Ninja Day

[Fellfrosch]

So here's how I want to work this: start writing and uploading your articles now, and make sure that Ninja is in the title somewhere. I will save and edit them, and on the big day I will post them all to the front page. That way there's no need for superfluous organization: if it's there, it goes up, if not, it doesn't.

As for Japan, I highly recommend the musical "Pacific Overtures," which is about, believe it or not, Commodore Perry and gunboat diplomacy. It's highly stylized, half Noh drama and half Broadway, and almost certainly the most esoteric musical ever written, but it also happens to be a work of postcolonial deconstructive genuis. Not for everyone, but I guess nothing is.

And as for Last Samurai, I am beyond amused at your determination to hate it. It makes me all giggly.

[JP Dogberry]

Ack! The "Ninja Dispatch" site is down. Won't be reviewing that "game" then...

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

yayyy!!!!!!!!!!
Wait that means I have to speed read through Sengoku Tomorrow... Doh!

[Spriggan]

I could do a FFXI review for that week?  It's got Ninja's in it.  Too bad the new Ninja Gaiden isn't comming out till the 15 of december or I could do that.

As for a Japanese history lesson, you've all get parts of it right.  But the main reason Japan isolated itself from Western socities was becasue of gunpowder, mainly rifles.  When the Tokugawa Shogunate came to power (in the 15th centuray) they were woried about rival leaders (daimiyo) from leading a revolt aided by some westren powers weapons (mainly the Dutch and Germans).  So they banned all western contact, except for a small Dutch envoy that was never allowed to land on the mainland.  Also only upon permssion for the Shogunate was a non-Tokugawa allowed to meet with them.

[fuzzyoctopus]

I wish my history class focused more on Japan, but since it cut itself off from the rest of the world it's not even mentioned in my history book.  (Civ 1.  We'll see how Civ.2 goes next semester.)

And I just feel that, while interesting, I'm getting a slightly slanted view of history from just watching Kenshin episodes.

[Spriggan]

There's an asian studies class that focuses on Japanese history Fuzzy.  I can't remember the course number (it's in the 300's I beleave), but non-majors can take it.

And Kenshin is sly beacuse seveal people in it are real people (like Hajime Saito, the General that asks Kenshin to do stuff, Lord Okubo) and so are all the events that suround the stories.

[fuzzyoctopus]

I wish I could remember where I found that really interesting essay about the man that Kenshin was based off of.  

And the magical swords, right?  Those are historically accurate too?

[JP Dogberry]

Hey! There's a Ninja name generator at http://www.ninjaburger.com/fun/games/ninjaname/

I'm Tsuruko Tatsuya-San. May I therefore suggest that all Ninja articles should be submitted under people's ninja names?

[Fellfrosch]

That's a fine plan, but we'll have our real names in parentheses.

[JP Dogberry]

Of course. I submitted my first two ninja articles earlier, as "Tsuruko Tatsuya-San aka JamPaladin". That should work.

On Talk like a Pirate Day, all the forum level titles changed. Will that be happening for Ninja day?

[fuzzyoctopus]

My ninja name is Akira Chiaki -san

Not that I'll be submitting articles, but.. yanno.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Tsuruko Kiyokawa -san
Katsushiro Sakumaa -san
Haruyasu Ichikawa -san

(depending on which name you use)
I think I like the third one (which is my real name)

[EUOL]

The forum titles are a mysterious force, unpredictable and a little insane...

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Well with all this Ninja stuff going on I must say, I'm going to boycott this Ninja day. I have my reasons.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

Please do.