**Bronze Medal Winner, 10th International Manga Awards
**
This historically grounded manga follows the ninja Nagata Saburo as he
teaches his son, Hisaaki, the weapons, secret tactics, and values of the
ninja. Based on the real-life writings of the famous ninja Hattori
Hanzo, Secrets of the Ninja combines a familiar coming-of-age story
with a historically accurate background of political intrigue and
Sengoku-period Japanese culture. As Hisaaki grows from boy to man,
Wilson skillfully interweaves real lessons, weapons, and skills used by
ninja in feudal Japan, depicted with detail by artist Akiko Shimojima.
All of the tactics Saburo teaches to his son are drawn from the Shinobi
Hiden, the most famous of the ninja scrolls written by Hattori Hanzo,
general to the warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu and one of the most famous
warriors in Japan. These scrolls provided practical instruction for
professional ninja, but they also provide insightful theories of social
relationships and human interaction, studying the nature of deception,
falsehood, and self-protection. An extensive supplementary section
written by Antony Cummins provides fascinating details on these scrolls
and their practical lessons. Accessible, insightful, and exciting,
Secrets of the Ninja is the perfect introduction to the world of
samurai and shinobi warfare.
