- BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK - Before you go any further in this book there are a few Japanese words and names for the ninja that you must know to understand the text in full. Ninja: You may think you know what a Ninja is, but without a doubt most people of the world do not fully understand. For ease you may understand Ninja as men and women of various ranks, ability, social status and origins who have trained in the arts of Ninjutsu. Shinobi: The original reading of the word Ninja, it can be used to mean a person or a verb, to do Ninjutsu, to carry out a Ninja activity. Shinobi – no – mono: A person who does Ninjutsu, a Ninja. Ninjutsu: The art and skills of the Ninja. Shinobi no Jutsu: The original way of saying the art of Ninjutsu. Ninpō: This word has been mistranslated of recent years and given philosophical meaning. In medieval Japan this term was interchangeable with Ninjutsu. 　 Ninpei: This translates as Shinobi Soldiers Suppa: An old word for Shinobi. Rappa: An old word for Shinobi. Iga no Mono: Men of Iga, normally classed as Ninja. “You like samurai swords?...i like baseball!” The words of Hattori Hanzo from Kill Bill and they still ring out after 400 years after the name Hattori first sliced its way into the mainstream. So who is this Hattori Hanzo, a master sword smith, a black assassin, a master ninja, a superhero? All of these and more have been portrayed as Hattori Hanzo but what is the truth of this illusive yet popular character? Within this short volume we will explore the small amount of evidence available to us about the man and the myth of Hattori Hanzo and come to terms with the reality above the fiction, a reality that is far more impressive than any fiction will achieve. For those who know the name Hattori Hanzo but do not know who or what he is, then you are indeed in for a treat. If anyone from the pages of history deserves a spot in the limelight it is the Japanese character of Hattori. Hattori Hanzo or Devil Hanzo as he is sometimes known was a strategist, samurai and ninja leader of the 16th century. His exploits are legendary and the name of Hattori is without doubt one of the most connected names with the history of the shinobi warriors. One could say that where there are ninja, there is always the echo of Hattori. What should be the simple recounting of one man’s tale become a complex but short puzzle to be unfurled. The aim of this work is to first establish who or what is Hattori Hanzo, his origins, homeland and skills. From here we will turn to the family name and title of Hattori Hanzo and the successive generations that undertook the task of ‘master ninja’. The book will concentrate mostly on Hattori Hanzo II and his famous exploits and connections to the shogun, see how his name lives on in the town of Hanzomon, the battles he featured in and the ninja he commanded. Surprisingly for a high profile figure there is little historical information on the historical figure, there seems to be legends, stories, small ditties but nothing concrete. Therefore this book has attempted to pull in all the strings linked to the historical Hattori and formulate a picture of an illusive man that existed in the shadows of history. To wrap up we will also investigate the myths and the effects he has had on modern culture, alongside some demonology and a look at some writings written by one of the Hattori’s. Lastly and after the investigation of Hattori this book will include a look at Natori the Ninja, the shinobi cat. A comic created by the author to display true historical ninjutsu and also a test chapter from the book Shinobi Soldiers, an investigation into the ninja, a book also written by the author. Most people will give you stories of the famed ninja leader, some media productions will recount the tales of Hattori Hanzo but one thing that they have in common is the fact that they class Hattori Hanzo as one singular man, whereas in fact historically there are at least 4 Hattori Hanzo’s! Before the examination of the individuals, Hattori Hanzo has to be broken down into two parts for investigation, first the family name Hattori: 服部 As far as we know Hattori is the umbrella name for a family line that has its origins in Iga and is a successive term akin to our family names. 半蔵正 Hanzo is the real gem of interest here as it is not actually a ‘christen’ or given name. The word Hanzo is a form of 通称-tsusho a popular name/title given to the head of the Hattori family as he succeeds his predecessor before him. Thus, a child is born with a