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86-618: As an alternative to prison, young American Joe Armstrong is conscripted into the U.S. Army by a judge. Joe ends up fighting off the Black Star Order of ninjas while stationed in the Philippines . He saves Patricia Hickock—daughter of Colonel William Hickock, Joe's commanding officer—from a kidnapping attempt. But when the rest of Joe's platoon is wiped out by the Black Star ninjas, Joe's popularity with his fellow GIs takes

172-429: A jōnin rank ("upper person"), followed by the chūnin rank ("middle person"), whose task was to be a personal assistant to the jōnin, and genin rank ("lower person"), field agents drawn from the lower class for field operations. Ninja trainees also studied survival, poisons and explosives . Physical training involved long-distance runs, climbing, and stealth methods of walking. Training in techniques of disguise

258-475: A ninjatō appeared in a booklet by Heishichirō Okuse in 1956. Ninja also used darts , spikes, knives , and shuriken as weapons, The chain and sickle ( kusarigama ) was also used by the ninja. Variant explosives such as soft-cased grenades designed to release smoke or poison gas, along with iron or ceramic shrapnel explosives were also reportedly used. The term of ninja was attributed retrospectively to 2nd-century prince of Japan Yamato Takeru . In

344-454: A code system, and to make trails that could be followed later. Ninja often used the katana as their weapon of choice, which was carried on the back. The scabbard of the katana sword of a ninja could be extended out of the sword and used as a long probing device. The sword could also be used to scale a wall, using tsuba . There is no known historical information about the straight ninjatō pre-20th century. The first photograph of

430-723: A couple of successful runways, Dudikoff retained an agent at the Mary Webb Davis Agency in Los Angeles. Dudikoff soon entered the high fashion world and counted Calvin Klein and GQ among his clients. He moved quickly to international print modeling and traveled between New York, Los Angeles, and Milan by his late 20s. Dudikoff soon began acting, and he starred in several commercials for companies, including Coppertone , Coca-Cola for Japan, Army Reserve and Stridex . Dudikoff's first television role took place after

516-460: A date for herself with Joe. Jackson and another soldier, Charley Madison, sneak Joe off the base. Joe and Patricia are caught during dinner by First Sergeant Rinaldo. Rinaldo is in the middle of a meeting with black marketer Victor Ortega, whose payroll the sergeant is on. To get Joe out of the way, Rinaldo leads him to an abandoned warehouse, ostensibly for dropping off supplies. There Joe is ambushed by ninjas but defeats all of them. Then Joe's truck

602-730: A final stand at Hara Castle , in Hizen Province . A diary kept by a member of the Matsudaira clan , the Amakusa Gunki , relates: "Men from Kōga in Ōmi Province who concealed their appearance would steal up to the castle every night and go inside as they pleased." The Ukai diary, written by a descendant of Ukai Kanemon, has several entries describing the reconnaissance actions taken by the Kōga. They [the Kōga] were ordered to reconnoitre

688-706: A meeting with theatrical agent Sid Craig. He went for some readings, and in 1978 he landed a supporting role in one episode of the hit TV show Dallas , and shortly after the part as Joanie's first boyfriend in the American sitcom Happy Days . Dudikoff said the president of Paramount Studio happened to be sitting in the audience while they were filming and gave him a contract. In 1980, Dudikoff acted in The Black Marble . In 1981, Dudikoff acted in Bloody Birthday , and The Best Little Girl in

774-516: A mixed-to-negative reception with critics. On Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an approval rating of 0% based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 3.2/10. On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 20 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Ninja A ninja ( Japanese : 忍者 , lit.   'one who is invisible'; [ɲiꜜɲdʑa] ) or shinobi ( Japanese : 忍び , lit.   'one who sneaks'; [ɕinobi] )

860-782: A ninja in Tokugawa's service, recruited agents from Iga province, and sent 10 of his members into Osaka Castle in an effort to spread rumors and misinformation to weaken the enemy forces internally. Later On the Osaka battles, these hired ninja fought alongside regular troops at the Battle of Tennōji . A final but detailed record of ninja employed in open warfare occurred during the Shimabara Rebellion (1637–1638). The Kōga ninja were recruited by shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu against Christian rebels led by Amakusa Shirō , who made

946-597: A nosedive even as he is targeted for revenge by the Black Star Master who directs the ninja order. While they are performing chores on the base, Corporal Curtis Jackson goads Joe into a fight. Jackson proves no match for Joe's ninjitsu expertise, which greatly impresses him and their fellow soldiers. Shortly thereafter, Jackson discovers that Joe is an amnesiac ; he remembers very little of his past, other than running with various street gangs and mastering several exotic martial arts. The grateful Patricia organizes

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1032-524: A rehabilitation center for abused youth called Cedar House and waited tables at Beachbum Burt's in Redondo Beach, California . He was eventually approached to do some modelling, and did a catwalk at a shopping mall. During lunch one day, Dudikoff served Max Evans, a fashion editor with Esquire magazine, who had come in with some models. Evans asked Dudikoff to walk in a Newport Beach fashion show, and his mother encouraged him to try it out. After

1118-527: A researcher of Iga Ninja history, has stated there is research which revealed that Hattori Yasuji, one of the ninjas who accompanied leyasu on his journey in Iga province, also served as a bodyguard and espionage officer under Muromachi Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki . The attacks from Ochimusha-gari finally ended as they reached the former territory of the Kōka ikki, who were friendly to the Tokugawa clan. The Koka ninja assisted

1204-803: A sequel to Crash Dive . He also played acted in the Ringmaster starring Jerry Springer . In 1999, Dudikoff acted in Sidney J. Furie 's In Her Defense , Fred Olen Ray 's Fugitive Mind , and The Silencer . In 2001, Dudikoff acted in Ablaze . In 2002, Dudikoff played the main villain in Gale Force , starring Treat Williams . He also starred in Sam Firstenberg 's Quicksand , and Fred Olen Ray's Stranded . Moving forward, Dudikoff worked in real estate. In 2014, Dudikoff

1290-408: A squad of 48 ninja to burn Sawayama Castle , led by a chūnin (ninja term for a squad's captain). To conduct their operation, the ninja squad also stole a lantern which based on the drawing of the family crest on it ( mon ) belongs to the enemy clan, and recreated replica lanterns with the similar crest. By wielding these lanterns, they were allowed to enter the castle by the guards. As they entered

1376-473: Is also demonstrated in war epics such as The Tale of Hōgen (Hōgen Monogatari) and The Tale of the Heike (Heike Monogatari) , which focus mainly on the aristocratic samurai, whose deeds were apparently more appealing to the audience. Historian Kiyoshi Watatani states that the ninja were trained to be particularly secretive about their actions and existence: So-called ninjutsu techniques, in short are

1462-408: Is discovered but escapes with the aid of Ortega's servant Shinyuki. Returning to the base, Joe is promptly arrested by military police under Rinaldo's false accusation that Joe himself is fencing the arms. Jackson realizes that Joe has been set up, but his protests are wasted on Rinaldo. The Black Star Master infiltrates the base that night and slaughters the on-duty MPs. He then tries to kill Joe, but

1548-486: Is little evidence for these claims. Michael Dudikoff Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Jr. (born October 8, 1954) is an American actor. Born in New York City , his family later moved to Los Angeles . Dudikoff did different jobs to pay for his education, during this time he became a model. This led him to do acting auditions. He played supporting roles in films and television shows, until he got his break as

1634-454: Is stolen, and he gives chase using a motorcycle. The truck driver runs Joe off the road; thinking Joe dead, he brings the truck to Ortega. Joe, however, hides under the truck. He is brought to the heart of Ortega's operation, which encompasses the Black Star ninja training camp. Ortega is paying the Black Star Order for weapons stolen from the Army, which he then resells to the highest bidder. Joe

1720-446: Is the original book of Bansenshūkai (万川集海), there are 48 points of ninja's fighting techniques, such as how to make makibishi from bamboo, how to make footwear that makes no sound, fighting techniques when surrounded by many enemies, precautions when using swords at night, how to listen to small sounds, kuji-kiri that prevents guard dogs from barking, and more. Later in history, the Kōga ninja would become regarded as agents of

1806-493: Is thwarted by the sudden arrival of MP reinforcements, none of whom see the Black Star Master fleeing the scene. One of the dead MPs is found with a throwing star lodged in his head, further implicating Joe. Only Jackson, Charley, and Patricia believe that Joe is innocent of the charges he now faces. They tell Hickock everything they know about the hijacking and murders, but he scoffs at their story. After briskly dismissing them, Colonel Hickock meets Rinaldo privately, revealing that

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1892-592: The Kojiki , Takeru disguised as woman and assassinated two leaders of the Kumaso group. Although its unlikely related to the commonly known ninja of later era. The earliest recorded ninja activities were traced during the reign of Prince Shōtoku in the 6th century. An adolescent espionage agent Hasetsukabe no Koharumaru was executed for spying against the insurgent Taira no Masakado . Later, 14th century chronicle Taiheiki recorded many ninja activities. In 1541,

1978-542: The tantō . Minstrel or sarugaku outfits could have allowed the ninja to spy in enemy buildings without rousing suspicion. Disguises as a komusō , a mendicant monk known for playing the shakuhachi , were also effective, as the large "basket" hats traditionally worn by them concealed the head completely. Ninja are believed to have used a large variety of tools and weaponries, including climbing equipment, extending spears, rocket -propelled arrows, and small collapsible boats, which are described and illustrated in

2064-523: The Imagawa clan . This assault is recorded in the Mikawa Go Fudoki chronicle, where those Kōka set fire to its towers, and killed the castellan along with 200 defenders of the garrison. In 1571, a Kōka ninja Sugitani Zenjubō attempted to assassinate Nobunaga with two Tanegashima (gun) rifles. However, his attempts was failed as his shots failed to penetrate the armor of Nobunaga. Sugitani

2150-462: The Miyoshi clan , ninja warriors were actually feared as mercenaries who were proficient in the castle siege warfare. Buildings were constructed with traps and trip wires attached to alarm bells to prevent enemy ninja infiltrations. In battle, the ninja were also used to cause confusion amongst the enemy. A degree of psychological warfare in the capturing of enemy banners can be seen illustrated in

2236-490: The Nochi Kagami briefly describes the ninja's role in espionage, as Stephen Turnbull stated that the Iga and Kōka ninja usually infiltrated enemy castles. Turnbull further added that Ninja gained notability as hired mercenaries during the 15th century to use many asymmetrical warfare tactics such as scouting operations, raiding operations, arson, and even terrorism . These tactics were considered abhorrent by members of

2322-606: The Sekigahara Campaign after the Eastern Army's victory at Sekigahara, the Iga acted as guards for the inner compounds of Edo Castle , while the Kōka acted as a police force and assisted in guarding the outer gate. It was said that at one occasion, a group of Mogami clan 's ninja infiltrated the camp of Naoe Kanetsugu , stealing his battle standard, which later hoisted on the Hasedō Castle's gate, demoralized

2408-563: The Tamon-in Nikki (16th century) —a diary written by abbot Eishun of Kōfuku-ji temple— describes a sabotaging operation in which an Iga ninja squad entered Kasagi castle in secret and set fire to a few of the priests' quarters. They also set fire to outbuildings in various places inside the San-no-maru . They captured the ichi-no-maru (inner bailey ) and the ni-no-maru (second bailey). In 1558, Rokkaku Yoshikata employed

2494-623: The Tokugawa bakufu , at a time when the Shogunate used the ninja in an intelligence network to monitor regional daimyōs as well as the Imperial court . During this time, there are some definitive terms to classify their activities such as spying ( kanchō ), scout ( teisatsu ), ambush ( kishu ), and Agitprop ( konran ). The ninja clans organized into a larger confederation, with their own respective territories. A system of rank existed:

2580-721: The ni-no-maru and the san-no-maru (outer bailey) ... With the fall of Hara Castle, the Shimabara Rebellion came to an end, and Christianity in Japan was forced underground . These written accounts are the last mention of ninja in war. After the Shimabara Rebellion, there were almost no major wars or battles until the bakumatsu era. To earn a living, ninja had to be employed by the governments of their Han (domain), or change their profession. Many lords still hired ninja, not for battle but as bodyguards or spies. Their duties included spying on other domains, guarding

2666-468: The oniwabanshū as "ninja". In 1649 record Tokugawa shogunate law on military service, The shinobi was considered as profession, as only daimyōs with an income of over 10,000 koku were allowed to employ ninja or shinobi. In the two centuries that followed, a number of ninjutsu manuals were written by descendants of Hattori Hanzō as well as members of the Fujibayashi clan, an offshoot of

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2752-460: The samurai class. During the Sengoku period , demands for such unconventional operations increased. Meanwhile, Turnbull also stated there is no evidence to prove that Ninja were actively employed as professional assassins and it could be argued that they were just hired bandits. Modern historian Tatsuo Fujita opined that, based on the historical texts in 16th century by Naito Munekatsu, vassal of

2838-407: The Ōu Eikei Gunki , in which a ninja once stole the banner of samurai lord Naoe Kanetsugu and hoisted it to next day to demoralize Kanetsugu's army in the war. Most ninjutsu techniques recorded in scrolls and manuals revolve around ways to avoid detection and methods of escape. These techniques were loosely grouped under corresponding natural elements. Some examples are: The use of disguises

2924-770: The 17th century record Bansenshūkai . Although it is commonly believed that the ninja wore black garb ( shinobi shōzoku ) during their work, as depicted in modern media, there is no evidence for such attire. Instead, ninja usually operated disguised as civilians. Accounts about ninjas' armor cannot be verified. Depictions of famous persons later deemed ninja often show them in Japanese armour , including concealable types of armour made with Kusari (Japanese mail armour) and Karuta (armour) that could have been worn by ninja including katabira (jackets) made with armour hidden between layers of cloth. Shin and arm guards along with metal-reinforced hoods are also speculated to have made up

3010-711: The 2010s. Dudikoff's father, Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Sr., was Eastern Orthodox Christian . Born in New York to Russian immigrants Mary Bogdanova and John Dudikoff, Michael Sr. served in the Army before marrying Dudikoff's mother, Rita T. Girardin, a French-Canadian piano player from Quebec. The couple moved to California and had five children; the fourth, Michael Jr., was diagnosed with dyslexia . Dudikoff graduated from West High School in Torrance, California , and went on to study child psychology at Harbor College . To pay for his education, Dudikoff worked at

3096-527: The 220,000, then grow further in productivity to the total revenue of 320,000 koku under Takatora governance. It was reported that Tōdō Takatora employs the Iga-ryū Ninjas. Aside from Ninjas, he also employs local clans of Iga province as "Musokunin", which is a class of part time Samurai who has been allowed to retain their clan name but does not own any land or Han . The Musokunin also worked as farmer during peace, while they are obliged to take arms in

3182-678: The American ninja, a role he maintained for the first three installments. On a $ 1 million budget, it went on to gross over $ 10 million domestically in the US and did extremely well in foreign markets. This success would establish the start of the American Ninja film franchise, with Dudikoff becoming a regular action star for The Cannon Group . That same year, Dudikoff and John Stockwell were co-leads in Albert Pyun 's post-apocalyptic film Radioactive Dreams . In 1986, Dudikoff returned to

3268-702: The Hattori. Major examples include the Ninpiden (1655), the Bansenshūkai (1675), and the Shōninki (1681). Many famous people in Japanese history have been associated or identified as ninja, but their status as ninja is difficult to prove and may be the product of later imagination. Rumors surrounding famous warriors, such as Kusunoki Masashige or Minamoto no Yoshitsune sometimes describe them as ninja, but there

3354-410: The Iga professionals were sought after for their skill at siege warfare, or " shirotori ", which included night attacks and ambush. By the 1460s, the leading families in the regions had established de facto independence from their shugo . In 1560, after the Battle of Okehazama , Tokugawa dispatched a group of 80 Kōka ninja under the command of Tomo Sukesada, which was tasked to raid an outpost of

3440-518: The Tokugawa escort group in eliminating the threats of Ochimusha-gari outlaws, then escorting them until they reached Iga Province , where they were further protected by another group from Iga-ikki which accompanied the Ieyasu group until they safely reached Mikawa. The Ietada nikki journal records that the escort group of Ieyasu had suffered roughly 200 casualties during their journey from Osaka. However, modern scholars such as Tatsuo Fujita doubted

3526-470: The Uesugi troops greatly in effect. In 1603, a group of ninja from Iga clan led by Miura Yo'emon were assigned under the command of Red Demon brigades of Ii Naomasa, the daimyo of Hikone under Tokugawa shogunate. In 1608, a daimyo named Tōdō Takatora was assigned by Ieyasu to control of Tsu , a newly established domain which covered portions of Iga and Ise Province . The domain at first worth of to

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3612-715: The World . In 1982, Dudikoff acted in Neil Simon's I Ought to Be in Pictures , Making Love , and Tron . Also that year he was one of the leads in the sitcom Star of the Family . In 1983, he acted in Uncommon Valor , one episode of Gimme a Break! , and played Huckleberry Finn in a Columbia Pictures movie-of-the-week called Sawyer & Finn directed by Peter H. Hunt . In 1984, Dudikoff acted in

3698-697: The action-horror film Midnight Ride opposite Mark Hamill. In 1991, Dudikoff acted in the television film The Woman Who Sinned . That year in American Ninja 's fourth instalment American Ninja 4: The Annihilation , he returned to the role of Joe Armstrong. In 1992, Dudikoff starred in The Human Shield directed by Ted Post . In 1993, Dudikoff co-starred with Ami Dolenz and Stephen Dorff in Arthur Allan Seidelman 's Rescue Me . Also that year, Dudikoff

3784-421: The adjacent Kōka District formed ikki – "revolts" or "leagues" – as a means of self-defense. Following the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century, the ninja faded into obscurity. A number of shinobi manuals, often based on Chinese military philosophy , were written in the 17th and 18th centuries, most notably the Bansenshūkai (1676). Ninja is the on'yomi ( Early Middle Chinese–influenced )

3870-678: The boy's parents died. He trained Joe in the ways of ninjitsu until a bomb blast separated the two; each has believed the other to be dead for years. Now Shinyuki completes Joe's training, and they launch a surprise attack on the Black Star training camp. Shinyuki sacrifices his life to help Joe defeat the Black Star Master; meanwhile, Hickock leads his own assault on Ortega's villa to rescue his daughter and to wipe out "loose ends" connecting him with Ortega's weapon-trafficking. Ortega flees by helicopter, with Patricia as his hostage, after gunning down her father. Joe, however, boards Ortega's chopper; he and Patricia jump to safety just before Jackson shoots down

3956-410: The castle by night, obtaining secret passwords. Days later, Nobutsuna ordered an intelligence gathering mission to determine the castle's supplies. Several Kōga ninja—some apparently descended from those involved in the 1562 assault on an Imagawa clan castle—volunteered despite being warned that chances of survival were slim. A volley of shots was fired into the sky, causing the defenders to extinguish

4042-512: The castle lights in preparation. Under the cloak of darkness, ninja disguised as defenders infiltrated the castle, capturing a banner of the Christian cross . The Ukai diary writes, We dispersed spies who were prepared to die inside Hara castle. ... those who went on the reconnaissance in force captured an enemy flag; both Arakawa Shichirobei and Mochizuki Yo'emon met extreme resistance and suffered from their serious wounds for 40 days. As

4128-469: The castle, they immediately set fire to the castle. In 1561, Kizawa Nagamasa generals hired three Iga ninja during the capture of a castle in Maibara , which was owned by Rokkaku Yoshitaka, who was also the employer of Iga Ninja previously. However, those ninja agents refused to take orders and threatened to desert the operation if they were not allowed to conduct the operation in their own way. The fire

4214-425: The colonel himself is Ortega's accomplice. Even as Hickock orders Rinaldo to finish off Joe, the Black Star Master kidnaps Patricia since her father is becoming a less-than-reliable partner. Rinaldo attempts to run Joe off the road, only to be killed himself. Joe returns to Ortega's mansion, where he is reunited with Shinyuki. It is revealed that Shinyuki, a former Japanese holdout soldier , adopted Joe at birth after

4300-412: The comedy film Bachelor Party . In 1985, The Cannon Group , an independent film company with a streak of successful action films, were looking to produce an action film starring Chuck Norris called American Ninja , which Norris turned down. Shortly after, Cannon went on a worldwide search to find who would play Private Joe Armstrong, the American ninja. Over 400 candidates went on to audition for

4386-572: The credibility of Hattori Hanzō's ninja army theory, since it first appeared in Iga-sha yuishogaki record which circulated during the Edo period during the rule of Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune . During his rule, Yoshimune was known for establishing the Oniwaban secret police institution whose members hailed from the confederation warriors of Koka and Iga areas. It has been argued that the circulation of

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4472-618: The daimyō, and fire patrol. A few domains like Tsu , Hirosaki and Saga continued to employ their own ninja into the bakumatsu era, although their precise numbers are unknown. Many former ninja were employed as security guards by the Tokugawa shogunate , though the role of espionage was transferred to newly created organizations like the onmitsu and the oniwaban . Others used their ninjutsu knowledge to become doctors, medicine sellers, merchants, martial artists, and fireworks manufacturers. Some unemployed ninja were reduced to banditry, such as Fūma Kotarō and Ishikawa Goemon . In

4558-413: The early 18th century, shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune founded the oniwaban ("garden keepers"), an intelligence agency and secret service . Members of the oniwaban were agents involved in collecting information on daimyō and government officials. The secretive nature of the oniwaban —along with the earlier tradition of using Iga and Kōga clan members as palace guards—have led some sources to define

4644-593: The first American Ninja movie, but he was already very athletic. Fight choreographer Mike Stone , an accomplished martial arts expert, assured the producers that Dudikoff would pick up the moves. Dudikoff has since trained in karate, aikido, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu . He began his training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Rorion Gracie and stays connected with the Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighting circuit, including Rigan Machado , an eighth degree red and black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and former world champion. In

4730-401: The helicopter, killing Ortega. Originally the studio wanted Chuck Norris to star. Some sources stated he didn’t want to have to cover up his face. Michael Dudikoff was cast, but had no martial arts experience. He was, however, already very athletic. Fight choreographer Mike Stone , who was an accomplished martial arts expert, assured the producers that he would pick up the moves. The film

4816-584: The lead in Vietnam war film Platoon Leader , directed by Aaron Norris . In 1989, Dudikoff starred as an adventurer in Steve Carver 's River of Death . In 1989, Dudikoff turned down American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt because he didn't want to get type cast in martial arts movies and didn't want to go back to South Africa as he was firmly against the Apartheid movement. In 1990, he starred in

4902-444: The lead in the martial arts action film American Ninja (1985). Dudikoff became an action film leading man and followed up with American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1986), Avenging Force (1986), Platoon Leader (1988), River of Death (1989), Soldier Boyz (1996), Bounty Hunters (1996), Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball (1997), etc. In the 2000s, Dudikoff started to work in real estate, and made film appearances in

4988-507: The modern era kunoichi means "female ninja". By the time of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, shinobi had become a topic of popular culture in Japan which featured in many legend and folklore, where they were associated with many supernatural abilities. It was believed the espionage activities of Ninja were attributed to Chinese military strategy , such as The Art of War by Sun Tzu . According to traditional evaluation,

5074-484: The myth about Hattori Hanzō ninja army helping Ieyasu were created as propaganda to increase the prestige of Iga and Koka clan confederations in Tokugawa Shogunate. In an undisclosed time, a ninja named Hachisuka Tenzō was sent by Nobunaga to assassinate daimyō Takeda Shingen , although it ended in failure. There is a record that there is an assassination attempt were on Toyotomi Hideyoshi , although it

5160-574: The ninja to understand the martial qualities of even the most menial task. These factors show how the ninjutsu established among the ninja class the fundamental principle of adaptation . Ninja usually worked in a team to scale a wall by providing a human platform to assist their team members in reaching the top of the wall. The Mikawa Go Fudoki gives an account of a coordinated team of infiltrators, who usually made use of passwords to communicate, so they could recognize their allies during their covert operations and when in disguise, as they dressed in

5246-492: The ninja were stealth soldiers and mercenaries hired mostly by daimyōs . Despite many popular folktales, historical accounts of the ninja are scarce. Historian Stephen Turnbull asserts that the ninja were mostly recruited from the lower class, and therefore little literary interest was taken in them. The social origin of the ninja is seen as the reason they agree to operate in secret, trading their service for money without honor and glory. The scarcity of historical accounts

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5332-596: The ninja's armor. Tools used for infiltration and espionage are some of the most abundant artifacts related to the ninja. Ropes and grappling hooks were common, and were tied to the belt. A collapsible ladder is illustrated in the Bansenshukai , featuring spikes at both ends to anchor the ladder. Spiked or hooked climbing gear worn on the hands and feet also doubled as weapons. Other implements include chisels , hammers , drills , and picks . Ninja also used mizugumo to walk on water. This footwear distributed

5418-486: The origin of those ninja clans were traced to the family of Kawai Aki-no-kami of Iga. This is also supported by the supplementary record to the Nochi Kagami , a historical record of the Ashikaga shogunate . The clans of Iga and Kōla became professionals which specifically trained for the asymmetrical warfare tactics of the ninja. These ninja mercenary were often hired by daimyōs between 1485 and 1581. Specifically,

5504-412: The part. The producer and owner of Cannon, Menahem Golan , and director Sam Firstenberg thought Dudikoff was the obvious choice for the part. Golan even went on to say that he would be the next James Dean . It was a surprise for Dudikoff, who at the time was mostly known for supporting roles in comedies. It was Dudikoff's first collaboration with actor Steve James , who was hired to play the partner of

5590-449: The plan of construction of Hara Castle, and surveyed the distance from the defensive moat to the ni-no-maru (second bailey ), the depth of the moat, the conditions of roads, the height of the wall, and the shape of the loopholes. Suspecting that the castle's supplies might be running low, the siege commander Matsudaira Nobutsuna ordered a raid on the castle's provisions. Here, the Kōga captured bags of enemy provisions, and infiltrated

5676-514: The same clothes as the enemy. In his Buke Myōmokushō , military historian Hanawa Hokinoichi writes of the ninja that they travelled in disguise into foreign territories to scout enemy forces, set enemy castles on fire, and carry out assassinations using infiltration tactics . Espionage was the chief role of the ninja. With the aid of disguises, the ninja gathered information on enemy terrain and building specifications as well as obtaining passwords and communiques. The aforementioned supplement to

5762-402: The siege went on, the extreme shortage of food later reduced the defenders to eating moss and grass. This desperation would mount to futile charges by the rebels, where they were eventually defeated by the shogunate army. The Kōga would later take part in conquering the castle: More and more general raids were begun, the Kōga ninja band under the direct control of Matsudaira Nobutsuna captured

5848-493: The skills of shinobi-no-jutsu and shinobijutsu , which have the aims of ensuring that one's opponent does not know of one's existence, and for which there was special training. However, some ninjutsu books described specifically what tactics ninja should use to fight, and the scenarios in which a ninja might find themselves can be deduced from those tactics. For example, in the manuscript of volume 2 of Kanrin Seiyō (間林清陽) which

5934-468: The summer phase of Osaka siege, The Ii clan Red Demons ninjas led by Miura Yo'emon, Shimotani Sanzo, Okuda Kasa'emon, and Saga Kita'emon saw action once again during the Battle of Tennōji , as they were reportedly fought together with the Tokugawa regular army storming on the south gate of Osaka castle. In 1614, the initial "winter campaign" at the Siege of Osaka saw the ninja in use once again. Miura Yoemon,

6020-597: The suppression of the Iga province by Nobunaga, some of them escaped from the province and sought refuge with the Tokugawa clan . One of the most prominent members was Fujibayashi Yasumasa, son of the Fujibayashi Yasutoyo from the Fujibayashi clan. After the assassination of Oda Nobunaga, Iga and Kōka ninja, according to tradition, helped Ieyasu undergo an arduous journey to escape the enemies of Nobunaga in Sakai and return to Mikawa . However, their journey

6106-535: The time of war. In 1614, The Iga province warriors saw action during the siege of Osaka . Takatora brought the Musokunin auxiliaries from Iga province to besiege the Osaka castle during the winter phase. Meanwhile the ninja units of Iga province were deployed under several commanders such as Hattori Hanzō , and Yamaoka Kagetsuge, and Ii Naotora , heir of Naomasa who also given control of Ii clan's Red Demons ninja squad after Naomasa died. Later in 1615, during

6192-576: The title role of Joe Armstrong in American Ninja 2: The Confrontation , with Firstenberg directing. The film grossed $ 4 million domestically in the U.S. That same year, Dudikoff starred as retired secret service agent in Avenging Force , with Steve James, directed by Sam Firstenberg. Also, Dudikoff played the role of Lt. Rudy Bodford in the mini-series North and South, Book II . In 1987, he had signed an agreement with Cannon Films to star and produce seven films. In 1988, Dudikoff played

6278-506: The two kanji "忍者". In the native kun'yomi reading, it is pronounced shinobi , a shortened form of shinobi-no-mono (忍びの者). The word shinobi appears in the written record as far back as the late 8th century in poems in the Man'yōshū . The underlying connotation of shinobi ( 忍 ) means "to steal away; to hide" and—by extension—"to forbear", hence its association with stealth and invisibility. Mono ( 者 ) means "a person". The word ninja

6364-505: The wearer's weight over the shoes' wide bottom surface, allowing the wearer to walk on the surface of water. The name of this equipment mizugumo was derived from the native name for the Japanese water spider ( Argyroneta aquatica japonica ). Similar footwear, known as ukidari , also existed in the form of a flat round bucket , although this may have been less stable. Goshiki-mai (go, five ; shiki, color ; mai, rice ) colored (red, blue, yellow, black, purple) rice grains were used in

6450-779: Was also taught. Some evidence of medical training can be derived from one account, where an Iga ninja provided medical attention to Ii Naomasa , a general of Tokugawa who was injured by gunfire during the Sekigahara battle . The skill sets of ninja agents known in modern times as ninjutsu ( 忍術 ) comprised a variety of espionage and survival skills with each its own unique characteristic for each ninjutsu school. Some view ninjutsu as evidence that ninja were not simple mercenaries because texts contained not only information on combat training, but also information about daily needs, which even included mining techniques. The guidance provided for daily work also included elements that enable

6536-557: Was an infiltration agent, mercenary , or guerrilla warfare and later bodyguard expert in feudal Japan . They were often employed in siege , espionage missions, and military deception . They often appear in the historical record during the Sengoku period , although antecedents may have existed as early as the 12th century. During the Japan's warring state period , jizamurai clans of peasant-warriors in Iga Province and

6622-636: Was captured 4 years later and tortured to death. In 1573, Manabe Rokurō, a vassal of daimyō Hatano Hideharu , attempted to assassinate Nobunaga by infiltrating Azuchi Castle , although the mission failed and Rokurō was forced to commit suicide. According to a document, the Iranki , when Nobunaga was inspecting Iga province after the Tenshō Iga War , three ninja attempted to assassinate him with rifles, but failed and instead killed seven of Nobunaga's attendants. The Kōka ikki persisted until 1574, when it

6708-504: Was common and is well documented. Ninjas disguised themselves as priests, entertainers, fortune tellers, merchants, rōnin , and monks. The Buke Myōmokushō states that their missions were to disguise themselves as firewood gatherers in order to gain information about the enemy. The attire of a mountain ascetic ( yamabushi ) facilitated travel, as they were common and could travel freely between political boundaries. The loose robes of Buddhist priests also allowed concealed weapons, such as

6794-411: Was eventually set, allowing Nagamasa's army to capture the castle. The Iga and Kōga ninja were actually jizamurai clans inhabited Iga Province (modern Mie Prefecture ) and the nearby region of Kōka District, Shiga named after a village in modern day Shiga Prefecture . The remote location of Iga may have contributed to ninja's secretive development. The chronicle Go Kagami Furoku stated that

6880-541: Was forced to become a vassal of Oda Nobunaga . The Iga ikki continued until 1581, when Nobunaga attacked the Iga Province and destroyed those clans who rebelled against him. The Iga clans survivors fled to the Kii Mountains , but others escaped to enter the service under Tokugawa Ieyasu . Prior to the conquest of Kōka in 1574, the two confederacies worked in alliance together since at least 1487. After

6966-596: Was initially called American Warrior and was released in UK cinemas under that title, but was changed to American Ninja for all other releases. The trailer (included on the DVD) contains the original title. In Germany, however, the film was released under the title American Fighter . It was also the first of three films pairing Michael Dudikoff and Steve James , the other two being Avenging Force (1986) and American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987). American Ninja received

7052-822: Was interviewed for The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films and Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films , both highly publicized dueling documentaries about The Cannon Group . In 2015, Dudikoff played a supporting role in Navy Seals vs. Zombies , released by Anchor Bay Entertainment . In 2018, Dudikoff acted in Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece . Dudikoff has been married to Belle since 2004. They have three children: son, Michael Joseph Stephen III; opposite-sex twins, Lyzel and Andrei. Dudikoff had no martial arts training before making

7138-791: Was the lead role in the action TV series Cobra . The hour-long show ran for 22 episodes from 1993 to 1994. In 1994, Dudikoff did his final film with The Cannon Group , called Chain of Command directed by David Worth . In 1995, Dudikoff starred in Cyberjack , and Soldier Boyz . In 1996, Dudikoff starred Bounty Hunters , Moving Target , and Crash Dive . In 1997, Dudikoff starred in Strategic Command , Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball , and The Shooter . In 1998, Dudikoff starred in Black Thunder , Freedom Strike , Musketeers Forever , and Counter Measures

7224-438: Was thwarted. A ninja named Kirigakure Saizō (possibly Kirigakure Shikaemon) attempted to assassinate Hideyoshi with a spear, but was unsuccessful, as his attempt was foiled by a ninja worked under the command of Hideyoshi who smoked his place. However, the reliability of this story was considered fictional publications as it was the same publisher which depicted Saizō as one of the legendary Sanada Ten Braves . In 1600, during

7310-421: Was uncommon, and a variety of regional colloquialisms evolved to describe what would later be dubbed ninja. The first known English use of the word ninja was in 1964. Kunoichi (くノ一) is, originally, an argot which means "woman"; it supposedly comes from the characters くノ一 (respectively hiragana ku , katakana no and kanji ichi ), which make up the form of kanji for "woman" (女). In fiction written in

7396-623: Was very dangerous due to the existence of " Ochimusha-gari " groups across the route. During this journey, Tokugawa generals such as Ii Naomasa , Sakai Tadatsugu and Honda Tadakatsu fought their way through raids and harassment from Ochimusha-gari ( samurai hunter) gangs to secure the way for Ieyasu, while sometimes also bribing some of the more amenable Ochimusha-gari gangs. As they reached Kada, an area between Kameyama town and Iga, The local Koka-Ikki ninjas and Iga-Ikki ninjas under Hanzo who helped leyasu to travel to safety consisted of three hundred Ninjas. Furthermore, Uejima Hidetomo,

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