Possibly the BEST menkos I’ve ever come across…
The somewhat physical card game of Menko (aka Bettan or Patchin) — wherein players ‘fwap’ cardboard rectangles or circles down on each other then claim whatever flips over — isn’t the most conducive to collectible items surviving the decades. These things … Continued
Best of vintage ninja COMICS for Comic-Con week…
It is yet again ComiCon week down in San Diego. Yet while the nerd-world’s attention is hyper-focused on the breaking news and goings-on of the convention, its core reason for existence — the comic book industry — is increasingly irrelevant, … Continued
On our 9th Birthday, here’s 9 gifts WE gave the world
Nine years ago this weekend, this site’s first posts went live. We typically celebrate the anniversary of our launch by reposting our first feature — press stills from Akai Kageboshi — but we decided to change things up this year. … Continued
Turnbull calls BULL!
Stephen Turnbull, noted author of ninja books from a military history perspective, riddles his former work with shuriken in the remarkable new NINJA: UNMASKING THE MYTH.
SASUKE on the fence
I hope you’ve all pre-ordered Dr. Stephen Turnbull’s Ninja: Unmasking the Myth (available May 3rd). I’m about finished my review copy and am working on both a review and with luck an interview with the good doctor himself. In the meantime, … Continued
I can finally enjoy THE MASTER
Back in 1984, at least for this teenage ninja-maniac, four words began a turning point for the ninja craze: “Hi, I’m Max Keller.” Timothy Van Patten‘s intro to each episode of The Master has since become iconic for me. His … Continued
R.I.P. WAKA…
We’re saddened by the news of the passing of Wakako Kawagoshi-Fisher, who was a collaborator and model for both From Parts Unknown and the predecessor to this site Ninja80. Condolences to the Fishers and her family in Japan, we’ve lost … Continued
THE LAST NINJA is the last piece of the puzzle…
What’s part Die Hard, part Kung-Fu, part Batman and obscure as hell for no logical reason? It is the 1983 made-for-TV predecessor to The Master, arguably one of if not the best 80’s American ninja craze films made, but virtually un-recognized, … Continued
Talking MAGIC SERPENT on “Nerd Lunch”
I take any chance I can get to turn folks on to the ninja / kaiju genre-bender Magic Serpent (Kairyu Daikessen, aka Dragon Showdown and many other retitles), so when the invite came from Paxton and Jeeg to co-chair the … Continued
Kagemaru Tattoos
The rarest antiques are the things that are the most disposable when produced, and its hard to think of anything (outside of ice cream bars maybe) with a shorter shelf life than a sheet of temporary tattoos for kids. Somehow … Continued