Book Description
Hayes trained personally with ninjutsu grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan. Covers the warrior quest, enlightened consciousness, ninja invisibility, the body and weapon as one, directing the power of surroundings, and contemporary ninja training. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions. New four-color cover.
Customer Reviews:
Great Read.......2007-05-04
This had a great section on the Togakure Ryu school and has been a favorite of mine. A must read for any To-Shin Do practicioner.
The Facts.......2006-03-03
Not sure if this is the best book but it is one of the best. Speaks of the truth to what a ninja is and about the myths.
For anyone interested in what a ninja is and is not. This is a good book.
If you are interested in the history of ninjutsu then this is not the book you are looking for. This is more of a book that tells you what a ninja is not how a ninja came to be.
All in all, it is really a FAQ book.
Hayes' Ninja series, part 3.......2004-08-17
From the Table of Contents:
1. The path
2. Enlightened consciousness
3. Ninja invisibility
4. Ken Tai Ichi Jo
5. Kuji-Kiri
Written by the first American ninjutsu teacher, this book covers the history of ninjutsu, philosophy, fighting, the mind as a tool of the spirit, active meditation, extended realities and the art of understanding. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions.
Skip it.......2001-11-13
Do yourself a favore - skip any ninjutsu/ninja books not written by the Grandmaster, Masaaki Hatsumi.
A MUST READ FOR ALL MARTIAL ARTISTS.......1998-12-02
Shidoshi Hayes has written many wonderful books and they should be studied very carfully as there is much more information than at first it seems.
Book Description
The first Westerner responsible for introducing authentic ninjutsu to America explores the use of natural body postures and movements, attack angles, striking tools, and dispels popular myths about ninjutsu. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions. Four-color cover.
Customer Reviews:
Hayes' Ninja series, part 5.......2004-08-17
From the table of contents:
1. Lessons behind the lessons
2. Myths of ninjitsu
3. Ninpo Taijitsu
4. Jissen No Ho
Written by the first American ninjutsu teacher, this book covers the history of ninjutsu, philosophy, fighting, the mind as a tool of the spirit, active meditation, extended realities and the art of understanding. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions
True ninjutsu.......1998-12-10
Stephen K. Hayes is a well respected martial arts teacher and lecturure. Of course one cannot truly learn ninjutsu without a teacher, this book, and all of Hayes' books are very useful.
Much like a text book.......1998-12-02
This is a very excellent resource on true Ninjutsu, one of the few, it should be charished by all true warriors.
Book Description
Covers spiritual purity, preparation, methods of rebounding, training for combat, and attuning to the universe. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions. New four-color cover.
Customer Reviews:
First Rate.......2006-04-24
I really enjoyed this book! The depth of knowledge that Stephen Hayes teaches in this whole series is amazing, I recommed all of this series to anyone whishing to see the "whole picture" that this ancient warrior art teaches...Oh by the way to the reviewer calling Mr. Hayes a liar etc...going to most of Mr. Hayes books and saying some of the same things makes you look jealous not scholar like in your reviews. Just a thought
Memories of Youth.......2005-11-10
I never could understand those people so insistant that you can't learn martial arts from books ... perhaps, you can't master martial arts from books is more accurate. I remember using this book and a couple of other ninja books from his master as a foundation of my progressive martial arts training in my late teens.
Personally, who cares if he is or is not the first American ninja, or that he is not practicing tooth-and-nail to the tee authentic traditional ninjitsu. Actually, most martial arts have grown to a point were they are no longer traditional to merge with the times. So if you are one of those cry-baby traditionalists then take your ball, and go to the house this book is probably not for you. People grow, or they are suppost to at least.
Ninja: Spirit of the Shadow Warrior is a excellent read, and I give it the thumbs up.
The first book from the man that revived ninjitsu.......2004-08-17
From the table of contents:
1. Historical perspectives
2. Building blocks of the universe
3. Fighting
4. The Sixth Center
5. Active Meditation
6. Extended realities
7. The art of understanding
Written by the first American ninjutsu teacher, this book covers the history of ninjutsu, philosophy, fighting, the mind as a tool of the spirit, active meditation, extended realities and the art of understanding. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions.
Um.........2003-09-24
This book is mostly filled with bad atempts at trying to teach taijutsu, something you shouldn't learning from a book in the first place. Stephen K. Hayes is a liar and wrote these books when he did not fully understand Ninpo. He uses an innaccurate straight blade square guard sword, is innaccurate in his use of the elements, and he is also innaccurate on his history of ninjutsu evolving from buddhist monks who were supressed for practicing their religion. Stephen hayes also lied about being the first westerner to ever train in ninjutsu (Quinten Chambers or Doron Navon anybody??). I wouldn't buy this book if I were you. The rest of the series is just as horrible. Go purchase some books from Soke Hatsumi. It's best to get things staright from the source.
An unusually thoughtful work........2003-03-19
Stephen K. Hayes's SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is an unusual sort of book. First published in 1980, Hayes's volume has undergone twenty-six printings(!) as of 2001, but still retains the feel of a very specific era in American culture: the Ninja Era. During the Ninja Era, which endured through a large chunk of the 1980s, the national obsession with everything ninja knew practically no bounds. There were ninja movies, ninja games, ninja in comics, ninja weapons and, of course, ninja books. SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is the first of five "how to" volumes by Hayes that exploded onto the eager stage of the Ninja Era.
SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is unusual in that it's not a book specifically about anything. A quick flip-through reveals the step-by-step photo panels of combat that typify many books on martial arts, but that's only part of the total package. Other chapters in the book include history, philosophical discussion, meditation techniques, and even a series of exercises meant to expand an individual's awareness of what can only be described as ESP. This is a lot of ground to cover, perhaps too much. Weighing in at a slender 143 pages, Hayes's ninja volume scarcely has time to dwell on anything in depth, giving a reader the sense of rapid skimming even during a careful read. While this keeps a reader from growing bored (there's hardly time), it also leaves a vague sense of dissatisfaction when the last page has turned. There doesn't seem to be enough meat on this bone.
This is not to suggest that SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is not worth a read. Author Hayes is, according to his bio, the first non-Japanese to be awarded the highest honor in the "Togakure Ryu ninjutsu tradition." He parlayed this achievement into a number of books beyond this series and enjoyed some measure of popularity during the Ninja Era, but faded into relative obscurity shortly thereafter. His writing style in SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is quiet and deeply metaphorical. Bits of his poetry appear scattered throughout the book's pages. For those expecting a muscular, testosterone-heavy exploration of action-movie ninja, Hayes's book will be a genuine surprise. Even those with no interest in shuriken-tossing, sword-swinging ninja can find lots of useful material in the philosophy and meditation chapters, the ones that veer so far away from the stereotypical ninja material of the Ninja Era as to be almost unrecognizable.
The text isn't the only thing that sometimes seems out of place. Hayes appears throughout the book in black-and-white photographs, a bearded guru in black garments. Like his soft-toned, almost contemplative writing style, he seems too darned nice to be mixing it up with edged weapons, or creeping around on rooftops on assassination missions. But it's this peculiarity in the book that eventually makes it worthwhile. While SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR would not even exist were it not for the Ninja Era, its refusal to fit neatly into the mold of popular culture lends Hayes's writing relevance it might not otherwise have had.
Book Description
The ancient combat techniques of flowing action; the subtle energy of hands; the fighting methods of the kunoichi (the female ninja); the unique sensitivity training to develop fighting intuition—all these are explained by Stephen K. Hayes, the first non-Japanese ever awarded the title of shidoshi (teacher of the warrior ways of enlightenment), in his fourth fully-illustrated volume for Black Belt Books. 192 pgs.
Customer Reviews:
Hayes' Ninja series, part 4.......2004-08-17
From the table of contents:
1. the unfolding story
2. The five elements of escape
3. Flowing action
4. Kunoichi
5. The force of intention
Written by the first American ninjutsu teacher, this book covers the history of ninjutsu, philosophy, fighting, the mind as a tool of the spirit, active meditation, extended realities and the art of understanding. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions
i agree with these two guyz.......2000-05-17
i have the whole series and have read them over and over. i am a ninjutsu practitioner, and i can assure you, stephen hayes is the real deal.
Information you can trust........2000-01-09
Life and resources are too short to waste on fakes. Hayes is the real thing. Ninjutsu can't be learned through books. It must be learned from a qualified teacher. These books in the Ohara series are useful to understand your instruction better. They are all treasures when used that way.
Another great book in a GREAT series.......1998-12-02
This whole series is wonderful. I highly recommend them all to any martial arts student. Very useful and enlightening!
Another great book in a GREAT series.......1998-12-02
This whole series is wonderful. I highly recommend them all to any martial arts student. Very useful and enlightening!
Average customer rating:
|
Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult
Stephen Turnbull
Manufacturer: Caxton Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Military Science
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Martial Arts
| Individual Sports
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1840674326 |
Customer Reviews:
An illustrated history of the fascinating Ninja.......2004-10-12
There are a few things everyone knows about Ninjas. They wear black costumes. They are sneaky, almost able to be invisible. They uses an arsenal of strange and interesting weapons. But is any of that the truth?
While not everything I would want it to be, Steven Turnbull has done an admirable job bringing together the known historical facts and the wild fictional fantasies of the Japanese warrior known as the Ninja. "Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult" is very small, 150 pages, many of which are stuffed with illustrations, leaving not much room for a thorough exploration of the Ninja mysteries. The format is almost "coffee table" style, being a larger sized format. Although it doesn't leave as much room for text as one would wish, the book has a stunning collection of old Ninja-related Japanese artwork, from full-color reproductions of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints to small black and white pornographic scenes of ninjas produced in cheap books of the time.
The meat of the work is found in the first eight chapters, detailing the history of what we have come to know as Ninja, although at the time known primarily as Shinobi. Pure history is obviously Turnbull's specialty, as he details the rise of the use of stealth skills in combat in Japan, primarily in terms of castle-breaking, where Shinobi would scale the walls of an enemy castle at night and set first to it from the inside, forcing the panicked population to retreat from the burning structure and into the swords of the Samurai waiting outside. He shows the establishment of Ninja clans at Iga and Ueno, who would rent out their military services, a shockingly dishonorable practice at the time, and engage in activities thought unsuitable for Samurai. This is followed by the eventual destruction of these Ninja clans by the Tokugawa armies, and the dispersion of their skills into general Japanese armies.
The book's main weakness lies in the ability to interpret these historical facts in light of the modern view of the Ninja. Turnbull shows the development of the stereotypical black Ninja costume in the illustrations, but doesn't comment on whether the Iga or Ueno Ninja clans ever actually employed this outfit. There is some attempt at rationalizing the "Hollywood" version of the Ninja with the historical, but all in all the book merely skims over this fascinating area, remaining basically a Ninja-history book with a few token attempts at acknowledging the present. I would really like to see the evolution of the Ninja from the dishonorable castle-breaker to the black-clad superhero of today. How did it happen? Is there any truth at all to the modern image of the Ninja? These kinds of questions go largely unanswered.
As a straight history book with a top-class collection of old Ninja artwork, "Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult" succeeds. However, when looking for some historical analysis, or unique insight on the part of the author towards the Ninja, then the book is not satisfying. While not much has been accurately written on the Ninja, this is definitely not a definitive text. But it is better than much of what is out there.
The Historical Ninja.......2002-12-29
For the first time, westerners are able to read a detailed history of the various groups of Japanese fighters, spies, and assassins collectivly known as ninja. Turnbull is a detailed historian, known for many works on Japanese warfare. THis book is no exception to his high standard of quality.
Drawing on personal research and a familiarity with the primary sources, Turnbull weaves an exciting tale.
Great illustrations. I was, however, suprised that he didn't make more of Hastumi Masaaki. I understnad that Hatsumi is not albe to produce written documentation for all of his nine ryu, but it seemed odd that his is only mentioned in passing a few times. Nonetheless, Hatsumi does write the forward, so I shouldnt read into things.
Turnbull's "Samurai Warrior" is aslo outstanding with some of the best art I have ever seen!
Very Informative: Pure History and Ground for Analysis.......2001-09-20
For the time being, this is the only book on the historical examination of ninja and their place in Japanese history, their origin, development and roles. Readers will find out in which province ninjutsu originated (starting with as far back in history as ninja's Chinese ancestors), analysis of the term "ninja" and its synonims, how ninjutsu developed including analysis of it as art and as social phenomena (clans and loyalties), famous revolts of ninja in the province of Iga and cruel campaign of Nobunaga against ninja.
A reader should keep in mind one very important thing - this subject is very difficult study because of lack of historical reference. However, Dr. Turnbull does an amazing job of analysis of all variety of Japanese language sources including legends and historical transcripts. I have had the feeling that having done this, the author gives this as it is (more or less so) to the reader, so the reader has to complete the analysis. While this type of presentation of the material may present problem to some readers, I was flattered by the thought that this book was mostly oriented towards thinking/analysing reader.
A flipside of such approach is that the author consdiers many forms of open military (like, for example, trained sharpshooters of Shimazu clan left behind retreating troops to take out enemy generals) and "dark side" (spies and assasins) actions and puts them together labelling all as "ninja". However, this approach also pays letting a sophisticated reader to "sort out" for himself.
I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in Japanese military history and history of special units and techniques.
Truth is stranger than fiction.......2001-07-07
Any book that claims to be "The True Story" has to be taken with a certain amount of sketimism but skeptics beware, there is an awful lot of documentation in this book. The moderen legends regarding the ninja are steeped in historical evidence dating back hundreds of years. Super powers have been attributed to the ninja for at least three centuries. The book begins with an excellent and concise introduction of the authors intent. Much information was gathered for this book and extensive research was compiled by Turnbull. Whereas the samurai is a known part of the history of Japan the ninja is schrouded in mysticim, espionage, guerrilla warfare, assassinations and even magic. The ninja was involved in the covert actions of the military and the the most powerful families who vowed for power. Turnbull begins with the ninja in historical terms, including it's roots from the Chinese language and continues with concrete examples of the exploits of some of the most legendary ninjutsu or those possessing ninja knowledge and skills. Miltary historical information is given throughout and there are pictures and illustrations but what is missing is the fine illustrations of James Field who he has teamed up with before. I think Fields illustrations would have made the book better, more visually exciting and less dry. Turnbull gives scholarly detail to his writing to let the reader decide for himself whether it is truth or fiction. An example of this is how a well documented story relates when a great daimyo or warlord was assassinated while using the toilet. Accounts vary but the ninja version states that an assassin or ninja concealed himself in the sewage pit and thrust a sword at the critical moment up the daimyo's anus. Ouch!! Turnbull gives various detailed accounts of this same incident and it seems he did die while using the toilet but some accounts say he later dies by some other complications from using the toilet. There is even an acount of a ninja assassination by an "angry ghost". The reader is left to decipher fact from fiction but nonetheless it is a fascinating read. Recommended for all interested in Japanese military history or stories and anecdotes about ninjas.
Reads too much like a government history book.......1999-09-04
An excellent book for factual research, but it is written dryly
Book Description
The Ninja were the secret agents and assassins of feudal Japan and they remain a subject of enduring fascination. They first emerged during the power struggles of 9th and 10th century Japan, in response to the increasing demand for spies, informants and even assassins, and they were used until the mid-1600s when they disappeared on account of a campaign to destroy them. This title provides an accurate and detailed account of the reality of the Ninja, detailing their daily life, training, hiring, combat use and secret operations; also covered are the Ninja's use and knowledge of poisons, medicines and charms.
Customer Reviews:
Way to fictional !.......2007-04-07
While Turnbull usually tells about historical persons and events - this time he wanders off into fiction...
About half of the book is rather good, telling the reader about the real ninjas of past - i.e. normal samurai and peasants working as spies and undercover agents (without special equipment or silly black uniforms)...
...while the other half of the book is about the fictional black clad super martial artists (i.e. the Hollywood and Japanese Iga/Koga-province tourist version).
Those of you who can think for themselves probably understands how silly the whole concept with special "Ninja-swords" etc. is, considering they were supposed to act undercover...
To make one thing perfectly clear: Ninjas (as we know them) are a myth, no such individuals ever existed. They were made up in the last hundred years, to give samurai (in movies and TV-series) suitable adversaries.
Later on people understood that there were money to be made on the Ninjas - Martial art systems were invented (mixing existing traditions) and movie companies in the west started to use Ninjas as Bad (and sometimes Good) Guys. The Swedish Film "The Ninja Mission" being the first to place Ninjas in a modern setting.
I do understand, and even respect, that mr Turnbull sacrifices truth in order to sell more of this book (as I understand him reusing Samurai material in dozens of similar books - I have atleast ten...).
In short, despite this book mixing fact and fiction it is a good book on the subject.
Perfect Ninja Book.......2007-03-31
I love this book! It strips away all the mythology and stuff we think is true because its in the movies and examines the historical shinobi ('ninja'), his role, training, tactics, motives, and his equipment. I cannot believe how many tools they had for getting into castles and killing their victims. One of the last sections of the book, 'Ninja in War' tells the heroic story of real life ninja and their involvement in the campaigns of the Sengoku Jidai Period. Interestingly, the author says that the ninja often disguised themselves as monks or enemy samurai, yet of the 48 ninja depicted in action in the plates, all but two are clad in the classic black ninja garb. The plates are also very good, and the plate commentary has helped me in my study of the ninjas' tools. The best book I have read on the subject, highly recommended for anyone seeking to read about the real ninja.
Ninja Ad.......2005-08-03
most books from the Osprey Publishing to well to educate thoroughly on a matter in history, this one was no different.
Ninjas in Detail.......2004-06-09
Military historian Steven Turnbull does an excellent job of portraying historical ninjas in this thin volume. A lot of the book on ninjas cover either ninja legends or "ninjitsu" which is a kind of reconstructed martial art which is practiced mainly by American ninja fans and Japanese who are working at ninja theme parks. Turnbull strips all this away and shows us what an authentic ninja was like. The real ninja was a mercenary who specialized in espionage, sabotage, and assassination. The image of a black-clad ninja is perhaps inaccurate. The point of espionage is not to get noticed, so ninja were more likely to be dressed as everyday people in order to infiltrate towns and castles. There are, however, lots of illustrations and photos of black-clad ninjas. Perhaps undercover ninjas are not so interesting to look at. The time period covered is 1460-1650 which was the golden age of ninjas, and which roughly corresponds to the Sengoku (Warring States) period of Japanese history. After this time period, Japan was in a state of peaceful unification and isolation which rendered the ninjas obsolete.
One great point of this book is that it introduces the excellent ninja museum in Iga-Ueno in Mie prefecture. I've visited this museum and they have a ninja house and a wonderful collection of fascinating ninja tools. The highlight of visiting the museum is the excellent ninja show. If you visit the Osaka or Kyoto area, and you have an extra free day, I recommend that ninja fans visit this place and check it out.
Turnbull does it again.......2004-03-03
This is a fascinating and easy-to-read book about the ninja and shinobi of Japanese history. And it should be noted I say "history" for a reason; Stephen Turnbull explains in the introduction that he took great lengths to make sure his sources were accurate and that he stayed away from the legends of myths accompanied with ninja. He'll mention ninja kites, but not ninja glides...and forget about the human bomb ninjas you saw in the kung fu movie "Duel to the Death."
The book presents diagrams and detailed explanations of the different equipments and tactics used by ninja, and also gives some insight into their history, including their war with Oda Nobunaga and their eventual service with the Tokugawa Shogunate (there is a very interesting reason as to why they joined the Tokugawa so willingly). The most fascinating part was the tale of how a ninja killed Uesugi Kenshin - this was by sticking a spear into him while hidden in the toilet (I won't go into graphic detail). It's a strange (and darkly humorous) tale, but Turnbull eventually dismisses it as legend using evidence that Kenshin died of stomach cancer.
Overall I enjoyed this read. It was a very educated look into the world of ninja from a neutral perspective, but I found it to be a good read. Another fine reason why my respect for the Osprey series remains high.
Average customer rating:
|
How to Draw Manga Ninja Warriors
Manufacturer: Top That! Kids
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Drawing
| Art
| Arts & Music
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
How to Draw Manga
| By Series
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Art
| Arts & Music
| Children's Books
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
By Series
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
| Dragon Ball
| Gundam
| Ranma
| Rurouni Kenshin
General
| Manga
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
How To Draw Manga Volume 38: Ninja & Samurai Portrayal (How to Draw Manga)
ASIN: 1845109716 |
Average customer rating:
|
The Dark #1 (Nightmares, Volume 3)
Joseph Naftali
Manufacturer: August House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
General
| Comic Strips
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000NL6ZIM |
Product Description
The Dark issue #1. Includes Bonus Foodang Character card by Bart Sears! January 1995.
Books:
- Oil Pastel: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist
- Painting Four Seasons Of Fabulous Flowers
- Painting Four Seasons Of Fabulous Flowers
- Painting Sharp Focus Still Lifes: Trompe L'Oeil Oil Techniques
- Rendering Fashion, Fabric and Prints with Adobe Illustrator
- Seasons of Delight
- Sisters
- Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes
- Splash 9: Watercolor Secrets: The Best of Watercolor (Splash)
- Stars, Stripes, and Italian Tricolor: The United States and Italy, 1946-1989
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps
- History: Fiction or Science
- Body of Evidence: A Scarpetta Novel
- Companero: The Life and Death of Che Guevara
- Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Evolution
- George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century
- Narrative: National Gallery Pocket Guide
- Exploring Pacific Coast Tidepools
- Sphagnaceae Through Grimmiaceae
Ninja Volume 4: Legacy of the Night Warrior (Ninja)
Ninja Volume 1: Spirit of the Shadow Warrior (Ninja)
Lore of the Shinobi Warrior (Ninja, Vol. 5) (Ninja)
Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art
The Mystic Arts of the Ninja
