Representing other Caltures in Ciomics & Video games

Character Types

Japanese Ninja’s.

The time they lived

Shinobi meaning shadow warrior in Japanese this usually refers to a master of ninjutsu. More commonly, it's an art, associated with the ninja, the powerful but stealthy warriors.

Ninjutsu is a secretive, resourceful martial art that is shrouded by mystery and hidden by exaggerated in most legends.

Although the exact time of origin is very hard to pin down, it's generally accepted that Ninjitsu was not around prior to 600 A.D. 

(Research found http://www.ehow.com/about_6639861_ninjutsu.html)

 Important historical events of that time.

16th Century was known as the "Golden Age of Ninjitsu." during the Japan's feudaln period.

Their Mythologies & religion (Gods, monsters, Ext.)

Rituals & traditions

The functions of the ninja included are-

Espionage -

Also know as spying involves individuals obtaining information that would be considered confidential (secret) without permission of the information holder.

Sabotage-

Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity for example another team or party through obstruction, subversion, disruption, or destruction.

Infiltration-

In warfare, infiltration tactics involve small, lightly equipped infantry forces attacking enemy rear areas while bypassing enemy front line strongpoints and isolating them for attack by follow-up troops with heavier weapons.

Assassination-

An assassination is to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack.

Ninja's also took part in open combat in certain situations.

(This research was found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja) 

(Also I researched the meaning of some words just to check my facts, for example, assassination on http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assassinate) 

Clothing & Weapons 

Metsubishi.

This a type of powder consisting of ingredence such as, sand, pepper, metal shavings, certain plants and even ground up seeds. The ninja's are thought to of carried this blinding powder in egg shells, paper sacks or other containers.  It could of been used in a number of ways such as trowing at an enamy, mixed in with explosives or blows out of pipes.

SHURIKEN

these where hand releced blades thrown at the enemy this could of been used to cause a distraction. blades might of bren poisoned to cause death. The shuriken was used to throw at enemy from a distance so that the ninja could get away quickly and hopfully unseen.
Examples of this weapons -

Settings and Building in the 16th centry 

Matsumoto Castle was built in the 16th century and is lso know as th Crow's Castle because of it's black color.

Maruoka Castle was built in 1576 and is located in Sakai, Japan. This castle is also know as 'mist Castle' this is because of the legendary mist hat obscures it when enemies approach.

Hiroshima Castle was built in the 1590s and destroyed in WWII by one of the two atomic bomb. It has since been rebuilt and is now a used as a museum. 

 http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/asiablog/10-japanese-castles

Comic layout style insperation for my comic.

I am intrested in and love Manga & Amine comic's
The only Comics i have read are those of that style.

Chobits

 

 

My favourite comic books would have to be Chobits.

A story set in japan about people living and falling in love with machines (protocomes- a life like computer modeld on humans.) There is also a small story line running through the book, a story the protocom Chi likes to read, unknown to her this story is about her, her twin sister & the one just for her (the one she is looking for.) I think this was a good to include in the comic as it explains what chi is looking for and how even though she is a machine she still has the program idea of emotions and is looking for happiness like everyone else.  

The image bellow is of the other story running throughout the book.

 Although there isn't a lot of text, the illustrations explain what is going on and is very easy to follow. This story is full emotion and gives nothing about the ending away.

The book is the traditional way of reading this Japanese comic, to us read back to front. I think I would like to use this style for my comic.

Character inspiration 

I have taken inspiration from the world of Warcraft character's - rogues (the wow word for ninja's)
These characters are trained in self and use daggers as there weapons, there armour is leather for agility. 

This image is taken from the world of Warcraft playing cards.
It is an image of a blood elf rogue with enchanted weapons.

This image is of a blood elf rogue assassinating a dreni priest.

These images have inspired me as my story will be baced along a female Ninja who goes rogue as woman are seen as disposible in there line of work she will be living in 16th centre Japan.

I like the femaninity of blood elf's as they are almost human looking other then the fact they are more slender then the human characters in world of warcraft.

This is an example of a Human rogue.

Character names.

Traditional Japanese names -

Kasumi 

Japanese meaning for - Mist 

Katsumi

Japanese meaning for - Victorious beauty

Mari 

Japanese meaning for - Rebellious and their rebelion  

Miyako 

Japanese meaning for - Beautiful night child

Shizuko  

Japanese meaning for - Quiet child 

Yukiko - 

Japanese meaning for - Rare child 

Character background.

Miyako is a smart caring person, she was brought her up by her farther in a covenant of ninja's he controlled, Miyako had a younger sister named Shizuko. They where always given the hardest of tasks and assassinations, Miyako felt that this was because they where the most trusted and best at what they did, but her opinion was so changed when her sister Shizko was captured by the enemy. Miyako was unaware of this, her father how ever was. He sent Shizko & she had failed, he showed no emotion, he asked Miyako to do the same task by her furthers wishes she went.

Unknown to her that Shizuko had already attempted it but go herself caught and had little time left. Entering the enemy building undetected she stalks round the building she looking for her target. She hears a familiar voice, but it was in distress.  Distracted by this she follows the voice and it gets closer she can hear what they are saying, plead to stop. Miyako realises that it is her sister and rushes to her aid. Miyako waited outside the door till the the room was clear and who ever else was with her left. She finds her sister bloody battered and violated.

Her sister whispers ‘you came for me.’

‘Why are you here Shizko?’

‘Farther sent me with, that’s why you’re here aren’t you, you came to my aid when father realised something was wrong’

‘No, I didn’t know you where here, Farther told me nothing but my objective’

‘but I’ve been missing for days, he isn’t worried?’

Artist Reasurch

Book - The mammoth book of best new manga 2.

Title - Strum  

Artist - Benjamin Ang.

Publish date of book (in UK) - 2007

Publish date of comic strip - unknown (looking into)

The comic strip can also be found the artists website - 

Link- http://benjaminang.com/

Some artwork from the comic -

About the artist -

Past work - Game Artist at Mikoshi studios.

Mikoishi is an award winning game development studio, publisher and technology provider. We specialize in online and multiplayer games based on original and licensed IP for PC, handheld, virtual console and 3G mobile platforms. Mikoishi products are operated in over 40 countries across North and South America, Europe, and North and South East Asia. Mikoishi is headquartered in Singapore with regional offices in Korea and Japan.

Current work - Comic Artist at Marvel Comics

Influences - 

As a child this artist spent his pocket money from the age of 15 on x-men & Dragon ball comics.

Benjamin was also influenced by Jason liebig, this changed his view of comics as a career. He realized that this was what he wanted to do for a living.

Inspired of the work of  -

Terry Dodson

Example of artwork 

Joshua Middleton
Example of artwork

Bruce Timm

Example of art work

Adam hughes

Example of artwork

Akira Toriyama

Example of artwork

Review of Super hero's unmasked 
To me the key points where how much comics changed over the years and how much they impacted on evens i would never think they would have any intrest in. How comic books help in the war agenced the Nazies,

how the superhero's changed to keep up with the times and the amazing new conceps they came up with.
I have read some comic books but only manga and those types of comics. Watching this documenutre I now have a better intrest in comic and it's history.
Superman

The inspiration for Superman came from republished comic strips in newspapers.

The creators of Superman couldn’t do anything at the time because they where young & Jewish but they didn't give up. Eventualy they had a brake through and where published in Action Comic.

The original Superman comics was based on 1938 where the world needed a hero!

 Timely Comic's became

 MARVEL Comics!

 

The Documentury explaned the conspets of the man superhero's we know so well today for example Batman

Batman watched his mum and dad die from gunshot. This makes him obsessed with Juctice and catching crooks, batman was seen as a badass. But this was later on changed when he was turned into a father figure by adding a sidekick, Batman was one of the first comic's to have a child as a side kick, some other writers didn't like this consept as some saw it as putting the children in danger.

Comics where used as War properganda in world war 2 fighting agenced hitler, the Nazis  & Japan

For example Superman and Captin america fought agenced Hitler in their comic's and the americans always won.

When this was leeked to a greman close to hitler then Nazi's called superman a Jew.

Comic where so pro American that people could of been under the impretion that the government had some say on what was being published but this was infact not true, comic writers felt they had to do something, some writers infact particapated in the war as they felt that they couldn't just write about it.

Comics where sent out in care packages during the war.