I have long been fascinated by the parallels between the stories of the ancient shadow warriors of Japan, and the needs of the modern world. For all we can see - the ancient lineages of ninja have disappeared into the memory of history. Their modern day role being taken instead by intelligence officers & special operations troops. Both of whom specialize in different aspects of what once made ninja so fascinating.
Certainly the world has changed. Yet, the need for infiltration specialists remain. While the militaries of the world have replaced swords with rifles, and horses with tanks, the need for individuals trained in all things 'stealth' has stuck around. This is for example, why spies lie, and soldiers wear camouflage. Remaining undetected by your enemy gives you a clear advantage in conflict.
In fact, remaining undetected is one of the most important elements of modern day conflict. Take for example, the role of stealth aircraft such as the F-22 and F35. Being hard to find and track is a distinct advantage when it comes to fighting your enemy. But something is different...
To explore what that is, we need to think about the ways conflict itself has changed. What was once accomplished with a sword - or a bow - can now be done from "beyond visual range". That is to say that while warriors of old looked each other in the eyes while they fought, the warriors of today often engage in killing at distances no closer than 100 yards. This changes what level of skill in stealth is required in order to remain undetected. Wherefore, a ninja may have been quite literally expected to remain hidden within spitting distance of their target. Warriors today might only be expected to stay undetected until approaching a target to within the distance required to engage them with modern weapons.
In this way, while all soldiers in general, and special operations troops in particular, remain fully committed to stealth. Their role is not quite what it once was.
Spies on the other hand have a more complex mission set - and one that often requires a gentler touch. Where a 'direct action' team might open fire on anyone they think has detected them, a spy is unlikely to have such permission or capability. Spies are however, more often than not, stealthy in different ways. Rather than sneaking through the shadows to access information, they are much more likely to engage in communication and deception on an interpersonal level. That is because of the simple fact that this pattern of behavior is far less likely to result in them being compromised. In situations where the identification of them as a spy could lead to their capture, then remaining undetected is paramount. And while asking questions and developing friendships with the intent of stealing information can be somewhat suspicious. Being caught sneaking around a secured facility is often an instant reveal of who you are.
This dynamic points us to one of the most fascinating things about ancient ninja. They were trained by their families, often from a very young age, to be exceptionally stealthy.
In order to have the skills required to actually pull off the 'close in stealth' of the ninja. One must be trained from when they are very young, or otherwise must commit themselves to extensive study in the art of stealth. It's not just about memorizing how to walk silently, or how to crawl along the ground. There are many fine details which must be remembered, and then trained into your reflexes, so as to make you exceptionally capable as an agent of the shadows. These are the skills which enable you to become truly stealthy.
These skills are also nearly impossible to teach en masse. That is to say that you can't have a 'boot camp' which produces large number of persons trained in these skills. Another reason why today militaries stick instead with what does work through mass education. Those tactics which can be taught to everyone.
It is our hope through this work, that we can recreate a sort of neo-ninjutsu. One firmly grounded in the modern world - with an understanding of the needs of the modern world - while also understanding and respecting exactly what it once was that made ancient ninjutsu so useful and great. It is not our intention to play re-enacter, or to 'cosplay' as ninjas - as much fun as that would be. This is a true and serious attempt to find what is missing from the modern dialog around stealth, and understanding why it is missing, to bring it back.