A New Ninja Movie Depicting the True Essence of “Shinobi” is Born

Close up Japan | 「忍び」本来の姿を描いた、新しいNinja映画が誕生

A New Ninja Movie Depicting the True Essence of “Shinobi” is Born

Netflix’s drama “House of Ninjas,” portraying a family of modern-day “shinobi ,” has become a topic of conversation. After its release, it quickly spread worldwide, and in its second week, it became the top in the “Weekly Global Top 10 (Non-English Series).” The term “shinobi ” refers to ninja s and was once used to describe avoiding public attention and hiding oneself. Nowadays, ninja s, which have become a global language and have many fans, are associated with the image of captivating superheroes or assassins with black attire and extraordinary actions. Novels and movies created this stereotypical image of ninja s since the 1950s. In fact, to fulfill the mission of delivering confidential information to the Emperor and the Shogun, ninja s employed every possible means. Ninja s were well-versed in cutting-edge knowledge in various fields, including geomancy, pharmacology, and divination. Furthermore, to prevent the misuse of ninjutsu (ninja skills in secrecy), strict rules were established forbidding alcohol consumption, sexual desires, and greed. However, the ninja s depicted in this work are distinct from the conventional image. They portray the life of ninja s who, while quietly enduring in the shadows, stand up courageously when needed, exhibiting strength and kindness of heart. (From May issue, 2024 / 2024年5月号より)

げんだいきる
genndai ni ikiru
modern-day
しのび」
“shinobi”
shinobi
no
of
ぞく
kazoku wo
a family
えがいた
egaita
portraying
Netflixの
nettofurikkusu no
Netflix’s
ドラマ
dorama
drama
しのびのいえ House of Ninjas」が、
“shinobi no ie hausu obu ninnjas” ga,
House of Ninjas
だい
waadi
a topic of conversation
になっています。
ni natte i masu.
has become
はいしん
haishinn
its release
こう
ikou,
after
またた
matataku ma ni
quickly
ぜんかい
zennsekai ni
worldwide
ひろがり、
hirogari,
it spread and
2しゅうにして
ni shuume ni shite
in its second week
しゅうかんグローバルTOP10
“shuukann guro-baru toppu tenn
the Weekly Global Top ten
えいシリーズ)」
(hi eigo shiri-zu)”
Non-English Series
de
in
1
ichi i wo
the top
かくとくしました。
kakutoku shi mashita.
it became
しのび」
“shinobi”
shinobi
とは
toha
the term
にんじゃ
ninnja
ninjas
のことで、
no koto de,
refers to and
かつては
katsute ha
once
ひと
“hitome wo
public attention
けて
sakete
avoiding and
かくす」
mi wo kakusu”
hiding oneself
という
to iu imi de
describe
そうばれていました。
sou yobarete i mashita.
was used to
いま
ima ya
nowadays
かいきょうつう
sekai kyoutsuugo
a global language
であり
de ari
which have become
おおくの
ooku no
many
ファンを
fann wo
fans
motsu
have
Ninjaは、
ninnja ha,
ninjas and
くろしょうぞく
kuro shouzoku
black attire
to
and
ひとはずれた
hitonami hazureta
extraordinary
アクション
akushonn
actions
de
with
りょうする
miryou suru
captivating
スーパーヒーロー
su-pa-’hi-ro-
superheroes
ya
or
あんさつしゃ
annsatsu’sha
assassins
というイメージが
to iu ime-ji ga
the image
ていちゃくしています。
teichaku shite i masu.
are associated with of
そんなステレオタイプ
sonnna sutereotaipu
this stereotypical image
no
of
にんじゃぞうは、
ninnja zou ha,
ninjas
1950
sennkyuuhyaku gojuu
the nineteen fifties
ねんだい
nenndai
[year]
こう
ikou no
since
しょうせつ
shousetsu
novels
ya
and
えい
eiga
movies
によってつくられました。
ni yotte tsukurare mashita.
created
じっさいには、
jissai niha,
in fact
てんのう
tennnou
the Emperor
ya
and
しょうぐん
shougunn
the Shogun
ni
to
みつじょうほう
kimitsu jouhou wo
confidential information
とどける
todokeru
delivering
ミッションを
misshonn wo
the mission of
たすべく、
hatasu beku,
to fulfill
あらゆる
arayuru te wo
every possible means
使します。
kushi shi masu.
ninjas employed
にんじゃ
ninnja ha
ninjas
ほうがく
houi’gaku,
geomancy
やくがく
yaku’gaku,
pharmacology
せんじゅつ
senn’jutsu
and divination
をはじめ、
wo hajime
including
あらゆるぶん
arayuru bunnya
various fields
において
ni oite
in
さいせんたんしき
sai’senntann no chishiki ni
in cutting-edge knowledge
せいつうしていました。
seitsuu shite i mashita.
were well-versed
また、
mata,
furthermore
にんじゅつ
ninnjutsu
ninjutsu
あくよう
no akuyou wo
the misuse of
ふせぐために、
fusegu tame ni,
to prevent
いんしゅ
innshu,
alcohol consumption
せいよく
seiyoku,
sexual desires
かねよく
kinnyoku
and greed
きんじる
wo kinnjiru
forbidding
きびしいおきて
kibishii okite wo
strict rules
もうけていました。
moukete i mashita.
were established
しかし、
shikashi,
however
ほんさく
honnsaku
this work
ni
in
とうじょうする
toujou suru
depicted
にんじゃ
ninnja ha
the ninjas
じゅうらいのイメージ
juurai no ime-ji
the conventional image
いっせんかくしています。
to issenn wo kakushite i masu.
are distinct from
かげ
kage
the shadows
de
in
ひっそり
hissori
quietly
しの
tae shinobi
enduring
ながらも、
nagara mo,
while
いざとなれば
iza to nare ba
when needed
がる、
tachi agaru,
stand up courageously
つよ
tsuyoku
exhibiting strength and
こころやさしい
kokoro yasashii
kindness of heart
にんじゃ
ninnja
ninjas who
no
of
ざま
ikizama wo
the life
えがいています。
egaite i masu.
they portray

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