Ten Video Game Ninjas That Can Kick Your Butt

[dar0ck]

The ninja has been a major pop culture phenomenon for decades, albeit their presence in video games has somewhat dwindled as of late.

It takes a lifelong journey to become a ninja, surviving brutal training and mastering ancient techniques that the average person would never be able to achieve. They reside in the shadows, coming out only to strike without a sound and then fading away without a notice.

Suffice to say, the world needs more ninjas at this point.

Get ready to fear the night. Here are ten ninjas from the video game industry that have a license to kick your butt.

Taki (Soulcalibur)

Orphaned at an incredibly young age, Taki was taken in and raised by the infamous Fu-ma ninja clan to become a fierce demon hunter and skilled kunoichi.

She travels the world in search of evil spirits, vanquishing them with Ninjutsu and Taijutsu as well as various other ninja techniques and disciplines.

Taki can put aside emotions to approach every battle with calm and discipline. This makes her a deadly force in close quarters where she uses speed and precision to surprise opponents with powerful kicks, as well as making them look like complete fools by dodging their attacks.

In addition to unarmed combat, Taki is also an expert in the way of the sword. She relies on Rekki-Maru and Mekki-Maru as her primary and secondary weapons. They are ninja swords that have been infused with mystical powers.

Her other ninja abilities include tracking, creating miniature force fields, teleportation, and a bit of magic.

Gray Fox (Metal Gear)

From growing up as a child soldier to enlisting in the special forces, Gray Fox was the only operative in his elite black ops unit — code name Foxhound — to achieve the highest commendation.

He was forcibly outfitted with a powerful exoskeleton after sustaining life-threatening injuries and subjected to intense gene therapy. This turned him into a cybernetic ninja with enhanced senses and abilities.

Until his death, Gray Fox used stealth and acrobatics to conduct some of the most difficult spy missions for his country. He could become invisible to the naked eye, move across the terrain without making a sound, and come from behind to dismember unsuspecting targets with a single cut using a katana.

Ibuki (Street Fighter)

Ibuki hails from a secret village that is home to an ancient ninja clan, receiving rigorous training in the deadly arts ever since she was able to stand on her feet.

Despite her background, she prefers living like an ordinary schoolgirl and is usually seen dressed like one as well. There is seldom anything ninja about her appearance except when there is a need for battle.

Ibuki uses Ninjutsu and Taijutsu in combination with her lightning reflexes to slip past defenses for fatal blows. She tends to be extremely aggressive against her opponents and can use teleportation-like evasion to create distractions.

In addition to throwing shurikens, Ibuki can also land exploding bombs with different fuses to become even more unpredictable.

Marked Ninja (Mark of the Ninja)

Known only as the “Marked Ninja” for bearing a mystical tattoo, he is on a quest to avenge the death of his clansman at the hands of an evil corporation.

The tattoo in question uses ink from a special flower that grants greatly sharpened senses and reflexes once absorbed by the body, but ultimately forces the person to descend into madness.

In addition to the magical strengths, the mysterious warrior has access to several ninja tools and abilities. He can craft and lay traps, throw projectiles, survey the terrain to perceive the best possible route, and use shadows to remain out of sight. He is simply a one-man army on a path of vengeance.

Mai Shiranui (The King of Fighters)

Mai Shiranui is the granddaughter of a Ninjutsu master and the sole heir of an ancient Shiranui-ryū fighting style carried forward by her family.

She has the ability to create and control fire, cloaking herself in flames and channeling it through her paper butterfly fans to create small explosions. She also possess great agility, being able to change directions mid-air and even stay airborne for brief periods for vicious combat maneuvers.

Mai knows several hand-to-hand techniques and is proud to be called a ninja, leading to her finding a women team for the King of Fighters tournament.

Rikimaru (Tenchu)

Rikimaru leads the Azuma ninja clan as their youngest leader ever, the same assassins who killed his samurai parents when he was just an infant.

He is a master swordsman, skilled in both Kenjutsu and Iaijutsu. His combat prowess allows him to blend with the shadows for perfect stealth, striking with his Izayoi blade unseen and unheard before vanishing into the night without a trace.

Rikimaru is an assassin ninja in the truest sense, willing to take on missions that others would consider suicidal. In that sense, Rikimaru has a few special attacks where he can instantly kill with a single blow but at the cost of damaging himself.

Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)

Scorpion was a member of the Shirai Ryu clan before being resurrected as a ninja specter to seek revenge against those responsible for the death of his family.

He is a walking hell spawn, meaning that he can not only control hellfire but is also immune to the element. His signature weapon is a spear that shoots from the palms of his hands, returning at command with the impaled target.

Scorpion can use teleportation for surprise attacks and open portals to drag his foes deep into the volcanic pits of hell itself. He is well-versed in the arts of combat, utilizing Ninjutsu as well as several assassination techniques. He has also been known to wield ninja swords from time to time.

Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden)

Ryu Hayabusa is the son of a renowned ninja and leads the ancient Hayabusa clan as the greatest warrior ever produced within their ranks.

He is half demon and half human, a consequence of his ancestors who drew their blood from evil deities. He also wields the legendary Dragon Sword that has divine properties and holds immense power. It is widely considered to be one of the most powerful weapons (and blades) ever held by an individual.

In contrast to the traditional ninja, Ryu is more prone to fighting in the open. He does not care for stealth and prefers bloodbaths from fighting multiple enemies at once. His attacks are honed to dismember with a single strike, making him incredibly deadly in close quarters.

In addition to being a weapons and hand-to-hand combat expert, Ryu has access to other ninja abilities as well. This includes teleportation, energy blasts, elemental projections, and magic.

Strider Hiryu (Strider)

Being an active Strider agent means that all personal data are kept secret from the public. What is known is that Hiryu is the youngest Strider in history to pass the hellish training program among the top ten percentile.

While he is a master in Taijutsu and other hand-to-hand fighting styles, Hiryu prefers the plasma sword Cypher in battle. In fact, his skill with the weapon is greater than any other Strider agent.

He is also a professional expert in sabotage, espionage, and assassination. His above-normal physical strength, stamina, and agility allows him to move around freely in any location or position, even when climbing or hanging off structures. He is able to reach supersonic speeds as well both in movements and attacks, making him faster than the naked eye.

Joe Musashi (Shinobi)

Joe Musashi hails from the ancient Oboro ninja clan that has worked in the shadows for generations to protect the peace.

His weapon of choice is the Oborozuki sword, one of the greatest treasures ever passed through by his people. It accentuates his immense power and agility, being able to dodge projectiles to get close enough for a single strike. He can also jump far better than most, reaching heights deemed impossible for the average person.

Joe is highly skilled in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, as well as several other fighting styles. He can throw multiple shurikens at the same time with deadly precision, an art perfected through years of training.

His tales of valor are legendary. He has faced all kinds of vile foes, including human bio weapons and mechanized monstrosities. Joe is the original ninja, fearless and with a sense of duty.