secret power and a strong conviction deep within. This kind of character is popular in the west. The protagonist in Clint Eastwood's famous film Dirty Harry is stoic and lives a life of solitude, but is incredibly strong when push comes to shove. I think something about the idea of powerful yet hidden abilities really appeals to westerners.
—When you put it like that, NARUTO's huge popularity abroad makes a lot of sense.
Sho: I think the themes of "endurance" and "resilience" also factor into why the series is so compelling.
Even in stories centered around taking revenge for one's family, American hero narratives feature protagonists enduring countless obstacles before letting all the emotions and power within themselves explode outward at a final, pivotal moment. I've used this pattern in my film portrayals of ninja, and I think that aspects of it are present in NARUTO as well.
Sho: I think the themes of "endurance" and "resilience" also factor into why the series is so compelling.
Even in stories centered around taking revenge for one's family, American hero narratives feature protagonists enduring countless obstacles before letting all the emotions and power within themselves explode outward at a final, pivotal moment. I've used this pattern in my film portrayals of ninja, and I think that aspects of it are present in NARUTO as well.
—I want to get into the portrayal of ninja you developed in America, but before that, I wanted to ask how a Japanese person such as yourself became not just a Hollywood actor, but a "ninja actor".
Sho: I was focused on karate and baseball from elementary to high school, and so I tried applying to a prominent college known for baseball, but failed miserably in the entrance exams—twice, even. I became so depressed I considered jumping into a river to drown myself, but my two sisters saw how I was doing, and said "Maybe you can start a new life abroad", gifting me a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. I was 19 then.
Once I got to the US, I worked tons of part-time jobs while attending school. This was around the time when Bruce Lee's films became hits and kung fu was all the rage. Because of this, other eastern martial arts like karate also gradually gained attention. Then one day a friend from school asked "Can you teach me karate?", so I decided to start a karate class at my university. The class was a success, and I eventually established a dojo and entered several karate and mixed martial arts tournaments across the US, ultimately receiving over 600 trophies and medals.
Thanks to that I became widely known as a karate practitioner, so I thought I could realize my childhood dream of becoming a movie star. But no matter how many times I tried to put myself out there, I remained unnoticed for eight years playing extras. Right as I was about to call it quits, I auditioned for the 1981 film Enter the Ninja. Out of the hundreds who tried out, I, the Japanese auditionee with expertise in karate and traditional weaponry, got the part of stuntman.
Sho: I was focused on karate and baseball from elementary to high school, and so I tried applying to a prominent college known for baseball, but failed miserably in the entrance exams—twice, even. I became so depressed I considered jumping into a river to drown myself, but my two sisters saw how I was doing, and said "Maybe you can start a new life abroad", gifting me a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. I was 19 then.
Once I got to the US, I worked tons of part-time jobs while attending school. This was around the time when Bruce Lee's films became hits and kung fu was all the rage. Because of this, other eastern martial arts like karate also gradually gained attention. Then one day a friend from school asked "Can you teach me karate?", so I decided to start a karate class at my university. The class was a success, and I eventually established a dojo and entered several karate and mixed martial arts tournaments across the US, ultimately receiving over 600 trophies and medals.
Thanks to that I became widely known as a karate practitioner, so I thought I could realize my childhood dream of becoming a movie star. But no matter how many times I tried to put myself out there, I remained unnoticed for eight years playing extras. Right as I was about to call it quits, I auditioned for the 1981 film Enter the Ninja. Out of the hundreds who tried out, I, the Japanese auditionee with expertise in karate and traditional weaponry, got the part of stuntman.
—Enter the Ninja is considered to have launched the 1980s ninja boom in the US, but how did the decision to create a ninja movie come about in the first place? It was rare to have Asians in leading roles at that time.
Sho: The reason why this movie was possible was because the main character was a white male. If the lead had been Japanese, Hollywood would have axed the idea. In the beginning phases, the movie was titled something like Dance of Death, if I remember correctly.
We eagerly started filming in the Philippines, but on the first day the director and producer fired the main lead, saying, "He didn't fit the scene." The producer called me in to his room that night, and I had already halfway given up, thinking "Well, I guess I'm also getting fired." But then he said, "I've never seen a guy with your robust build be able to move so quickly. You're wasted as a stuntman, so let's rewrite the script." Then they created the Hasegawa character and gave me the role. It was like a dream, starting out as a stuntman and then suddenly being part of the main cast.
Sho: The reason why this movie was possible was because the main character was a white male. If the lead had been Japanese, Hollywood would have axed the idea. In the beginning phases, the movie was titled something like Dance of Death, if I remember correctly.
We eagerly started filming in the Philippines, but on the first day the director and producer fired the main lead, saying, "He didn't fit the scene." The producer called me in to his room that night, and I had already halfway given up, thinking "Well, I guess I'm also getting fired." But then he said, "I've never seen a guy with your robust build be able to move so quickly. You're wasted as a stuntman, so let's rewrite the script." Then they created the Hasegawa character and gave me the role. It was like a dream, starting out as a stuntman and then suddenly being part of the main cast.
—Is it true that while you played the villain Hasegawa in Enter the Ninja, you also stood in for the new lead Franco Nero during action scenes?
Sho: That's right. Nero is Italian and didn't know anything about ninja. He even held his sword with the blade facing himself in the beginning (laughs). Nero mainly starred in spaghetti westerns (a subgenre of westerns made in Italy), and it would have been challenging for him to learn eastern martial arts in a short amount of time, so I became his double. His face was covered in the ninja costume so the audience couldn't tell (laughs).
In fact, It wasn't just Nero who didn't understand ninja, but also the staff of Enter the Ninja. I thought that they would have weapon props ready, but when I asked they said, "Can't we just get them in the Philippines?" (laughs) Of course, there was no way of getting ninja weapons in the Philippines in the early 80s, so I had no choice but to film with my own nunchucks and tonfa that I had brought for training.
Sho: That's right. Nero is Italian and didn't know anything about ninja. He even held his sword with the blade facing himself in the beginning (laughs). Nero mainly starred in spaghetti westerns (a subgenre of westerns made in Italy), and it would have been challenging for him to learn eastern martial arts in a short amount of time, so I became his double. His face was covered in the ninja costume so the audience couldn't tell (laughs).
In fact, It wasn't just Nero who didn't understand ninja, but also the staff of Enter the Ninja. I thought that they would have weapon props ready, but when I asked they said, "Can't we just get them in the Philippines?" (laughs) Of course, there was no way of getting ninja weapons in the Philippines in the early 80s, so I had no choice but to film with my own nunchucks and tonfa that I had brought for training.
—I thought it was odd that ninja use nunchucks in American content, but does this mean your performance is what started it?!
Sho: It's possible. Being able to work on an American ninja film was a huge opportunity, but things quickly careened in a direction quite different from anything that could be called "authentic ninja representation" (laughs). It was great that the film was such a hit (according to Sho's autobiography, Enter the Ninja's worldwide box office revenue, when converted using the dollar to yen rate at the time, exceeded 8 billion yen) but...
Sho: It's possible. Being able to work on an American ninja film was a huge opportunity, but things quickly careened in a direction quite different from anything that could be called "authentic ninja representation" (laughs). It was great that the film was such a hit (according to Sho's autobiography, Enter the Ninja's worldwide box office revenue, when converted using the dollar to yen rate at the time, exceeded 8 billion yen) but...
I recall later on seeing characters in the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, which also had ninja as the overarching theme, using weapons like nunchucks that aren't historically connected to ninja and thinking, "I may have accidentally set a pattern for incorrect ninja representation..."
But anyway, soon after the initial movie the production team told me, "We're making you the lead in the second one", and so the sequel Revenge of the Ninja (1982) became the first time I took on the main role.
But anyway, soon after the initial movie the production team told me, "We're making you the lead in the second one", and so the sequel Revenge of the Ninja (1982) became the first time I took on the main role.
—What kind of ninja did you try to convey in Revenge of the Ninja?
Sho: I wanted to create a more accurate portrayal of ninja in the film. That's why I went to museum exhibits in the villages of Iga and Koka and examined books and other documents to research ninja weapons that could be used in movies. I didn't expect to get satisfactory ninja equipment in Hollywood, so I thought it best to just design my own costumes, tabi shoes, and weapons, which is why I founded Sho Kosugi Ninja Enterprises, Inc.
—You made various preparations for the sequel, but your portrayal wasn't an exact imitation of real ninja. How did you localize it for American audiences?
Sho: The kind of ninja I tried to portray was a superhero type like Superman or Batman, not an assassin or saboteur who works in the shadows. I'm sure it might seem controversial to create something that's different from history, but I wanted to present a ninja children could look up to.
Of course, there were a lot of disagreements on set as to how to portray a ninja. For example, the producer and I argued about a scene in the movie where a ninja walks around town during the daytime wearing a black costume. I said, "Why would a ninja be walking around wearing a black ninja outfit in the middle of the afternoon?! He would stick out like a sore thumb!"
But then the producer countered, "Wearing black at night is too clichéd, and the audience wouldn't be able to see him anyway. Wearing all black in the daytime is what makes him look cool." The logic was that if we wanted to portray ninja as superheroes for the international audience Hollywood caters to, they couldn't just be sneaking about everywhere.
Sho: I wanted to create a more accurate portrayal of ninja in the film. That's why I went to museum exhibits in the villages of Iga and Koka and examined books and other documents to research ninja weapons that could be used in movies. I didn't expect to get satisfactory ninja equipment in Hollywood, so I thought it best to just design my own costumes, tabi shoes, and weapons, which is why I founded Sho Kosugi Ninja Enterprises, Inc.
—You made various preparations for the sequel, but your portrayal wasn't an exact imitation of real ninja. How did you localize it for American audiences?
Sho: The kind of ninja I tried to portray was a superhero type like Superman or Batman, not an assassin or saboteur who works in the shadows. I'm sure it might seem controversial to create something that's different from history, but I wanted to present a ninja children could look up to.
Of course, there were a lot of disagreements on set as to how to portray a ninja. For example, the producer and I argued about a scene in the movie where a ninja walks around town during the daytime wearing a black costume. I said, "Why would a ninja be walking around wearing a black ninja outfit in the middle of the afternoon?! He would stick out like a sore thumb!"
But then the producer countered, "Wearing black at night is too clichéd, and the audience wouldn't be able to see him anyway. Wearing all black in the daytime is what makes him look cool." The logic was that if we wanted to portray ninja as superheroes for the international audience Hollywood caters to, they couldn't just be sneaking about everywhere.
—I get the feeling there are other influences besides just ninja when I watch your action scenes.
Sho: I got started with karate, so my movements are all based on that, but I also incorporated elements from taekwondo and artistic gymnastics to create battles that would really shine on the big screen. Taekwondo has particularly impressive kicks, so I thought integrating those into action scenes would definitely make things more interesting.
I've heard people say that "Sho Kosugi's kicks are almost like a dance", but that's because I really did take inspiration from dance moves. Actually, I took dance at my university, and it's not much of a brag but I was top of that class (laughs).
Sho: I got started with karate, so my movements are all based on that, but I also incorporated elements from taekwondo and artistic gymnastics to create battles that would really shine on the big screen. Taekwondo has particularly impressive kicks, so I thought integrating those into action scenes would definitely make things more interesting.
I've heard people say that "Sho Kosugi's kicks are almost like a dance", but that's because I really did take inspiration from dance moves. Actually, I took dance at my university, and it's not much of a brag but I was top of that class (laughs).
—So your action scenes also have various elements mixed in.
Sho: Well, there may be people who say "that isn't really a ninja, just a hodgepodge of stuff", but to me, the exact format isn't as important as putting in whatever will make the movie more entertaining.
That doesn't only go for the movements, but also for the weapons that appear. I wanted to try incorporating things you might see in James Bond movies into ninja weaponry. Bond's wristwatch has secret functions, such as turning into a weapon or a communication device. I thought using things like that would really spice up the movie. That's why you see a lot of tools with hidden tricks in my films, like a belt buckle that turns into a shuriken, or a ninja sword with blow-darts or knives concealed inside it.
A mysterious superhero who uses cool, hidden tools. I think that image I forged is one of the reasons why my ninja movies were so widely accepted.
Sho: Well, there may be people who say "that isn't really a ninja, just a hodgepodge of stuff", but to me, the exact format isn't as important as putting in whatever will make the movie more entertaining.
That doesn't only go for the movements, but also for the weapons that appear. I wanted to try incorporating things you might see in James Bond movies into ninja weaponry. Bond's wristwatch has secret functions, such as turning into a weapon or a communication device. I thought using things like that would really spice up the movie. That's why you see a lot of tools with hidden tricks in my films, like a belt buckle that turns into a shuriken, or a ninja sword with blow-darts or knives concealed inside it.
A mysterious superhero who uses cool, hidden tools. I think that image I forged is one of the reasons why my ninja movies were so widely accepted.
—It's said there was a "ninja boom" around when Revenge of the Ninja was released. What was it like in America at the time?
Sho: When Enter the Ninja was released in 1981, the word "ninja" itself wasn't in most people's vocabularies. Some Spanish-speaking actors who auditioned for roles in that production pronounced it as "ninha". Since "ja" is pronounced like "ha" in Spanish, when they tried to sound out "ninja" that's what came out. That's how unfamiliar the word was.
However, by the time Return of the Ninja was released in 1982, there was a flourishing ninja culture in America. It wouldn't have been unusual to see kids wearing ninja costumes at the local supermarket. I would also get hundreds of fan letters from all around the world. I remember one of them said, "I had a fight with my brother, so please come down from the attic and beat him up for me." (laughs)
Sho: When Enter the Ninja was released in 1981, the word "ninja" itself wasn't in most people's vocabularies. Some Spanish-speaking actors who auditioned for roles in that production pronounced it as "ninha". Since "ja" is pronounced like "ha" in Spanish, when they tried to sound out "ninja" that's what came out. That's how unfamiliar the word was.
However, by the time Return of the Ninja was released in 1982, there was a flourishing ninja culture in America. It wouldn't have been unusual to see kids wearing ninja costumes at the local supermarket. I would also get hundreds of fan letters from all around the world. I remember one of them said, "I had a fight with my brother, so please come down from the attic and beat him up for me." (laughs)
—Seems like it only took a couple of years for ninja to spread all over.
Sho: That's right. The ninja costumes my company made were practically flying off the shelves around Halloween, and the rubber toy shuriken were also very popular. There were ninja dojos popping up in American towns, ninja magazines being published, and for better or worse, ninja culture was permeating all of American society. It wasn't long before everyone knew the word.
Sho: That's right. The ninja costumes my company made were practically flying off the shelves around Halloween, and the rubber toy shuriken were also very popular. There were ninja dojos popping up in American towns, ninja magazines being published, and for better or worse, ninja culture was permeating all of American society. It wasn't long before everyone knew the word.
—In your opinion, what contributed the most to the widespread acceptance of ninja that started in the US and spread worldwide?
Sho: The ninja you see in films dress all in black, with only their eyes visible. There are various acting techniques, but personally I have a lot of confidence in the power of "acting with the eyes". So you have an enigmatic figure, with sharp eyes that leave a strong impression, using mystifying techniques. Add some amazing acrobatics like jumps and flips, and you have a fresh yet mysterious new hero―a perfect recipe for popularity.
Sho: The ninja you see in films dress all in black, with only their eyes visible. There are various acting techniques, but personally I have a lot of confidence in the power of "acting with the eyes". So you have an enigmatic figure, with sharp eyes that leave a strong impression, using mystifying techniques. Add some amazing acrobatics like jumps and flips, and you have a fresh yet mysterious new hero―a perfect recipe for popularity.
—NARUTO was created in Japan, but it has an appeal that isn't limited by the traditional image of ninja. In that respect, it feels like it has a lot in common with your presentation of ninja in American movies.
Sho: You might be right about that. In my own childhood, ninja were shadowy figures who lurked in the darkness―a kind of "dark hero". Hollywood, however, remade them into something more like superheroes.
Now that the word "ninja" has spread all over the world and tons of content involving them has been created, there probably isn't much of the traditional ninja left in the concept. However, all concepts change and evolve, either through becoming accepted in new places or simply due to the passage of time. It isn't something that can be prevented.
It's not just by imitating the classics, but also through pursuing new possibilities, that charming stories such as NARUTO are created. I think that's how a lot of new things come to be.
—What do you plan on doing next?
Sho: I published a two-novel series―Yin-Yang Code―in the US. It's a story involving the historical figure Kūkai (also known as Kōbō Daishi). A university student in California hears a story about how Kūkai was ordered by the emperor of the time to hide gold in Shikoku, and sets off on a journey filled with mystery and adventure. Getting that story adapted to film is my current goal.
—Sho, thank you so much for sharing your fascinating stories!
Sho: You might be right about that. In my own childhood, ninja were shadowy figures who lurked in the darkness―a kind of "dark hero". Hollywood, however, remade them into something more like superheroes.
Now that the word "ninja" has spread all over the world and tons of content involving them has been created, there probably isn't much of the traditional ninja left in the concept. However, all concepts change and evolve, either through becoming accepted in new places or simply due to the passage of time. It isn't something that can be prevented.
It's not just by imitating the classics, but also through pursuing new possibilities, that charming stories such as NARUTO are created. I think that's how a lot of new things come to be.
—What do you plan on doing next?
Sho: I published a two-novel series―Yin-Yang Code―in the US. It's a story involving the historical figure Kūkai (also known as Kōbō Daishi). A university student in California hears a story about how Kūkai was ordered by the emperor of the time to hide gold in Shikoku, and sets off on a journey filled with mystery and adventure. Getting that story adapted to film is my current goal.
—Sho, thank you so much for sharing your fascinating stories!
The next person we talked to was Professor Toshihiro Inoue, who is a member of the Department of Child Education in the Faculty of Human Development at Sonoda Women's University. He specializes in 19th and early 20th century American literature, but he got involved with ninja research at Mie University, which led him to examine the Americanized version of ninja as well.
What was it that Americans loved about ninja? Why did they accept NARUTO and Sho Kosugi's movies with such open arms? We asked him to explain from his viewpoint as a researcher of American literature.
What was it that Americans loved about ninja? Why did they accept NARUTO and Sho Kosugi's movies with such open arms? We asked him to explain from his viewpoint as a researcher of American literature.
—Your thesis "The Americanized Ninja" proposes that the characteristics of American ninja are a natural extension of hero archetypes passed from wild west gunslingers portrayed by white actors to kung fu masters such as Bruce Lee. Ninja and kung fu masters feel very different from gunslingers, so why do you think they were able to become American heroes?
Toshihiro Inoue (hereafter, Inoue): The 1970s saw a number of large events that had a major influence on American society, such as their defeat in the Vietnam War and the rise of feminism. These developments created a strong impetus for a broader range of thinking. I think in that political climate it was difficult to continue making movies with classic, white male gunslinger heroes, and that pressure for more diversity resulted in Bruce Lee, an Asian actor, drawing a lot of attention. Of course, ninja are also of Asian origin, so they benefited from this diversification of heroes as well.
During the 80s, when the ninja boom was getting off the ground, most Americans likely viewed ninja as a sort of "far-eastern mystery". Then in the 90s, you started to see the birth of more strongly Americanized ninja. In the 1998 movie Blade, vampires are the primary motif, but the protagonist dresses in all black and uses weapons like shuriken and a katana. I think that's an example of a uniquely American property that has nevertheless heavily absorbed ninja as a concept.
—So the concept of ninja expanded, and the character of Blade was born. In your thesis, you mention that two key characteristics of the American ninja are "rootlessness" and "self-sufficiency". Could you explain your reasoning?
Inoue: Well to start, what I mean by "rootlessness" is that these characters don't particularly belong anywhere. If we take the protagonist of Blade as an example, he has inherited both human and vampire blood from his parents, and as a result is a sort of "intermediate being" that doesn't really have a place among either humans or vampires. Another example is the 2009 movie Ninja Assassin starring Korean singer Rain, where the main character is an orphan, which also produces a sense of not belonging anywhere. In fact, not just American ninja, but many other American heroes share this trait of "rootlessness".
The second characteristic, "self-sufficiency", is something that was inherited from the American hero archetype of the wild west gunslinger. Those gunslingers would be out in the wastelands where the only thing they could rely on for protection was themselves. Furthermore, since a lot of settlers had to develop their farmsteads from the ground up, the ideal of achieving success through one's own hard work has always been a guiding American principle. This element is clearly visible in American ninja movies where characters acquire superhuman ninja techniques through personal training and hardship, which they then use to fulfill their goals.
In this way, I think the traditional traits of the American hero combined with the mysterious, far-eastern ninja to create a concept of "ninja" that was purely American.
Toshihiro Inoue (hereafter, Inoue): The 1970s saw a number of large events that had a major influence on American society, such as their defeat in the Vietnam War and the rise of feminism. These developments created a strong impetus for a broader range of thinking. I think in that political climate it was difficult to continue making movies with classic, white male gunslinger heroes, and that pressure for more diversity resulted in Bruce Lee, an Asian actor, drawing a lot of attention. Of course, ninja are also of Asian origin, so they benefited from this diversification of heroes as well.
During the 80s, when the ninja boom was getting off the ground, most Americans likely viewed ninja as a sort of "far-eastern mystery". Then in the 90s, you started to see the birth of more strongly Americanized ninja. In the 1998 movie Blade, vampires are the primary motif, but the protagonist dresses in all black and uses weapons like shuriken and a katana. I think that's an example of a uniquely American property that has nevertheless heavily absorbed ninja as a concept.
—So the concept of ninja expanded, and the character of Blade was born. In your thesis, you mention that two key characteristics of the American ninja are "rootlessness" and "self-sufficiency". Could you explain your reasoning?
Inoue: Well to start, what I mean by "rootlessness" is that these characters don't particularly belong anywhere. If we take the protagonist of Blade as an example, he has inherited both human and vampire blood from his parents, and as a result is a sort of "intermediate being" that doesn't really have a place among either humans or vampires. Another example is the 2009 movie Ninja Assassin starring Korean singer Rain, where the main character is an orphan, which also produces a sense of not belonging anywhere. In fact, not just American ninja, but many other American heroes share this trait of "rootlessness".
The second characteristic, "self-sufficiency", is something that was inherited from the American hero archetype of the wild west gunslinger. Those gunslingers would be out in the wastelands where the only thing they could rely on for protection was themselves. Furthermore, since a lot of settlers had to develop their farmsteads from the ground up, the ideal of achieving success through one's own hard work has always been a guiding American principle. This element is clearly visible in American ninja movies where characters acquire superhuman ninja techniques through personal training and hardship, which they then use to fulfill their goals.
In this way, I think the traditional traits of the American hero combined with the mysterious, far-eastern ninja to create a concept of "ninja" that was purely American.
—Next, I'd like to look at what factors have driven NARUTO's worldwide success. Are there any commonalities between NARUTO and the American ninja?
Inoue: I can see the element of "rootlessness" in the main character Naruto himself. He's an orphan and the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox. In other words, he is an "intermediate being" who has elements of both a normal human and the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit, but is not wholly either of those.
Inoue: I can see the element of "rootlessness" in the main character Naruto himself. He's an orphan and the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox. In other words, he is an "intermediate being" who has elements of both a normal human and the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit, but is not wholly either of those.
—If you look at it that way, we could say that Naruto possesses characteristics that are well-loved in America.
Inoue: Additionally, if we look at American literature, one popular theme that appears is "struggling against the evil within oneself". In NARUTO, there's a scene where Killer Bee takes Naruto to train at a waterfall, and he must actually face off against his inner self.
There are a lot of American literary works that deal with this. For example, in the novel Vandover and the Brute by American naturalist author Frank Norris, the main character has an almost animalistic "dark side" within him. The protagonist struggles with this part of himself, but ultimately loses, and his life crumbles around him. Another of Norris' works, McTeague, proceeds in a similar vein.
—So the similarities between NARUTO and American literary works lend a sense of familiarity to American readers.
Inoue: However, one of the most moving scenes in NARUTO is the scene where Naruto pulls his darker self into an embrace. This is where we see a key difference from American literature. In the west, there tends to be a dualistic approach to good and evil, which often results in the conclusion that evil within oneself must be destroyed. But instead of rejecting this dark side, Naruto reaches out to it. This narrative is something that I think is very wonderful about NARUTO.
Inoue: Additionally, if we look at American literature, one popular theme that appears is "struggling against the evil within oneself". In NARUTO, there's a scene where Killer Bee takes Naruto to train at a waterfall, and he must actually face off against his inner self.
There are a lot of American literary works that deal with this. For example, in the novel Vandover and the Brute by American naturalist author Frank Norris, the main character has an almost animalistic "dark side" within him. The protagonist struggles with this part of himself, but ultimately loses, and his life crumbles around him. Another of Norris' works, McTeague, proceeds in a similar vein.
—So the similarities between NARUTO and American literary works lend a sense of familiarity to American readers.
Inoue: However, one of the most moving scenes in NARUTO is the scene where Naruto pulls his darker self into an embrace. This is where we see a key difference from American literature. In the west, there tends to be a dualistic approach to good and evil, which often results in the conclusion that evil within oneself must be destroyed. But instead of rejecting this dark side, Naruto reaches out to it. This narrative is something that I think is very wonderful about NARUTO.
On the topic of similarities and differences between NARUTO and American ninja, there's one more interesting point to consider: how the protagonist's motives are portrayed. Sho Kosugi's movies and other American ninja films typically show protagonists with very self-interested motives, such as revenge for something done to their families. At the beginning of the series, Naruto has the similarly self-serving motive of wanting to be Hokage just to make the other villagers respect him.
His original motivation lines up with American ninja movies, but I think that it changes over the course of the series. While the goal itself is the same, in the latter half of the story Naruto's motivation seems to turn altruistic, becoming more about protecting the village.
—It's those very differences that allow people from America and all around the globe to enjoy NARUTO as a new and unique world. The traditional idea of ninja mixes with foreign culture to create a similar but distinct concept. Then the culture influenced by that concept meets NARUTO, which leads it to becoming a widely-beloved story. The reactions that occur when cultures intersect are interesting, aren't they?
Inoue: Historically speaking, ninja would not have worn dark costumes or carried weapons like swords or even shuriken, but rather would have blended in with the local farmers or townspeople. Academic researchers of history would consider that the "correct" representation of ninja.
However, as a researcher myself, I think that it's quite fun to experience this wider range of ninja representations through mediums like film, and stories such as NARUTO. As Sho Kosugi says, it may be that breaking the mold is what allows new cultural concepts and works of art to be created.
—After listening to you talk, I feel like I've gotten a bunch of hints about new ways to enjoy NARUTO. Thank you for your time, Professor!
Inoue: Historically speaking, ninja would not have worn dark costumes or carried weapons like swords or even shuriken, but rather would have blended in with the local farmers or townspeople. Academic researchers of history would consider that the "correct" representation of ninja.
However, as a researcher myself, I think that it's quite fun to experience this wider range of ninja representations through mediums like film, and stories such as NARUTO. As Sho Kosugi says, it may be that breaking the mold is what allows new cultural concepts and works of art to be created.
—After listening to you talk, I feel like I've gotten a bunch of hints about new ways to enjoy NARUTO. Thank you for your time, Professor!
Interview and article: Hotaka Sugimoto
