In Search of the Ninja: The Historical Truth Of Ninjutsu

If you are interested in the historical ninja (Shinobi) you will enjoy this book. Having read many of Antony Cummins' other works this is a shorter, less detailed yet still fulfilling addition to my library. It still contains diagrams, photos and descriptions but in a shorter, more easily digestible format. What I really like about his efforts is he presents the information in a documented, historically accurate manner far removed from movie presentations and he also positions them within samurai culture and practices..

This book is amazing. For anyone who is interested in ninjas or ninjutsu, or martial artists or historians will love this book. This is about Real Ninjutsu and Real Ninja. Not fake, phony, knockoff, imitation/fantasy ninjutsu that has been written about by these wannabe ninja authors...... Ashida Kim, Haha Lung, Stephen K Hayes, and Masaaki Hatsumi. Mr Antony Cummins books are amazing. Nevre before has such information about the ninja been available until Antony Cummins wrote and translated his books. Before him, Phony nerds like Ashida Kim, Haha Lung, Stephen K Hayes, and Masaaki Hatsumi made a fortune selling fantasy ninja books. They know nothing about ninjas or ninjutsu. Please everyone don't buy fake ninja books by authors like Ashida Kim, Haha Lung, Stephen K Hayes and Masaaki Hatsumi. Ashida Kim and Haha Lung are barely martial artists and made up a lot of their material for their books and have no sources of where they learned ninjutsu at, while Stephen K Hayes and Masaaki Hatsumi and all affiliated with him are martial artists, but they are not ninja, they don't study ninjutsu, and they know nothing about ninjutsu or ninjas. Antony Cummins is the only reputable author of books dealing with ninjas and ninjutsu. When I was 11 or 12 years old I wasted my money on ashida kim, Stephen k hayes, and masaaki hatsumi's books because they were the only thing available pertaining to ninjutsu and ninja. Now as a grown man I can see through the lies and the rubbish that were written in their books. Thank you Antony Cummins for all your books. they are truly treasurable. I look forward to any new books of his.

The book reads like a thesis paper. The language is dry but not particularly difficult. However, the information is exciting! The book is also very honest about which information is reliable and tries to dry it's conclusions from multiple sources. Hence four stars...maybe five if you want something factual and don't mind dry.

Hello everyone This is Richie a.k.a. Rfighter7 an I just recently purchased this book an it was worth every single penny!! The content it it is very well written, researched, clear an pure awesome! I recommend anyone interested in ninjutsu to pick up this book an any-other by by Mr. Cummins. You will find great content on the history, of the ninja, The way they operated tools an tricks of the trade, actual accounts of the ninja in action an much more! If your interested please pick this book up! I highly recommend it! Peace Richie! An thank you Amazon for you great service you's do an excellent job!

Highly recommended. This book covers a lot of ground concerning the history of ninjutsu. Not only does it dispel a great deal of misunderstanding, but it also includes a lot of translated material concerning shinobi-densho & makimono (manuals / scrolls) not found anywhere else in English. The author, Antony Cummins did an excellent job at the design and layout in addition to the written format. Fantastic book.

I've read other books by this author and as usual his research is there to see. The fact that it's not just a standard "ninja" book that shows you the weapons and such is refreshing, reading about the tools and weapons is great but reading about the history behind these things and the ninja themselves is a real treat.

Ant this one ranks up there with the ninja real power book man(reasons i list below) you said it man not me!!! So couple things on this book...your translations are very 1 dimensional...is this becasue you have no knowledge of true shinobi / ninpo training?? or even a few years of koryu? crap every decent Japanese martial arts guy knows of yin / yang and the ura and omote dimensions alone. so to those wanting a book on the natori family or just rehashed info from his other books. get it. its always good to have some english translated stuff like the scroll in the back but again be warned its one dimensional..which if you have no shinobi training..you wont miss it. to me it looks like you wanted to make a book like kacems ninja book and failed. Also why are you beating down the natori families doors? dont you think some of these so called ninja experts you are digging up see you coming?? so you you dug up some natori family very cool how come no pictures of family heirlooms or any of the like?? its seems right now....your looking pretty stupid. as am I for continuing to follow you and write these reviews. i look to you to redeem yourself. again yep ill buy the next book. true to form...if true ninjutsu is every totally revaeled to the public it will cease to be ninjutsu. so far...everything you have shown lacks the spirit. becasue its already dead info. if your gonna publish a shinobi book prepared for me to review it as i take the art a little more seriously. historical ninjutsu research team???? your kidding. half are proven as bad as the people your rag in your books. maybe training with the ban clan will help you. i hope so.

This book follows quality translations of authentic "Ninja Scrolls" in the "Shoninki" and the "Shinobi Hiden". Antony Cummins blows preconceptions of the famous Ninja that have come from decades of misinformation out of the water. I recomend every person interested in authentic Ninjutsu to buy this book and other translations by Mr Cummins and in doing so give Mr Cummins the opertunity to bring more quality information about the "Historical Ninja" to light!!

this book is loaded with info and does a great job of separating fact from BS and just a good book.glad i got it

Gut recherchiertes, sehr informatives und spannend zu lesendes Buch. Sollte so einiges richtigstellen, was historisches Ninjutsu angeht und deshalb ein absolutes Muss auch für jede(n) Kampfkünstler(in), der sich bereits seit längerem mit dem Thema beschäftigt. Aber Achtung: Es könnte so manches, was heutzutage unter dem Namen "Ninjutsu" verkauft wird, entmystifizieren. Was dennoch bleibt, ist ein höchst wissenswerter Einblick in eine Kriegerkultur, die selbst nach der Lektüre nichts von ihrer Faszination verloren hat. Insbesondere interessant für diejenigen, denen immer noch erzählt wird, man könne hier und dort (für einen entsprechenden Mitgliedsbeitrag natürlich) "authentisches, überliefertes Ninjutsu" in einem Dojo lernen. Wie sagte bereits Goethe: „Und denn, man muß das Wahre immer wiederholen, weil auch der Irrtum um uns her immer wieder gepredigt wird, und zwar nicht von einzelnen, sondern von der Masse. In Zeitungen und Enzyklopädien, auf Schulen und Universitäten, überall ist der Irrtum oben auf, und es ist ihm wohl und behaglich, im Gefühl der Majorität, die auf seiner Seite ist.“

I have just finished reading this book in one sitting! it has to be one if not the most important books on the subject of the ninja ever writen the author has not only found out shinobi methods but has gone as far as getting things like sleeping powder scientificly analized proving what may at first looks like medeveal madness to actually being realistic methods actualy used by real people during the fudel era in japan. mr cummins goes on to actually prove the chinese origins of the shinobi skills and truely as never before brings the skills of the ninja to life using only historicly proven material and some never seen before in the west ninjutsu scrolls . if you have even a passing interest in japanise history or unconventional warfare and especialy the skills of the spy get this book!

Surement un des rares livres en anglais à avoir sur le sujet. L'auteur et son équipe de chercheur se basent uniquement sur des documents historiques et nous montrent un visage très différent du ninja qu'on nous a tellement mystifié durant des années. Enfin un vent frais sur le sujet mais si je suis sur que beaucoup auront du mal à accepter ces nouvelles recherches sur les ninja.

This well researched and exquisetly writen book that is essential to any Ninjutsu Practitioner. It is a beautiful, well crafted book. The History of The ninja has long been shrouded in mystery and often mis-represented or mis-understood. Take this oppertunity to delve into a world that has been translated from source for a true understanding of what the Shinobi / Ninja truely were / are. The understanding of these shadow warriors will open your eyes to the reality and truth of the Once HIDDEN art. As for this books author Antony Cummins.. A tireless warrior in his achievments along with his historical ninjutsu research team have done such a great job creating this book you are sure of a PERFECT read... My suggestion is BUY IT NOW!!!