Editing Ninji

{{species infobox

|image=[[File:Ninji SMR.png]]<br>Artwork of a Ninji from ''[[Super Mario Run]]''

|first_appearance=''[[Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]'' ([[List of games by date#1987|1987]], overall)<br>''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' ([[List of games by date#1988|1988]], ''Super Mario'' franchise)

|latest_appearance=''[[Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Nintendo Switch)|Mario vs. Donkey Kong]]'' ([[Nintendo Switch]]) ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])

'''Ninjis''' or '''Ninjies'''<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Run]]''|author=Paper Mario Missions|quote=Defeat 9 or more Ninjies.}}</ref> are black and star-shaped devil-like creatures and enemies first appearing in ''[[Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', with the game manuals stating that they haunt the dreams of [[Family Computer]] and [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] players, respectively.<ref name=yume>{{cite|quote=「ファミコン{{ruby|少年|しょうねん}}の{{ruby|夢|ゆめ}}に{{ruby|現|あらわ}}れ{{ruby|悪夢|あくむ}}を{{ruby|見|み}}せる{{ruby|小悪魔|こあくま}}。{{ruby|動|うご}}きが{{ruby|速|はや}}く、しつこく{{ruby|追|お}}いかけてくる。」 ("''They are lesser demons who manifest as nightmares in the dreams of [[Family Computer|Famicom]] boys. They move fast and will persistently chase you.''")|title=''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'' instruction booklet (ハックン{{ruby|A|エー}})|page=31|language=ja|publisher=Nintendo|author=Nintendo|date=1987}}</ref><ref name=dream>{{cite|quote=He is a little devil who appears in the dreams of NES players. He moves fast and will persistently chase you.|title=''Super Mario Bros. 2'' instruction booklet (Ninji - 1 description)|page=24|language=en-us|date=1988|publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> Their appearance in the international release, ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', marked their main series debut. Ninjis were originally portrayed with a fang and clawed feet in artwork, but later appearances remove their claws and replace their teeth with round buttons. Their large eyes are also made rectangular, closer resembling eyeholes in a stereotypical ninja costume.

[[File:SMB2 art Ninji 1.png|thumb|left|x200px|A Ninji's original design for ''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'' and the Western ''Super Mario Bros. 2'']]

{{multiple image|align=right|image1=Ninji SMB2 Sprite.png|width1=50|caption1=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]''|image2=Ninji SMB2 All-Stars.png|width2=50|caption2=''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]''}}

Ninjis first appear in ''[[Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. In this game, Ninjis serve [[Wart]], a mischievous frog-like monster who had seized control of the dream world known as [[Subcon]]. There are two types of Ninji: the first type, called '''Ninji - 1''', charges at the player, suddenly jumping as it approaches;<ref name=yume/><ref name=dream/> the second type, called '''Ninji - 2''', remains in one place and jumps up and down.<ref name=kojo>{{cite|quote=「{{ruby|場所|ばしょ}}を{{ruby|移動|いどう}}しないで、その{{ruby|場|ば}}でジャンプを{{ruby|繰|く}}り{{ruby|返|かえ}}すだけのヘンなヤツ。」 ("''They do not stray from their spot and jump repeatedly like strange guys.''")|title=''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'' instruction booklet (ハックン{{ruby|B|ビー}})|page=31|language=ja|date=1987|publisher=Nintendo|author=Nintendo}}</ref><ref>{{cite|quote=He stays in one spot and jumps repeatedly. A strange guy.|title=''Super Mario Bros. 2'' instruction booklet (Ninji - 2 description)|page=24|language=en-us|date=1988|publisher=Nintendo of America|author=Nintendo}}</ref> In ''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'', this Ninji type has three jump heights, but the middle jump height was not retained in ''Super Mario Bros. 2''. The ''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]'' swaps the names for Ninji A and Ninji B, though not its anglophone localizations.

Ninjis are depicted as purple instead of black in ''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'', ''[[BS Super Mario USA]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Advance]]'', with additional pink inside their ears, as well as buckteeth/fangs. [[Big Ninji]]s also appear as somewhat rare [[Enemy|enemies]] in ''Super Mario Advance''. Big Ninjis only jump in place. Like most enemies in ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' and its remakes, all variations of Ninjis can be picked up and thrown at other enemies to defeat them. Big Ninjis yield a [[Heart (item)|Heart]] if they are thrown to the ground or defeated.

Ninjis, also named '''Mini-Ninjas''',<ref name="mariomania">{{cite|quote=Being cooped up in Bowser's Castle has driven the Mini-Ninja batty. He bounces up and down, waiting for a hapless hero to use for a punching bag.|title=Nintendo ''[[Mario Mania]]'' Player's Guide|page=52|date=August 1991|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=en-us}}</ref> are enemies in ''[[Super Mario World]]'' and [[Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2|its remake]]. They are encountered in the [[Front Door]] and [[Back Door]] levels only, where they have been driven crazy from their isolation there.<ref name="mariomania"/> Ninjis blend in the darkness and are difficult to see unless the searchlight is activated; to accomplish this effect, they reuse their tri-color ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' sprites rather than receiving new sprites. They jump in place and can be defeated with stomps, fireballs, or a cape attack. Like in ''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'', they have three jump heights, though the difference is more pronounced. Despite using their previous 8-bit sprites, the artwork for this game reinterprets their red spots as buttons, while previously they had been depicted as parts of the creature's mouth. This interpretation is used for all further depictions, including [[reissue]]s of ''Super Mario Bros. 2'', despite not looking like the sprites in that game. Ninjis are one of the few enemies absent from the ending credits.

Ninjis are enemies in ''[[Super Mario Run]]''. They behave similarly to how they did in ''Super Mario Bros. 2''; jumping periodically in one place. Their running variants do not appear. They appear in the levels [[Airship Cannons...Fire!]], [[Firing the Airship's Burners]], [[Throwing It All Overboard]], and [[Airship Armada]]. Their design in this game is similar to their ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' or ''Super Mario World'' sprites, but with a chubbier body similar to their ''Super Mario Advance'' artwork.

While Ninjis do not appear as usable enemies in ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', the [[Super Mario Maker 2#Ninji Speedruns|Ninji Speedruns]] mode introduced in version 2.0 uses '''Ninji Ghosts''' to represent other players in speedrun competitions of uploaded levels. If the player representing the Ninji is riding a [[Yoshi]], it will appear to ride a green car. Beating the levels rewards the player's Mii with Ninji-themed clothing. Additionally, during the initial playthrough of a level, a Ninji labeled Ninji Recon gives the player advice. Several Ninji Ghosts can also occasionally be seen in the background on the main Course World menu. Starting in version 3.0, Ninji Ghosts also represent other players’ progress in a Super World.

 

[[File: CartoonNinji.jpg|thumb|left|A Ninji from ''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'']]

Despite appearing prominently in its opening sequence, Ninjis only appear once in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!]]'', in the episode "[[Karate Koopa]]", where they are simply referred to once as '''blackbelt ninjas''' by [[Toad]]<ref>{{cite|quote=Blackbelt ninjas! Run for it!|author=[[Toad]]|title=''[[Karate Koopa]]''}}</ref> and aid [[Bowser|Karate Koopa]] in his plan to capture [[Princess Peach|Princess Toadstool]] and sell her into slavery for a fortune. Somewhat parodying their namesake, they are skilled in hand-to-hand combat and speak in thick Japanese accents.

In the ''[[Super Mario World (television series)|Super Mario World]]'' animated series, Ninjis appear only in the episode "[[The Yoshi Shuffle]]" as spectators to [[Yoshi]] and Mario's football game against [[Roy Koopa|Bully]], [[Morton Koopa Jr.|Big Mouth]], [[Larry Koopa|Cheatsy]] and several [[Chargin' Chuck|Koopa Football Player]]s in the Neon Castle. Here, they are brown in color, have red teeth, distinct fingered hands, and stubby feet without claws.

===''Super Mario-kun''===

[[File:Ninji SuperMarioKun 4.jpg|thumb|left|Ninjis in ''Super Mario-kun'']]

Ninjis make a few appearances throughout ''[[Super Mario-kun]]'', most prominently in the ''Super Mario World'' arc, where they are seen protecting the Back Door room. Their depiction in the manga is used in some later artwork, particularly the eye hole and buttons.

 

===''Nintendo Comics System''===

In ''[[Nintendo Comics System]]'', Ninjis only make minor appearances, with one appearing in the background of the story ''[[The Legend]]'', while several, having been beaten senseless by a sleepwalking Mario who believes himself to be [[Dirk Drain-Head]], appear in ''[[Bedtime for Drain-Head]]''.

 

Ninjis appear in the ''[[Nintendo Adventure Books]]'' as recurring enemies.

In ''[[Unjust Desserts]]'', some Ninji are shrunk by [[Magikoopa]] and eaten by [[Yoshi]], though Mario never encounters any inside Yoshi, only in the palace garden.  

[[File:Veterinarian.png|thumb|''Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up'']]

A Ninji makes a small cameo in the coloring book game ''[[Super Mario Bros. & Friends: When I Grow Up]]'', on the Veterinarian page alongside a [[Tweeter]].

The Ninjis in ''[[Hotel Mario]]'' are called '''Mini Ninjas'''.<ref>{{cite|title=''Hotel Mario'' instruction booklet|page=15}}</ref> They appear as enemies in Stages [[Stage 3 (Roy's HardBrick Hotel)|3]], [[Stage 4 (Roy's HardBrick Hotel)|4]], [[Stage 5 (Roy's HardBrick Hotel)|5]], and [[Stage 8 (Roy's HardBrick Hotel)|8]] of [[Roy's HardBrick Hotel]]. They routinely look left and right before hopping in one direction. Their jump is slow and aimless and they can be defeated by jumping on them.

[[File:NinjiPM.png|frame]]

In ''[[Paper Mario]]'', several Ninjis live in [[Starborn Valley]] and act as the caretakers of the [[Star (species)|Star Kids]]. After Chapter 6, there is a Ninji at [[Merlon]]'s house waiting for Mario. When Mario visits Merlon, the Ninji informs him that [[Merle]], [[Merlon]]'s son, wishes for Mario to come see him in Starborn Valley.

After 12 years of absence, Ninjis return to the ''Paper Mario'' series in ''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'', this time as enemies. They only appear in [[World 3 (Paper Mario: Sticker Star)|World 3]], and are the weakest enemy that can be encountered in the forest, being only slightly stronger than [[Goomba]]s. Despite this, Ninjis are still aggressive and chase Mario if they see him. In the overworld, Ninjis tend to hide in the poisoned waters or trees of the forest levels, much like the [[Bzzap!|Bzzaps!]] in ''Paper Mario''.

In battle, a Ninji can either turn itself into a throwing star and hurl itself at Mario, or it can run up to Mario and slam him. Mario must watch the positions of Ninjis, as they are one of the few enemies that can dodge Mario's attacks (the others being [[Paragoomba]]s, [[Shiny Paragoomba]]s and the [[Wiggler Segment]]s). If they are jumping, they cannot be hammered, and if they are standing still, they cannot be jumped on. If Ninjis are hit with the 'wrong' attacks, they disappear in a cloud of smoke and leave a decoy log behind, causing the attack to miss; they then run back into battle while falling from the top screen. This may cause Mario to fall on his face. Ninjis can be hit with the [[Hurlhammer]] sticker even when they are jumping. They can also dodge [[Shell]] sticker attacks if they are jumping. If Ninjis are [[sleep]]ing, [[crumpled]], [[stopped]], or [[dizzy]], they are not able to dodge Mario's jump attacks. A Ninji may drop a [[Throwing Star]] sticker when defeated.

Ninji are primarily found in [[Fort Cobalt]], where they are found in a corridor filled with crates that is entered if Mario fails the last fence puzzle. One Ninji can be found sleeping, and wakes up if Mario hits his hammer nearby. Ninjis make a brief appearance among the minions causing havoc at the [[Toad Trainworks]] when the [[Sunset Express]] needs repairs. The Ninjis fought in Toad Trainworks are unavoidable. A Ninji is the third-round opponent in [[Roshambo Temple#Roshambo Temple #5|Roshambo Temple #5]], although after [[Larry Koopa]] is defeated, it will be replaced by the [[Rock Paper Wizard]] until beaten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Ninji sometimes appears in the [[Mario Adv.]] [[microgame]] in ''[[WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase]]''.

Ninjis appear in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam]]'' as enemies in [[Gloomy Woods]]. One is fought in [[Neo Bowser Castle]] alongside a [[Paper Ninji]], a [[Spiny]] and a [[Paper Spiny]] as one of Bowser's last lines of defense. They now act more like how actual ninjas would, even using camouflage sheets to hide themselves in the overworld. In battle, regular Ninjis use ninjitsu-styled attacks, such as creating shadow clones of themselves to attack the trio. The fake Ninjis can be told apart from the real one by their blue-colored buttons, as opposed to the genuine one's red buttons. [[Jump]] or [[Hammer]] attacks also cannot be used consecutively against them, as they avoid taking damage via substitution with a log. If there is a Paper Ninji present, a regular Ninji can fold it into a shuriken and throw it at a bro, who must hammer it back.

 

A Ninji, referred to as '''Nimble Ninji''' on a [[Play Nintendo]] article,<ref name="Play Nintendo">{{cite|url=play.nintendo.com/news-tips/news/september-update-dlc-mario-golf|title=Another round of free DLC for Mario Golf: Super Rush!''|publisher=[[Play Nintendo]] website|accessdate=September 26, 2021|archive=web.archive.org/web/20210926142912/https://play.nintendo.com/news-tips/news/september-update-dlc-mario-golf}}</ref> makes its playable debut in ''[[Mario Golf: Super Rush]]'' as of version 3.0.0. He has the highest speed which is tied with [[Yoshi]] and average stamina. His [[Special Shot (Mario Golf: Super Rush)|Special Shot]] is the Hop Skipper, which bounces multiple times on the ground depending on the distance traveled, while his [[Special Dash]] is the Glide Dash, which allows Ninji to glide with his cloak.

====''Super Mario Bros. 2''====

:*'''Instruction booklet bio:''' ''He is a little devil who appears in the dreams of NES players. He moves fast and will persistently chase you.''

:*'''Instruction booklet bio:''' ''He stays in one spot and jumps repeatedly. A strange guy.''

 

===''[[Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten]]''===

|desc='''<big>アメリカニンジャ登場！！</big>'''<br>

{{ruby|黒装束|くろしょうぞく}}に{{ruby|身|み}}をつつみ、アメリカ{{ruby|名|めい}}をニンジというところからみて、{{ruby|忍者|にんじゃ}}の{{ruby|一種|いっしゅ}}のようだ。{{ruby|上下佐右|じょうげさゆう}}に{{ruby|素早|すばや}}く{{ruby|動|うご}}くものと、１カ{{ruby|所|しょ}}で{{ruby|飛|と}}び{{ruby|跳|は}}ねているものの２{{ruby|種類|しゅるい}}がいる。<ref>{{cite|date=1994|language=ja|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|title=''Perfect Ban Mario Character Daijiten''|page=[https://imgur.com/FZL4q70 157]}}</ref>

|eng_desc='''''<big>American Ninja is here!</big>'''''<br>

''Dressed in black, they appear to be a type of ninja, judging from their American name, Ninji. There are two types of ninja: those who move quickly up and down and to the right, and those who jump around in one place.''

{{:Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam bestiary|transcludesection=Ninji|align=horizontal|image=[[File:NinjiPaperJam.gif]]}}

SMB2 Nintendo Power Ninji Artwork.jpg|''Super Mario Bros. 2'' (Nintendo Power)

File:DokiNinji.png|''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic Hisshō Kōryakuhō''

|JapM=Possibly based on "Hattori-kun" from the manga series ''{{wp|Ninja Hattori-kun}}'', or his namesake「服部半蔵」(''{{wp|Hattori Hanzō}}''), combined with the honorific「~くん」(''-kun'')

|Jap2=ハックンＡ<ref name=yume/><ref name=Portal>{{cite|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/character/mario/archives/usa|title=Japanese ''Super Mario USA'' entry on the official Mario Portal|publisher=nintendo.co.jp|language=ja|archive=archive.today/2022.01.25-065234/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/character/mario/archives/usa/|accessdate=May 23, 2024}}</ref>

|Jap2R=Hakkun A

|Jap2M=Ninji A <small>(''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'' / ''Super Mario USA'', Ninji - 1)</small>

|Jap3=ハックンＢ<ref name=kojo/><ref name=Portal/>

|Jap3M=Ninji B <small>(''Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic'' / ''Super Mario USA'', Ninji - 2)</small>

|Jap5=カタカタハックン<ref>[[Media:Mvsdk book ii.jpg|''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'' Shogakukan book]]{{page needed}}</ref> <small>(''Mario vs. Donkey Kong'')</small>

|Jap5M=Mechanical Ninji

|ChiS=哈库<ref>From the ending scenes of ''[[Super Mario Advance]]'' as localized by [[iQue]]. Reference: {{cite|无敌阿尔宙斯|language=zh-hans|date=August 28, 2013|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20170226161109/https://tieba.baidu.com/p/2559790043?red_tag=f0666802113|title=神游 超级马力欧2敌人官译 (Official names for iQue Super Mario 2 enemies)|publisher=Baidu Tieba|accessdate=February 2, 2017}}</ref>

|Fre=Ninji

|Ita2=Ninji 1; Ninji 2<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' Italian manual|page=24}}</ref>/Ninji A; Ninji B<ref>{{cite|date=November 15, 2018|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia]]''|publisher=Magazzini Salani|language=it|isbn=889367436X|page=68}}</ref>

|KorM=Portmanteau of "ninja" and ~군 (''-gun''), the Korean translation of the honorific suffix「~くん」(''-kun'')

|RusM=Diminutive of ''ниндзя'' (''nindzya'', "ninja")

|Spa=Ninji

{{navboxes|

{{TSMBSS animation}}

{{SMW TV}}

{{SMM2}}

{{SMPJ}}}}

[[Category:Bowser Jr.'s Journey allies]]

[[Category:Brain Drain enemies]]

[[Category:Dinosaur Dilemma enemies]]

[[Category:Hotel Mario enemies]]

[[Category:LEGO Super Mario characters]]

[[Category:Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam enemies]]

[[Category:Mario vs. Donkey Kong enemies]]

[[Category:Paper Mario species]]

[[Category:Paper Mario: Color Splash enemies]]

[[Category:Paper Mario: Sticker Star enemies]]

[[Category:Paper Mario: The Origami King species]]

[[Category:Super Mario Advance enemies]]

[[Category:Super Mario Bros. 2 enemies]]

[[Category:Super Mario Bros. Wonder enemies]]

[[Category:Super Mario Run enemies]]

[[Category:Super Mario World enemies]]

[[Category:The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! enemies]]