Mini-Review: The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan by Kacem Zoughari

Discussion in 'Ninjutsu' started by llong, Apr 21, 2014.

  1. llong

    llong Valued Member

    A short review below. Please note that I am calling him "Kacem" and not so many other things (Dr. Zoughari, Zoughari shihan, etc.). No offence is meant by this. Despite being nearly 4 years old, Kacem's book hasn't gotten the attention it deserves.

    Kacem Zoughari holds a Ph.D. in the history of Japanese classical martial arts, and is also a licensed instructor of Ninjutsu. His book "The Ninja: Ancient Shadow Warriors of Japan" is a research-based attempt to demonstrate the actual existence of the ninja historically, and then to connect that existence to modern times.

    This is difficult work. For one, nearly all of the world was illiterate 300-1000 years ago. Second, much of what was written was destroyed or hasn't been located. Third, much of what was written and survives is written in Kanbun or a stylized script that is nearly indecipherable. Kacem is quite fluent in these old forms of Chinese and Japanese.

    Kacem was given access to many private scrolls and works of art to write the book. His translation of Takamatsu's autobiography, albeit short, was powerful to me personally. The art shown in the book is beautiful and adds context to the text. His writing style felt like a loving student's who lends his professional training (history) to a long-held passion.

    Adding to the challenge is that possibility of bias. As a student of this art, Kacem could be biased toward legitimizing the illegitimate, connecting the unconnectable, and aggrandizing the not-so-grand. Kacem holds seminars in this martial art, and certainly has the motive to be biased in his writings.

    I reject this hypothesis for several reasons. First, much of what he has written is reasonably well-known. He adds color and context that is helpful and improves understanding, but didn't add entirely new histories that seem either unreasonable or 'convenient'. Second, as a historian, he was trained to make his logical leaps clearly described as such. In much of the book he shows the logic behind his hypotheses.

    The book is 208 pages long, and has dozens of pages of footnotes which in my opinion should have been 'promoted' into the text. Importantly, this is not a training book. Few or no techniques are described.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2014
  2. Big Will

    Big Will NinpƓ Ikkan

    Thanks for that nice review!
     
  3. kouryuu

    kouryuu Kouryuu

    Yeah, you've just turned big will on
     
  4. pseudo

    pseudo Padawan

    I finished reading this book last night...my Initial thought after reading this book was "that's it?". While the book was good and enjoyable it felt very generic, I dont feel that it offered any fresh insight or information on the subject. Most of the information in this book can be found online, on this forum or other books. More of the same? After seeing a few youtube videos including Kacems mini documentary I was expecting more from someone who has spent so much time in the Japanese culture. It felt incomplete. While what he did explain, he did so very well, I also enjoyed that he went into the history of other arts such as Ueshibas aikido and Jigoros judo. These sections I enjoyed even more then the sections on the ninja. Overall, not bad but not great either. I would personally give it a 3 out of 5.

    This comment sums it up well.
     
  5. hatsie

    hatsie Active Member Supporter

    Blasphemy and immediate excommunication from all k-klubs ! :D

    Sorry it wasn't riveting, do you think its a case of 'a good practitioner does not a good author make' or the is only so much can be said on the subject, and its all been said many times before?
     
  6. pseudo

    pseudo Padawan

    Who knows? Not I. That being said, I'm not a practitioner, dabbler maybe? Perhaps I should go spend some time in Japan and do my own research?

    It was a Great Introduction! Now lets read the rest of the history book! Maybe your right, maybe their just isnt much to be said but for something that dates back that far its hard to believe. Kacem had/has access to a lot of source material, maybe he didn't want to overwhelm the reader? Why not invest a few chapters exploring where the ninja has gone today? He explains what the ninja was but why doesn't he touch on the shihan of today? He talks of Hatsumi anf Takamatsu.

    I enjoyed the book, just wish their had been more. Wanting more isn't a bad criticism is it?
     
  7. Da Lurker

    Da Lurker Valued Member

    he can't. the connection between the feudal ninja and today's practitioners of the buj is tenuous at best. unless you count in the ninjas of the theme parks around japan. yes they do know certain things on the field of ninjutsu, but they are more ren faire guys at best, not a continuing tradition with an established lineage.

    what do i mean by tenuous? well, there are no THIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION on the connection of the modern day practitioner and the shinobi of ages past. he (kacem) cannot offer independent verification, he is very invested in this (the buj). that verification must be solid enough that even the harshest critic will have no choice but to accept it, lest that very solid verification be slapped on his face (ouch!)


    it's because doing that will release a hailstorm of fecal matter (aka politics)raining down, just like what happened in sodom and gomorrah. kacem has a phd, he ain't stupid to let that happen on his watch and with his own hands.
     
  8. TomD

    TomD Valued Member

    I actually think you are quite wrong in stating that there is not much new information in there. His description of the different words for ninja and spy, for instance, is new in the English language at least. Much of the things written on Togakure ryu's history are new, or at least were not written down elsewhere with the source mentioned (so people were saying it but he proves it) and the same goes for the description of the life of Takamatsu sensei, much new stuff and much older stories related to a source. And that is only the start. As I said in the past, I do believe there are a few faults with the book, yet these mostly lie in the realm of editing.

    Regards, Tom.
     
  9. pseudo

    pseudo Padawan

    Okay, so for those of you who have red the book, you feel that he cover the majority of what could be covered on the subject?
     
  10. skuggvarg

    skuggvarg Valued Member

    No, I think it only scratches on the surface. This is what Mr Zoughari himself has stated too. However, I do think it is a nice introduction to it with a nice and natural connection to the ninjutsu from Takamatsu.

    Regards / Skuggvarg
     
  11. Brian R. VanCis

    Brian R. VanCis Valued Member

    Yes, this is what I would agree. Good introduction but just scratching the surface. Great reference material for the library. Hope he writes more down the line!
     
  12. Pankeeki

    Pankeeki Valued Member

    There are definitely more books coming ;-)
     
  13. Brian R. VanCis

    Brian R. VanCis Valued Member

    Cool. Thanks to this thread I am re-reading this book and enjoying it thoroughly!
     

Share This Page